The Forrest City times., 1895-04-05
FORREST CITY, ARK, FRIDAY AFTERNOON APRIL 3 1895

PAoy NY Llc gutter,
with certain reserve, it is true, on ac-
count of the aforesaid Sunday frocks,
but still, actually playing in the gut
ter, sailing paper boats in it.
One or two swarthy men, who had
palpably not been to church. were
making Sunday day of rest by Sleep
ing In the warm spring sunlight, with
gorgeous abandonment to the delight
OF leisure, their backs straight up
against the wall, their legs stretched
full length across the path Lilith
had to step gingerly over pair or two,
on her way down the alley. One un-
shaven giant lazily opened corner of
one eye as she passed In. In her char
acter of benevolent angel, she said po-
Iltely: Il hope / don't disturb YOU"
but 1T was obvious she did not disturb
him in the least. He just shut the
corner of his eye again, and took no
account of her whatever. She had lust
sufficient tact to avoid the houses where
the hostess, with bare arms laid on the
wlndowsill, was entertaining her
friends outside, and passed on, study
ing the windows. One in an upper
story had clean white starched cur
tains. That seemed promising. So
Lllith mounted the rickety, evil-smell-
ing wooden steps that led to the door
| corresponding to it, and knocked.
A thin voice called: "Come in" and
she entered. The room was faultlessly
clean, and severely tidy. A figured
tablecloth on the table should have
shown the occupants to be people of
some social standing among their
neighbors, had Lilith only known.
One or two severe, almost abusive
texts, hung round the wall-'Cease to
do evil, +" "How long wilt thou be drunk
emp" (the latter with the last word en-
phasized in scarlet). encouraged her to
proceed with her mission. She turned
her gaze towards the two occupants of
the room-a small, dull-faced girl in
her teens, and crippled child, who
covered in chair by the fire, mutter-
ing to herself.
Are you come about washin'?" the
girl asked, seeing that Lilith appeared
somewhat at a loss. Her tone sug-
gested a courteous desire to set the
visitor at her ease, rather than any i'm
patience to know her business.
mo, my dear child" began Lilith,
Il have not come about washing, at
| least not exactly" Memories of early
evangelical training suggested that she
ought to drag in a metaphor, but she
didn't quite know how to begin.
Then what are yer come for?"
II came to talk to you about your
soul, my dear"
What do you know about souls?
You amt preacher"
Il am not preacher, my dear,
know. l am only very ignorant
young girl, but l may be able to
be OF use to you" Lilith began to feel
l-quiet fluent. LET us talk together a
little and see If l can help you, and 1
shouldn't wonder if you could help
me-"
You amt so very young" said the
child, who appeared only to be able to
understand by sections, and had got
no further than that assertion. She
was looking gravely at Lilith's COM
| plexion, and again her tone showed no
rudeness, only quiet preference for
| facts.
Not so young as you, of course"
Lilith said, still undiscouraged. But
what does my age matter; what does
anyone's age matter when we think
about eternity?"
do you think about eternity?" asked
the child, with polite interest.
This was a moment when it seemed
to Lillth that the truth would be be-
coming. II used not to think of it; |
used to be idle and worldly, and go to
balls and theaters every night" This
was something of an exaggeration, but
it was spoken in the cause of truth
Il only cared for knowing grand peo-
pie, and amusing myself, but this
morning | heard words which made
me want to take life more seriously"
This mornin'-you only knew you
was a sinner this mornin', and comes
round this afternoon districtin'. l
don't call that conversion, and in that
at, too"
The tone was more of sorrow than of
anger. Lilith began to be impatient.
Never mind my hat" she said.
''But do mind yer at, the girl said.
mournfully. No one as cared for 'er
soul would go about in at like that,
let alone carin' for the souls of other
people. I'm sinner" (this with a sud-
den assertion of self-respect)-"I've
knowed I'm sinner this seven months,
but l don't go preachin to others yet.
And l wouldn't wear at like that,
no-not if I'd got a young man, l
wouldn t.
MY poor child" Lilith said, with a
last effort to fulfill her mission, don't
let us talk of young men and such
worldly topics"