The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-05-03
The Words of n Prayer.

, himself before her in the shape of .
pale little fellow, seeming even smalle
and slighter by contrast with the wei
, dressed, well-fed children all arount
him.
"You, is it AIec?" said the girl
"Well, I've got a trip for you. YOU'RE
to take this bundle it's special de
livery') around to the ladies' parlor O
the South Street, Church. It's muslin
or something for some society"
Alec wrapped his thin, old coaI
around him, and started down the
T street on his Especial delivery" He
remembered when they lived in 6
little white house in the country, anG
T father worked in the great mill, long
before the day when the men carried
father home dead from the mill
Then the little white house was lei
to others. and he and his mother and
Nellie had come to live in two rooms
down little street in this big city
Mother worked all day long at endless
buttonholes, and Nellie "tended baby''
for woman just below them in theil
street.
In the ladies' parlor of the church a
groop of ladies and young girls were
gathered. The meeting had not com.
menced, and they were sitting waiting
and talking together in sociable man.
ner. The president of the society,
Mrs. Dale, sat by table covered with
voice to a girl standing beside her,
whose sweet face looked troubled and
hesitating.
II have never prayed before anyone,
Mrs. Dale" she was saying in low
voice; chow can I before all these?"
"You talk to Jesus, Helen, surely,
every day, and it is to him only you
are to speak now, not to these peo-
ple."
"I know, but"
"Well, dear, 1 will not urge it, but
surely Kings Daughter ought not
to hesitate in coming to the King"
II am not afraid, Mrs. Dale; will
try to feel proud that I have the right.
Yes, I will do what you ask me-"
1t was meeting of the Foreign
Missionary Society of the church.
Mrs. Dale was just reading aloud some
verses out of the Bible, when there
came timid rap at the door, and the
lady nearest it opened it to admit
Alec and his bundle. Mrs. Dale mo-
toned him to chair to wait until she
was ut liberty to attend to him, and
the meeting went on. Alec gazed
around him wonderingly. The warm
room, the crimson carpets, the stained
glass windows, and the general air OF
peacefulness sent q thrill of comfort
through the tired little heart. Why
did all these ladies come together in
this little room? Hark! the gray
haired lady with the sweet voice was
asking some one to pray. 1t was that
pretty young lady in the sealskin
jacket. Alec hoped that she would
pray long time; it was so nice to be
able to sit still awhile instead Of run
ming all the afternoon in the busy
store.
"Dear Lord" the young girl began,
"Jesus died;on the cross to save us all
and yet there are people In heather
lands who know nothing of thee.
They are dying every day and do not
know the way to get to thy beautiful
heaven. Help us to send them the
true way. Every one can help"
here the young voice faltered and al
most broke, but after moments pause
it went on clear and sweet: $50 make
US willing to help, for jesus sake.
Amen.
Then Mrs. Dale called Alec to her,
received his bundle, and dismissed
him. Out of the warm bright room
he went again into the crowded street,
but through his head rang over and
over again the prayer, "Tbey do not
know the way to thy beautiful heav-
en-" and "Every one can help"
Could he? But how? At night when
he knelt down to pray, after he had
said "Our Father" lie added. land
oh! teach those people how to get to
heaven!"
The days vert on, and one day
Alec's white face was missing from the
store. AT the hospital" was the ans
wer to the few questions about his ab-
sense, and then another call boy took
his place.
Young DR.. Marshall was one of the
new resident physicians at the chill
dren's hospital. He had just been
graduated with honors from the medi-
cal college, but while waiting to settle
permanently he had accepted posi-.
ton for years practice in the chill
dren's ward. There was something in
Alecs little white face, as he lay on
the hospital bed, that instinctively
drew the young doctor to him. So
that on his way through the ward he
often paused for few extra words
with the sweet face that frightened so
at his coming.
One day DR.. Marshall came to the
ward with great handful of rare
flowers, and he went from one bed to
another, leaving bright blossom be-
hind him. Alec seemed asleep when
he stood by his bed, so the doctor bent
over him, and softly laid by his hand
great white lily with strange pink
stamens. the blue eyes opened then,
and thin little hand stretched out
for it.
"That, Alec," said DR.. Marshall,
came from over the sea. The lady
that gave it to me brought home the
seeds. Isn't it beautiful"
A wistful look stole over Alec's face,
and the doctor caught the words he
murmured to Himself: $50 beautiful!
and they don't know anything about
| heaven ="
The doctor, watching wonderingiy,
saw shadow steal over the white
face.
"What is it, dear?" he asked, draw
drawing chair beside the bed; lis it
a new pain?"
ooh! no." said Alec, with little
sob; "but do so want to holu-"
Little by little the story came out