The Red Cloud chief., 1899-10-20
Ne Didn't Come.
A Story Of Misplaced Confidence
and Woe by an Amateur.



Mrs. X was nearing the end of LIES
! journey. The death.de was settling
upon her brow. The Borrowing hus.
band stood ut her bedside. The fright
ened little ones lowered near the foot
of the couch, moaning in undertones,
they having been cautioned mot to
disturb poor, sick mama Kind neigh
UUrs were softly %tip.toeing in and cut
vt the death chamber, eager to admin.
ister TO the comfort of their friend,
wnOse spirit vas slipping away from
the shores of mortality, and whose
pure, lovcable character had So endear.
ed her to them all. The wife and
mother, midst the last throes of dis.
solving nature. started up, with wild
eyes and cried: "Un, where is my
pastorW The sOrrowing husband ten
derly wiped the ~death.dew from the
brow of his loved one and God pardon
the poor man for utteriDg an untrGth)
whispered: Eyes, darling, your pastor
will . be here" The dying woman
family whispered back in the ear of
her husband: "Oh, how glad am to
know that he will soon, very socn, be
here; that his absence Is owing to his
having gone out To visit other sick
members of his flock that my beloved
pastor is devoting all the energies of a
consecrated life 10 the work assigned
him by the MASTER"
Husband, dearest, hold the baby
close To my bosom, while l close my
eyes for u few moments and try to i'm
agine that / hear the footsteps of my
beloved pastor, as he approaches the
house, bearing under his arm the prec.
ious book OF books, from VIII )se sacred
pages he will read TO me some of Gods
most precious promises. Let me sleep,
dear est husband, for a few minutes,
SO that the time will not seem very
long while / am awaiting the coming
Of this holy man Of God, whose prayer,
united with yours and mine, dearest,
will assist me in laying hold Of the
hope that is set before u.s." and then
wake me gently when he has come so
that not a moment may be denied me
of listening to his comforting words.
Oh! TO listen TO the voice of my beloved
pastor, as he, with head reverently
bowed before u common Father,
brt athes y low, thrilling prayer for my
safe passage overthe Jordan, whose cold
chilly waters threaten to engult me-"
"a few moments later.) "Oh. | am
50 weary waiting! My poor body so
longs tor restl But | cannot go until
my pastor comes. Send q quick
footed messenger TO summon hlm to
my side" Then, with a strength DOrn
of her desire TO linger upon the shores
of mortality until her pastor should
come, the wife and mother raises her
%quivering body upright in bed, kisses
her babe, falls back among the pillows,
aud with: "Oh! why should my pastor
have thus forsaken me!' the spirit ut
the cOnfiding, christian woman has
passed owe the river, there To await
the coming OF husba I'd, children and
friends and-let us be charitable
enough to hope-her pastor as well.
Next day the pastor is heard TO re-
greet that, at the time of the death OF
Sister Y, he was unavOidably ybsent
But you will ask: Where was the
dying woman's beloved pastor?'
Why, God bless you! he was out at a
country school house trying to per,
suade the people that God had excused
linn from the work of ministering to
the dying members of his flock, now
that he had been nominated for office
and IL behoOved HIM t. apply all hi,
energies, To- the end that he nigh,
make Ibis calling and election sure
Next day Sister y was laid away IL
the silent city of the dead. Her "be
loved pastor" mumbled u cold, lifeless
prayer At the grave, and while invok
ing Gods blessing upon the bpreaveC
family, his voice grew husky mot be
cause of tender feelings or emotion
but because of the straining of his
lungs, the night before, while harangue
ing the people in the interest of hi:
candidacy.
As the Borrowing husband led his in
nocent babies from the grave of theil
mother, an %irreveren mt old deacon was
heard to remark to one OF his neigh
bors: "Well, we must look out for an
other preacher; one, too, whose calling
of the Lord to preach the gospel ha,
gone home to his heart, and whose
whole soul is intent on obeying tina
call; one whose life has been conse
Grated to the work of pointing sinner:
To the blood of the Lamb, and who's,
voice shall never grow husky making
political harangues."
Election day came, and with it caIn,
such a sweeping defeat for our erst
while man of God, that the sight wa.
most pitiable indeed, and when, on thu
first Sunday after election, the poo
fellow the was now called fellow
stood up in the pulpit, many Of hi
congregation hung their heads in ver'