The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-03-20
BY the Wayside.


While sitting in the railway station
waiting for belated train plain little
woman seated herself beside me and
said, in a pleasant voice:
$50 you are waiting, too?"
YES" L said, 1--WE have to wait
sometimes"
We had never met before, but we
seemed to be acquainted at once, with
out formalities. With quick intuition
she knew I had said more than my
words expressed, and looking full in
my face, with kindly light in her
eyes, she said:
"It is good for us to wait, don't you
think so?"
ut is, indeed,n 1 replied. "We
rush from one thing to another in
these busy days so fast that belated
train in a blessing. 1t gives US time
to think"
"Well," she said, "that is what we
noed, Pm sure, more time to think.
And more time to talk with the
Lord ;" this last remark was in a half
hesitating tone, as ifshe were not sure
I could "receive this saying" But
smile and nod reassured her, and she
went on:
"Now I keep little store down in
B., and I'm busy in it from NOR
ming till night. We ought to attend
to our business, oughtn't we"
"Certainly; would be serving the
Lord very poorly if we failed to give
our daily affairs proper attention"
$50 think" she said. "But do
try to keep the Lord always before
me- as David said, and I find good
many things to say to Him, and He
says good many things to me right
along while I'm busy about store az
fairs. The other day young man
came into my place to show samples
you know how they do-these drum
mers. Well, while he was talkin' l
saw he wasn't just like the most OF 'em,
he seemed so considerate and fair about
everything, and his manners were so
pleasant. So was quite friendly with
him, and I found he was the son OF a
Methodist preacher. So he told me ne
was waiting for call from the Lord :
he wanted to be a preacher himself,
but he wasn't quite sure yet whether
doing this business till he found out
for sure. / told him he showed his
good sense in that anyway, for TOO
many run before there sent, and OF
course they don't amount to much.
But 1 said, How do you know but you
are doing the Lords will just as well
by being q conscientious business man,
and speaking q word for Him as you
would do it by being a minister" he
said he didn't know it was so, but
anyway he was waitin.'
Then he told me how he had been in
a place with his samples. and over
heard the man say to another, That
woman that lives up stairs keep tel
ling me that she is praying for me-
She might just as well save her breath,
for it won't never make any difference.
1 amt got time to think about such
things. Pm too busy in this shop
So he said before be left that place he
told the man he had heard him say
this, and he wanted to ask him what
he thought his time would be worth
to him ii he spent it all on his shop,
and finally went without anything
worth having into the other world:
He said the man took it kindly. l
told him I thought that was preach
ing as much as if he had said it from
q pulpit"
Just then my train came in, and
hers going the other way was due.
"Well, now, I'm real glad mel
you this morning." she said. Its
good thing to wait sometimes. we
often get the best by waiting. Good
bye"