River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1893-06-01

Money. credit. honor. oh. for "a sudden
death blow, Rain came and he never
knew IL. The damp wind chilled him
20 the bone and he never felt IL Night
fell and he did not miss the daylight
Aimlessly be wandered on. thinking
vaguely of his lost possessions, of his
ruined partner. Of the girl he could not
marry now Then he heard church
clock strike, and like a sudden vision
came Thought of the mother who had
taught him to pray. lie had not
thought of her teachings for years. but
now. in his hour of need, they came
back, with gentle force. Tie would
enter the church and pray. Perhaps
the spirit Of that loving mother who
had died in fun confidence that some
time the Good shepherd would reclaim
her dear black sheep whispered the
thought 10 him. Who knows?
lie was a Presbyterian If anything.
and the church into which he crept was
adorned with the crucifix everywhere,
hut that did not matter now. \ starry
ing man hardly c@res whether the
bread given him be white or brown.
For awhSe he prayed "a drowning men
are supposed To pray. then tired nature
yielded To the solemn, peaceful silence.
and ne fell asleep.
When he awOlSe the body of the
church was still dark, hut several black
TObest priests were decking the brit
liantiy lighted altar ready for the nest
mornings early mass. Then. ere he
could rise. q glorious voice swellCd soft
" forth. .-Oh. rest in the Lord" il
said: oh rest in the Lord. over and
over again with all possible shades of
exp ession- Fest and ne was 50
tired, 81 tired. Wait patiently for
Him, sang the angel. for 50 the weary.
heartsiclz man had mentally STYLED the
singer. although II was. in reality. only
the new alto pIacticing to-morrOw's
solo before the other choir members
came The word patiently" troubled
her and she sang IL over again and
again. while the Suul-stirred man down
IN the dusIxy corner drank in every
word Yes. ne would be patient Com
INIT thy way unto Him. and trust in
Him" the sweet voice intoned and
much Of the trust in the singers heart
was somehow transmitted To that other
heart 50 fast losing its despair. And
while nc listened, knowing now that
strain began again and passed with a
glorious crescendo To the closing words: |
And lie shall give thee thy hearts de
sire" Ills hearts desire! His darling
Agnes, lie did not think Of the money
now: he had no bitter feeling towards
the man who in enriching himself had
ruined 50 many; he only thought of his
promised wife and his inng-dead moth
err That heavenly strain had washed
all evil thoughts from his soul and
brought ON lis incoming tide all the
good qualities. - long hidden. 20 the
surface. The wande ing sheep had re-
turned.
And all the while the tender voice
sang on. sang until the choir, with
much talk and laughter entered by the
side door and the man passed out.
Sang while nc. buying a paper. discov-
cred that the market had changed
again and that. though he was no
longer rich. he had still enough left 10
begin life again. Sang till the leader
called the choir To- order and the owner
woke from the ecstasy which possessed
her Ia mud that her evident enjoyment
Of her own music was furnishing great
amusement for the other singers
She did not know why she was 80
blisSfu'ly happy. She never knew about
the newborn beauty her friends no.
ticed from that time on; she never
knew who sent the flowers she found
living I'm her place ON the music rack
next morning; she never knew that one
man blessed her memory many times
day long after that hour in the quiet
church had faded 10 dream-lilSc rec
objection She never knew she had
saved soul