Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-08-08

sitting with four Of her wicked look
ing sons on the front seat. Was she
wicked looking, do you ask? More
han wicked looking. ! was minded of
some of the descriptions | he'd read of
he hags who aided and. abetted their
'ons in "moonshining, for this wom-
IN was shoot from that far-away
country; the same fangs showed at
her tightly drawn lips; the same dew
4 of lawlessness and ayarice looked
rom her bold, black eyes.
From the time we took our seats
not a motion we made was lost upon
hose people. They watched us un-
linchngy, | might say unwinlingly.
'omehow their steady scrutiny got on
my nerves. and as we sat down | lean
I'd over and asked the minister to be
'areful But he shook his head. say
ng that he should do what he felt
o be his duty" AS TO the net results
If that performance of duty | had
ONE to have misgivngs, so much so
hat | hurriedly changed our next mum
re from the neutral class to the ac-
lively seraphic, the organist, mean
while, recommending the singing OF
Asleep in Jesus"
But the evil day could not be avert
ed. and our young enthusiast arose to
do his duty" while lie had the
,hance. by those hardened sinners. |
,oon found my eyes seeking the gap
ing rents In the casket, rather than
he fierce faces, in which the black
eyes were beginning to burn with "A
threatening light The baritone and
enor advised. in hastily penciled
words, that We beat retreat, but
hat, considering the crowded condi-
don of the church, was obviously inn
possible and would certainly hasten
he climax, so | silently shook my
| head.
In the midst of a period of minis
terial eloquence upon the place of tor
ment TO which the departed had sure
| ly gone, | felt a touch upon my shoul.
Ter, and turning saw the anxious
| face of the undertaken In a stage
whisper he begged me ito call off
| The minister and told me that the
folks were getting pretty mad" also
| hat the old woman and the boys
had heard of that other unfortunate
affair and said that there would be
some gun play right then and there If
| Riley was not treated right" But
threatening as it seemed, there was
no calling the preacher from his self
| appointed task, to which he was bring
| ne his entire stock of eloquence. He
waxed more and more realistic in his
| descriptions. and "Riley's" fate was
not one to dwell upon with any de
| gree of pleasure, while the same fate,
he assured his audience, was awaiting
the sinners who packed the church to
suffocation.
held a whispered conversation with
the organist, who was pale ard shak-
en-. but still game" and then awaited
| developments. hoping all the time fer
4 pause on the part of the reckless
speaker. The fierce old mother shift
ed her position and spoke to one of
her sons, His hand Immediately slid
to his gun and rested there election
itely each brother following his ex-
ample. while the expression on their
faces passed the border line and
became dangerous. Aggin the men of
the choir, who had made up their
minds to the Inevitable for themselves
urged an attempted retreat upon US,
but was Intensely watching the face
If that mother. | took my cue from
its venom, and as the minister Gt last
paused for breath in dealing oHt hell
fire. | rose ard stepped to the head
of the casket. Before he had recov-
cred from his surprise the melodeon
sounded and, clasping ny cold hands
from shaking visibly. | began to sing
Millard's "Qni Tells"
"'The way Is dark and dreary,
The path is bleak and bare;
Our feet are worn and weary,
But we will not despair"
sang the words with all my soul
in my voice for ! vas singing for that
lear boon, life itself, and as | looked
into those faces, turned upon me in
surprised wonder, saw them relax
and an audible sigh of relief swept
over the crowded church as the rigid
figures sank back into their seats and
the hands which had been placed up
on the guns took more normal po-
sition. and the minister who had tax
en- his seat quietly. was forgotten.
Our hearts are faint with sorrow
Heavy and hard to bear,
We dread the bitter morrow,
But we will not despair"
AS the words fell from my lips |
looked into the eyes of the fierce old
mother and saw there n gleam akin to
human tenderness. Not sound
marred my song. The restlessness
had died away, and when the tender
words
Thou knowest all our anguish,
And Thou wilt bid 1t cease.
o Lamb OF God. who takest
The sin OF the world away,