The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1902-06-07


logical opinions q lie connaaity and
more particularly rpoa Hsh wembe-s
Of 1t as se ~ ee possessing
any opinluus L4Aasiis enulal lvl sla.u-
ment.
* Ga@c te Ate Cra.gs aaAit TO-
drop into the leagneroom and toward
tile close Of the evening a. have a shtrt
Scvsn,tsa cA2n iFcn t,ie gspt
Geordle's opportunity CAME after the
meeting was over and Mn Craig had
gone away The men would hang
about and talk the lesson oyer. eX-'
pressing opinions favorable or unfa-
vorable. az appeared to them good.
Then II was that all sorts OF views, re.
ngious and otherwise. were aired AID
examined The originality Of the ideas,
the absolute disregard of the authority
OF church or creed, the frankness with
which opinions were stated and the
fOrcefulness OF the language IN which
they were expressed combined to make
the discussions altogether marvellous.
The passage between Abe Baker, the
stage driver, and Geordie was particu-
larly rich. II followed upon very
telling lesson on the parable OF the
Pharisee and the publican.
The chief actors i'm that wonderful
story were transferred TO the Black
Rock stage and were presented In min
er's costume Abe was particularly
well pleased with the scoring of the
"blanked old rooster who crowed so
BANKED high and somewhat incensed
AT the quiet remark interiected by
Geordie that 1T was nae credit TIL a
mon tae be n sinner" and when Geor-
die went on TO urge the Importance Of
right conduct and responsibility Abe
was led 10 pour forth Walls OF con
temptuous wrath upon the Pharisees
and hypocrites who thought themselves
better than other people. But Geordie
was quite unruffied and lamented the
ignorance OF men who. brought up I'm the
"Epcescopawlyun or Methody" church,
could hardly be expected to detect the
Antinomian or Arminian heresles
"Aunty Nomyun or Uncle Nomyun."
replied Abe, boiling hot. my mother
was q Methodist, and I'll back any
BANKED Methodist against any blank
ETY. blank long faced, lantern jawed,
skinhint Presbyterian" And this he
was eager to maintain TO any mans
satisfaction II he would step aside.
Geordie was quite unmoved but has
tened 10 assure Abe that he meant no
disrespcct 10 his mother, who. he had
'nae doot was clever enough bud.
die. tae Judge by her son" Abe was
speedily appeased and offered TO set
up the drinks all round. but Ceordie
with evident reluctance. hga to de-
cline, saying, ma, ma. lad; I'm a league
man. We ken" And | was sure that
Geordie at that moment felt that mem
bership In the league had its draw
backs.
Nor was Geordie too sure OF Craig's
orthodoxy. while. as 20 Mrs. Mavor
whose slave he was. he was in the
habit OF lamenting her doctrinal con
dition:
shes fine wumman, nae doot
but. pulr cratur. she's fair carried
ava wi the errors o. the Epeesco
pawlyuns.
II fell to Geordie, therefore, as "A sa
cred duty, I'm view OF the laxity OF
those who seemed 10 be the pillars OF
! the church. to be all the more watch
| full and unyielding, but he was delight
| fully inconsistent when confronted
with particulars In conversation witt
him one night after one Of the meet
lngs. when he had been specially hart
upon the ignorant and goddess, | limo
Gently changed the subject to Billy
| Breen, whom Geordie had taken TO his
shack since the night of the league
lie was very proud Of Billys success
In the fight against whisky the credi
| of which he divided evenly between
Mrs. Mavor and himself
Hes fair daft ABBOTT her" he eX
planned TO me. IAN I'll no deny bu
she's a great help aye, vera con
seedcrable asscestAnce but, mon, sh
doesna ken the whusky an the insid
o. mon that's wantin' &C. Aye, put
buddie, she dz her part, an whel
! yc're a bit restless an thrawn aifte
yer days wark it's like walk in
bonny glen on simmer eve, with thu
birds liltin' about. tae SIC In yon rooms
an hear her sing But when the nigh
is on an We Gamma sleep. but waukei
WI an awfu' thurst an wi dreams c
coy firesidcs an the bonny sparklin
CLOSES. as il is WI puir Billy aye, IL
/ then We need a mon wi guild grip he
side We"
what do you do then, Geordie?"
asked
ZOO, aye, l just gang for a bit wall
! wi the lad an then pits the kettle OF
an makes a cup o tea or coffee. nm
eff he gangs tae sleep like BARN"
Poor Billy said pityingly "rher'
Is no hope for him in the future,
feNI"
"Hoot ava. mon| said Geordi'
7 quickly. "Ye wadna keep GOT a put
crater frae creepin' IN that's daein' hi
best2"
q, Geordie," | demonstrated, III,