The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-03-16
Waiting for the Grist.


sat next to me on the car, and With whom
l had struck up quite an acquaintance,
what an influence look, word, or the
little act of perfect stranger will some
times have upon person.
Yes, said 1. more than any of us
realize"
1t was the simple act of stranger
that changed the whole course of my
life
Indeed How SOP"
when was boy, my father moved
to the then Far West-Ohio. 1t was be-
fore the days of steam, and no great mills
Numbered on her river banks, but occa-
sionally there was little grist mill by
the side of some small stream, and hither,
whenever the water was up, the whole
neighborhood focked with their sacks of
corn. First come, first served Some
times we had to wait two or three DAYS
for our turn. [ generally was the one
sent from our house, for while I was too
small to be of much account on the farm,
[ was as good as a man to carry grist
to mill. So | was not at all surprised
one morning when my father said: Hen
ry, you can get up old roam and go to mill
to-day
Saunders mill was ten miles away !;
but had made the trip SO often that it
did not seem far. believe one becomes
more attached to an old mill than to any
other building. can see Just how it
looked as it stood there under the syca-
mores, with its huge wheel and rough
clapboard sides.
when l arrived, found the North
Branch and the Rocky Fork folks there
ahead of me, and knew there was no
hope of getting home that day; but I was
not at all sorry, for my basket was well
filled with provisions, and Mr.. Saunders
always opened his big barn for us to sleep
in; so it was no unpleasant time we had
while waiting for our grist. This time
there was an addition to the number that
had been in the habit Of gathering from
time to time, in the old Saunders barn
a young fellow about my age, probably
little older. His name was Charley AL
len, and his father had bought farm
ever on the Brush Creek road. He was
sociable and friendly, but l ins.inctively
felt that he had more manners than the
rest of US. The evening was spent, as
usval, in relating coarse jokes and play
ing cards. Although I was not accus-
toned to suUh things at home, had be-
come so used to it that it had long since
ceased to shock me, and indeed, l was
fast becoming very interested spectator.
go Well, boys, it is time for us fellers to
go to rocst, said Jim Finley, one Of the
greatest roughs on tie Rocky Fork, as he
threw down his pack of cards and began
to undress. We all followed his example,
although it was not much undressing we
did to sleep on the hay NOW; but we
were so busy with our own affairs that
we did not notice Charley Allen Until
Jim exclaimed: Heydey we've got
parson here; we hevP Charley was
kneeling by the oats bin, praying Jim
Finley's jest met with no response. The
silence was only broken by the drowsy
cattle below, and the twittering swallows
overhead. More than one rough man
wiped tear from his eyes as he went
silently to his bed on the hay. had al
ways been in the habit of praying at
home, but never thought Of such thing
at Saunders Mill. AS lay awake that
night in the old barn, thinking Of Char
ley Aliens co rage, and what an effect
it had upon the men, firmly resolved
that in the future | would do right. /
little thought how soon my courage
would be tested. Just after dinner / got
my grist, and started for home. When l
arrived at Albright gate, where I turned
off to go home, | found the old squire