The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-05-12


to serve her. Therefore she remained
silent, revolving what was expedient
and what was possible as he bore her
within his hut.
He carried her through two dark
chambers, into a third where he laid
her upon q bed Of hay, spread upon
rough boards that were supported by
unhewn posts.
This chamber was long, wide and
very irregular in form; 80 low that tho
Prophet could not quite stand erect
In it. There were three stools-old
chairs without backs, given to the
Prophet by the people; large pitcher,
a few cheap dishes of odd sets, wash
basin; two lamps, one of an old fash
ion, being a triangular iron pan filled
with melted fats in which foated bit
Of cotton cloth, one end hanging over
the edge Of the pan and burning. This
lamp stood upon q small broken stand
which was arranged and draped as an
altar with curtains Of old cotton prints
and an open Bible was upon the altar
beside the burning lamp.
BY the dim light upon the altar Miss
Stella was able to see that the apart
ment was only q chamber in the drift
of coal mine and she concluded that
the hut had been built at the entrance
to an old mine that the drift might be
thus utilized for habitation.
Having deposited his burden upon
the bed the Prophet approached the al
tar where he knelt and prayed, fervent-
ly praising Jehovah for his goodness
and mercy and long-suffering. He ear
nestly petitioned for the speedy re-
demption of the world from sin and
death and the elect from suffering.
While the Prophet prayed Miss Stel-
la reflected that she must depend upon
him for relief and release. She real
lied that to control him she must hui
NOR his hallucination with which she
had been familiar since long before she
was able to comprehend 1t. Although
her suffering was excruciating her own
overpowering individuality and the
wonderful strength of will and amaz-
ing self command that she possessed
enabled her to see the lighter side Of
her unfortunate position and she ut
tered her reflections to her own ear:
II certainly was not born for the
stage; i know that; but before this
limited and partial audience I must
venture to assume the role of the New
Virgin and l may do so with reasona-
BILE anticipation of success; but l shall
not demand an encore"
When the Prophet arose she said to
him:
In the hollow of His hand hath the
father sheltered thee since the first adj
vent of the Son that thou shouldst her.
aid the second coming of that Son and
prepare His way"
II am the voice Of one crying in the
wilderness, saying: Prepare we the
way of the Lord; make his path
straight"
For me thou hast searched long and
to-day, through great tribulation and
suffering have l been guided to thee
that thy soul may rejoice and that thou
shouldst minister unto me as thou
wouldst minister unto the Son. and
that thy mission might at length be
accomplished"
mo mortal hath revealed 1t unto
thee. Men scott at the prophet Of the
Son who cometh unto his own. In 9TH
er times he came unto his own and his
own received him not. They stoned
his prophets of old and IN these latter
days they have derided his messenger
whom He hath sent before his face as
the voice of one crying in the wilder
ness, saying, Prepare We the way of the
Lord; make His path straight
II suffer much. Bring water that
may lave my limb which an accident
hath injured. Oh, hasten, hasten; I
suffer-
Behold, oh Mother of the Son, am
thy servant and only thine till He be
come, when 1 will be His servant first
and in being mis- servant 1 shall be also
thine. Let me therefore hear thy COM
mands that may obey; only, till He
be come, l may not leave thee"
Bring water"
The Prophet produced the great
pitcher which was full of water and at
her bidding slowly poured the cooling
element upon her tortured limb. Her
relief was great and when the pitcher
was empty she sent him to refill 1t. Up
on his return she said:
This foot is wrenched from its place
and the pain Is almost more than l can
bear. Do you understand surgery"
Her pain and her anxiety were SO
great that she forgot to maintain her
sacred forms of speech, but the Proph-
ct did not notice the fact.
1.-THE Father will give me knowledge
as require"
you must carefully exert the great
strength He has given you as direct.
Take hold upon this foot thus" and
she fixed his hands upon the heel and
over the instep, and pull upon it with
all your power, straight away, till 1t 10
replaced. Mind me not If l should cry
out or faint; for l know not if / shall
be able to endure it"
Even as thou wilt, shall it be; for
the Father hath sent thee to me for
care as thou shalt require"
She placed her uninjured foot firmly
against the foot-board of the bed and
laid hold upon the head-rail with
both hands. Then, nerving herself for
the agony, she bade him pull. His
touch was torture to her, yet he was
tender and reverent and pulled as she
had instructed him; steadily, firmly,
straight. When the strain was felt she
screamed, but maintained her position.
Precipitation gushed from every pore
and when the joint snapped into place
she tainted.
When she revived the Prophet was
kneeling in prayer at the altar. She
babe him bring water and with great
diRiculty she sat up in her place and
bathed the swollen member. Then she
said: