The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-11-29

WHISPERED. "And I was 80 tired to be-
gin making that case !" -.
She cried little, charging herself,
to stop. She was very
tired, and somehow she remembered
that Oscar, when he was quite little
fellow, used to come sometimes and
put his arms around her neck, and say,
"Thank you, mamma, for fixing my
kite"
Mrs. Knapp cried when she thought
of it.
"Now, stop u' she commanded her
self, wiping her eyes. oscar does care
for bis mother just the same as he used
to, and I'm proud Of my boy-l'm real
proud of him! He's vice-president of
the young peoples society at our
church, and he's assistant librarian of
the Sunday-school, and he's always
put in as delegate to the convention OF
the Young Mems Christian Associa-
ton, and he's going here and there al
most every evening to some church
committee, or social, or something
connected with the church. No Won
ner he can't find time to think of home
things! I oughtn't to feel as If he
must run and do things fox me when
he's trying to do go much good. And
even that case made for his trombone
is connected with bis church work for
he plays the instrument In the Sun
day.school orchestra, and Is going TO
rehearsal tomorrow night. I've got q
good boy, and Pm proud of him !"
Mrs. Knapp rose and took her lamp.
She would not voice, even to herself,
the thing that made the ache come
into her throat. She would not &C
knowledge to herself that Oscar did not
seem to care how many steps she took
or how tired she was. He was busy
at the store most of the day, but be
had all his evenings. II there had
been a religious con vention of young
people near, or If there had been a
meeting at bis own church, where be
might be needed as usher, Oscar would
have gone there that evening and
worked heartily. But he did not
count an errand for his mother as
truly q service to God as going TO
some meeting would have been.
Oscar had often sung in the, young
peoples prayer-meetings that hymn OF
conservation
"Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for thee"
Oscar meant that the feet should be
the Lords "errand-rhnners." But
somehow Oscar had never opened his
eyes to the fact that walking down to
the grocery once IN q while for his
mother might be carrying out that
prayer which he had sung as truly
US walking down the aisles, seating
people Sundays might be. He did
not mean to lose sympathy with the
tired feet at home. And then though
perhaps Oscar did not know it-there
was really down In the depths OF bis
heart, q slight consciousness that 10 be
an usher in his large, well attended
church was to occupy a
position where he was somewhat prom.
inent: He knew he was quite good
looking young fellow, aud he had no
aversion to being little conspicuous.
So, although he really did mean to
serve the Lord by being an usher, yet
Oscar had little element OF self abo ut
his service after all, as with quick
steps he politely conducted one person
after another to the pews on Sundays.
Oscar was looking cofidently forward
to having the large centre aisle as his
portion In the near future. And In 30
working, in travelling here and there,
Oscar felt that hewas serving the Lord.
And Oscar felt truly. But would he
have been serving him less If he had
sometimes consecrated his feet to do
ing plain, homely errands-mailing
letters for his mother. getting soap and
eggs and -four for her when she needed
them, saving her tired feet? Alb let
Us never forget that the plain, home
ly errands of our lives may as truly
be proofs of our conservation as more
prominent service would be. In the
words of Frances Ridley Havergal:
"May every step of our feet he more
like those OF our beloved master. Let
us continually consider him In this,
and 90 where he would have gone, on
the errand which he would have done,
following hard after him."
"And every step is cronicled above
His servants take to follow in his way"
-Zion's Herald.