The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1900-01-04
CHAPTER V.


fiat lay the "kopje." mere speck; the
sheep wandered quietly from bush to
bush; the stiffness of the early Sunday
rested everywhere. and the air was
fresh.
He looked down at his book. On Its
page black insect crept. He lifted 1t
off with his finger. Then he leaned on
his elbow, watching its quivering an
tennae and strange movements, smil-
ing. 10
Even you" he whispered. "shan not
die. Even you he loves. Even you he
will fold in his arms when he takes
everything and makes it perfect and
happy"
When the thing had gone. he smooth
ed the leaves Of his Bible somewhat
-caressingly. The leaves Of that book
had dropped blood for him once They
had taken the brightness out Of his
childhood. From between them had
sprung the visions that had chung
about him and made night horrible.
Adderlike thoughts had lifted their
heads. had shot out forked tongues at
him, asking mockingly strange. trivial
questions that he could not answer,
miserable child:
Why did the women in Mark see only
one angel and the women in Luke two?
Could a story be told in opposite ways
and both ways be true? Could it?
Gould it? Then. again: Is there moth
ing always right and nothing always
wrong? Could Jael, the wife of Heber
the Kenite. put her hand to the nail
and her right hand to the wOrkman's
hammer? and could the Spirit of the
Lord chant paeans over her, loud
paeans, high paeans. set in the book Of
the Lord, and no voice cry out it was
mean and dastardly sin to lie and kill
the trusting in their sleep? Could the
friend of God marry his own sister
and be beloved. and the man who does
it today goes to hell. to hell? Was
there nothing always right or always
wrong?
Those leaves had dropped blood for
him once. They had made his heart
heavy and cold; they had robbed his
childhood Of it's gladness. Now Lis
fingers moved over them caressingly.
'My Father God knows, my Father
Knows" he said. I'VE cannot UNDER
stand. He knows" After awhile he
whispered, smiling:'I heard your voice
this morning when my eyes were not
yet open. l felt you near me, my Fa-
Their. Why do you love me 500" His
face was Illuminated. I'm the last
four months the old question has gone
from me. l know you are good; know
you love everything; l know, know,
know! l could not have borne it any
more, not any more" He laughed
softly. And all the while | was so
miserable you were looking at me and
loving me. and l never knew it. But
l know it now. l feel it!' said the
boy. and he laughed low. Il feel it,"
he laughed.
After awhile he began partly to sing,
partly to chant. the disconnected verses
of hymns, those which spoke his glad
ness, many times over. The sheep
with their senseless eyes turned to look
at him as he sang.
At last he lapsed into quiet. Then
as the boy lay there staring at bush
and sand he saw vision.
He had crossed the river Of Death
and walked on the other bank in the
Lords land Of Beulah. His feet sank
into the dark grass. and he walked
alone. Then. far over the fields, he
green grass. At first he thought it
must be one Of the angels, but as it
came nearer he began to feel what it
was. And it came closer, closer to
him, and then the voice said, Come"
and he knew surely who it was. He
ran to the dear feet and touched them |
with his hands; yes, he held them fast
He lay down beside them. When he
looked up. the face was over him, and
the glorious eyes were loving him. and
they two were there alone together.
He laughed deep laugh, then start
ed up like one suddenly awakened |
from sleep.
80 God" he cried. 81 cannot wait, l
cannot wait! want to die! want |
to see him! want to touch him! Let
me diew He folded his hands, trem-
bling. "How can | wait SO long-for |
long, long years perhaps? want to
die-to see him! | will die any death! |
Oh. let me Conner
Weeping, he bowed himself and quiv-
cred from head to foot. After long |
while he lifted his head.
Eyes: will wait, will wait, but not
long. Do not let it be very long, Jesus, |
king. l want you; oh, want you
soon, soonw He sat still staring across
the plain with his fearful eyes.
SERVICE NO. II.
In the front room of the farmhouse
sat Tant' Sannie in her elbow chair.
In her hand was her great brass clasp
ed hymnbook; round her neck was a
clean white handkerchief; under her
feet was wooden stove. There, too,
sat EN- and Lyndall in clean pinafores
and new shoes; there. too, were the
spruce Hottentot in starched white !
.'cappje" and her husband on the other
side of the door, with his wool oiled
and very much combed out and staring
at his new leather boots. The Katfir !
servants were not there because Tant
Sannie held they were descended from |
apes and needed no salvation. But the
rest were gathered for the Sunday