The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1902-06-05
''-The oyster hides Its pearl" she IN.

"The shell is apparent enough" I re-
piled, for the mischief was in me.
"Ah, yes" she replied softly, ''but II
Is the pearl we love-"
I moved over beside Billy, whose
eyes were following Mrs. Mavor as she
went to speak to Mr. Craig.
WELL" said, you all seem to have
high opinion OF her"
"An Ugh hopinionw he replied in
deep scorn. AN Ugh hopinion, you
calls itr'
What would you call it," l asked.
wishing to draw him out"
"Oi don't call it nothlnk," he replied.
spreading out his rough hands.
"She seems very NICE" l said indif-
ferently.
He drew his eyes away from Mrs.
Mavor and gave attention to me for
the first time.
"Nice" he repeated. with fine con-
tempt. and then he added impressive
| ly, Them as don't know shouldn't say
nothink."
you are right" answered earnest
ly, "and l am quite of your opinion"
! He gave me n quick glance out of his
little, deepset, dark blue eyes and open
ed his heart to me. He told me in his
quaint speech how again and again
she had taken him in and nursed him
and encouraged him and sent him out
with Il new heart for his battle until,
for very shame's sake at his own mis-
erable weakness, he had kept out of
her way for many months, going stead
lily down.
"Now. Oi haln't got no grip, but when
she says to me tonight. says she, oh,
Billy'-shc calls me Billy TO myself
0his with touch of pridC) -" oh.
Billy says she, we must ave n total
habstinrncc league tonight, and Oi
want You to 'olp" and she keeps a-look-
in ut me with those heycs o hcrn till,
If you believe me, sir" lowering his
voice to an emphatic whisper, though
Oi knowcd Oi couldn't 'elp none, afore
Oi knowed Oi promised 'er Oi would.
1t VI W llNll lll'lh NY y
do hup you steps and does"
/ remember my first look into her
eyes, and could quite understand
Billy's submission. Just as she began
to sing | went over to GCordie and took
my seat beside him. She bc"In with
an English slumbcr song, "Sierp, Ba-
by, Sleep" one Of Barry Cornwal's, |
think, and then sang love song with
the refrain, Love once again." but no
thrills came to me, and | began to won
der If her spell over me was broken.
Geordie. who had been listening some
what indifferently, encouraged me,
however, by saying: "She's just pittin'
afr time with the feckless sangs Man,
there's nae grup till them" But when,
after few minutes pause, she began
"My Ain Fireside" Geordie gave a
sigh Of satisfaction, AYE, that's some
thin like" and when she finished the
first verse he gave me dig In the ribs
with his elbow that took my breath
away, saying in whisper, MAN, hear
till yon, wull ye" And again l found
the spell upon me. 1t was not the
voice, after all, but the great soul be-
hind, that thrilled and compelled. She
was seeing, feeling. living, what she
sang, and her voice showed us her
heart The cozy fireside, with its bon
ny, blithe blink, where no care could
abide. but only peace and love. was
vividly present to her, and rs she sang
we saw it too. When she came to the
last verse:
"When I draw In my stool
On my coZy hearthstane,
My heart loups sac licht
/ scarce kent for my ain,"
there was n feeling Of tears in the fow-
ing song, and we knew the words had
brought her n picture Of the fireside
that would always seem empty. l felt
the tears in my eyes, and, wondering
ut myself, | cast a stealthy glance at
the men about me, and | saw that they
too. We're looking through their hearts
windows upon iircsides and ingle hooks
that cleaned from far.
And then she sang The Aud Hoose,'
and Geordie, giving me another poke
said, That's my ain sang" and wher
l asked him what he meant he whis
pered fiercely, "Wheesht mon" and
did, for his face looked dangerous.
In pause between the verses heard
Geordie saying to himself. AYE, maur
gle it up, doot."
"WhatT l ventured.
"Naethin' ava" And then he added
impatiently, mon, but ye're an in
Queesitive buddie." altar wbAal, ! slh
sided into silence.
Immediately upon the meeting being
called to order Mr.. Craig made hi
! speech, and 1t was fine bit OF work
| Beginning with clear statement Of
the object in view, he set In contras
the two kinds Of leagues proposed-on'
| league OF men who would take whis
[ ky in moderation, the other league o
men who were pledged to drink nom
! themselves and TO prevent In ever.
honorable way others from drinking
/ There was no long argument, but Ia
spoke at white heat, and as he appeal
/ ed TO the men to think, each not o
! himself alone, but OF the others as well
the yearning born Of his long month
J a l.. 4. L..