Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1892-06-11

y h%eathens," said Mrs, lvens. MY youny
re uns may live an die in ignorance 'for
I'll send EN- to a charity school kept b
her, SAID Mrs, Godsey,
j, II would take too long to tell all tn
hateful things we did say, but at la,
some of us began to come to our sense.
myself for one, not that | was a bit BET
9 ter than the rest, but | did want Dan
and Sary, my boy and girl, to be learn
ing something; so at last we conclude
that we rccltoncd we could stand it
she could, and sent her word she Nigh
begin.
r If Olive could have heard all tn,
ugly things we said she might hav,
quit in despair, seeing she did not ge
even thankee for her work, but sh,
kept right on, and the children wer,
getting to like her in spite of all the,
heard said against her, and were get
ting so they'd speak up and take he,
part but none of us older ones, ever
yet, were friendly with the Norths.
some of us had n~eighbored a little
with them, but we took pains to let
them know that we thought ourselves
as good as they, and made ourselves
very foolish and disagrecable.
About that time, word got ont that
Olive was taking a fiddle to the school
house and playing while the children
made motions to it, What a storm it
raised,
Only to think that she's %learnin' the
precious innocents to dance, when we
thought 'em a ~studyin' of their books"
said Mrs. lvcns, with a tremor in her
voice
81 allus knowcd som'thin' would
come ont, Such amt to be trusted,
a-lookin' as if butter wouldn't melt in
their mouths" said Mrs, Hatch.
When we Sittcd the thing it came
out that it wasn't a fiddle that Olive
had in school, but something that
looked like one.
Mine said she thumped it with her
fingers, and Ike ivcns said She clawed
it like a cat; but, anyway, it was
something, and something had to be
done, SO we made it up that, without
saying anything to anybody, we'd meet
and 60 in a squad to the door of the
sc~hooIhousc-it was a little old desert
ed country storehousc that Olive and
her pa had tiSed up at their own OK
pense we'd 90 in a squad to the door.
just after the children had been called
in, having waited somewhere near, and
just when Olive got into the midst of
her denoralizing performance we'd
rush in and ask if that was the way to
keep school. There was u little sort of
porch in front, and we all tip,toed
INTO that and stood nudging each other,
for, now we'd got there, no one wanted
to be the first to break in, though we
could hear the music going. a clear.
sweet young voice leading some child
ish song, the little ones Joining in,
while they all kept a sort Of time with
their hands and bodies, That much
through a crack in the door before
Mrs. lvcns nearly mashed my foot
croWdmg me over to take my place.
Two or three of the stoutcst got their
to the cracks, and the rest had to
content with hearing; but every
word came plain as truth to where VIC
were standing, III say here that no
ptima bonner ever had a sweetcr voice
than Olives. and when they had Tin
Ished the little ca}isthenic piece i
think that's what they called it-she
struck up Nearer My God to Thee"
Ill the young ones joining in, and she
the accompaniment on the
for we learned later that that
vas the name of the instrument that
rad created such an excitement, and to
ny dying day | don't expect TO hear ,
sound sweeter.
"jest listen at Tad whispered Mrs.
latch I'D no idea the little Teller ,
ould sing so! I'll have to tell his pap" ,
Before the hymn was finished | felt !
ny eyes getting moist, and | saw sew ,
raj others getting the same way. We !
orgot all about the object of our visit, {
nd only thought of listening to the .
nusic; and once Melindy Peters nearly !
poiled everything by joining in, but 7
lvens saw her opening her mouth +
chuCkcd her under the chin. .
When the hymn was finished, what q
vas our surprise to hear the same sweet r
olce leading in prayer, and you might m
ct believe it, but a more beautiful -
raycr | never heard. Parson Olsberry a
lmself couldn't beat it, She PRAYED =
~ the children and for their parents i
nd that she might have wisdom and i
"t.'ace h to her duty, and, above all. :
She might yet win Il little love 4
ON the mothers of her dear pupils. h
lw a big tear roll down and drop off "
ne end of Emerine Rockers nose, then a
stretched a hand to one on each :,
de of her and said: Sisters, let's :,
noel" and the next moment we all got :,
:
| don't know what anyone would !,
ave thought to have seer MS all lxpeel -
'g there in that little anterOom, sob >,
ing silently while the Young voice in Il
went on praying for us all, not r
moving that for once we were getting II
he benefit of her prayer in Il way that n
as likely to haze a speedy and telling i,
feet. At last the prayer ended, and fl
le bell called the children to their .,
and MS to a n of the situation. IL
Lets GO whispered Mrs. Godscy. in
nd as silently rs we had come, as n,
Icntl,g we stole away. Not a word =,
as 81 id till we had GOT ont of s;pht !,