The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-05-08
s.Out IN th .:.

Il Soe
In the pleasant DINING room tb
Table is spread for tea, and 500 III
family aud the merry girl cousins. VIII
nave come in honor Of the day. al
gathered to unite in the endowment :
the good things prepared for then
All heads are bowed a moment as tn
father lifts his voice in words q
thanksgiving and of prayer. Tha
prayer comes back to the teacher i
the plain country school house ia
away from her loved ones to-day. TIL
fathers voice is stilled in death lii
Tie Ben. and the mother, and even tb,
merry cousins. full of life and health
as they then seemed to be, have eacI
heard the call to the home where i
is always joyful, and the roses neye,
fade. The teacher believes that Fred
has Joined them there. He went +,
the army, while yet the roses OF tina,
june We're in their prime, and year:
ave come and gone, the war is lone
since a matter of the past, there Is
yet no word from the soldier boy, anc
nope SO long delayed has given way te
spa There was another, too, who
went out that happy June time to risk
ms lite at his country's caii-one who
was young, and passionate and hot.
headed; who because of a foolish
quarrel with the girl who loved him
herself quick-tempered, and little
thinking how far one little angry word
may. go toward embittering a whole
lifetime, thought would soon pass
away, as many another of their quar-.
rels had done, leaving him loving her
as much or even more than ever
went away without one word of peace
or kind good-by, though he still wore
her fair pictured face next to his heart
n she still retained the engagement
ring he had given her.
After days of weary waiting for him
10 come sueing for peace, the village
gossip told in her hearing Of his hay.
ing Joined the army and gone away.
n the news fell on the girls angry
neart like q seething branding iron.
But then she had her father and moth
er and little Ben. at home with her.
Now all were gone. The happy home
gone too. Yet that PRAYER Of the
father for her in whose honor. that
simple feast was spread-her whom
his heart held very dear, and for
whom his soul went out in TREMBLING
earnestness, still lived on.
Evensas it came to her thoughts to-
day she felt as if not alone after ali
Surely the God to whom her father
llad prayed was with her yet. He had
promised never to leave MOI forsake.
With Him was no changing-no death,
no anger, that SO long as life endured
could not be turned away-showine
forth His tender mercy and His love-
no, she was not alone. A sweet
sense of protection-of conf, rt -came
10 nor heart, and she seemed to ioin
her fathers spirit in the PRAYER he had
breathed that other dav, that God
would take her future into His own
keeping and guide her days according
to His will.
A red rose fell on the desk at her
side. and. looking up in a startled way.
she saw II face at the window near her
b made her hold out her hands
with u cry, uncertain between fear
and joy. But the great bearded fell
low who sprang through the window
and caught her in his arms lust ,s shr
tottered to fail was not uncertain any
This was his sister May. The one
whom he had sought and sought again.
but could not find until by chance Ii
there is such a thing as chance-in
passing this little house in the
had found her bending over the
'oses with 9 look that he knew al
ihough the face that held it was sadly
'hanged 0 that of the merry sister
ne had left at home so long ago.
liner was no school in the brown
'chool house that afternoon. The
hildren frolicked in the grove or shyly
srept up to the door and looked in at
happy PAIR; some of them even
into the school o. aud
listening while the brother told
the fierce fight that had almost cost
Inn his life, OF the long, dreary sea
sou in the hospital, OF other FIGHTS
nat followed, OF a time harder than
the rest when he lay surrounded
y, the horrors of Libby prison, of
,ther tights and other hardships till
ne wal was ended and he started for
lope, only to be oyertaken time and
gam by sickness, when he must bide
weeks. sometimes months at some
'ospltal along his route. as he YVES
poor to hire medical care for him
Ell. Then. of his reaching his native
illage at last to hear that all of his
were dead except MAY and
hat she had gone, no one knew
,hither.
"But how did you lind NE at laste"
sked the happy teacher. "a friend at
old home" was the answer. .has
hown me great kindness. He as
lsted me to start in business, and has
one all he could to aid me in my
earch for you. When we heard d
eport OF Your death in a distant state
G refused to believe it, and has al
lost froced me to employ every
cans possible to find some clue to
our whereabouts. L am come to this
arI OF the country 10 see about land
sionging to our firm. Wishing to 90
a fam over here owned by a man s
Y the name OF Brown, | tired of the j
rt.y road and decided to take u short !
through the grove. Glanced into S
e ~sehooiroom through mere curios-
j n passing and-you know the 8
st, Praise the Lord! | found my $
sler here.'' i
Il hoard with Farmer Brown" said t
e teacher. after a happy paufe. II t
u call the school together and dis $
Fred. must make haste with his
lsiness and could not be persuaded a
leave his sister here. u
Find some one else to finish her /
hool.' he said. 'sMy May must 90 h
me with me in TIE morning. d
Oh, none but those who a
We tried life without it can realize v
" much OF JOY and hope and COM S,
u nat little word signifies. And b
g poor, lone, weary school teacher o
IS going home. y
When at the close of the third day a,