Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1904-01-21

ute's rurlous struggle the young rel-
low stood quiet, when Bill suddenly
shifted bis grip from the shoulder TO
| the seat Of his buckskin trousers. Then
! began series Of eyolutions before the
| house, up and down, forward and
| back, which the unfortunate victim,
| with hands wildly clutching 1T empty
air, was quite poweriess to resist till
he was brought up, painting and gasp
| Ing, subdued, to standstiIl.
| eTlI larn you agnostics and several
4 ether kinds Of tricks said Bill I'M d
| terrible voice, his drawl lengthening
| perceptibly. Come round here, Will
you, and shove your blanked second
handed trash down our thr0atsY' Bill
| paused to get words; then. bursting out
til rising wrath.
There amt no sootable words for
sich conduct BY the Iivln' Jenny
lie suddenly swung his prisoner Off bis
feet, lifted him bodily and held him
over his head at arms length. 1--WE a
notion to-
4Don'tl DON'T For heavens saker'
cried the struggling wretch. sri stop
It'll wiIll''
Bill ait once lowered him and set him
on his feet.
~All right Shaker he said, holding
out his hand, which the other took
with caution.
It was a remarkably sudden CONVEX
sion and lasting In its effects. There
was no more agnosticisfn Iii the little
group that gathered around the Pilot
for the nightly reading.
The interest in the reading kept
growing night by night
Seems as II the Pilot was gittin' iii
his work" said Bill to me, and looking
at the grave, eager faces I agreed He
was getting in his work with Bill, too;
though perhaps Bill did not know It.
I remember one night, when the others
had gone, the Pilot was reading to ms
the parable Of the talents and Bill was
particularly interested in the servant
who failed in his duty.
"0rnery cuss, eh?' he remarked.
And gall, too, Ell? Served him blamed
well right, In my opinlon!''
But when the practical bearing OF
the parable became clear to him, after
long silence, he said slowly:
Well, that there seems to indicate
that It's about time for me to get d
rustic on Then, after another silence,
he said hesitatingly: 1This here church
buildin' business now, do you think
that III perhaps count, mebbe? | guess
not, eli? 'Tain't much, OF course, any
way Poor Bill, he was like child,
and the Pilot handled him with
mothers touch.
what are you best at, BiII?'
Bronco Dustin and CATTLE" said
Bill wonderIngly That's my line
well, Bill, my lire II preaching just
now and plotting. you know" The
Pilots smile was like q sunbeam on d
rainy day. for there were tears In his
eyes and voice. "And we have just got
70 be faithful You see what lie says:
Well done, good and faithful servant.
Thou hast been faithful
Bill was puzzled.
"Faithful1 he repeated. Does that
mean with the cattle, perhaps?''
Yes that's just it, Bill, and with
everything else that comes your way"
And Bill never forgot that lesson, for
heard him, with kind of quiet en-
thnsiasm, giving it to Hi as a great
find. Now, / call that d fair DEAL he
said 10 his friend. Gives every man
q show. No cards mp the sleeve
THAT'S So was HIS thoughtful re-
ply; distributes the trumps."
Somehow Bill came to be regarded
az an authority upon questions Of re-
hgion and morals No one ever ac-
eused him of 'gettin' religion He
went about his work in his slow, quiet
way, but be was always sharing his
discoveries with 'the boys" And II
any one puzzled him with subtleties he
never rested till he had him face to-
face with the Pilot And SO it came
that these two drew to each other with
more than brotherly affection. When
Bill got into difficulty with problems
that have yexed the souls or men far
wiser than he, the Pilot would either
disentangle the knots or would turn his
mind to the yerities that stood out
sure and clear. and Bill would be con-
tent.
That's good enough for me, he
would say, and his heart would be at
rest.