The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-02-11

" Jesus Christ" ana his OLD iron race
began to work, and two big tears slow
ly came from under his eyelids, I'VE
are a poor lot, and I'm the worst OF the
lot, and we are trying to find the way.
Show lis how to got back. Amen"
"Bon!' said Bnptlste. "Das fetch
him sure"
Graemc pulled me away. and with.
out q word we went into the office and
drew up TO the little stove. Graeme
was greatly annoyed.
Did you ever see anything like
that2' he asked-"old Nelson, the hard
est, savugest, toughest old sinner In the
camp, OH his knees before a lot Of
men!'
before God" I could not help say
Ing, for the thing seemed very real to
me. The old nan evidently felt himself
talking to some one
Eyes, l suppose you're right" said
Graeme doubtfully, but there's n lot
of stuff l can't swallow"
when you take medicine, you don't
swallow the BOTTLE" l replied, for his
trouble WIS not mine.
"lf | were sure Of the medicine, I
wouldn't mind the bottle, and yet 1t
acts well enough" he went on. II don't
mind Lachlan. He's a highland mystic
and has visions. And Sandy's almost
as bad, and .Baptiste is an impulsive
little chap. Those don't count much.
But old man Nelson is n cool blooded,
level headed old fellow; has seer n lot
of life too. And then there's Craig. He
has. n better head than l have and is as
hot blooded, and yet he is living and
Shaving away in that hole and really
enjoys 1t. There must be something In
it,"
ooh, look here, Graemer" l burst out
impatiently. whats the use Of your
talking like that2 or course there's
something In 1t. There's everything in
1t. Thc trouble with ME is I CANT face
the music. 1t calls for a life where q
fellow must go in for straight, steady
work. self denial and that sort Of thing,
and Pm too bohemian for that, and too
lazy. But that fellow Craig makes one
feel horribly uncomfortable"
Graeme put his head on one side and
examined me curiously.
II believe you're right about your
self. You always were q luxurious beg
gar. But that's not where 1t catches
me-" ID
We sat and smoked and talked OF
other things for an hour and then turn
ed in. AS 1 was dropping off / was
reused by Graeme's voice:
Are you going to the preparatory
service On Friday night?"
"Don't know / replied rather sleep
lily.
II say, do you remember the prepare
tory service at homer There was
something In his voice shat set me wide
awake.
Eyes. Rather terrific, wasn't it7 But
I always felt better after It," 1 replied.
ITO me"-he was sitting VI In bed
now-"to me 1t was like n cell to arms,
or, rather, like n call for a forlorn
hope-none but volunteers wanted. Do
you remember the thrill in the old gov
ernor's voice as he dared any but the
right stuff to come onW
"We'Il go in on Friday night" / said.
And so we did. Sandy took q load Of
men with his team, and Gracme and ]
drove in the light sleigh.
The meeting was in the church, and
over q hundred men were present.
There was some singing of familiar
hymns at first, and then Mr.. Craig
read the same story as We had heard
In the stable, that most perfect Of all
parallels, the prodigal son. Baptiste
nudgcd Sandy In delight and whisper
ed something, but Sandy held his face
SO absolutely expressionlcss that
Graeme was moved to say:
Look at Sandy! Did you ever see
such a craven image? Something has
hit him hard"
The men were held fast by the story.
The voice Of the reader, low, earnest
and thrilling with the tender pathos
Of the tale, carried the words to our
hearts, while n glance, a gesture, a
movement of the body, gave us the
vision of 1t all as he was seeing it.
Then, in simplest of words, he told
us what the story meant, holding us
the while with eyes and voice and ges-
ture.
He compelled us to scorn the gay,
heartless s~elfshncss Of the young fool
setting forth 80 ~jauntily from the bro
ken home; he moved our pity and our
sympathy for the young proiigate,
who, broken and deserted, had still
pluck enough to determine to work his
way back, and who, in utter despera-
ton, at last gave 1t up, and then he
showed us the homecoming-the rag
ged, heartsick tramp, with hesitating
steps, stumbling along the dusty road,
and then the rush of the old father, his
garments iuttering and his voice heard
in broken cries. see and hear 1t all
now whenever the words are read.
lie announced the hymn, "Just as ]
Am" read the first verse, and then went
OH: "There you are, men, every man of
you, somewhere on the road. Some Of
you are too lazy'--here Graeme nudged
me-"and some Of you haven't got
enough yet Of the far country to come
back. May there be n chance for you
when you want to come! Men, you all
want to 20 back home, and when you
go you'll want to put on your soft
clothes, and you won't go till you can go
in good style. But where did the prodi-
gal get his good clothesW
Quick came the answer in Baptiste's
shrill voice:
From de old fadderp'
No II was surprised, and the minis.
ter went on:
eyes, and that's where we must get
the good, clean heart-the good, clean,
brave heart-from our Father. Don't
yyatf. hnt tuuk ora 1o, o.o oocno