St. Tammany farmer., 1901-08-03

was making long jump between
cities, washout in the hills delayed
the train Eat nowhere in particular,
as Ransom put it, clambering out o1
the car to stretch his fess. "Come on
you people," he called back gayly te
his companions, 1--WE found little
road out here that's lost and I'm go
ing to explore it; the conductor says
we shan't start for three hours"
An abrupt turn and the party was
out of sight of the train-the fresh
green country through which the road
wound absolutely devoid of signs Of
human life. Parker and Miss Marvelle
walked on ahead discussing chances
for next season. Ransom, bringing VI
the rear, rallied Johnson numerically
regarding a letter the comedian ha.
discovered him reading on the train
From Frohman?" he inquired, with
| mock interest
NO" responded johnson, who ap
peared to be in unusually good spir.
its, lit isn't from girl, either" Tn
consciously Ransom's hand sought
oAAS iAASA HOIhOU VI LIS SodU anu u
the others quizzical laugh he began
| to study the landscape with a very
red face.
The road-a mere cart track
swerved suddenly, and, without warn.
ing, the party found themselves enter.
ing country graveyard, a primitive
inclosure of struggling stones and q
few huge pine trees. Under one of the
latter was a small open grave-by
the side of it, a somber blot on the
bright sunshine, tiny coffin.
Against it, her slender body shak-
ing with sobs, lay woman striv.
ing seemingly to clasp it in her arms,
while about her stood perhaps a
score of people, their uneasy glances
and shifting movements showing
plainly that the situation was beyond
them.
'Let's get out of here" whispered
Parker, turning hurriedly. II don't
care for any funerals in mine. I'm
going back" Before he could carry
out his intention, man left his place
among the mourners and hesitating-
ly approached. "Won't you wait a
minute, mister" he said, awkwardly.
"Mebbe there's some of your folks
kin say a prayer, and I'd take it
mighty kind if they would. Y see, y
with a sudden choke, t'my little boy
is laying over there, and his moth
er is nigh distracted eos there amt
anybody to kinder ask God to look
after him before we have to go and
leave him all alone. We're just plain
folks, without much book learning,
city folks, take it?"
Miss Marvelle's troubled eyes veered
swiftly from the speakers anxious
face to the pathetic group under the
trees, and then back to her compan-
ions; and it came home to her with
sudden force how completely the
homely appeal had sounded the shall
lowness of their natures. Ransom,
with an distracted air, was making
little holes in the ground with his
cane, and Parker's countenance bore
an expression of lofty boredom-she
wondered, with swift half-scorn, why
she had ever mistaken it for the
sign manual of high breeding; the
idol was nothing but clay, after
all.
"For shame,' she said, indignant
ly, after a silence. "Can't any of you
men say something -anything-to
comfort that poor mother; haven't
you any feeling?'' Parker turned
away his head and Ransom shook
his vigorously. The leading lady''s
eyes caught Johnson's and held them.
Something in the mute question in
them turned his face suddenly white:
"I'll try he said, simply, and
walking over he dropped his hand on
the little coffin. @
"My friends" he said, quietly, and
somehow the dignity he had always
lacked seemed to fall on him all at
once like a mantle. "I'm not church
man, but, believe me, the little one
lying here needs no minister to
speak for him to the one who said:
Suffer little children to come unto
me- I doubt not the one you love
is looking down on us to-day, well
and happy, from that land where
there is no sorrow nor crying-wait-
ing until that better day when, in the
fullness Of time, where he is, there
you shall be also" Then, reverently.
and in a voice that betrayed none of
the hesitation of the footlights, John
son repeated The Lords prayer.
THAI NIGHT as johnson was dress
ing for the first act Ransom came
into his room. "Old man." he said
in curiously shaky voice, forgive
me for the nasty things I've said to
you; you are a better man than L.
than any of us-anl I honor YOU"
'No, no. cried johnson, grasping
the proffered hand with beaming
face, 'don't say better one; besides,
I knew you were only chatting me
and I don't blame you for it. know
we'll enough that 1 can't act like you
or Parker, and Tn going home to-
morrow. That letter you saw me
reading was from my father; he's
found out that he made mistake
about something that happened years
ago, and he wrote asking me to for
get and forgive. / shan't have to be