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

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enjoys it. There must be something in
it,
"Oh, lock here, Graemer' burst out
! impatiently. Whats theause of your
! talking ike that?. Of course there's
something in it. There's everything IN
lit. The trouble with me is I can't face
| the music. 1t calls for a life where 4
fellow must so in for straight, steady
work, self denial and that sort of thing,
and I'm too bohemian for that, and too
lazy. But that fellow Craig makes one
feel horribly uncomfortable"
Graeme put his head on one side and
examined me curiously.
81 believe you're right about your-
self. You always were luxurious beg
gar. But that's not where it catches
me-"
We sat and smoked and talked Of
other things for an hour and then turn
eG in AS was dropping off was
reused by Graeme's voice:
care you goins to the preparatory
service on Friday night?"
/ Don't know replied rather Sleep
fly.
81 say, do you remem Der the prepara-
tory service al hoEe" There was
something in his voice that set me wide
awake.
Eyes. Rather terrific, wasn't it? But
1 always felt better after it" I replied.
sTo me''-he was sitting up in bed
now-''to me it was like call to arms,
or, rather, like a call for a forlorn
hope-none but volunteers wanted. DO
you remember the thrill in the old gov
ernor's voice as he dared any but the
right stuff to come on"
"We'n go in on Friday night" said.
And so we did. Sandy took load Of
men with his team, and Graeme and l
drove in the light sleigh.
The meeting was in the church, and
over a hundred men were present.
There was some singing Of familiar
hymns at first, and then Mr.. Craig
read the same story as we had heard
in the stable, that most perfect Of all
parallels, the prodigal son. Bapt1ste
nudged Sandy in delight and whisper
ed something, but Sandy held his face
so absolutely expressionless that
Graeme was moved to say:
Look at Sandy! Did you ever see
such q craven image? Something has
hit him hard"
The men were held fast by the story.
The voice Of the reader, low, earnest
and thrilling with the tender pathos
Of the tale, carried the words to our
hearts, while a glance, gesture, a
movement Of the body, gave US the
vision Of it all as he was seeing it.
Then, in simplest Of words, he told
US what the story meant, holding US
the while with eyes and voice and ges-
ture.
He compelled US to scorn the gay,
heartless selfshness Of the young fool
setting forth so jauntily from the bro
ken home; he moved our pity and our
sympathy for the young profigate,
who, broken and deserted, had still
pluck enough to determine to work his
way back, and who, in utter despera-
ton, at last gave it up, and then ne
| showed US the homecoming-the rag
ged, heartsick tramp, with hesitatlng
steps, stumbling along the dusty road,
and then the rush Of the old father, his
garments futteripg and his voice heard
in broken cries. see and hear 1t all
now whenever the words are read.
He announced the hymn, Gust as ]
AM" read the first verse, and then went
on: "There you are, men, every man OF
you, somewhere on the road. Some Of
YOU are too lazy"-here Graeme nudged
me-"and some Of you haven't got
enough yet Of the far country to come
| back. May there be a chance for you
when you want to come! Men, you all
want to 90 back home, and when you
20 you'll want to put on your soft
Clothes and you won't go till you can go
in good style. But where did the prodi-
gal get his good clothes?"
Quick came the answer in Baptste's
shrill voice:
"From de old fadderw
No one was surprised, and the minis
ter went on:
eyes, and that's where we must get
the good, clean heart-the good, clean,
| brave heart-from our Father. Don't
wait; but, just are you are, come.
Sing"
They sang, not loud, as they would
"Stand Up" or even ''The Sweet By
and By" but in voices subdued, hold
ing down the power in them.
After the singing Craig stood a mo-
ment gazing down at the men. and then
said quietly:
"Any man want TO come? You all
might come. We all must come"
Then, sweeping his arm over the au'
dience and turning half round as If to
move off, he cried in aToice that thrill.
ed to the hearts core:
''Oh, come on! Let's go backv'
The effect was overpowering. It
seemed to me that the whole company
half rose to their feet. OF the prayer
| that Immediately followed only
caught the opening sentence, "Father,
we are coming back" for my attention
was suddenly absorbed BY, Abe, the
stage driver, who was sitting next me.
I could hear him swearing approval
and admiration, saying to himself:
"Ain't he a clinker? III be gee! whiz-
zly gor busted if he amt malleable
iron, double back action, self adjusting
corn cracker"