Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1903-01-08
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By RALPH COMMON
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IcoNTINUED.l
Geordiye shot a suspicious glance a,
me, but l kept my face like summer
morn, and he replied cautiously:
aye. he's mo- that street, but he
maun EXERCISE Differentiation"
Geordie was none the less determin.
ed, however, that Billy should "come
forrit," but as to the manager, who
was member of the English church,
and some others who had been con-
hrmed 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-
copawIyun buddies. They JUST ken
haeth1n' ava"
But Mr.. Craig looked at him for q
moment and said, "'Him that cometh
unto me will in nowise cast out ("
and Geordie was silent, though he 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.
The singing became different The men
no longer simply shouted, but as Mr..
Craig would call attention to the senti-
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 1t.
Ihese chaps are easily stirred up"
he would say, "and I am anxious that
they should know exactly what they
are doing. 1t is far too serious bust
ness to trifle with"
Although Graeme did not go down
stairs to the meetings, he could not but
feel the throb of the emotion beating
in the heart of the community. used
to detail for his benefit and sometimes
for his amusement the incidents of
each night, but 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 Graeme was perfect.
Openly anxious to win him to his side.
he did not improve the occasion and
vex him with exhortauon. He would
not take him at a disadvantage,
though, as afterward found, this was
not his sole reason for his method.
Mrs. Mavor, too, showed herself in
wise and tender light. She might have
been his sister, so frank was she and
SO openly affectionate. laughing at his
fretfulness and soothing his weariness
Never were better comrades than we
four, and the bright days speeding so
swiftly on drew us nearer to one an
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, day remember well. 1t
was 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 at the works,
and SO still and SO clear was the noun
tain air that we could hear the puff of
the steam and from far down the river
the murmur of the rapids. The majes-
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 Graeme,
turning round, stood a moment looking
back, then waved his hand in farewell.
Mrs. Mavor was at her window, smil-
ing and waving in return. They had
grown to be great friends, these two,
and seemed to have arrived at some
Certainly Graeme's
manner to her was not that he bore to
other women. His half quizzical, some
" ">@s sopSAASiS Gil VI uOSh1uS3 uCfOI1OA
gave place to q simple, earnest, almost
tender, respect, very new to him, but
very winning.
AS he stood there waving his fare
well l glanced at his face and saw for
moment what I had not seen for
years, faint flush on Graeme's cheek
and light Of simple. earnest faith in
his eyes. 1t reminded me of my first
look of him when he had come up for
his matriculation 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.
know not what spirit possessed me
1t may have been the pain of the
memory working in me-but said
coarsely enough:
Its no use, Graeme, my boy. I
would fall in love with her myself, but
there would be no chance even for
me-"
The flush slowly darkened as he
turned and said deliberately:
IFS NOT like Won Common tO ha on