The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-05-08
fOrgie her

went and came Uses are always pre-.
flowers and TEMPLATE the travelling
across the hills. an'e, NJ. d.. NJ. r. G.
them, Joan from ti,a .,.,,t...... ~.
Grizzlc from tho west. Inc :, W "
storms howled around the cottage, am am
the snow drifted high against the win
dows, and the sisters listened rs the,
sat, each on her own side of the fire
IN dreary. uncompanionable compun
lonship.
And twenty years went by.
1t was wild, wet morning in
March. MIR. Maclesie, the minister
was coming down the road that lead,
IRON the manse into the village, whcr
ii woman came running up to him.
''Oh, sir. come quick to the GRAY
Cottage. The sisters has had a stroke.
an they're bath lynn helpless in their
oees. Hech, sir! it'san awsOme sight!''
ION, when did this happen? when
did this happcn?"
81 dinna ken, Sir. gacd in this
morn, Tor there was nae reek fro tho
chimney. an thought it strange, an
found them there, bath stricken in Il
single night. Hech, sir. Poor Grizzlc
mas lost her mind, an lies talkin' O.
Tue cornlields fifty years syne. an
singing auld sangs us gin she were a
lass again. But joan does na speyk. -
They hurried to the cottage. ard
found it even us Elsie had said. The
moment they entered Joan called the
minister. He came to her.
"Scnd Elsie away" she said, sneak.
ing with difficulty but distinctly. 81
wad speyk wi ye.''
MIR. Maclcsie dismissed the old wo.
man. anu then returned to joan side.
he sat down by the narrow bed and
listened to what she had to say.
u aye thought" she said, still
speaking with difficulty, but yet clear
ly, THAT the ministers were right
when they said that the Laird's decree
provided for the prayers o. the right.
eous, lie forcknowin' the same fro n
eternity. an I've heard We preach that
same doctrine, ye ken wccl. MIR. Mac.
II Ken ia ither way to reconcile the
DEGREES o the Laird WI cur ain fire.,
Will, he answered thoughtfully,
Now, gin the Laird has made pro-
visions for We to pray for puir Grihzle
that she'-the hard voice shook for 81
moment, but she went on--..mlay come
to herscl an let me forgic her ere she
gaes ava an We suId not do tive
Ken that the Laird's Il hard task mas
ter, an He'll be sair displeased wi We,
Mr.. Maclcsic.''
The old man looked at her with
Keen, sad eyes. I'LL pray for Grizzlc,
Joan, but
She broke in eagerly. "Ye might
forget, MIR. Maclcsic. Yc're gettin' an
auld mon. We ken. Mibbics We cud
pray her, an now, an then [ suld
know that a. had been done that cud.
IL fcarsome thing, sir, to think o.
me bein inside the gate a-singin' an
a-harpin an :,-dancin' for joy an NV
puir Grizzlc, that was sic Il bonnie
lass whan She was young. skrcclin'
outside in the dark an the cold. She
was u afcar'd o the dark, Grizzlc, an
She was sic bonny young thing an
guide to me. llech, sill! it seems us if
IT were only last week when McPhcr-
son was dround, an she cam' to me
an sent AVA u the auld women an
tuik me in her young arms an cried
DOR me, an said shc'i serve me a. her
lilo: An she was guide to me. Ave,
guide for mony weary year an lang.
MIR. Maclcsie, think We that she'll no
ken onything again before she gaes
awa'?" 7
81 Gamma tell, Joan"
.'licch, sir! It's sair to bidc here
an she not ken. It's mony IL year
m;cht haze tailed to her an did Ma, an
moo the Laird has ta'cn AVA the
poo'cr. o Mr.. Maclcsic! pray! pray
wi Il yer MIGHT! maun hear her
spcyk till me Onct an say, Joan, good
night The voice of the speaker had
risen almost to II scream, and sudden.
ly it pierced the dull ears of the form
that lay gibbcring and laughing on the
other bed
'Joan. puir Joan!" it said. 81
maun send the ithrrs a. ava an COM
fort Joan, for she has name but me
nOO."
Then the voice died away in a sigh.
Mr. Maclcsic wnet over to the other
bed, and half lifting, half dragging,
brought it across that little room,
across that dividing line, and set it
close to Joan's. As Grizzlies bed
touched hers, Joan burst into tears
The old man lifted the poor, hclplcsf
hand and laid it on her sisters. 81
forgive thee. Grizzlc, as hope to be
forgiven he said solcmnly. and Joan
repeated the words after him. Then
he knclt and prayed.
Oh, what II scene was that With
out, Il lcatlcss rose bush was tapping
against the narrow little window in
the wild March wind. Within, those
two poor beds stood side by side and
both inside the line that had divided
them so long, and on the beds those
stricken forms lay motionless us death.
One "babblng o. green fields" and
one, with face of agony, and wild, be-
sccching eyes, lifted to the old min
ister's face as he fitted il to heaven
and prayed.
''Fatllcr, forgive them, for thoy knew
not what they did - he said, and Joan
sobbed "Amen!'
'''rhey'v been stumblin' along owrc
the rcuch s;anos side by side. but far
apart, hurtin' one another sair ilka
day an Il day lang. Oh, tax them
hamc to Thee and hap them up in one
anothcr's arms till they hac learned
Thy name is love. An Thine be the
poo'cr an the glory. Amen"
AS he rose from his knees and
looked down ut Joan, the tears were
running down her face. but it had lost
its look of hopeless helpless agony.
He laid one hand on the head of either
sister as he said:
"'rhe Laird max His face to shine
upo thee. The Laird lift up the light
o his countenancc upo' thee an gic
thee peace" Then he went away.
But ut midni ght there was knock
and Il cry ut the mansc door. Come
to the Gray Cottage, sir, sunc's ye
can't
The minister dressed himself hur-
riedly and went down There was
knot of ncighbors at the door, but /
they made way for him to pass. And
there with the moonlight streaming
through the open door upon them,
and the freight on the old divided
hearth flashing and dancing and