Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-09-26
MISSIONARY TREES
BIZ SIDNEY DAYRE.

0k DAO0A1 OAxMks
"Not.a cent to give-not one cent
And, oh, them poor creeturs acrost tho
seal II It doesn't break my very heart
TO think Of EN-"
Miss Susan Don rocked backward in
her chair, now and then wiping . tear
a. in thought she dwelt upon the mis-
sionsry talk she had heard ct . meet
ing that afternoon Her soul had bean
stirred to it, depths by the rehearsal
Of the old-time cry from Macedonia.
"Helpl-ah, mel Wouldn't l like to
help EN-, poor souls! And the Lord
don't give mo any chance"
II there was . touch Of rebellious
feeling in the reflection It was put aside
with . vigorous hand.
Susan Duh, what are you, I'd like
to know, to be setting yourself up -
one the Lord can't get along without
II He needs your help it's like enough
He'll give you the ways and means to
give it-He that owns cattle on thou
sand hills. He knows you're willing
enough, without your taking the
trouble TO make baby Of yourself In
tellin' Him Of H.
but II 10 wearing"-the rocking
went onto think Of me living in
comfort and plenty, and so fixed amt
a cent to give. My garden sass-
enough for me and to spare, and the
Lord forbid ] should have graphing
thought Of what l can give to my
neighbors; but there's no money to be
got BY 1t. Only store pay for my eggs.
80 with my hops; SO with my few po-
tatoes more'n | need to keep for my
self"
II was no use Miss Susan had, time
and again, beaten her brains to try and
discover some way Of raising little
money for the heather. And she was
obliged, as time and time before, to
settle back upon the same wise conclu.
sion as TO the Lords needing her help,
never realizing, in the depths Of her
modest Interpretation, the value Of
the service brought by her willing
hands, In the way Of cheer and COM
fort, TO the burdened and the suffering;
service given alike in loving earnest
ness for the scant pay offered, or for
NO pay at all.
She eked out her frugal living by
sewing carpet rags for her country
neighbors, knitting coarse hose and
mittens without number, acting as
nurse In times Of sickness, and as gen.
eral help and comforter in seasons Of
family upheavals and Affections. But
for all these services she received pay
when pay came, in such everyday COM
forts as came easiest from those for
whom she worked
mot cent to be got out Of any Of
em;" by which she meant, not her
neighbors, but the various shapes in
which their pay came. There Is no
telling how far Miss Susan's perplexed
thought might have gone but for the
sudden demand upon her attention
made by an unusual noise and commo-
ton outside her small house.
1.-THE land! What ais that horse?
Ax,J ,,,r.,1,., n,.J ckt1J~nxxlU
Miss Susan ran out and confronted
the danger offered by frightened
horse driven by q woman accompanied
by two children, all equally fright
ened. Something wrong with the har-
ness had disturbed the nerves Of q farm
animal not given to disturbances, and
he was backing in way which threat
cned disaster to the occupants Of the
spring wagon.
With bravery and energy, out Of all
proportion to her small frame, Miss
Susan seized the horsc's head.
"Now-whoa-- whoa!"
Jump out, Jimmy-jump out" cried
the woman.
A monentary pause in the backward
movement gave Jimmy courage. lie
jumped, and joined in his own efforts
to those Of Miss Susan. Tut the horse
still backed.
Jump. mother: he's backing down
the bank!'
In an agony of doubt to go to her
help or hold on to the horse, Jimmy
watched while his mother and small
girl contrived TO tumble themselves
out OF the wagon, The next moment
it tipped over the steep bank at the
roadside,
BY this time man who was passing
came to add his strong hand to the
weak ones. The horse was quoted,
and he looked to see what the damage
might be.
mot much" he pronounced. III
you say SO, main, III hitch it on to
mine and haul 1t TO the blackslniths
'Iisn't far. He'll get II fixed so you
can have 1t In the morning"
I'm the morning. Miss Susan saw
the look Of perplexity overspread the
mothers face.
III you'll stay with me overnight,
maam, she fastened to say, "I'll be
moren delighted to have YOU"
The offer was gratefully accepted.
Jim accompanied the wagon to the
blacksmith's shop for repairs and then
took the horse and rode to his home TO
give news Of the detention to those OK.
pecting them there.
And now was Miss Susan charmed In
this rare opportunity of showing hos
pitality. She was obliged to sit up In
her chair through the night, having
only one bed, but her guests did not
know that,
On the following morning jim came
with the horse to take his mother and
sister home. Miss Susan followed
them ont tn the road with Oood wiahaa