The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1880-11-27
them any. II though could do anything
that way, toward sending them frost.
I'M The added Nfhat Amt reasonable.

them any. II thong n I could do anything |
that way, toward sending them Frost
"No," he added, "that amt reasonable.
A frost and human life amt convertible
coin. lie don't do unreasonable things. May.
be I've lost my head already. But I'D be
glad to. That's all. l suppose l can ask
You for frost. That's reason.
"Lorl Col Of earth and heaven! that
made the South and North, the pestilcnce
and destruction, the sick and well, the living
sinners! Have mercy on the folks that prag
to You, and on the folks that don't! Re-
member the old graves, and the new ones.
and the graves that are to be opened il this
hellish heat goes on, and send us u blessed
frost, lord, as an act Of humanity. And
il that amt the way to speak to You, re-
member haven't been \ praying man long
enough to learn The language very wcli-and
that i'm pretty sick-but that | would be
glad to die-to give them-a great, white.
holy frost. Lord, = frost! Lord. a coo',
white. clean frost, for these poor devils that
have borne so mlch.'
At midnight Of that saturday ne doZca
M.S dreamed. lie dreamed Of what he had
Thought while Scip was sick: of what ii was
like. 10 lie holy; and sadly waking, thought
OF hsly people-y0Od women and honest
men. who had never done deadly deed.
III can not be holy" thought ZeWlaH
Hone: 'but l can pray for frost" 50 he
tried to pray for frost. But by that time ne
had grown confused, and his will wandered
Ditifuly. and he saw strange sights IA NE
little hut. 1t was as il he wers not alone.
Yet no one had come in. She could not
come at midnight. Strange-how strange:
Who was that who walked about the nut:
who stood and looked ut him: Who leaned
to him! Who brOodcd over him: Mn" put
arms beneath him: Who looked at MN; rs as
,, those look who love the sick too much to
: shrink from them?
; 81 Jon't know YOU" said Zeryial,, in 4
I, distinct voice. Presently he smiled. "les,
| guess do. see now. Pm not used to
/; You. never saw You before. You are
! Him I've heered abOut-GOd's Son. Gods
= Son. You've taken Il great deal of trouble to
.. come here after me. Nobody else came:
= = YOU'RE the only one that has remembered
q me.
. a prisoner OF You. Why, yes! They deserted
- You. They let You die by Yourself. " nat
. did You do it for: don't know much apo" !
: theology. I am not an educated man. !
- never prayed till come South. -.
e forget What dill You do 10 forv'
/ profound and solemn silence replied.
DWELL" said the sick man, breaking it in
- - a satisfied tone, Is if he had been answered:
= ~ WASN'T worthit :. but I'm glad lOu
E. came. ! wish they had frost, poor things
~ You won't 60 away. Well, Pm glad. Poor
: things! Poor things! I'll take Your hand
u if You've no objections" :,
y, After q little time, he added, in tone ol
!" unutterablc tenderness and content:
=, "Lear Lordw and said no more.
| s.sA> no
~, as il there were no task but the tasks OF STAR
le In all the universe, and no sorrow keenel
" than their sorrow, and no care other thar
- their motion and their shining. The web
~ cloud floated like exhaling breath between
!" them and the earth. 1t grew cooler be1or'
u; the dawn. The leaves Of the palmetto owe
oM Scip's crave seemed to uncurl, and grow lax
+! and soften. The dust still flew heavily, bu
-, the wind rose. ~,
Il. The Sunday bells rang peacefully. IN
." sick heard them, and the convaescent AM
, the well. The dying listened to them beior
~, they left. On the faces Of the dead' toe
=: ~ there came the look OF those who hear.
J." The bells tolled, too, that Sunday. Inc
'e' tolled almost all the afternoon. The youn!
Northerner, DIR. Rename, was gone-a retl
' ':H cent. brave Young maM-and the heroic tele
l!l' graph operator. Saturday night they burie
~. her. SUNDAY "Bobby" took her place at tn
MS wires. and spelled out, with shaking finger
". the cries of Calhoun to the wide, we
, ,"r world. :~.:u
and done tolling. There was clear SIX;
J. with cool colors. 1t seemed almost CO..
lu about Scip's hut. The palmetto lifted
'e" faint head. The dust slept. 1t was not y
dark when q little party from the city rot
'ne up. searching for the dreary place: I'M
ou had ridden fast. DIR. Frank was win tnel
el' and the lady. Marian Dare. She rode
me their head. She hurried ncrvously on. 81
was pale. and still weak. The chairman
, Dor, the Relief Committee was with her, and u
a.. sub committee and others.
eh' Dr. Dare pushed on through the sWlngl
t Luz door of the hut. She entered alone. In
III. saw the backward motion Of her gray.slee'
Fps wrist. and came no further, but remoV
their hats and stood. She knelt beside I
.;oa bed. and put her hand upon his eyes. y
',r IL good, after all. Let us hope that tn
,erv knew her before they closed.
Ron She came out, and tried to tell aoout
me. uuC ulV"0 ~""'
M! ms ""It il martyrs DEATH" said the chi
Wy and added. sOlemnly, "Let us pray"
' .sa He knelt, and the others with him, betwe
'"' the buried negro and the unburied nllr
,oa and thanked God for the knowledge and
Sou ta,. recollection Of the holy life which this
,ht, mao '''ea a''o''s '"'"' 80 '. :,
title They buried him, as they must, and h
ried homeward to their living, comfort
and one another for his memory as they could
in. As for him, he rested, after her hand
N to fallen on bis eyes. He who had known
teps deeply the starvation of sleeplessness, 81
dust we'll that night. A.
face. In the morning, when they al! awoKe, u
ldcd of the sorrOwing city here, and those OF
and happy city yOnder; when they took up
the again with it's returning sunrlse-tne SICK
.cs Of the well, the free and the fettered. the
wei. ing and the dcad-the frost lay, cool, WI
ut Of blessed, on his grave.-E!=dOeh Ots
he'd, Phelps, in Scribner's Monthly.