The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-01-05

d
Il thought it was pretty picture Of
real life
! mean the acting. said Rose, an
noyed
The bridge scene was well acted
especially the woman s part thought
the man over,lid the sentimental little. >
Did you enjoyed that And
WASH the scene between the two cous-
ins funny when they first learned that
they were related? But the Stun scene
was horrible think they ought not to
show such things in play They are
too painful
They must be painful in real life
too, replied Felicia
YES but we don't have to look al
the real thing It's bad enough at the
tlleater. where we pay for it
Rose went into the drawing room
and began to eat from Il plate of fruit
and cakes on the sideboard
care you going up to see mother2''
asked Felicia after awhile. She had re-
manned in front of tho drawing room
fire.
"No, y replied Rose from the other
room; 81 won trouble her tonight If
you go in, tell her l am too tired to be
agreeable.
SO Felicia turned into her mothers
room AS she went up the great stair
case and down the upper hall the light
was burning there, and the servant who
always waited OH Mrs. Sterling was
becsoning Felicia to come in
Tell Clara to go out exclaimed
Mrs Sterling as Felicia came up to the
bed and kneeled by it.
Felicia was surprised, but she did as
her mother bade her and then inquired
how she was feeling.
Felicia, said her mother .'can
you pray2'
The question was so unlike any her
mother had ever asked before that Fee
licia was startled, but she answered:
why, yes, mother What makes
YOU ask such a question:
Felicia, am frightened Your IA
ther--I have had such strange fears
about him all day Something is wrong
with him. | want you to pray. !"
'sNow2 Here, mother7"
Eyes. Pray, Felicia. >
Felicia reached out her hand and took
her mothers. 1t was trembling. Mrs.
Sterling had never shown much tender
ness for her younger daughter. and her
strange demand now was the first real
sign Of any confidence in Felicia's
character.
The girl still kneeled, holding her
mothers trembling hand, and prayed.
1t was doubtful if she had ever prayed
aloud before. She must have said in
her prayer the words that her mother
needed, for when it was silent in the
room the invalid was weeping softly,
and her nervous tension was over.
Felicia staid some time When she
was assured that her mother would not
need her any longer, she rose to go.
"Good night, mother You must let
Clara call me if you feel bad in the
night y
81 feel better now. Z" Then as Felicia
was moving away Mrs. Sterling said,
won't you kiss me. Felicia p
Felicia went back and bent over her
mother The kiss was almost as strange
to her as the prayer had been When
Felicia went out of the room, her cheeks
were wet with tears. She had not cried
since she was little girl.
Sunday morning at the Sterling man
sion was generally very quiet. The girls
usually went to church at II o'clock
service. MI. Sterling was not mem
Der, but heavy contributor, and he
generally went to church in the morn
ing This time he did not come down
to breakfast and finally sent word by
servant that he did not feel well enough
to go out So Rose and Felicia drove
up to the door of the Nazareth Avenue
church and entered the family pew
alone
When DR.. Bruce walked out of the
room at the rear of the platform and
went up to the pulpit to open the Bible,
as his custom was, those who knew
him best did not detect anything I'M
usual in his manner or his expression
He proceeded with the service as usual
He was calm, and his voice was steady
and firm. His prayer was the first init
nation the people had of anything new
or strange in the service 1t is safe to
say that the Nazareth Avenue church
had not heard DR.. Bruce offer such
prayer during the 10 years he had been
pastor there. How would minister be
likely to pray who had come out of
revolution in Christian feeling that had
completely changed his definition of
what was meant by following Jesus?
No one in Nazareth Avenue church had
any idea that the Rev. Calvin Bruce,
D. D.. the dignifed cultured, refined
doctor of divinity, had within few
days been crying like little child, on
his knees, asking for strength and cour-
age and Christlikeness to speak his Sun
day message and yet the prayer was an
unconscious. involuntary disclosure of
the SOULS experience such as Nazareth
Avenue people seldom heard and never
before from that pulpit.
In the hush that succeeded the prayer
a distinct wave of spiritual power
moved over the congregation. The most
.l,,,, Il, c.1l -