The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-10-22

men needed for the doing Of it. Abe
grew uneasy as the minister went on
to describe the completeness Of the sur
render, the intensity Of the loyalty de-
manded.
'That knocks me out, reckon" he
muttered in a disappointed tone. ''1
amt up to that grade" And as Craig
described the heroism called for, the
magnifcence Of the fight, the worth Of
it and the outcome Of it all Abe ground
out, "I'll be BANKED if I wouldn't like
to take q hand, but I guess I'm not in
it."
b Craig finished by saying:
81 want to put this quite fairly. It is
not any league Of mine. You're not
joining my company. 1t is no easy
business, and it is for your whole life.
What do you say? Do put it fairly?
What do you say, Nelsop?"
Nelson rose slowly and with difficulty
began:
81 may be all wrong, but you made it
easier for me, Mr.. Craig. You said he
would see pe through, or should new
er have risked it. Perhaps am
wrong" And the old man looked
troubled
Craig sprang up.
'No, no! Thank God, no! He will
see every man through who will trust
his life to him-every man, no matter
how tough he is, no matter how bro
ken"
Then Nelson Strengthened himself up
and said:
"Well, sir, I believe q lot Of the men
would go in for this If they were dead
sure they would get through"
"Get through said Craig. "NeVer
fear of it! It is hard fight, long
fight, glorious fight" throwing up his
head, "but every man who sQuarely
trusts him and takes him as Lord and
Master comes out victor!'
"Bonw said Baptste. "Das me. You
tink he's take me in dat fight M'sieu
Craig, heh?"
His eyes were blazing.
"You mean it," asked Craig almost
sternly.
eyes, by gar" said the little French
man eagerly.
"Hear what he says, then" And
Craig, turning over the leaves Of his
Testament, read solemnly the words,
"Swear not at all"
''Non! For sure! Den stop him."
replied Baphste earnestly, and Craig
wrote his name down.
Poor Abe looked amazed and dis
tressed, rose slowly and, saying, "That
jars my whisky Jug" passed out.
There was a slight movement near
the organ, and, glancing up, saw
Mrs. Mavor put her face hastily in her
hands. The mems faces were anxious
and troubled, and Nelson said In a
voice that broke:
ssTell them what you told me, sir"
But Craig was troubled, too, and re-
plied, "You tell them, Nelsonw And
Nelson told the men the story Of how
he began just five weeks ago. The old
mans voice steadied as he went on,
and he grew eager as he told how he
had been helped and how the world
was all different and his heart seemed
new. he spoke Of his Friend as If he
were some one that could be seen out
at camp, that he knew well and met
every day.
But as he tried to say how deeply he
regretted that he had not known Gil
this years before, the old, hard face be-
gan to culver, and the steady voice
wavered. Then he pulled himself to-
gether and said:
81 begin to feel sure he'll pull me
through-me, the hardest man in the
mountains! So don't you fear, boys.
He's all right"
Then the men gave in their names
one by one. When it came'to Geordie's
turn, he gave his name:
George Crawford, frae the parish o
Kilsyth, Scotland, an yell just pit
doom the lads name, Maister Craig.
He's a wee bit flashed WI the dis
coorse, but he has the rooeto' the matt
ter in him, doot''
And so Billy Breen's name went
down.
When the meeting was over, thirty
eight names stood upon the communion
roll Of the Black Rock Presbyterian
church, and it will ever be one Of the
regrets Of my life that neither
Graeme's name nor my own appeared
on that roll. And two days after, when
the cup went round on that frst-com-
munion Sabbath, from Nelson to Sandy
and from Sandy to Baptiste, and so on
down the line to Billy Breen* and Mrs.
Mavor. and then to Abe, the driver,
whom, she had by her own mystic pow
er lifted into hope and faith, I felt all
the shame and pain Of "a traitor, and l
believe in my heart thatithe;; fire OF that
pain and, shame burned something OF
the selfish cowardice tout Of me and
that tits burning STILL,
The last words Of the minister, IN
the short address after the table, had
been served, were low: and sweet and
tender, but they were, words Of high
courage, and before he had spoken
them all the men were isteaing with
shining eyes, and when theS rose to
sing the closing hymn they stood
straight and stiff like soldiers on pa
rade.
And wished more than ever was
one Of them.