Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-04-17

Young lady, watching the banner witt
longing eyes. This was the infant class
with their teacher. Oh, how hard had
these little ones tried to earn that ban.
ner. Their pennies, many no doubt
the fruit Of self-deniai, had gone TOWARD
the cherished object. Not that they
would not havegiYen them for for CHAIR.
tys as willing, but, oh! they longed t.
possess that beautiful banner. And
| had never succeeded. IS !.
@Oh, dear, sighed one little cherub.
eve have tried and tried to earn that
banner. I don't believe we'll ever gel
it, ~,
"Don't be envious, DEAR" said Stella
| c., their teacher, be ye faithful, and
| we may win it some day. J"
Ike was an interested listener tt, this
conversation. It set hum to thinking.
He went to his room. Then he said ia
himself: The infant class shall have
the banner"
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
OH the superintendent, whom he hap
pened to know. It was two dollars per
week. The young men composing The
class had had the banner almost
all that year. Sometimes they did not
attend regularly, but would always make
their contributions. The infant class
were always in full attendance with their
lessons learned and their pennies ready,
but each succeeding month doomed
them to h appointment.
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 a crisp bank bill, whispered
"To go with the contribution Of the in
FAINT class toward securing the banner.
Then he was gone. The next month
our infant class were awarded the ban
ner: The surprise Of the school, espe-
clally the Bible class, was nothing COM
| pared to the joy Of those little ones.
! But Ike did not cease his visits to the
Sunday school. In time he learned to
know each little one Of the infant class
by maine, and more than that, became
the warm friend of their teacher.
As before stated, Ike had many friends
among the railroad men, and to them
he confded his secret Of the banner. It
at once took like wild-hre among them.
Rough and strong as they were, the story
of the little Infant class and the ban
ner touched them.
"Let's keep the banner in that class,
boys" said Ike It was the signal of a
grand donation. Ike was made treasur-
er Of likes Banner Fund.-" and the con-
tributions were liberal. Occasionally
a railroad man, who had heard of the
matter from some friend, would say to
Ike, Heres d. skinner for the fund,
Ike"
"The fund" grew, and as it required
but a small stipend weekly to keep the
infant class ahead in contributions, the
treasury was always quite full. 49,:
| - One day death invaded that infant
class. It was sad death. Little Amy
1 Moor's parents were very poor she was
the joy of that humble home. 1,
Ike heard Of this sad event and the
circumstances of the parents throug
Stella apd he decided that this was a
time when 'The Fund" should be drawn
upon. And it was. After that sad fu-
neral; after The little white coffin had
been buried nthe grave whore wilder.
ness of flowers had been strewn; after
the earth had been shovelled back, the
solemn company of people returned
homeward. The infant class, their
teacher, and Ike alone remained 10
strew this tiny, new made grave with
flowers. And the banner was there.
"Be ye faithful unto DEATH" The
sorrow1ng and poverty stricken parents
We're not forgotten by likes Fund"
Our little infant class had now learn
ed to love Ike dearly, and, as Tor Stella,
Lam sure she thought very highly of
our hero. lf&
A picnic. The Sunday school was to
have o picnic in the large grove afew
miles south of the city: The much
longed-for day dawned at last, bright
and clear, and scarcely had the sun got
| ten out of bed when load after load OF
happy children and their teachers were
vending their way to the grove.
"You will come down during the day,
won't you, Ike?" said Stella as the
former helped the little ones, one by
one, into the big wagon. -
eyes, I'll try to come down on No.. 5.
The road runs within half mile of the
grove, and I'll ride down on the engine
with Jack, and he'll let me got off at the
big bridge"
"Well, Ike, we'll meet you at the big
bridge and have a lunch ready" go
So they drove away, the banner float
ing proudly in the morning breeze.
No. 5 happened to be late that day
and did not arrive until noon. Besides
the regular train there were an extra
| number of coaches filed with excur-
sionists going vest e.. 49,
Jack, I want to ride down to big
bridge on the engine and get off there.
Am going to the picnic at the grove"
"All right, Ike; we've got heavy
train, and we are an hour behind but
| I guess we can make it up"
Ike had always had desire to run an
engine, and often when riding with
some good natured engineer friend they
would allow him to aarun der machine
| . few miles. 81, 4 ,.s.5.s <{..I
Can I handle her down to the bridge,
Jack?" E,.s
eyes, Iguess So; but we must make
up time Put on steam. q: s.
Away they few. The long train