Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1903-01-01

ne naQ MS lines" from the EStah-
lished Kirk of Scotland, and when Mr..
Craig announced his intention of hay-
Ing the sacrament of the Lords sumner
observed Geordie produced his lines
and handed them in. AS no other man
in the village was equipped with like
spiritual credentials, Geordie constitut-
ed himself a kind of kirk session,
charged with the double duty of guard
Ing the entrance to the Lords table
ana of keeping an eye upon the theo-
logical opinions of the community and
more particularly upon such members
Of it az gave evidence of possessing
any opinions definite enough for state
ment.
1t came to be Mr.. Craig's habit to
drop into the leagueroom and toward
the close of the evening to have short
Scripture lesson from the gospels.
Geordie's opportunity came after the
meeting was over and Mr.. Craig had
gone away. The men would hang
about and talk the lesson over, ex-
pressing opinions favorable or unfa-
vorable, as appeared to them good.
Then it was that all sorts of views, re-
Hgious and otherwise, were aired and
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.
Nbn
stage driver, and Geordie was particu-
larly rich. 1t followed upon very
telling lesson on the parable Of the
Pharisee and the publican.
The chief actors in that wonderful
story We're transferred to the Black
Rock stage and We're 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 interjected by
Geordie that at was nae credit till q
mon tae be sinner" and when Geor-
die went on to urge the Importance Of
right conduct and responsibility Abe
was led to pour forth walls of con-
temptuous wrath upon the Pharisees
and hypocrites who thought themselves
better than other people. But Geordie
was quite unruft1ed and lamented the
ignorance of men who, brought up in the
"Eeeescopawlyun or Methody" church,
could hardly be expected to detect the
Antinomian or Arminian heresies.
"Aunty Nomyun or Uncle Nomyun,"
replied Abe, boiling hot, my mother
was Methodist, and I'll back any
BANKED Methodist against any blank
ETY. blank long faced, lantern jawed,
skinflint Presbyterianw And this he
was eager to maintain to any mans
satisfaction ifNhe would step aside.
Geordie was quite unmoved, but has
tened to assure Abe that he meant no
disrespect to his mother, who, he had
mae doot, was a clever enough bud
die, tae judge by her son. Abe was
speedily appeased and offered to set
up the drinks all round, but Geordie,
with evident reluctance, had to de-
cline, saying, INA, ma, lad; I'm league
man, We KEN" And l was sure that
Geordie at that moment felt that mem
bership in the league had it's draw
backs.
Nor was Geordie too sure of Craigs
orthodoxy, while, as to Mrs. Mavor,
whose slave he was, he was in the
habit Of lamenting her doctrinal con-
dition:
"She's a fine wumman, nae doot;
but, puir cratur, she's fair carried
AVA WI the errors O. the Epeesco-
pawlyuns."
1t fell to Geordie, therefore, as a sa-
cred duty, in view of the laxity Of
those who seemed to 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 with
him one night after one of the meet
ings, when he had been specially hard
upon the ignorant and goddess, 1 inno-
Gently changed the subject to Billy
Breen, whom Geordie had taken to his
shack since the night of the league.
He was very proud of Billy's success
In the fight against whisky the credit
of which he divided evenly between
Mrs. Mavor and himself.
''He's fair daft ABBOTT her." he ex.
planned to me, "an' I'll no deny but
she's great help-aye, vera con-
seederable asseestance-but, mon, she
doesna ken the whusky an the inside
O mon that's wantin' it. Aye, puir
buddie, she diz her part, an when
ye're bit restless an thrawn after
yer days wark it's like walk in
bonny glen on simmer eve, with the
birds liltin' about, tae sit in yon roomie
an hear her sing. But when the night
is on an We Gamma sleep, but wauken
VII an awfu' thurst an WI dreams O.
cozy firesides an the bonny sparklin'
CLOSES, as it is wi puir Billy-aye, it's
then We need mon WI guild grip be-
side ye."
what do you do then, Geordie?"
asked.
100, aye, just gang for bit walk
WI the lad an then pits the kettle on
an makes a cup O. tea or coffee, an
aft he gangs tae sleep like a BARN."
"pOOr RillVv' T said pjtviDn1y s.rTharp