Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-08-21
CHAPTER Xxx.
TwENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY AT CON
RAD

SJt1At'lEh N.
TwENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY AT con-
RAD.
So the winter quickly passed, and
spring melted into summer. and then
growing plan developed in Faiths
mind. She had not been able to crowd
1t out of her ''heast thoughts" as she
called any ideas that kept making her
think of other people. Even her rapid
ly developing artistic power, could not
prevent the silent, increasing, power
also mission to perform for the good
of people in a certain peculiar way.
Il shall have to go home and talk it
over with father before i can settle it
right" she kept saying to herself all
summer, and when fall was ushered in
and she could see the frosty mornings
on the prairie and call up in memory
the sound of the prairie chickens out
in the. corntields and see the great
stretch of sky that was never possible
in the smoky city, with its ugly piles
of buildings that shut out sun and air,
then Faith grew really lonesome and
homesick, and one day she resolutely
told Miss Yarney that she must go
home for a little visit.
II don't blame you, my dear. Go out
home and breathe some fresh prairie
air and photograph some Kansas ideas
and come back with,them. and we will
make our fortune"
II don't know about getting photo
graphs of Kansas IDEAS" replied Faith;
but l do know about the prairie air.
And I'm going to get some
! So Faith ran out to the Fultons', said
goodby to them and Francis Raleigh
at the same time and started for home
that day.
She had written home. telling Of her
coming. and when she reached Conrad
there We're father and mother and the
boys at the station and a little back of
that eager group a stalwart, manly
figure, Malcolm Stanley, who had come
in quite suddenly the day before from
! New Mexico. 1t is not exactly certain
| how he knew that Faith was coming
home or, indeed, If he knew anything
about 1t, but 1t is very certain that he
was there at that time and that Nal
com and Dorothy had given him g.
hearty welcome.
You're just in time to help our
church celebrate our twenty fifth an
niversary," Malcolm had said to him.
His church was planning in a quiet
way for such an anniversary, and it
pleased him much to think that Faith
was to be at home In time and also that
Stanley could be with them.
That was a wonderful homecom-
ing for Faith. The experiences she
had We're rehearsed in the family cir
Gle, and there never had been SO much
hearty, pure laughter in the parsonage
since 1t was built In the frosty even
ings they sat around the one open fire
In the parlor, and even Malcolm shut
up his study and Joined the group
early, talking over matters with Faith
and entering into all her new plans
with the enthusiasm of boy. Doro-
thy smiled often through happy tears
as she looked at her children and saw
them growing up into sturdy, useful
lives, and in her heart she thanked
the Great Father continually for such
/ treasures, worth more to her and her
husband than all the gold and silver
| in the world.
II want the boys to go to Phillips
academy next fall" Faith said, with
an air of one possessed of untold
riches. 'That's where father gradu-
ated, and it will be fine thing for
them to follow him there"
'Splendid!" exclaimed Malcolm. eve
always dreamed it would be so.'
Art is long" continued Faith,
"but I'm sure l can win some of the
prizes for the best Photographic ideas
offered by the eastern papers. If the
boys had 500 apiece, they could enter
the school and earn their own way for
the most. part, couldn't they, father?"
of course they could" replied MAI
/ com, and he told of some of his own
experiences as boy in academy and
college life.
ut seems to me, Mr.. Kirk, that you
have done a little of everything in
I your lifetime" said Malcolm Stanley,
who sat in the family circle and some
how seemed quite like one of them
Everything except looking out for
himself" said Faith quietly.
"The Lord has blessed us very
MUCH" said Malcolm, looking at Faith
tenderly. TIM afraid your. poor old