Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1903-03-12
BLACK ROCK.
TContinued from page 4

Out Kattray ignored him.
"I'll tell you, boys" said Graeme.
II want you to know anyway why l
believe what l do.'
Then he told them the story of old
man Nelson, from the old coast days,
before l knew him, to the end. He
told the story well. The stern fight
sacrifice and the pathos Of the death
appealed to these men, who loved fight
and could understand sacrifice.
THAT'S why believe in Jesus Christ,
and that's why think it crime to
| fling his name about
81 wish to heaven 1 could say that"
said Beetles.
Keep wishing hard enough, and it
will come to YOU" said Graeme.
| Look here, old chap" said Rattray.
you're quite right about this I'm
willing to own up. Wig is correct. I
know few at least Of that stamp. but
most of those who so in for that sort
| Of thing are not much account"
For ten years, Rattray," said Graeme
| in downright matter of fact way,
''you and | have tried this sort Of
thing" tapping bottle, land we got
out of it al! there is to be got, paid
we'll for it, too. and, faugh, you know
it's not good enough and the more you
go in for it the more you curse your
self. So l have quit this, and l am
going in for the other"
What? Going in for preaching?"
"Not -railroading, money in it
and lending hand to fellows on the
rocks"
II say, don't you want center for
ward?" said big Barney in his deep
voice.
Every man must play his game in
his place, old chap. I'd like to see you
tackle it, though, right WELL" said
Graeme earnestly.
And SO he did In the after years, and
good tackling it was. But that is an
other story.
But, l say. Graeme," persisted Bee
ties. 'about this business-do you mean
to say you go the whole thing-Jonah,
you know, and the rest of it?'
Graeme hesitated, then said:
Il haven't much Of a creed, Beetles
don't really know how much l believe
But'--by this time he was standing
II do know that good is good, and bad
is bad, and good and bad are not the
same, and know mans fool to fol
low the one and a wise man to follow
the other, and" lowering his voice, 81
believe God is at the back of man
who wants to get done with bad. I've
tried all that folly" sweeping his hand
over the glasses and bottles, land all
| that goes with it, and I've done with
it."
"I'll go you that far roared big Bar
ney, following his old captain as of
yore.
"Good man." said Graeme, striking
hands With him.
Put me down." said little Wig cheer
fully.
Then l took up the word, for there
rose before me the scene in the league
saloon, and l saw the beautiful face
with the deep, shining eyes, and l was
speaking for her again. 1 told them of
Craig and his fight for these mems
lives. l told them, too, of how l had
been too indolent to begin. But" l
said, 81 am going this far from tonight
And l swept the bottles into the cham
payne tub.
81 say" said Polly Lindsay, coming
up in his old style, slow, but sure, 'lets
I'LL go in, say, for five years"
And so we did. We didn't sign any,
thing, but every man shook hands with
Graeme.
And as told Craig about this year
later, when he was on his way back
from his old land trip to Join Graeme
in the mountains, he threw up his head
in the old way and said: at was well
done. 1t must have been worth see.
ing. Old man Nelson's work is not
done yet. Tell me again." And he
made me go over the whole scene, with
all the details put in.
But when | told Mrs. Mavor after
two years had gone she only said, "Old
things are passed away; all things are
become new" but the light glowed il
her eyes till could not see their color
But all that, too, is another story.