Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-08-22

me in comfort an enabled me to help
my nelghbors in time O. sufferin. I've
wanted to tell you how grateful felt.
but the squire wouldn't let me an, SAID
YOU never wanted that old trouble
mentioned. an SO couldn't do It.
Then, George, broke down COM
pletely. / couldn't hold in. set thar
an cried like a child. told 'er now
long an hard I'd suffered an how
had tried in all manner O ways TO git
forgiveness an feel right, an l never
seed sech look on a human face as
was on her'n. She actually set down
on the bare floor before the fire an
laid 'er thin bony hands on my knee.
Hiram, my boy, my pore boy? says
she. .Shorely you hain't been all that
time thinkin' yore God was that sort
of a God. Why, he's all goodness, all
glory, all infinite perfection. You've
been blamin' yoreself fer some'n' an
other man done. 1t was man you
hain't seed in thirty odd year that shot
my son in hasty passion. God don't
hold you-the new understandable
fer that, but he's been holdin' you ac-
countable fer thinkin' so Ill Of him, fer
all yore worry has come from wrongly
accusin' yore Holy Makefv
"Oh. George. she made 1t as clear to
me- as daylight. She was right-she
was right. God don't hold q new. re-
pentant man accountable fer what his
old dead self done. She thought I
wasn't convinced, l reckon, fer she got
down on her knees an sent up a prayer
that ripped the roof OF the house an
showed the glorious way clean to God 8
throne above the stars.
/, "Lord, Lord O. Hosts! I kin re-
member every word the old saint said.
Show this pore. deluded man the truth.
Tear away the mist O. doubt an mis-
understanding that's clouded his con-
ception an dampened the ardor OF his
great soul Give i'm peace right now,
this minute Pity him, Lord, an don't
let i'm cling to his old self. Show him
the new soul that dwells in the old
shell O. mortality, an let i'm walk with
| bare head unburdened in the sunshine
| o. thy heavenly smile An George
| Buckley, when she riz to her feet l
did see an comprehend. l laughed an
sobbed an shouted. My fear was all
gone-all-an' it Will never, never re-
| turn. fer l understand now. She
| showed me. Jest think o. that-Lynn
/! Hambrights mother was the one ap-
| pointed to show me the truth-the old
!! woman l was fearin' more than every
body else. She cooked me a good sup
per. an after eatin' it laid down In
| Lynn's bed--the dead boys bed, mind
/ you-an' slept as sweet sleep as
ever slept in my life, the fust fer thir-
| ty years. She come to me away IN
| the night, pitapat, pitapat over the
puncheon floor, jest like she used TO
| 70 to Lynn, reckon, an spread more
| cover on me. 1t reminded me OF my
! dead mother. retched out an kissed
] her hand an drifted away in sweet
! dreams. This mornin' when woke
4 the sun was shinin' in my room, an
! I smelt some good meat a-fryin' an
/ good coffee a-boilin' an seed that old
! woman a-movin' about the big, blazin'
/ fire. George, George, God Is good!
She didn't want to let me continue the
allowance. but when she seed how felt
she agreed to do it an to come straight
to me fer it in future. Now I'm goin'
down an tell Marthy all about 1t. All
these years I've been afraid to mention
the subject to her. but can talk about
it now to anybody. wish l could
reach the ears O. oil the men on the
face O. the earth who are afflicted as
have been Eff they only knowed, as
now know, that God don't hold then
accountable fer what Their old selves
done. thev ---e--'dn't suffer needlessly.'
(To Be Continued)