Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-09-10
,rlLl cam. Ia l.sa the meslIng.-

A wrll worn and dusty chaise stopped
at the cate. venerable man alighted,
accompanied hy sprightly young lady, who
sprang niu,bly to the ground, making only q
good natured pretense of accepting the assist
anco OF the courteous old gentleman. Halsey
was introduced a. the door and received tho
good minister's rather formal and priestly
benedictlon with q feeling something like
that Of shame He turned for relief 10 tho
young lady. to whom the doctor motioned
him with wave Of the hand and the rather
unsatisfactory introduction, my niece,
Orient.r What was he TO call heri Nothing
for the present, since they were not upon
footing which would permit the use Of her
Christian name; but as be glanced at her
bright attractive face with its mlschicvots
smile, he felt that an intimacy which such
form Of address would indicate with he
witching little parsonage like this would do
much 70 reconcile man TO even this desert
solitude. She bad bright, intelligent coun-
tennnce, made piquant remarks, was quick
at repnrtee and was as completely at home
ond unembara5sod in his society as city
belle. In chatting with her he quite forgot
10 prepare bis thoughts for the coming ordeal
OF tho prayer meeting. Tho people began to
gather. The deacon introduced Brother
Slocumbe-gho had exchanged the overalls
for his store clothes, but about whose fresh.
tallowed cowhide boots the scent Of tho
stable still fingered. The Pcarce girls camo
attended by a lantern and dog. They were
very phin, and not at all young Hnlsey
thought discourteously that II the lantern
famed brightly enough TO display their faces
tho protection OF the dog was entirely un-
necessary. Tho deacon's wife brought In
lamps and fsw well thufnbed hymn books.
The deacon reused Halsey from his pleasant
chat with tho remark, ~ guess all Is come
that IS coming,r and the doctor, handing him
a Bible, insisted that he should take charge
Of the meeting.
"Will some ono select hymnln he asked in
fear and trembling, and ono of the Misses
Peaige started "Swcot Hour of Prayer.n AT
it's close be read a chapter from the Gospels
chosen quite at random. Having closed the
Bible he cnlledupon the doctor TO lead in pray
er, and endavored during It's slow progress
TO evolve some train of thought suitable to
the occasion. Suddenly the story Of Blind
Bartimaus which he had just read, suggested
u sermon Of Horny Ward Bcecher's. His
short hond report book was in his pocket,
and fortunately, tho notes were leEible.
Before tho doctor had reached "Amonp he
hud selected two pages, had read them over
twice, nud was prepared TO repeat them In
an Off handmanner, with quite the air Of
giving utterance TO something entirely his
own. As he began he noticed that tho eyes
Of the doctors niece were fixed upon him as
though in anticipation of keen enjoyment.
"Ho Is going TO get into a muddle.n they
seemed to say; tiny attention will add to his
embarrassment, and am going to be very
nice and attentive
Hnlsey spoke fiuently and saw her air Of
amused superiority fade into ono of blank
wonder, which said palmer than any words,
81 havo made mistaken estimate Of this
young mans abilitie; he is not such ninny
AZ he looksn
After spellting for twenty minutes, Halsuy
apolosized for occupying so much time, gave
out another hymn and called upon the tea-
con and Brother Slocumbo 10 fill the remain.
ing MINUTES with prayer and oxhortation
AT the close Of the meeting the doctor
shook hands with him, with genuine appro
baton. "lhe Lord has committed a great
talent to your trust, my SON. he said to him
in the dusk, as Halsey helped him into his
Conveyance. Go not out to the battle IN
your own strength Remember the admon.
itipn Of the King OF Israel, Yet not him thns
girdeIh On bis harness, boast himself us he
that pu;teth it of =" His niece was shyer than
she had been before the meeting Evidently
sho was impressed with Halsey's superior
abilities, and tho young mans heart swoled
with eletion. AS he returned to the hous,
the Misses Pearce were Just leaving with their
smoky lantern, and he could do no less than
offer to SEQ thom home. Tho way was lone
and it WIS pitchy dark when be returned,
but the eldest Mias Poarce had insisted ON his
availing himself OF her lantern You can
give it to mo at church tomorrow she
said, and you will rurely fall into
the brook without itn As there really
seemed some probability of this, Halsey tool,
tho lnntorn, at the same time rcproaching
himself for his politeness The deacon had
told him so much Of the plain and simple
minded character OF his hearers that he de-
termined to avoid all flights of orntory, and
to give his audience a sermon as full OF COM
mon sense ns could be found in his collection.
lecture by the Rev. Robert Collyer
struck him rs most likely to be popular. It
aboundod in incidents Of country boys COM
Ing 10 high positions by unremitting toll and
determination He read the lecture we'll.
with much OF the hearty manner in which L
was originally delivered, for he was n capital
actor in amateur theatricals, and was accus-
toned to amuse his friends by giving "per.
sonatlonsn of the different public men with
whom he was familiar. While in the full
flight of successful oratory, while he felt that
every eye in the house was fixed upon him.
and that perhaps no one present had ever
heard moro effective speaking, his eye
which ran before his tongue. discoy-
cred danger In tho path. Mr.
Collyer spoke OF his own carly ex-
periences, OF tho cottage In Yorkshire with
It's fioor so white that you might have eaton
your dinner from It, with no harm To nnv.
thing but tho floor; and Halsey IN ria
anxiety to escape this trap fell into worse
one, for skipping the description of his Eng.
lish childhood, he launched inconsiderateIv
Into particulars OF his thirst for study nnd
reading as youth, how "rhe PILGRIMS
Progress and ono or two other books wer,
tho constant companions OF the forge. Hal
seyk white and shapely hands hardly carried
out tho assertion that he had been trained "a
n blacksmiths trade, but his hearers did NOT
stop to consider this, Thoy accepted what
he said as true, and listeded to tho brave.
earnest words with ldndling enthusiasm.
flalsey finished bis sermon in nm agony of
apprehension. He wiped away the beads az
preparation from HIS forehead, and durinr
tho singing u the last hymn regarded The
congregation furtively from behind M
handkerchief, expecting in some faces
at least to read scorn and denim.
citation. Instead OF this there wns
"A Ioot, ~ flcascd ettr,,-;.. -,