Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1901-12-27

sa0 and lonely anu ns Httie GUEST
heayed with the sobs he was sup
pressing.
Humphl Gone already, has he9'
said the father, as he looked about
the place and missed the boy for the
first time. 81 promised him I'd go,
and I'll keep my word he muttered
as he left the room.
As he neared the Acknowledgement
be thought with pride OF bis boy
singing in the choir, and the kind
ness OF the choir director toward the
unfortunate little fellow. But it was
the pride preceding fall. He was
humble enough when he thought Of
his own personal appearance, and
how much he had thrown away; then
of the scene just before Tom had left
the house.
He'll stand it, guess. He looked
so much like his mother as he sang in
that miserable place that it maddened
me. She always would go to church
and sing, and be is just like her.
Hc,slipped into the church and took
place behind pillar, SO that he
could see and not be seen. Already
the voices below had begun the pro-
cessional.
He listened, but could not distin-
guish Toms voice. AS the choir
boys entered the door he began to
wonder il Tom had not come to the
church, after all. He did not have
long to wait before he knew. The
little hunch-back, though several
years their senior, came in with the
smallest boys. He held his book in
front OF him, but only moved his lips.
The usually pale face was like the
whitest marble, and no one weuld
ever know the suffering it cost him
to move along in the slow march
down the aisle.
Toms solo was to follow the read
ing of the first lesson, aud he was in
an agony of suspense, not knowing
whether he could sing or not.
Thus endeth the first lesson, u
SAID the rector as he moved away
from the great Bible. Instantly the
| organ began the beautiful prelude,
and little Tom stood ready to make
the supreme effort of his life.
"Glory to God in the Highest!
Glory to God Glory to God"
Every eye in the church turned
upon the boy with the magnificent
voice. The organ played on while the
song waited. Then he began again
"Glory to God in the Highest!
Glo--"
The lips were parted, but the words
refused to come. Tom lifted his eyes
appealingly to the organ loft, stood
looking second, then the little body
tottered and fell.
There was murmur of sympathy
from the gathered people, and several
started toward the PROSTATE boy in
voluntarily, but a man glided down
the aisle ahead of them all, with such
an agonized look upon his face that
he hardly seemed human.
"Don't touch himl Stand back
Get awayI He's my child, and Toms
father lifted him tenderly and low
ingly. A tiny stream of blood was
coming from the parted lips, the eyes
were closed and it seemed that the
boy had already gone to join the
heavenly choir. But the tender words
OF his father, the whispered pleading
for forgiveness, called him back.
He opened his eyes and looked az
fectionately upon the face bending
over him. Then he remembered his
song, and the sweet voice finished the
broken strain,
"Glory to God Glory to God!"
he softly sang with his feeble breath.
Tom did not know when they car
ried him from the church to his home,
For days he was entirely unconscious
of the things that took place abou.
him. He did not hear the heart.
broken prayers OF his father, nor the
solemn vows to lead Different and
better life If the little sou might be
spared to him.
After many days OF care and ten
der nursing, Tom's strength began
slowly to renirn and he was able to
walk about little each day. One
AFTERNOON Tom appeared unusually
! briybt. His father WIS sitting with