Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1902-05-26
Black
Rock:
By RALPH Common
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While Graeme slept Mrs. MavoI
made me tea. AS the evening wore OF
told her the events of the day, dwell
ing admiringly upon Craig's general
ship.
She smiled at this.
"He got me, too" she said. "Nixon
was sent to me just before the sports
and don't think he will break down
today, and 1 am so thankful" And heI
eyes glowed.
81 am quite sure he won't" 1 thought
to myself, but 1 said no word.
After a long pause she went on, 81
have promised Mr.. Craig to sing to-
night if 1 am needed" and then, after
a moments hesitation, 'It is two years
since L have been able to sing-twO
years." she repeated "since," and then
her brave voice trembled, "my husband
was killed"
81 quite understand" said, having
no other word on my tongue.
"And," she went on quietly, 81 fear
have been selfish. 1t is hard to sing
the same songs. We were very happy.
But the miners like to hear me sing,
and 1 think perhaps it helps them to
feel less lonely and keeps them from
evil. l shall try tonight if l am needed
Mr. Craig will not ask me unless he
must"
1 would have seen every miner and
lumberman in the place hideously
drunk before would have asked her
to sing one song while her heart ached.
1 wondered at Craig and said rather
angrily:
''He thinks only Of those wretched
miners and shanty men of his"
She looked at me with wonder in he1
eyes and said gently:
"And are they not Christ's too?"
And found no word to reply.
1t was nearing 10 o'clock and was
wondering how the fight was going on
and hoping that Mrs. Mavor would not
be needed when the door opened and
old man Nelson and Sandy, the latter
much battered and ashamed. came in
with the word for Mrs. Mavor.
81 will come" she said simply. She
saw me preparing to accompany her
and asked, "Do you think you can
leave him?
"He will do quite well in Nelson's
care"
'Then am glad, for must take my
little one with me. 1 did not put her to
bed in case L should need to go, and
may not leave her."
We entered the church by the back
door and saw at once that even yet the
battle might easily be lost.
Some miners had just come from
Slavin's, evidently bent on breaking
up the meeting in revenge for the col
lapse of the dance, which Slavin was
unable to enjoy, much less direct
Craig was CALAMITY holding his ground
finding it hard work to keep his mel
in good humor and so prevent 4 fight
for there were cries of Put him out
Put the beast Out!' at Il miner hall
drunk and wholly outrageous.
The look of relief that came over hi:
face when Craig caught sight Of u'
told how anxious he had been an(
reconciled me to Mrs. MAYORS singing
"Thank the good Godr' he said, will
what came near being a sob. 81 wa:
about to despair
He Immediately walked to the from
and called out:
Gentlemen, if you wish it, Mrs. Ma
vor will sing"
There was a dead silence. Some on,
began to applaud. but a miner sale
savagely:
'Stop that, you foolr'
There was a delay of a few moment
when from the crowd a voice callet
out:
"Does Mrs. Mavor wish to SINCE
followed by cries of aye, that's it!'
Then Shaw, the foreman at tn
mines, stood up in the audience ant
said:
'Mr. Craig and gentlemen, you know
that three years ago l was known a
'Old Ricketts, and that i owe all
am tonight, under God, to Mrs. Ma
vor, and" with q little culver in hi
voice, "her baby. And we all know
why. And what l say is that if sh
does not feel like singing tonight sh
is not going to sing to keep any drunk
en- brute of Slavin's crowd quiet"
There were deep growls of approve
all over the church. could have hue
ged Shaw then and there. Mr.. Graf
went to Mrs. Mavor and after a wor
with her came back and said:
"AIrs. Mavor wishes me to thank he
dear friend Mr.. Shaw, but says sh
would like to sing"
The response was perfect stiffness
Mr.. Craig sat down at the organ an
played the opening bars of the toucl
ing melody, loft In the Silly Night
Mrs. Mavor came to the front ant
with q smile of exquisite swectnes
upon her sad face and looking straigl
at us with her glorious eyes, began
sing.
Her voice, a rich soprano, even an
true, rose and fell, now soft, no
strong, but always filling the building