, 1902-04-09

q hed!"
chum of mine, meeting me on the
street, and commiserating my appear
ance. said:
Look here, Billie, this wont do:
come in and have one with me-"
did not understand his reference.
but I followed him-into an impress
sively, brazenly, glaringly, decorated
habitat. l looked musingly around.
but had little hope of finding my word
there. The tobacco smoke palled in
thick stratums and substratums Of
Enthusiastically curling clouds. The
sound waves of the ribald jest and oath
agitated the stagnant atmosphere, and
through the haze of this bestial dissi-
patton l heard the voice of my friend
asking:
"Whatll you have, Billie?"
"a word" l replied absently.
The courtly, portly gentleman who
officiated behind the highly polished
throne Of alcoholic indulgence gasped.
and wonderingly asked:
rs it q mixed drink?'
NO" l replied, still half-absently.
Straight"
with a little water" added my
friend.
mo, FIRE." I exclaimed, indig-
nantly.
The courtly, portly gentleman inven-
toried me for a second, then leaning
over confidentially, he hoarsely whis-
pered:
"Where'd you get it? Loonatick?"
Author, great author. (My friend.
in his desire to impress the c. P. gen.
fact considerably. ALL authors that
way; this ones in trouble; he lost a
word and is looking for it."
Lost a word! Well I'LL"
We did not linger in the sulphuric
atmosphere Of the C. P. gentleman's
comments.
Matters did not mend. and one
night in sheer exhaustion fell asleep
and found the word in a dream. but,
oh! the bitterness Of it; twas impos-
sible for me to recall it the next morn
ing.
My sister, who is a good Baptist,
thought l was in a bad way, and after
much effort succeeded, to my subse-
quent establishment, in ~persuading me
to attend a religious revival then in
progress at her church. All through
the revival services l "a thinking of
that lost word. There had been times
when | had experienced the relief OF
cessation from the agony of such
thought; but powerfully. persistently,
insistently, the consideration of my
quest forced itself on me during the
exhortation services.
The preachers words fell at first I'M
heedingly on my ears. but soon, in
spite Of myself, l listened, because of
the insistent monotone Of his warning
voice, because Of the very portent Of
his admonishing u%tterances. And sud-
petuously, fl%oodingly. overwhelmingly,
there rushed, surged and beat in on
me the comprehension, the realization,
the naturalization, the absolute
knowIedge-of that lost word! The
preacher had voiced it:
To this day | am ashamed; for, self
u~ncontaining, self-uncontrolling, I
jumped up in a frenzy OF triumph.
shouting with jubilant exuberance:
"Tve got It! I've found it! I've
caught it! At last it's mine, it's mine.
mine, mine!"
Everybody crowded around me, re-
joicing. coagratulating, embracing! l
was amazed at their intense interest in
my final success, and, indeed. consid-
erably alarmed at the miraculous
knowledge they seemed to possess Of
my Utmost thoughts.
"Oh! brother, how do you feel now?"
inquired one
DO you feel the Perfect Peace?" in
quired another with JUNCTION.
1--WE been searching for the word
10 long" | cried excitedly.
THE Lord be praised. you've found
1t at last. and the angels are rejoic-
ing"
Suddenly I was enlightened and
gasped despairingly:
cts a world"
"Yes. the Blessed, the Holy, WORD.
Oh! brother. let us pray!" and the
tears streamed down their faces ~
they alternately prayed and sang
hymns Of Hallelujahs! essayed
again. doubtfully, hopelessly:
II only found a word"
Yes, the Precious World" and they
all pressed closer around me, and one
old lady, poor dear soul. cried fervent-
~:
you look 80 much like my own
wild. d~issipated son. I must kiss you"
and she did! and I FLED!
The word? Whx? Mere words an