The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1905-05-17
mAnd vino is Mra. Ieaohi,,

"And who Is Mrs. Leachf'
"Oh, she's a poor old soul who lives
alone and works on the hsh racks.
She Is worse on than / am"
1t was u little glimpse into the girls
life that interested Albert, and, in the
light Of what he know of her history, q
pathetic Truly she wes alone I'm
the world. except for the two kindly
souls who made q home FOR her.
"You will go away tomorrow. I sup
pose" she said with a faint tons OF
regret as they were rowing homo.
Father said your boat was coming
after you today"
He looked at her n moment, while a
slight smile showed beneath his mus
tache. II SUPPOSE I shall have to-" he
answered. "but l should like to stay
here Il month. I've not made q sketch
OF your house, ven"
II wish you would" she said with
charming candor, 1T is 80 lonesome
here, and then maybe you would show
me q little about painting"
Gould you endure my company
every day for q month";" he asked.
looking her full in the face.
II don't believe you could endure
ours" she replied, dropping her eyes.
and then she added quicklyi "There 10
a prayer meeting tonight at the Cape.
Would you like to gof"
Most certainly" he answered.
Albert had expected to see the Gypsy
In the harbor when they returned that
afternoon, but was happily disappoint-
ell. II hope they will stay at Bar Har-
Dor n week." he thought.
That evening when Telly appeared,
ready TO be escorted to the prayer
meeting, he was certain that no fairer
girl was to be found anywhere.
She was dressed I'm simple white, her
masses Of sunny hair half concealed by
a thin blue AFFAIR of loosely knitted
wool and had n cluster of wild roses at
her throat. 1t was a new and pleas
urable experience to be walking bea!de
a we'll dressed young man whose,every
look and word bespoke enjoyment OF
her society, and she showed 1t in her
simple, unaffected way.
That evenings gathering was a unique
N In Albert's experience and the re-
ligious o~bservances such as he y
forgot. The place was a little square,
implanted building, and when Telly
and he entered INT seated themselves
ON one Of tho wooden settees that stood
In rows not over q dozen people were
there. On a small platform in front
| was q cottage organ and beside It n
small desk. A few more entered after
they did, and then a ford faced man
arose and, followed by q short and
stout young lady. walked forward to
the platform. The gin seated herself
at the organ, and the man, after turn.
Ing UP the lamp on the organ, opened
q nasal tone, 1--WE will naow COM
mence our sarvices by slngin' the Forty
third Psalm, and all are requested to
rise an jine." In the center Of the
room hung a large lamp, and two more
on brackets at the side shed n weak
light on the gathering, but no one
seemed 70 feel It necessary to look for
the Forty-third selection.
Albert and Telly arose with the rest,
and the girl at the organ began to chase
the slow tune up and down the keys.
Then the red faced man started the
singing, a little below the key, and the
congregation followed. Telly's voice,
clear and distinct, Joined with the rest.
A long prayer, full Of hating repetl-
lions, by the man at the dosk followed,
and then another hymn, and after that
came a painful pause. 10 Albert's
mind 1t was becoming serious, and he
began to wonder how 1t would end,
when there ensued one OF the most
weird and yet pathetic prayers lie had
A.,@- DItn.nl 90 x,,nn ,ttnraI hy nh
old lady, tall. gaunt and white haired,
who arose from the end Of q settee
close to the wall and beneath n Of
the smoke dimmed lamps. 1t could not
be classed as Il prayer exactly, for
when she began her utterance She look
cd around as II to f1nd sympathy in the
| assembled faces, and her deep set, pierre
ing eyes seemed alight with intense
feeling. At first she graspcd the back
| of the settre In front with her long,
ficshlcss fingers, and then later clasped
and finally raised them above her up
turned face, while her body swayed
with the vehemence OF her feelings.
Her garb, too, lent q pathos, for 1t was
naught but a faded calico dress that
hung from her attenuatcd frame like
the ra!ment of q scarecrow. 1t may
have been the shadowy room or the
mournful dirgc Of the nearby ocean
that added an uncanny touch to her
| words and looks, but from the moment
! she arose until her uttcrance ceased AL
bert was s%pellbound. So peculiar and
yet so pathetic was her prayer It shall
be quoted in full:
20 Lord, 1 come to thee, KNOWN
I'm as n worm that crawls on the
airth; like the dust blown by the
winds, the empty shell oil the shore.
or the leaves that fnii on the ground.
I come poor I'M humble. I come hun
cry an thirsty, like even the low!iest
O. the airth. l come an kncel Mt thy
feet believin' that I, n poor worm o.
the dust, VIII still have thy love an
perfection. I'm old an weary o. wait
In. I'm humble an bereft O. kin. I'm
sad an none to comfort me. / eat the
crust o. poverty an drink the cup o.
humility. My pertector an my staff
have bin taken from me-, m yet fer
all these burdens thou in thy infinite
wisdom hev seen At to lay on me /
thank thee. Thou hast led my feet
among thorns an stuns, an yet
thank thee. Thou hast laid the cross
O. sorrow on my heart an the burden
o. many in1rmities fer me to bear, an
yet l bless thee, yea, verify shall my