The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-05-18

CHAPTER XIL-COSTINUED.
But before he had done speaking there
came arappinga at the outer door, and leaving
aprotesting look of love with him. Trean
went out to answer it Her sister was in
the kitchen. and the workman Elchard had
provided was turnin g water through the r.
regular trenches upon the tiny fields across
the road. thus the first room was empty,
and into it. when Trean opened the door.
filed half score of Mormon brethren and
sat down. They had come. their spokesman
said, to annoint Brother Hartman and
pray for his recovery. The Bishop had re-
questcd it; and they looked solemn and de
pressed
The girl stood for moment looking at
them in an irresolute way. Their faces
were, many of them, familiar. and such
heavy animal countenances in most part as
she had seen about her all her life. Surely
there was little behind those dull eyes and
narrow. low foreheads with which to work
miracles. Yet, some curious feats of heal
ing. wrought by physical excitement in the
patient. but credited directly to the inter-
vention of Heaven, had been witnessed
among this people. These seeming cures
BY faith had occurred even in the Hartman
ncighborhood, and. to Trean, had been the
one inexplcable evidence of divinity in
Normonisnl. She was not aware that the
phenomenon was natural one-the excite
rnent of the nerve centers and the arousing
of the ratient through mental contact. and
that it was the most practiced and most sue
cessful among barbarians and the ignorant
and creduious. So a gleam of glad hope for
her father came into the girls heart, but
died away in the same moment, as she re-
mcmbered the lamentabie results that had
followed some of these oilings and noisy
incantations about the beds of the feeble.
Il viii see if father wishes it, she said,
and entered the other room. In moment
she came ont, and, holding the door open.
Indicated by look and an inclination of the
head that they might enter. Elchard arose
and stood near the sick man while they
came in. humping the flor heavily with
their thick boots and jostlin g each other awh-
wardly. bat with the most solernnly stolid
OF countenances. The finciy-bred face of the
young man took on a curious, questioning
look at this sudden influx of blowsy WIS.,
ages. and some of tie visages seemed quite
startled out of their stoiidity by seeing him
there.
Most Of the visitors had been beyond the
sea. ard were simple. credulous members of
the peasant class. 1t would be unfair TO say
that they were not men, as rule, aiming to
live lives that were not vicious. but it may
be stated truly tina. they were in the begin
ming that next thing to viciousness heavily
animal-and that their beliefs mad only the
farther fed and fattencd the original
fault The oItrages suffered by Eichard
and others, as recounted in this narrative,
it may be said. also, were hardly to be laid
to the Mormon people as whole, but TO the
system that made such conduct possible.
As a body they had lived in social servitude
in otner lands, and here. with the added
pressure of religion admittedly copied after
carly Hebraic barbarism. they were utterly
cnslaved. They were people in most part
bora with poor spiritual and moral eye
sight. and Were honestly deceived: the
coarse materiallsm of the Mormon system
was plain to their perceptives and seemed
10 bring God within the compass of their
vision. but what they really saw with their
dim eyes was man posturing as his Maker
When the men entered to pray with Burl
Hartman were fairly IL the room. Elchard
turned to the bed and took the hand of his
aged friend.
Il must go now he said. Il will be
back tomorrow. ard hope l may find you
better then. Goodbye
The old man held to his hand a moment
and looked at him in a beseeching way.
Yes he whispered Il want to see yo' to-
morrow. Think OF what | said, an don't
wait too long. Goodbye" and Elchard
passed out. followed. since that fine un-
finching face of his was turned from them.
bv the general visual condemnation of the
healcrs.
When he had gone they gathered about
the sick mans bed. and each one II turn
took its feeble occupant so!ernly by the
hand and stood a moment in silent prayer
Il was in a way very Notwithstanding even
20 the sound. but upon the enfeebled and
supersti;ieus old man it was fairly trans
forming. A kind of flush came into his
pallid cheeks, the pupils of his eyes diiated.
and his hands twitched nervously. Trean
had parted with Elchard At the porch. and
same and stood by the window in her
fathers room watching him with alert and
sympathetic eyes. His look seemed to
trouble her before the first part of the cere-
Eaony had ceased. and she made move
nlent as if to interfere. but at tina. the suf-
ferer sank back upon his pillow with closed
eyes. aid apparently calm. save that his
hands shook involuntarily and wave-likc
tremors now and then passed over his
cnlacia.ed frame.
At the close of the silent hand shaking
and prayer. one of the hcalers, with oil bot
tie in hand, began praying audiSly for the
sick mans recovery. and amounting his
forehead. and temples, hands and feet.
Then four Of them, each with his right hand
placed upon the sick mans forehead, began
a sort of mixed invocation and exhortation.
while the rest, upon their knees, were
sroaning pray sccompaaiaent- Sud
SSH