The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1885-04-03
IKR'S BANNER.

" locks OF DSr Ouly 5ou anu ielI, pE6par-
atory to his pilgrimage to the Sunday
school.
Mr.. and Mrs. Judd lived at L., a
small town in western Illinois. They
were poor; but in spite of this misfor-
tune, if such it may be termed, they
were decidedly rich in the possession of
afamily heirloom which had been hand
ed down from generation to generation
with unbroken faith. It was an old
saying.
"The Judd family are noted for their
extreme piety."
1t was the oft-repeated expression of an
aged Methodist minister, a rugged pio-
neer in the Church militant, who, in his
iourneyings in those early days, had oft
and again been the welcome guest at
the hearthstone of many arepresenta-
tive of this remarkable family, whose
name, it seems was legion throughout
the wide scope of country in which this
patriarch was wont to labor.
And this, his f~avorite expression, re-
pented in the experience meeting, on
the camp ground, and around the fes-
tai board, became of history, and as the
Judd family passed from one generation
to another this religious appellation
chung to them, and followed the family
name like a benediction.
The grand old prelate has long since
been gathered to his fathers, and ere
Ike Judd, who, this bright Sunday
morning, is receiving his additions with
grief, shall have reached his majority,
four score and ten winters will have
swept the autumn leaves over that old
mans grave.
And thus, early in life, greatly to the
sorrow of his loving parents, Ike had
sounded the keynote of revolt. He
"was never born to go to church or
Sunday-school, either, for both were
the same to him. Both we're q terror
to his young heart, and ever as he grew
older the feeling Of aversion to places
of divine worship grew upon him.
Certainly, here was a break in the
golden chain. Wa it possible that Ike
Judd, sole heir to a sacred heirloom of
generations, would cast away and ig-
ooro b;o h;rtbri0bt2
But Ike was @ dutiful son, and,
though he regarded Sunday schools and
churches with terror, nevertheless at
tended with mediocre regularity.
At school he was fairly bright, sur
passing many Of his older companions
in their studies. At work or play he
was earnest or diligent. Taking it all
mall, Ike was far from being a "bad
boy" But he twas never born to go
to church."
AS he grew older his distaste In this
regard seemed to grow upon him. He
could not bear to hear the teacher tell
the same old stories of how bad Little
bows were punished, while good little
boys died early and, of course went to
Heaven. He once took a book from
the Sunday school library which was
so full of horrible stories that he could
not sleep for a whole week without hav-
ing dreadful dreams. But a too gen.
erous portion of fruit cake may have had
something to do with them. We don't
exactly know.
The long sermons "made his bones
ache" as he often said. So his parents
at last gave up trying, and Ike was free
to go or not, rs he chose. But it was a
sore affection to these worthy people.
AT last the time came for Ike to leave
his home and seek his fortune else
where. To how many thousands of
other boys has this time come? So one
bright September evening Ike babe the
old home and his parents an affection
ate farewell.
You will write to me, Ike, and
know you will be good; but won't you
promise me to go to church Oh Sunday
school sometimes ?" whispered his moth
or.
"Yes, mother I'll write often, and
well, I'll go to church, too, sometimes.
Good-byeln
And he was gone, and out into the
world.
1t is needless for us to follow our he
70 through the sundry and manifold
Ucissitudes he encountered In his pill
grlmage, His battle with the world
Differed little from that OF other young
men who started just as he did.
First, an odd job here; another there;
then a meniaIs position at q menial's
salary; then something higher and bet
Ter, tillin few short years we find that
Ike is an experinced telegraph Opera
Tor on a great line Of railway RAINING
through the West.