The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1902-08-09


shade and stood there motlonless Ia
clumps. He himself crept under
shelving rock that lay at the foot OF
the -kopje." stretched himself on his
stomach and waved his dilapdated lit
tie shoes In the air.
Soon. from the blue bag where he
kept his dinner, he produced frag-
ment OF slate. an arithmetic and pen
ell. Proceeding 20 put down sum
with solemn and earnest demeanor, he
began 70 add IL up aloud. .Six and >
Is 8 and I Is l.. and Is IA. and Is \
49, Here he paused. -And Is IS. \
and-4 isis" The last was very much 4
drawled. Slowly the pencil slipped I
from his fingers. and the slate follow 7
ed Il into the sand For awhile he lag /
motlonless. then began mutterlng to
himself. folded his little arms. laid his |
head down upon them and might have
been asleep but for puttering sound
/ that from time 10 time proceeded from
! him curious old eve came TO sniff
at him, but II was long before he rails
ed his head When he did. he looked
M the faroff hills with his heavy eyes.
'Ye shall recelve-ye shall receive
shall. shall shall" he muttered
He sat up then. Slowly the dizziness
and heavness melted from his face.
II became radiant Midday had come
now, aud the suns rays were poured
down vertically. The earth throbbed
before the eye.
The boy stood up quickly and cleared
a small space from the bushes which
covered IL. Looking carefully, he found
II small stones OF somewhat the same
size Kneeling down. he arranged
them carefully on the cleared space
In a square pile In shape like an altar.
Then he walked TO the bag where his
dinner was kept. In II were mutton
chop and a large slice OF brown bread.
The 10y took them out and turned the
bread over 10 his hand. deeply consid-
} ering H. Finally he threw II away and
walked 10 the altar with the meat and
laid il down on the stones. Close by
In the red sand he knelt down. Sure
never since the beginning OF the world
was there so ragged and so small q
priest Re took OF his great hat and
placed II solemnly on the ground, then
!
He prayed aloud;
7 20 God. my Father. | have made
thee n sacrifice. have only twopence,
2 so | cannot buy lamb II the lambs
I. were mine would give thee one But
now | have only this meat IL Is my
: dinner meat Please. my rather. send
y fire down from heaven 10 burn IT, Thou
hast said. whatsoever shall say unto
: this mountain. Be thou cast into the
sea. nothing doubling. IL shall be done.
ask for the sake OF Jesus Christ
Amen"
y lie erp,t down with his face Upon
! the ground. and he folded his hards
upon his curls The fierce sun poured
down It's heat upon his head and upon
= his altar When he looked up. be knew
: what be should see-the glory or God
= For fear his very heart stood still; his
breath came heavily; he was half suf
: located He dared not look up Their
:, at last he raised himself. Above hin
was the quiet blue sky. about him the
. red earth There were the clumps Of
silent ewes and his altar: that was ali
He looked up. Nothing broke thu
= intense stiffness OF the blue overhead
J, He looked around In establishment
: Then he bowed again and this time
> longer than before.
When he raised himself tile secon,
y time, all was unaltered. Only the SUI
had melted the fat Of the little NUT
ton chop, and Il ran down upon tn
- stones
Then the third time he bowed him
IL self When 2 last he looked up. SOM
# ants had come 10 the meat on the altar
r. He stood ~ aud drove them away
) Then he put his hat on his hot curl
- aud sat In the shade. Ele ciasped hi
>. hands about his knees. lie sat TO watcl
in what would come 70 pass The glor.
- OF the Lord God Almlghty-he knew
10 he should see ltl
10 MY dear God is trying me-" he said
IN and he sat there through the nerc
n heat OF the afternoon. still he watches
mr. aud waited when the sun began Z
NJ slope, aud when 1t neared the horizo
n and the sheep began TO cast long shad
a ows across the ''karroo" he still sa
"a there. He hoped when the first ray
- touched the hills till the sun dipped be
II hind them and was gone. Then b
ID called his ewes together and brok
a down the altar and threw the mea
IN far far away into the field.
"a He walked home behind his hocl
or His heart was heavy. He reasoned SC
pe GOD cannot lie. had faith. No fir
or came. am like CAIN am not hi,
" He will not hear my prayer. Go
III. hates me-"
sc The boys heart was heavy. whe
al he reached the kraaI gate. the two girl
met him.
lie Come" said the yellow haired EN-
he Let us play coop There Is still tim
ur before It gets quite dark. You. Waldo
go aud hide on the 'kopje. Lynda
Iy. aud | will shut eyes here, and we wi