The Washington herald., 1907-05-19

vi II y 0V g
as pretty as a pink, II l do say It.
'Self-praise goes but a little ways,
my mother used TO tell me when / was
a gyirl; but l reckon there amt any
harm in an old woman like me tellin how
she looked when she was a bride more n
sixty years ago"
And faint color came into the wrinkled
cheeks while her clear, high laugh rang
out The outward symbols Of youth and
beauty were gone, but their unquenchable
spirit lay warm under the ashes Of nearly
eight decades.
'Weu. | went out and Abram helped
me into the buggy. and, instead o goin
straight on 10 Goshen church, he turned
around and drove out 10 Idy church
When we walked in ! could see folks
nudgin' each other and laughin, and
when meetin' broke and we was fixin' TO
go home. Aunt Maria Taylor grabbed hold
O. me and pulled me off to one side ano
says she. That's right. Jane: you're be-
ginnin' In time Jest break a man in
at the start. and you won't nave no trOu-
BILE afterwards And ! jest laughed in
her face and went on to where Abram
Nna WaittA iHl ilAN4 Ntio AND ilAEht w
git mad that day. Well, the next sun
day. when we got into the buggy and
Abram started to turn round, 1 took hold
o the rens and says ], It's my time 10
drive. Abram; YOU had your way last
Sunday. and now I'm goin' TO have
mine And l snapped the whip over old
NelIs back and drove right on TO Goshen,
and Abram Jest set back and laughed nj
TO kin.
We went on that way for two or three
months, folks sayin' that Abram and
Jane Parrish couldn't go to the same
church two Sundays straight along to
save their lives. and everybody wOndeTin'
which Of us'd have their way in the
long run. And me and Abram jest laugh
ed In our sleeves and paid no attention
TO EN-. for there never was but one way
for us. anyhow. and that wasn't Abrams
way nor my way; II was jest our way.
/ There's lots Of married folks, honey, ana
one of ems here and one of ems gone
over yoHdcr, and there's a long. deep
grave between 'em: but they're a heap
nearer 70 each other than two livin' peO-
pie that stay IN the same house. and eat
az the same table. and sleep in the same
bed. and all the time there's two great
CROWN thicker and higher every day.
Sam Amos used 20 say that II religion
made folks act like Marthy and Amos did.
be believed he'd ruther have less re-
ligion or none at all But. honey, when
you see married folks quarrelin over
their churches, it amt too much religion
that's the cause o. the trouble, it's too
little love. Jest ricollect that. if folks
. .Irra az r.ffcrrgn H d
gOin' 70 come between 'em.
"Wcu. as soon as cold weather set in
they started up big revival az Goshen
church After the meeun' had been goin'
on for three or four weeks. Parson Page
give out one Sunday that the session
would meet on the follerln Thursday 90
examine an that had experienced a
change o. heart and wanted 70 unite with
the church. ] never said "a word % Abram
hUt Thursday cvenin' while he was out
. on the farm mcndin some fences that
The cattle had broke down. I harnessed
old Nell % the buggy and drove out %
| Goshen. All the converts was there and
tho session was quesfiOuiu' and exam.nu.
when / got ln. When e come my turn,
Pars0u Page begun askiu' me If I'd made
my eaIlin' and election sure. and I come
right ont. and SAYS 7. don't know
much about Callin' and election. Brother
Page I reckon I'm "a Christian saws !,
Tor We been tTyin' % do right hy every
7 body ever since I was old enough 10
know the difference bctwixt right and
wrong: but lf the plain truth was told.
I'm jiuiu this church Jest because it's
Abrams church. and I want % please
him. And that's all the testimony I've
got 80 give And Parson Page put his
/ hand over his mouth % keep from
laUghin'-he was "a young man then and
hadn't been married long himself-and
says he. 'Thatu do, Sister Parish, breth-
rem, weN pass on 10 the next caudi-
date 7 left 'em examinin' Sam Cr8w-
ford about hts calm and election. and !
got home before Abram come 10 tho
house. and the next day when 7 walked
mp with the rest Of 'cm Abram was the
only person IN the church that was sur
pr,scd When they'd got through givin'
us the right hand o. fellowship. and I
went back to our pew Abram took hold
o. my hand and held on % il Ike he
never would let go. and knew I'd done
the right thing and 7 never would regret
There was q light on the old w0mau's
. face that made me turn my ewes away
Hero was q personal revelation that
should have satisfied the most ezacting
bgt ms vulgar curiosity cried out f0I
7 further light on the past.
what would you have done" 7 asked
III Uncle Abram hadn't turned the horse
that Sunday morning-if he had gone
straight on TO G0shen?'
Aunt Jane regarded me FOR a moment
with "a look Of plying allowance. such
as one hestows on a child who docsn't
know any better than TO ask stupid ques-
tiUus
"SHuh. child" she said. with careless
+ brsvity. "Ahram couldn't "a done such a
thing as that"