The record-union., 1898-01-23
jED'S MINISTRY.

ttie eifu III itls HedNy CnlN TO the TOOlS OI
his red hair. growing low over ali un-
wrinkled forehead, seemed but a wide
and pleasant playground for the vary
ing expressions of his unvarying good
nature. The short lines at the corners
OF his mouth tended upward. his blue
eyes We're living springs of twinkiing
lights.
He was not handsome: his figure was
far toe short and blunt and coarse in
texture. His life had been - years long,
but in that span he had made few
friends of mature years. for he was
called dull Of wit and slow of under
standing. So he was. But children loved
him; SO did dogs and ali dumb Great
uIes. Dogs with confirmed pessimistic
views on the knotty problems of life
would yet come TO him unlimited. snug
Cling their cool muZzie TO his hand,
locking wistfully into his eyes. And he
found great happiness in sitting in the
warm sunshine, with his fayoiites
around him.
Not that he was lazy. The comforts
he gave his mother cost him much hard
labor. and he must nerforce work with
MS snort red hands, rather than with
his reason For his reason would not
always lead him as his conscience told
him lie should so; SO he came to trust
III it less and less
Even his mother when she INDUCED
herself, as mothers may OF right, in
taking of her children, spoke most OF
Phil, JeG's tall elder brother, whose wit
was keen and understanding good. Phil
she had destined for Gods ministry, and
OIL n
him as one day dealing the hard, white
truth to men. who must listen and be-
lieve. Phil had tacitly agreed to her
plans. for he was a lazy lover of do
mestic peace. but he kept deferring q
beginning. AT last he went to San An
tonic for his health's sake, and the bru-
tai story came back that he had been
shot to death at a faro table, because
of some slight disagreement with the
dealer. His body was buried at home,
and with it much of the brightness
which had shone over the mothers sim
pie life.
When that was all over she turned
the hopes of her aching heart upon Jed,
who had gone on working about home at
odd jobs. She thought about it great
deal before she spoke, for she believed
implicitly in Jed's dullness. At last she
told him that she wanted him to sue
| ceed to her hope of Phils ministry.
Jed was dazed. But he listened while
she talked. until he saw her unwaver-
| ing earnestnesS.
"Shucks nanny" he said, II amt fit
to make q minister out Of"
She had apprehended this, and had
| prepared herself to meet him with an
attack upon his weakest point-his own
great love of her.
But, Jeddy," said she, I've been liv-
in years on the hope that a son of mine
would do some good in the world, an
now there amt but you left" 1t was
not delicate saying, but Jed was not
discriminating.
Just workin' an takin' care of you is
good enough for me, nanny" he ar
gued. An what kind of a minister
would l make, anyhow? Just look at
me. 1t takes a scholar to preach, dom /
it: I'd have to have more sense than
I've got now, sure That was the sore
/, point-sorer with her than with him,
Tor he had long known the deep content
OF warm heart and quiet mind
"Of course she agreed, you won't
make the kind of minister Phil would
We. That amt TO be exactly expected.
You're so-youre so different from Phil
But I've set my heart on 1t So T.. an
think about it, Jeddy, for me- I've spoke
10 the minister about it, here, an he'll
help you all he can. He'll show you how
to go TO work about it, an what to do.
You just think about it for mamlny's
sake
Tod HI
work that he might go into the deep
| woods to think. His dog went With
hirn-an ancient white bulldog. who
hobbled on three legs. carrying the
scars Of many valorous battles With
his back against giant elm. Jed spoke
| to his companion:
What do you think Of that. Bull ?
Me preachin', That's a good one amt
ii? Bull closed his eyes and rumin-
ated dreanlily: then licked his heavy
chops with an appearance Of great rel
| ish
You mean the livin' would be good,
you old sinner?" Jed cried. We'll
mebbe II would. But I've knowed
preachers that wasn't much overfed. by
their looks. No, Bull; you'll have to
talk harder sense than that" But
Bull shook his stumpy tail and signi-
fled that he had no further arguments
to offer So JED lay fiat upon his back
and listened to what the birds overhea d
had to say about it, He was on friend
~ terms with them. as with every liv-
ing thing that knew how to value him.
Noisy jays and quarrelsome woodpecf-
ers were striving boisterously and
bo2stingly in the elm's branches
You fellers seem to need preachin'
hard enough; don't they, Bull?" he said
presently; but / amt fit to preach to
Jaybirds an redheads, let alone hu-
| mans. He lay for a long time. his
mind drifting idly and uncontrolled.
only to come back to this at last:
"Shucks. Nanny wants me to- IT
| won't do no great harm to try. will it.
Bull?" He got to his feet and went
toward home by way of the Rev. Mr..
Whites. Him Jed found in a worn
dressing gown and red slippers. caring
for wailing baby. He was diftident
little man, filled with a strong desire
to give no offense to anyone
Your mother was speaking to me of
your-of your wishes about your call
ing" he said. when he had taken Jed
into his dingy little parlor. Your as
pirations do you great credit. and
The baby's cries swelled ominously, and
the reverend gentleman began pacing
the floor with his struggling burden
Hu-u-sn, hu-U-sh," he said: then,
Matte, come andetake your little sis
ter a moment, while talk to the gem
tleman.'
Let me take the kid Jed said; II
can mostly quiet EN- He took tn !
child in his arms tenderly laying his
red cheek against the pale little one,