New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-13
ON THE FRENCH BROAD.

ON THE FRENCH BROAD.
wher she had finished the piece Temple put
her fiddle on her knee again
Almina wanted TO cry. and she did not Kho"
whether it was the music or the green Yea Una.
affected her And how dreadfully that girl had
just talked.
.I sunpo.e." said Temple earnestly. looking
first al one Of her guests and then al the o'"e''
.J suppose that religion is good thing
Capital" said Mrs Ammidown' win s''''e'
"yss" said Temple that's what folks say.
I've tried several times To get II. I've pe'" Z"
o,or G, uanv camp meetings | reckon my
beart must be as hard as the neither mlils'one
,hav toll about There's Sally, she gets religion
o,r,os, 40 often as she goes to preachin Don't
Won think there's something mighty queer about
religion. Mrs Ammdown? Now you 'hihK
,ou.re 90, it. and now you think you haven't
7, ,rust no a LOT better than love. anyway
Temple" from Almna
"Maam?"
"Don,t YOU think that mebby 'twoud be just
as we'll not to-not to-
Poor Miss Drowdy paused. unable To ma the
word she wanted. For the short time she had
been in North Carolina words seemed 10 her
unusually incapable Of expressing what she ie'',
ono, 70 make light Of religious things quoted
Mrs Ammidown with great appearance oi
sobemess.
Tempe again gazed from one 10 the other OF
the two women with an expression OF great
surprise.
But I'm not making light she Responded W
tried awfully hard to get religion reckon II
the one thing needfu; and that's the 'h'hs ! III
after sometimes"-here the girl bent forward
90 Mrs. Ammidown with sort of beseechinS
,oor IN her face and atti,ude-"when I'm out
tai
co grand. so beautiful. feel as If should die
lust because they so wonderful. and my heart
can't take it all in. and yet It keeps trying to
,aLa I, In Won know And I've often thought
that If / could have religion. somehow couid
hear TO have the mountains and the sky so beau
,,,u,. and could bear TO love Thimbe and Yucca
tan as do now
Temrle hesitated she casped her hands over
bor violin and the strings gave out low, melo-
dious sound.
'.If the world keeps being so magnificent
she continued. IL don't see but that shall have
TO be religious, or shall go wild with 1t all. It's
when I'm alone with my pony and my dog mat
THAT l suffer most with my heart feeling as II
Il would burst, you know. Now, don't you think
that religion would make differenceE
Mrs Ammidown did not respond at first. She
was looking with gentle intentness at the
speaker.
As for Almina she also watching the girl
and she was thrilled in some unusual way. She
wished that she might cross over to where TEN
pie sat and put her arms about her But she ala
not dare to do that. And there was "A dreadful
! flavor OF heathendom In the girls words. MISS
! Drowdy had never before heard OF any one VINO
wished for religion for such purpose. IL WASH
proper. Almna was quite sure it wasn't proper.
| She must say something
"Temple" she began. In a rather unsteady
voice. Il do hope you amt got into the wrong
track | never knew in all my life Of anybody $
wanting religion for such a reason. 1t don't
sound right. Why don't you ask your minister
about II? Mebby he en- throw little light It's
a minister's business to throw light
Il haven't got any minister. replied Temple.
81 keep going to preachin. Sally says If you run
kind Of short Of religion the thing to do is to go to
preachin'. And I've shouted with em; and I've
gone forward for prayers
As the girl paused Mrs Ammidown smiled at
her: then she put out her hand and patted Tenn
pies fingers which were still clasped above her
fiddle.
ct spose" said AmIna. with painful earnest
ness. II s'pose there are ministers to Ashevile."
Lots" replied Temple. She lifted the violin to
her shoulder again and drew little wall from its
str,ngs She leaned her head back on the wall
against which she had tipped her chair.
II reckon I'm a devilish hard case" she re-
marked, but II don't change my mind I'm
bound TO get religion sooner or later l pray
every night really don't see how fellow could
live among these mountains and not have TO
pray"
Miss Drowdy sank back in her chair. She
was shocked at herself because she was not
really more shocked at Temple.
THAT amt the way to talk" she said feebly.
The girl was making a sort OF whispering
| noise with her bow on the strings. and her head
was bent as II listening But she replied
That's the way / feel. and why shouldn't I
talk so?"
But you must pray not TO feel So" responded
Miss Drowdy.
II amt aiming to pray In that line" was the
answer and now Mrs Ammidown laughed. She
glanced deprecatingly at the other woman and
began to speak. but she stopped Immediately.