The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-04-24

Il tAACo0 A4bVA0s OucS tIlCO W GULL tLNb Dhus
ner. Their pennies, many no doubt
the fruit Of self-deniai, had gone toward
the cherished object. Not that they
would not have given them for for chart
ty as willing, but, OIL they longed to
possess that beautiful banner. And
had never succeeded.
sob, dear" sighed one little cherub.
ave have tried and tried to earn that
banner. / don't believe well ever get
it."
Don't be envious, DEAR" said Stella
G., their teacher, " 'be ye faithful, and
we may win it some day.
Ike was an interested listener t. this
conversation. It set HIM to thinking.
He went to his room. Then he said to
himself: The infant class shall have
the bsnner.s
Knowing that the rule was that the
class contributing the most money to-
ward the missionary fund during the
month was entitled to carry the banner
for the ensuing month, he betook him
self to ascertain how much the Bible
class were in the habit OF contributing
each week. This he learned by calling
on the superintendent, whom he hap
pened to know. It was two dollars per
week. The young men composing the
class had hnd the banner almost
oil that year. Sometimes they did not
attend regularly, but would always make
their contributions. The infant class
were alwaysin full attendance with their
lessons learned and their pennies ready,
but each succeeding month doomed
them to dit disappointment.
Next Sunday Ike was at the church
and took his seat behind the infant class,
although the superintendent invited
him to "come up higher" Perhaps it
was q better seat there, or perhaps there
was q charm in the deep blue eyes of
Stella c., the teacher of the infant
class-we will not attempt to guess.
When the hour for sealing up the
money envelopes came, Ike leaned over
to the seat where Stella sat, and hand
ing her q crisp bank bill, whispered:
ITO go with the contribution of the in
FAINT class toward securingsthe banner"
Then he vas gone. The next month
our infant class were awarded the ban
ner. The surprise of the school, espe-
cially the Bible class, was nothing COM
pared to the Joy of those little ones.
But Ike did not cease his visits to the
Sunday-schoo1. In time he learned to
know each little one of the infant class
by name, and more than that, became
tho warm friend of their teacher.
As before stated, Ike had many friends
among the railroad men, and to them
he confided his secret Of the banner. It
at once took like wild-fire among them.
Rough and strong as they were, the story
of the little infant class and the ban
ner touched them.
Lets keep the banner in that class,
boys" said Ike. It was the signal of q
grand donation. Ike was made treasur-
er Of likes Banner Fund, and the con-
tributions we're liberal. Occasionally
o railroad man, who had heard of tho
matter from some friend, would say to
Ike. Here's q sinner for the fund,
Ike"
"The fund" grew, and as it required
but o small stipend weekly to keep the
infant class ahead in contributions. the
treasury was always quite full.
One day death invaded that infant
class. 1t was a sad death. Little Amy
Moor's parents were very poor- she was
the Joy Of that humble home.
Ike heard of this sad event and the
circumstances of the parents through
Stella, and he decided that this was 8
timo when "The Fund" should be drawn
upon. And it was. After that sad fu-
neral; after the little white coffin had
been buried in the grave where q wilder
ness Of flowers had been strewn; after
the earth had been shovelled back, the
~ oNl1ra,n .o, ok,~.-
homeward. The infant class, theil
teacher, and Ike alone remained te
strew this tiny, new made grave with
flowers. And the banner was there
"Be ye faithful unto death" The
sorrowlng and poverty stricken parents
were not forgotten by likes Fund"
Our little infant class had now learn.
ed to love Ike dearly, and, as for Stella,
| am sure she thought very highly Of
our hero.
A picnic. The Sunday-school was tt
have q picnic in the large grove a few
miles south of the city. The much
l%onged-for day dawned at last, brigh'
and clear, and scarcely had the sun got
ten out Of bed when load after load O
happy children and their teachers wer,
vending their way to the grove.
"You will come down during the day
won't you, Ike?" said Stella as til,
former helped the little ones, b,
one, into the big wagon.
Eyes, Til try to come down on No. 5
The road runs within half q mile of til,
grove,.and I'll ride down on the engine
with Jack, and he'll let me got off at thu
big bridge"
"Well, Ike, we'll meet you at the hi,
! bridge and have o lunch ready"
So they drove away, the banner float
ing proudly in the morning breeze.
No. S happened to be late that da,
and did not arrive until noon. Beside
the regular train there we're an extr'
number of coaches filled with excur
s%ionists going west.
Jack, I want to ride down to BIZ
bridge on the engine and get off there
Am going to the picnic at the grove"
"All right, Ike; we've got q heav,
train, and we are an hour behind; bu
1 guess we can make it up"
t Ike had always had a desire to run al
, engine, and often when riding will
some gocd-natured engineer friend the,
would allow him to "run der machine
! a few miles.
> Can I handle her down to the bridge
, Jack|
: Eyes, I guess so; but we must maxi
up time. Put on steam"
!. Away they few. The long trai,
! Numbered down the gentle declivity
: and the ponderous engine swayed ant
, rocked and rushed forward like til
wind.
: "Ets SO her a little, Ike; we're nearing
8 the bridge"
! just then, as they shot around tn