The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1907-06-21

couch, all his body quiyering under
the ecstasy from her parted lips, his
triumphant senses riOting insOlently
through the gray cold garden Of his
VOWS.
And then, as he lay so, there start
cd with electric quickness, from some
sudden GOODNESS Of recollection, the
image of Prue. Sharp and vivid it
shone from this chill of truth like a
glittering star from the clean winter
sky outside, Prue was before him
with the tender blue Of her eyes and
the feecy gold of her hair and her
joy of a child-her little figure shrug.
ging and nesting in his arms in
happy faith-calling as she had
called to him that morning-"Joei-
Joel-Joel!"
He shivered in this food of cold,
relentless light, yet untlinchingly did
he keep his face turned full upon the
truth it revealed.
He sat up on the couch, looking
about the little room curiouSly, al
one recovering consciousness in
strange surroundings. Then he began
slowly to pull on the wet boots that
she had placed near the fire.
When he stood up, put on his coat,
and reached for his hat, she came to
him, hesitating, timid.
You are so cold. If you would
only stay here-I am afraid you will
be sick"
He answered very gently:
1T is better to so. | am strong
again, now
Il would would not be near you
and l am afraid for you to so out
again in the cold"
He smiled a little. Nothing can
hurt me now am strong"
He opened the door, breathing his
fill of the icy air that rushed in. He
stepped outside, then turned to her
She stood in the doorway, the light
from the room melting the darkness
about them.
They looked long at each other
Then in a sudden 3impulse Of graft
tude, of generous feeling toward her
he put out his arm and drew her to
him. She was cold, impressive, He
bent over and lightly kissed her
closed, corresponding lips AS he drew
away, her hand caught his wrist fol
a second.
I'm glad" she said.
He tried to answer, but could only
say, Good night, Mara!"
Then he turned, drew the wide col
lar of his coat well up, and went
down the narrow path through the
snow. She stood, framed in the light
Of the doorway, leaning out to looh
after him until he was lost in the dark.
ness.
As she stepped back and closed the
| door, man, who had halted by a
| tree in front of the next house wher
the door first opened, walked OF
again.
1t had been great day. but, fol
one cause or another, it came near tc
being one of the last days OF the man
who had made it great
Late the next afternoon, Joel Rae
was found in his cabin by a messen
ger from Brigham. He had presum
ably lain there unattended since the
night before, and now he was deIiri
GUS and sick unto death; raying O
the sins of the Saints, and of his
great work of reformation. So ten
derby sympathetic was his mind, sale
those who came to care for him, tha
in his delirium he ranked himself
among the lowest Of sinners in Zion
imploring them to take him out AM
bury him in the waters OF baptism 81
that he might again be worthy t.
preach them the Word Of God.
He was at once given every care
and for six weeks was not left alon,
night or day; the good mothers il
Israel vying with each other in kind
| ly offices for the sick Elder, and tn
men praying daily that he might no
be taken so soon after his great worI
had begun.
The fifth wife Of Elder PiXley cam
once to sit by his bedside, but wheI
she heard him rave of some grea
sin that lay black upon his soul, be
seeching forgiveness for it while tn
tears rained down his fevered face
she had professed that his sufferin
sickened her so she could not stay
Thereafter she had contented hersel
with inquiring at his door each day
until the day when they told her tina
the sickness was broken; that he wa
} again rational and doubtless Woul
soon be well. After that she went n
more; which was not unnatural, fo
Elder Pixley was about to return fror
J his three years mission abroad, an
there was much to do in the con