Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1902-11-20

etratlng as he read the eternal story q
the angels and the shepherds and th
Babe, and as he read slight motion
OF the hand or glance of an eye mad
us see. as he was seeing. that Who'll
radiant drama. The wonder, the tint,
JOY, the tenderness. the mystery of i
all, were borne in upon us with over
towering effect. He closed the bool
and in the same low. clear voice wen
on to tell us how, in his home year.
ago, he used to stand on Christmas eve
listening in thrilling delight to his
mother telling him the story, and how
she used to make him see the shepherds
and hear the sheep bleating near by
and how the sudden burst of glory useG
to make his heart jump.
II used to be a little afraid of the
angels, because boy told me they
were ghosts, but my mother told me
better, and l didn't fear them any
more. And the Baby, the dear little
Baby-we all love baby
There was quick, dry sob. It was
from Nelson.
II used to peek through under to see
the little one in the straw and wonder
what things swaddling clothes were.
Oh, 1t was all so real and beautifulv'
He paused, and could hear the men
breathing.
"But one Christmas eve," he went on
In lower, sweeter tone, "there was
no one to tell me the story, and 1 grew
to forget it and went away to college
and learned to think that it was only
a child's tale and was not for men.
Then bad days came to me, and worse,
and began to lose my grip of myself,
OF life, of hope, Of goodness, till one
black Christmas, in the slums of a far
away city, when had given up all
and the devils arms We're about me,
heard the story again, and as listen
ed, with bitter ache in my heart, for
had put it all behind me, suddenly
found myself peeking under the shep-
herds arms with child's wonder at
the Baby in the straw. Then it came
over me like great waves that his
name was Jesus, because it was he
that should save men from their sins.
Save! Save! The waves kept beating
upon my ears, and before l knew
had called out, ooh, can he save meY
1t was in little mission meeting on
one Of the side streets, and they SEEM
ed to be used to that sort of thing
there, for no one was surprised, and a
young fellow leaned across the aisle
to me and said, why, you just bet he
cam His surprise that l should doubt,
his bright face and confident tone, gave
me hope that perhaps it might be so. /
held to that hope with all my soul.
and" stretching up his arms and with
quick glow in his face and a little
break in his voice. "he hasn't failed
me yet, not once. not oncev'
He stopped short, and l felt good
deal like making fool Of myself, for
in those days had not made up my
mind about these things. Graeme, poor
old chap, was gazing at him with a sad
yearning in his dark eyes; big Sandy
was sitting very stiff and staring hard
er than ever into the fire; Baptiste was
trembling with excitement; Blaney was
openly wiping the tears away. But the
face that held my eyes was that Of old
man Nelson. 1t was white, fierce, hun
CRY looking, his sunken eyes burning,
his lips parted as if to cry.
The minister went on 81 didn't mean
to tell you this, men. 1t all came over
me with q rush. But it is true, every
word, and not word will l take back.
And, what's more, / can tell you this
what he did for me he can do for any
man, and it doesn't make any differ
ence what's behind him, and" leaning
slightly forward and with little thrill
of pathos vibrating in his voice, ooh,
boys, why don't you give him chance
at you? Without him you'll never be
the men you want to be, and you'll
never get the better Of that that's keep
ing some of you now from going back
home. You know you'll never go back
till you're the men you want to be-"
Then, lifting up his face and throwing
back his head, he said. as if to himself,
"Jesus-he shall save his people from
their SINS" and then, "Let us pray"
Graeme leaned forward with his face
in his hands; Baptiste and Blaney drop
ped on their knees; Sandy, the Camp
bells and some others stood up. Old
man Nelson held his eyes steadily on
the minister.
Only once before had seen that look
on human face. A young fellow had
broken through the ice on the river at
home, and as the black water was
dragging his fingers one by one from
the slippery edges there came over his
face that same look. used to wake
up for many night after IN a sweat
of horror, seeing the white face with
it's parting lips and it's piteous, dumb
appeal and the black water slowly
sucking it down.
Nelson's face brought it all back, but
during the prayer the face changed
and seemed to settle into resolve of
some sort, stern, almost gloomy, as of
a man with his last chance before him.
After the prayer Mr.. Craig invited
the men to Il Christmas dinner next
day in Black Rock. "And because you
are an Independent lot We'll charge you
half dollar for dinner and the even
Sro ,hN