Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1888-02-18

She had q bright, intelligent coun-
made piauant remarks. was quick
At rcpartee, and Was as completely at home
uuembarasscd in his society az q city
belle. In chatting with her he quite forgot
to prepare his thoughts for the coming ordeal
Of the prayer meeting. The people heran to
Tho deacon introduced Brother
Sl~ocunbe-who had exchanged the overalls
for his store clothes, but about whose fresh.
cowhide boots the scent Of tho
still fingered The pcarce girls camo
BY q lantern and q dog. They we,e
very plain, and not at Il: young. Halsey
thought discourteously that il the lantern
famed brightly enough to display their faces
the protection Of the dog was entirely IN
The deacou's wife brought in
end q few well thumlsd hymn books.
The deacon reused 1ialsey from his pleasant
with the remark, Il guess all y ONT
. coming" aud the doctor, handing him
q Bible, insisted that he should take Charge
Of the meeting.
"WM some one select a hy,nn!' he asked In
fear and trembling, and one OF the Misses
Prarcc started ''Sweet Hour of Prayer" At
its C:.osc lie read q chapter from the Gospels
chosen quite at random. Having closed the
G.hlc no called upon the doctor to lead in pray
CT. and euteavored during its slow progress
to evolve some train OF thought suitable to
the occasion. Suddenly the story of Blind
Bartimnus, which he had just read, suggested
e sermon Of Henry Ward Bcccl!cr's. Ills
short hand report book WAS in his pocket,
and fortunately, the notes were lesible.
Before the doctor had reached "Amcn" no
had selected two pages, had read them over
twice, and was prepared to repeat them in
III OF hand manner, with quite tho mir Of
giving uttcr:nco to something entirely his
OWN. AS he began he noticed that the eyes
of the doctors niece were tixcd upon him as
though in anticipation Of keen enjoyment.
''lIe is going to get into u muddle," they
seemed to say; my attention will add to his
embarrassment, and ! am going to he very
nice and attentive"
amused superiority fade into ono OF blank
wonder, which said palmer than any words,
81 have made q mistaken estimate Of this
young mans abilities; he " not such u uiuuy
US he looks"
After speaking for twenty minutes, Ualscy
a~polcSizcd for occupying so much time, gave
out another hymn and called upon the lca.
con and Brother Slocumbe to FL the remain
Ing minutes with prayer and cxlortation.
AT the close Of the meeting the doctor
shook hands with him, with genuine appro-
baton. ''Ihc Lord has committed a great
talent to your trust, my SON. Lo said to him
in tho dusk, as Ii,lsey helped him into his
conveyance. "Go not out to thu battle l,
your own strength. Remember tlls admo,l
'iti,n of the King Of Israel, let not him thu,
girdeth on his harness, boast himsalf a, lie
that putteth 1t or Ills niece was sllycr thar
sae had been before the meeting. Evidently
she was impressed with ~llalsoy's superior
abilities, and the young mans heart swelled
with citation. AS l!o returned to the nous
tho Misses Pearce were just leaving with Their
smoky lantern, and he could do no less thar
offer to see them home. The way was long
and it was pitchy dark whom ho returned
but tho eldest Miss Pcarce had insisted on his
awaiting himself Of her lantern. ''You car
give 1t to ME ut church tomorrow" shs
said, land you will rurcly fall into
the brook without it." As there really
seemed some probability Of this. I1alscy tool
the lantern, at the same timo reproducing
himself for his politencss. TIT deacon had
told him so much Of tho plain and simple
minded character Of his hearers that he dc.
tcgmined to avoid all flights OF oratory, and
TO give his audience u sermon es full Of com.
MOI sense as could be found in his collection,
Il lecture by the Rev. Robert Collyel
struc., him as most likely to be popular. I,
abounded in incidents OF country boys com
ing to high petitions by unrcm:tting toll ane
determination. lie read tho lecture wei!
with much OF the hearty manner in which i
was originally delivered, for lo WIS n capita
actor in amateur tlca.ricals. and was accus
toned to ninuso his friends BY giving .'pcr
sonations" Of the different public men will
whom he wa familiar. While In the full
flight Of successful orator., wtilo Lo felt tina,
every eye in tie house was fixed upon him
and that perhaps no one present had cvcI
beard more effective speaking, his cyt
which ran before his tongue, discov.
cred II danger in the path. Mr.
Collyer spoke OF his OWL carly OK.
pcricnces, of tho cottage in Yorkshire with
its loor SO white that you might havo eater
your dinner from it, with no harm { any.
thing but the floor; ant IIalscy in his
anxiety to escape this trap fell into n worse
one, for skipping tho description of his Eng
lish childhood, he launched inconsideratcly
into particulars Of his thirst for study nnd
reading as a youth, how "The Pilgrim.
SStS Aiko CA4S II WV SIlSl DptJhS Htft
tho constant companions Of the forre. Hal
sey's white and shapely hands hardly carried
out the assertion that he had been trained tc
a blacksmith's trade; but his hearers did no.
stop to consider this. Thoy accepted what
be said as true, and listedcd to tho brave
earnest words with kindlirg enthusiasm.
ualscy finished his sermon in si agony o.
apprehension. lie wiped away the tcaes o.
pcrspiration from his forehead, ard during
tne singing of tho last hymn regarded Ii,
congregation turtiyciy from behind hi
handkerchief, expecting in Some face
Al least TO read scorn and dcnun
chiffon. Instead sf this there wa
a look Of pleased surprise and all
m!ration OIL every countcnnnce. IL
turned slowly TO the right, where. tie cloil
sat There, too, an open eyed md opc,
nouthed delight was everywhere displayed
There was one fccs, however, which he coul,
not sec, though he would have given much T.
have known its oppression Tho doctor
nlece sat OF tho cabinet organ, with her bacl
toward him-a 1.-the, villowy figure, us;ns
the pedals with vigor and tho stops with
freedom and grace which betokened moro
skill than was usual with tho organist of {
country choir. Her auburn hair was kno.. .ct
In q loose, abundant mass on her delicat.
neck. Her bonnet was q dainty creation
with a decidedly Partisan air, and her hands
though riugless, were exquisitely modelled
Take her TO tho city" Halsey thought, "ant
no one would detect her country training
Then came g swift conviction that this wax
no rural maiden; everything combined to in.
dicate the influence of the city. Yes, he was
in danger of detection, and it was from thi
quarter that he must guard against it.
After tho closc Of scrvice the superin'
tendent OF the Sabbath school was intro
duccd, and ltalsey was invited to take
the Biblo class Hs found himself con.
frontv2d By three seats full Of whispering enG
DtOPiin~ Vnllny micsca 1-hn reIerunl intn ~,