The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-02-04
s s. 8 s s !, 8. ss s s 8 s 8 .s s 8 @. s s s $: = 8 s & 8 9 Z 8

side ye."
what do you do then, GeordieP" 1
asked.
100, aye, 1 just gang for a bit walk
WI the lad nm then pits the kettle on
an makes q cup o. tea or coffee, an
aft he gangs tae sleep like q BARN."
Poor BillyW | said pityingly. '"There
is no hope for him In the future, !
fear"
"Hoot ava, monv" said Geordie
quickly. "Ye wadna keep DOT n puir
crater frae creepin' In that's daein' his
best?"
"But, Geordie," l demonstrated, "he
doesn't know anything Of the doctrines.
I don't believe he could give III the
chief end of man,"
"An' whats tae blame for that?" said
Geordie, with fine indignation. AN
maybe you remember the prood Phari-
see am the puir wumman that cam
crcepin' i'm ahint the Maister."
The mingled tenderness and indigna-
ton I'm Geordie's face were beautiful to
see, 81 meekly answered:
"Well, l hope Mr.. Craig won't be too
strict with the boys"
Geordie shot n suspicious glance at
me, but / kept my face like q summer
morn, and he replied cautiously:
"Aye, he's no. that street, but he
maun EXERCISE discrceminaion."
Geordie was one the less determin-
ed, however, that Billy should come
forrit," but as to the manager, who
was q member of the English church,
and some others who had been %
firmcd years ago and had forgotten
much and denied more, he was ex-
tremely doubtful and expressed him
self in very decided words to the min
lister:
"Ye'll no be askin' forrit the Epees-
%copawlyun buddies. They juist ken
naethin' ava"
But Mr.. Craig looked at him for a
moment and said, "'Him that cometh
unto me / will in nowise cast OUT"
and Geordie was silent, though be con-
tinued doubtful.
With all these somewhat fantastic
features, however, there was no mis-
taking the earnest spirit of the men.
The meetings grew larger every night,
and the interest became more intense.
IL oiilSilS DNNaihC billCbCIits IL hlCI
10 longer simply shouted, but as Mr..
Craig would call attention to the scnti-
ment Of the hymn the voices would at
tune themselves to the words. Instead
of encouraging anything like emotional
excitement Mr.. Craig seemed to fear ii,
"ThcSc Chaps arc easily stirred up"
he would say, Sand 1 am anxious that
they should know exactly what they
are doing. 1t is far too serious a busi-
ness to tritle with"
Although Graeme did not 20 down
stairs to the meetings, ne could not but
feel the .taYob of the emotion beating
in the heart Of the community. I used
to detail for his benefit and sometimes
for his amusement the incidents of
each night, but l never felt quite easy
In dwelling upon the humorous fea-
lures in Mrs. MAYORS presence, al
though Craig did not appear to mind.
His manner with Graemc was perfect.
Openly anxious to win him to his side,
he did not improve the occasion and
veS him with exhortation. He would
not taKe him at n disadvantages,
though, as / afterward found, this was
not his sole reason for his method.
Mrs. Mavor, too, showed herself In a
wise and tender light. She might have
been his sister, so frank was she and
so openly affGctionate, laughing Mt his
fretfulness and soothing his WEAKNESS.
Never were better comrades than we
four, and the bright days speeding SO
swiftly on drew us nearer to n In
other. But the bright days came to
an end, for Graeme, when once he was
able to go about, became anxious to
get back to the camp. And so the last
day came, n day / remember we'll. 1t
was q bright, crisp winter day.
The air was shimmering in the frosty
light. The mountains, with their shin
ing heads piercing through the light
clouds into that wonderful blue of the
western sky and their feet pushed into
the pine masses, gazed down upon
Black Rock with calm, kindly looks On
their old gray faces. How one grows
to love them, steadfast old friends!
Far up among the pines we could see
the smoke of the engine Mt the works,
and so still and so clear was the noun
tain air that we could hear the pun OF
the steam and from far down the river
the murmur of the rapids. The majcs-
tic silence, the tender beauty, the
peace, the loneliness, too, came steal
Ing in upon us as we three, leaving
Mrs. Mavor behind us, marched arm
In arm down the street. We had not
gone far on our way when Gracme,
turning round, stood n moment looking
back, then waved his hand i'm farewell.
Mrs. Mavor was at her window, smil-
ing and waving I'm return. They had
grown to be great friends, these two,
and seemed to have arrived at some
understanding. Certainly Graeme's
II to her was not that lie bore to
other women. His half quizzical, some
what superior, mir of hooking devotion
gave place to n simple, earnest, almost
tender, respect, very new to him, but
very winning.
AS he stood there waving his fare
well 1 glanced at his face and saw for
a moment what I had not seen for
years, q faint flush on Graeme's cheek
and a light of. simple, earnest faith in
his eyes. 1t reminded me of my first
look OF him when he had come up for
his. m%atriculation to the varsity. He
stood on the campus looking up at the
noble old pile, and there was the same
bright, trustful, earnest look on his
boyish face.
I know not what spirit possessed me
III nav hax,a haa, 4ha potn - A.