The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-12-19

rolieu toge,ner as a scroll and the stars
shall fall as a fig tree casteth her un-
timely figs and there shall be time no
longer. "when the Son of Man shall
come in his glory and all his holy an
gels with him" In lower and lower
tones they would talk till at last they
fell into whispers. Then they would
wish good night softly and walk home
hushed and quiet
Tonight. when Lyndall looked in.
Waldo sat before the fire watching
pot which simmered there, with his
slate and pencil in his hand. His Ia
ther sat at the table buried In the col
umns Of three weeks old newspaper,
and the stranger lay stretched on the
bed in the corner, fast asleep. his
mouth open. his great limbs stretched
out loosely. betokening much weari-
ness. The girl put the rations down
upon the table. snuffed the candle and
stood looking at the figure on the bed.
"Uncle Otto" she said presently lay
ing her hand down on the newspaper
and causing the old German to look up
over his glasses. "how long did that
man say he had been walking?"
"Since this morning. poor fellow. A
gentleman. not accustomed to walking
horse died-poor fellow!' said the
German. pushing out his lip and glanc
ing commiseratingly over his specta
cles in the direction Of the bed where
the stranger lay. with his f1abby double
chin and broken boots through which
the flesh shone.
'.And do you believe him. Uncle OF
to?"
Believe him? Why, of course l do.
He himself told me the story three
times distinctly"
"If," said the girl slowly, che had
walked for only one day, his boots
would not have looked SO, and if
"lf!" said the German, starting up in
his chair, irr;tated that any one should
doubt such irrefragible evidence. "If
Why, he told me himself! Look how
he lies there" added the German pa
thetically, worn out. poor fellow! We
have something for him, though"
pointing with his forefnger over his
shoulder to the saucepan that stood OF
the fire. 1--WE are not cooks = no.
French cooks, not quite-but it's drink
able, drinkable, think. better thar
nothing. think" he added, noddine
his head in jocund manner that
evinced his high estimation of the con.
tents of the saucepan and his profound
satisfaction therein. 'Bish. bish my
chicken!" he said as Lyndall tapped
her little foot up and down upon the
floor. 'Bish Dish, my chicken. You
will wake him.
He moved the candle SO that his own
head might intervene between it and
the sleepers face, and, smoothing his
newspaper he adjusted his spectacles
to read.
The child's gray black eyes rested Oh
the figure on the bed, then turned tc
the German. then rested on the figure
again.
Il think he is liar! Good night
Uncle Otto" she said slowly, turning
to the door.
Long after she had gone the German
folded his paper up methodically ant
put it in his pocket.
The stranger had not awakened tt
partake of the soup. and his son hat
fallen asleep on the ground Takin!
two white sheepskins from the heal
of sacks in the corner. the old maj
doubled them up and. lifting the boy
head gently from the slate on whicl
it rested, placed the skins beneath it.
"Poor lambie. poor lambie" he said
tenderly patting the great rough beal
like head. Tired. is he"
He threw an overcoat across tn
the fire. There was no place where til
old man could comfortably lie dow
himself. so he resumed his seat Oper
ing much worn Bible. he began t
read. and. as he read. pleasaI
thoughts and visions thronged on him
81 was stranger. and We took m
in," he read.
He turned again to the bed wher
the sleeper lay
II was stranger"
Very tenderly the old man looked :
him. He saw not the bloated bod
nor the evil face of the man. but. q
1t We're under deep disguise an
feshly concealment, the form that Ion
years Of dreaming had made very re.
to him, "Tesus. lover and is it give
to us. weak and sinful. frail and erin
to serve thee, to take thee IMP he sal
softly as be rose from his seat Flu
of joy. he began to pace the little roor
Now and again as he walked he san
the lines of German hymn or mute
ed broken words of prayer. The lit
room was full of light 1t appeared
the German that Christ was very ne:
him and that at almost any momel
the thin mist of earthly darkness til;
clouded his human eyes might be wit
drawn and that made manifest
which the friends at Emmaus. behol
ing it. said. 1T is the Lord!''
Again and yet again. through IL
long hours of that night, as the o
man walked. he looked up to the no,
of his little room, with Its blackene
rafters, and yet saw them not ii
rough bearded face was illuminate
with Il radiant gladness, and the nigl
WAS not Shprtar IN tho Iraa Slan