Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-11-28
A SUCCESSFUL PLEA.

SttiI Stt solIiI oII' 'i- W tlhS liz SuSCs
or you can withdraw it, just as you
please"
"Think there isn't any money in it?"
There would probably be some
money in it, but it would, as you know,
come from the sale of the little house
the mar occupies and calls 'home;' but
| don't want to NEEDLE with the matter,
anyhow"
"Got frightened out of it, eh?"
'No, | wasn't frightened out of it,"
II suppose likely the old fellow beg
ged hard to be let OFF,
"Wcll-ycs, he did"
"And you caved, likcly?"
"No, | didn't speak a word to him.
ooh, he did all the talking, did heg'
eyes
"And you never said a word?"
"Not a word.'
"What in creation did you do?"
81 believe | she'd a few tears"
And the old fellow begged you hard,
you say?'
No, I didn't say so; he didn't speak
a word to me-
well, may | respectfully inquire
whom he did address in your hcaring"
God Almighty.'
"Ah! he took to praying, did hep"
Mot for my benefit, in the least.
You sce'-thc lawyer crossed his RIGHT
foot over his left knee, and began
strokin@ his lower leg up and down. as
il to help state his case conciscly-"vou
see, l found the little house easily
enough, and knocked on the outer door
which stood ajar. but nobody heard me.
so | stepped into the little hall, and saw
through the crack of another door inst
as cozy a sitting-room us there ever
was.
'Thcre on q bed. with her silver
head way up high on the pillows, was
an old lady who looked for all the
word Just as my mother did the last
time ever saw her on earth. Well |
was right on the point of knocking,
when she said as clearly as could be:
come. father, now begin, I'm all
ready'-and down on his knees by her
side went an old white-haircd man.
still Older than his wife, i should Judge:
and couldn't have knocked thcn for
the life Of me. Well he began: first he
reminded God they were still His sub
mlsslEc children, mother and he, and no
matter what He saw fit to bring upon
them they shouldn't rebel at His will. of
course twas going to be terrible hard
tor them to 90 out homeless in their old
age, specially with poor neither so sick
and helpless, but still they'd seer sad
dor thlngs than evertha would be. He re-
mndcd God in the next place how
different all might have been if onlyone
OF their boys had been spared them:
then his voice kind Of broke, and a
thin, white hand stole from under the
coverlet and moved softly over his
snowy halr; then he went on to repeat
that nothing could be so sharp again as
the parting with those three sons-un-
less mother and he should be separated,
at last he fell t o comforting him
sell with the fact that the dear Lord
knew it was through no fault of his own
that mother and he were threatened with
the loss OF their dear little home. which
meant beggary and the almshouse, n
place they prayed to be delivered from
entering, If it could be consistent with
Gods Will; and then he fell to uuotiuo
multitude OF promises concerning the
safety OF those who put their trust in
the Lord; yes, | should say he begged
hard; IN fact it was the most thriliinp
plea to which [ ever listened: and af
last ne prayed for God 5 blessing on
those who were about to demand ms
tlce'-the lawyer struMed his lower
limb III silence for a or two
l'cn continued: more slowly than ever:
"And-l-bclieve-I,d rather 90 to
the poorhouse myself, Tonight, than to,
st;ln my heart and hands with the blood
OF such a prosecution as that
Little afraid to defeat the old mans
PRAYER, Ell? queried the client.
sbless your SOUL man, you couldn't
defeat it!' roared the LAWYER, at
doesn't adnait Of defeat! / tell Won he
LETT it all subject to the will of God: bnt
he lett no doubt as to his wishes in thn)
matter; claimed that we were told tn
make known u desires unto God, brit
OF all the pleading | ever heard. hat
beat all You see l was TAUGHT thst
hlnd OF thing myself in my c%bildbocJ.
anu WHY WaS sent to hear that bra YER
l. IN sure L don't know, but ! hand the
case over" '"o
X WISH, said the client. twistin~ nm
easily, you hadn't told ms. about tho
OLD fellows prayer
-Why So"
well l want the money c~onfos,ndedlv
.ne place would bring, bat I was TAUGHT
me blble all straight when I was a
youngster, and I'd hate to: run conn,o,
10 UGH a harangue as that YOU tell
ABOUT. l wish you hadn't heard a word
OF II; n another time I wouldn't
lns1en 10 petitions not intended for YOUR
The lawyer smiled.
MY dear fellow" he said, you're
wrong again; it Yas intended for nv
tars, ana yours, too, and God Almighty
a;nn 'oeu IT, NY old mother usvI to
sing about God's moving in a mvs.
~llons way, | remember?
s.ia " tha ny mother used to sing it, too,"
oulO lue t.l11yNant o. "