The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1891-03-27

where and everywhere else; but on
Good Friday some impulse which she
could neither control nor explain con-
quered her former reluctance. and. TO
the surprise of the many who knew
her. the shrinking figure in its heavy
black draperies dropped once more into
the seat which memory made at once so
dear and dreadful.
For several minutes she refrained
from looking toward the choir, then
nerving herself as for some terrible
ordeal. she looked suddenly and direct
" at the place which was 70 know her
brave. sunshiny little son no more, and
looking. she met the direct, sympathetic
gaze Of eyes SO like his that a strange.
sweet comfort stole into her bereaved
heart
A smaller natured woman might
have resented poor little Anthony al
together; but in the gamut Of Mrs Scott
| Paynes being there were few. If any,
| insignificant notes, and certainly not
one OF that predetermined few happened
70 be struck on this solemn fast day
which was 70 mark a new era in her
| life. Perhaps. indeed. leaving Antho-
ny out Of the question altogether, there
| Is no service which does SO wholly
subduc cgotism and littleness as that
| OF Good Friday. and. as each one Of our
1 Saviours last words was successfully
dwclt upon. this poor mourner felt her
self creeping little closer to the cross
| She had never been either hard or
| rcbcllious mourner at any time; but
Johnnie had been the last great JOY left
! To a life which had known much sor-
row. and she had found it impossible TO
realize greater anguish than that Of
I parting with him. until. in that solemn
| MONDAY quiet she looked on Calvary.
1 and realized. as never before. what
that other mother must have felt to see
her stainless Firstborn stretched before
her on the cross-realizcd as never be-
fore the infinite compassion Of the
Firstborn's entreaty; Woman, be-
hold thy SOM
'.Oh. il he would only say that 70 me. =
the sore heart murmured, how thank
fully would obey him.
And then again she looked at Antho-
nv and wondered inconsequently
whether the beloved disciple had borne
any outward resemblance to his master.
After the service she still knclt on,
until one by one the congregation be
came dispersed. and there were left in
the church only herself, the crganist
and two of the choir boys. One Of the
two she saw was her boys successor.
and with hungry intensity she watched
HAL ..y...l~..l G.x,,.-.. H;ft;v.<r vrtSa-
lcssly about the chancel. then coming
down the nave. past the pew in which
She sat. until with unwilling steps he
reached the one great tragedy Of his
II life tragedy which had for its herald
small hoy. who. eager with impor'
lance whispered hoarsely, yet distinctly
enough to reach even Mrs. Scott
Pavne's ears:
sTony. your mothers burst a blood
vessel, or something. Anyway. the
blood's pouring out Of her mouth. and
the doctor says she may die any min
ute"
The path by which divine love leads q
Is often misty one to our mortal eyes
but from that moment a wounded hant
seemed 70 point the way from tina
childless mother to that almost moth
crlcss child, and by and by. whcr
Joy and peace had come as the fruitior
Of obedience, II gave Helen Scott-Payns
: unspcalable comfort to remember how
unfalteringly she had followed II from
the first.
. ~ will take him." she said, as TIL
: organist, the other choir boy and tn
! ,.,..xocper..,- benf over the linn little flo
ure which had fallen as though slail
= before that cruel message. MY car
!, rage is waiting and will take hin
home Mr.. Whiting has told me Al
4 about him. know where he lives"
q Thus, as one chapter Of Anthem,
' Kramcrs life was finished, another on
) began. and the poor young mother
4 waiting 70 feast 80. sying eyes for tn
a last time on her only child, saw - ID