Catoctin clarion., 1897-03-11

Cnen QrOppeu his Henu upoA 1ho p"on VA
the bonch in front Of him, unable lon-
ger to endure other gaze.
my, you're hit early, but then l
sorter reckon you been under somethln
like conviction ever since yistiddy,'
Teddy said in a torturing whisper. Jack
did not raise his head, but closed his
hand over that of his tormentor in o
grip 90 fierce and full Of meaning as to
silence even Teddy, the irrepressible.
though he was aching to add, "Be John
Drowned ef over l thought of ole Top
knot as or holy missionary, but ef Jack
Talbot gifts any religion this whet l jest
know it oughter bo set ter the credit OF
the sto'.'
Brother Walton took his listeners by
storm. Inside five minutes the whole
house hung upon his lips. Long before
be made an ond there were bowed heads
shaken forms, all about. He spoke as
rarely man spake, not of law, but OF
love, Of a God who so loved tho world
he gave his only Son to suffer In its
stead and save it from its transgres-
sions The ministers voice, at first low
and clear and family tremulous, swell
cd to tho call of trumpet, the thrill
of an organ peal. His face was transfig-
urcd The soul shone through, calling
unto other souls through the veil Of the
flesh.
There was no passion, no ranting.
Save that his cheek famed, his eyes
grew twin blue fires, nothing in the
outer man spoke the force within. His
hearers were spell wrought. Even Jack
sat upright, drawn out of his wheming
misery, though still too much doml'
mated by it for conscious comfort. Duly
he noted that Teddy was writhing and
moaning: 80 God! o Godl o God!
Mercy! Do have mercy on er lost an
dyin sinner! LCrd, dear Lord, l know
I am er sinner, but it amt all my fault.
Nobody couldn't help it ef they clerked
in Topmark' s sto'.'
Miss Winfold sat, with bowed head.
sobbing audibly. Nina, at her elbow,
was upright and oncn eyed in the con.
seriousness Of salvation already secure.
Mrs. Talbot had lost sense Of every
thing, even her stricken favorite Ce-
rintha Payne's face was seraphic; Rob.
ut her side, breathing statue, without
life save in the eyes. They showed dark
er than ever and full of smoldering
light. Even the minister felt them burn
upon his face as he stood pleading so
earnestly. so tenderly. that those for
whom Christ suffered and died should
not make his suffering Of none effect.
His plea was not tedious. Less than
half an hour from his uprising he had
sunk to his knees, saying, half inaudi-
bly,, Brethren, sisters, let US pray. y
As with one impulse everybody knelt
with him in supplication utterly with
out words. The summer night stiffness
was broken only by tho shrilling OF tree
toads, the sibilant clamor of katydids,
and, undcrvoicing them, the stamping
of many hoofs from the tcthercd beasts
in the grove.
Brother Green got up slowly and be.
gan to sing:
40 brothers, will you meet me;
brothers, will you meet me;
o brothers, will you meet me
His voice was harshly strong except
In tho head register. There it became
clarion, sweet and full Of silver. In the
rising throng a hundred throats caught
up the old camp meeting tune and
swelled it to flood. Some of the voices
made discord, but it was overborne,
washed away, in the sweeping tide OF
harmony that rang and rolled as though
it might reach the stars. Below the re-
verberant swelling Of it the car caught
a tempest of sobs, Of groans, Of heart
broken, penitent exclamations from the
crowd of kneeling figures about the
altar.
Teddy was among them. He had been
indeed tho first to answer the call for
penitents. He had rushed up the aisle
and flung himself prone in the clean
straw at Brother Millikens S feet, shrek.
ing out his fear of the wrath to come.
Miss Winfield, too, half rose, as though
she would 60 forward, but Nina had
plucked her sleeve, saying, with vigor-
GUS shakes of the head: "Aghl Aghl
Alice, you mustn't do that. You know
mommer won't like it. it'll make
you so conspicuous.
Mrs. Talbot gave Nina what she
meant for q severe look. In Alice's ear
she said, ''Do whatever your heart
prompts, dear child" But the momen.
tary softness had passed, and Miss Win
fold was herself, placid and calculating
as ever. She dropped her eyes modestly
and said, with delicate confusion'
II do love God an want to serve him,
Mrs Talbot, but-but maybe it is best
to wait little while longer, you know.
1t seems to me one ought toto be very
sure about anything 80 solemn.
30 oo-ee! Look! Look! Teddyl He's
professed. Hear him shoutin" Nina
cried, craning her neck for better
view Of the altar stir By this every
body was standing, and at least half
the more Jealous among Bethel mem
bers were up among the penitents, pray.
ing, counseling, consoling They made
an indeterminate throng in the open
square before the pulpit Teddy had
sprung upright in the middle of it, wav-
ing his arms and wildly crying:
"Glory! Glory! God is my Fatherl
know he loves me, eben me. Glory!
Glor -ee-eeP'
"Bless the Lord! Sing his praises, all
ye people," Brother Green said from
the pulpit steps. Brother Milliken had
been kneeling beside Teddy, praying
low and earnestly for him. Now he got
up and stood, tall and tremulous. beside
the rejoicing youth. At the very back
of the house Teddy's mother, q thin,
discouraged looking woman in shabby
weeds, pushed her way into the aisle
and made to go to her son. Before she
had got half way Nina Winfield flung
herself over the pew in front of where