Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1901-11-08

ness. The doctor was about 20 adj
.y.nce, but Gideon laid hand upon
his shoulder. saying. ssHush::'
The girl was speaking-after the
habit of childrep-to one who was not
there to listen. Every evening at
this hour it. had been her custom to
read from story book, while her Sis
ter worked with her needle. And now
she held the book sideways to- the
I! freight and said in choksd, stified
voice:
"we left off at page 141, Minnie. 1t
was the end of chapter
She stopped to look up at the vacant
chair to which her words were appar-
emily addressed. AS she did so the
book slipped from her lap to the floor.
minnie isn't there she whispered
| to herself. 81 thought I should see
her sitting in her chair. can't start
the new chapter if Minnie isn't with
me, and the words choke me-"
She fumbled with trembling hand
at the collar of her black dress. The
doctor thought then. that the passion
of weeping would break out uncon-
trollably, but he was disappointed
She picked up the fallen book and
placed it carefully upon shelf with
a few others. From these she alb
| stracted Bible. She stood a mo-
ment, thinking.
would it be. wicked, wonder?"
she said to herself "Jennie Clark
once tried it, and God answered her
that way"
| Deciding in favor of the scheme
that had entered her mind, the child
took pin from her dress, screwed up
her eyes, and drove the point between
the leaves of the volume. Opening it
lat the place thus indicated, she
stabbed again with the pin point and
SO marked a passage.
Putting a finger upon the passage
| she had chosen, the child carried it
to the freight and read, in the words
OF Herod, the king: 'sAsk of me what
soever thou wilt, and I will give it
| thee"
She jumped to her feet with a gasp
of frightened astonishment. Appar-
emily the words had for her more than
a superficial significance. for. she said,
in a low, thrilling voice: cit is true
| then; I can ask it. / was afraid to,
but-but I'm not frightened now a
bit. I will ask God to send the Judg-
4 ment day, and to send it now, this
very instant. It will be awful; but I
shall see Minnie, and mother. And
it must come; it is certain, positive!
Perhaps I ought to go downstairs and
tell Mrs. Jennings. But no, though,
I won't; she would only laugh. And
there are thousands of other people;
cannot tell them al1.''
did you hear her?" whispered
Gideon to his companion.
4 "Ah! Be careful"
1 Gideon had taken step into the
room.
The child, hearing nothing, wrapped
in an assurance at once delicious,
comforting and appalling, now
opened the window. The room being
the highest in the building was near
est to the stars-an advantage hap
PLY not considered by landlords.
Confused sounds foated upward. The
quiet Heavens were covered with
shining points, yellow and blue and
gold and b1ood-red. The fierce eye
of the Bull famed conspicuously. 1t
attracted the child's attention. She
) lifted her face and began to speak.
She told how lonely she was, how
she could not live without those who
had gone. Innocence is familiar with
: God. She wanted to know what was
the use of being alive when there
was. nobody in all the world whom
, she could love or be loved by. II
seemed to her then that there was
! but one alternative-the end.
On the threshold of her. mighty re.
quest she fa1tered, for the terror OF
her prayer had. seized her. An ex-
traordinary sensation was upon her
She felt that she was not alone in
the room. Her face turned white
, Then she went on steadily.
Her voice sank to an awed whis.
= per as word by word she unfolded
her terrible. petition. Her eyes were
fixed above, fearing at any instant tc
: see the levin rend the stars. "And
: o, good Father" said the child
''when I say Now then let it come
: then let me hear the angels blowing
: with the .trumpets all over the sky
She sank her, head into her open
hands. A few moments passed. Sud
denly she raised her face, the dread
: full instant had come; her lips parted
'sMy child" said Gideon.
He held her in his arms. Minnie's
sister cried as if her heart would