Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-10-30


her, He paused. "You did not
grudge 1t to herr"
"Not now, but then, yes! I wanted
her. we needed her" The Old Timers
tears were flowing.
The Pilot put his hand caressingly
upon the old mans shoulder as If he
had been his father and said In his
clear. sweet voice. "Some day you will
60 to her."
Upon this scene poor Gwen gazed with
eyes wide open with amazement and /
kind of fear. She had never seen her
father weep since the awful day that
she could never forget. when he had
knelt in dumb agony beside the bed l
which her mother lay white and still;
nor would he heed her till. climbing up,
she tried to make her mother waken
and hear her cries. Then he had caught
her up in his arms, pressing her with
tears and great sobs to his heart. To-
night she seemed to feel that some
thing was wrong. She went and stood
by her father. and. stroking his gray
hair fondly. she said:
"What is he saying, daddy? Is he
making you cry" She looked at the
Pilot defiantly.
"No, no, child" said the old man
hastily. "sit here and listen"
And while the storm raved outside
we three sat listening to that ancient
story of love ineffable. And, as the
words fell like sweet music upon our
ears, the old man sat with eyes that
looked far away, while the child lis
tened with devouring eagerness.
lis it fairy tale, daddy?" she asked
as the Pilot paused. 1T isn't true, Is
it," and her voice had pleading note
hard for the old man to bear.
"Yes, yes. my child" said he broken
ly. God forgive me!
"Of course it's true," said the Pilot
quickly. "I'll read it all to you to-
morrow. It's beautiful story!
"No." she said imperiously, tonight.
Read it now! Go on" she said, stamp
ing her foot. Don't you hear me"
The Pilot gazed in surprise at her
and then, turning to the old man, said:
"Shall Il"
The Cid Timer simply nodded and
the reading went on. Those were not
nv best days, and the faith Of my
childhood was not as it had been; but
as the Pilot carried us through rnose
matchless scenes Of self forgetting love
and service the rapt wonder in the
child's face as she listened, the appeal
in her voice as, now to her father and
now to me, she cried, rs that true, too?
Is it all true" made It impossible for
me to hesitate In my answer. And
I was glad to find 1t easy to give my
firm adherence to the truth Of all that
tale of wonder. And as more and more
it grew upon the Pilot that the story
he was reading. so old to him and to
all he had ever met, was new to one In
that listening group, his face began to
glow and his eyes to blaze, and he saw
and showed me things that night /
had never seen before, nor have l seen
them since. The great figure OF the
gospels lived, moved before our eyes.
We saw him bend to touch the blind,
we heard him speak his marvellous
teaching, we felt the throbbing excite
ment of the crowds that pressed
against him.
Suddenly the Pilot stopped, turned
over the leaves and began again: "And
he led them out as far as to Bethany.
And he lifted up his hands and blessed
them. And it came to pass as he bless.
ed them he was parted from them and
q cloud received him out Of their sight"
There was silence for some minutes.
then Gwen said:
"Where did he goT
"Up into heaven" answered the Pilot
simply.
"That's where mother is." she said to
her father who nodded In reply.
"Does he know?' she asked. The old
man looked distressed.
"Of course be does," said the Pilot.
"and she sees him all the time"
"Oh, daddy" she cried. isn't that
good"
But the old man only hid his face in
his hands and groaned.
EYES," went on the Pilot, "and he
sees us. too, and hears us speak and
knows our thoughts"
Again the look Of wonder and fear
came into her eyes. but she said no
word. The experiences Of the evening
had made the world new to her. 1t
could never be the same to her again.
It gave me queer feeling to see her,
when we three kneeled to pray, stand
helplessly looking on, not knowing
what to do, then sink beside her father,
and, winding her arms about his neck,
cling to him as the words Of prayer
were spoken into the ear of him whom
no man can see. but who we believe Is
near to all that call upon him.
Those were Ovens first prayers
and in them Ovens part was small,
for fear and wonder filed her heart,
but the day was to come. and all too
soon. when she should have to pour out
her soul with strong crying and tears.
That day came and passed, but the
story of it is not to be told here.
no BE CONTINUED.
The Human Body.