The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-03-08
THE coEUR DALENE PRESS EVENING. MARCH Isoz

ana saw that It was covered by the
rear end of chapel. The roof Of this
end was rounded up TO point, on
which was a cross
If his mind was capable Of delibera-
ton, it was also capable of calling up
pictures. As he looked at the cross
he saw an old woman kneeling at
an altar. She was his mother. Then
he saw himself toddNng along by her
side to church, later his confirmation.
And now the treasure he had taken
from another and had suffered seven
long years to possess was sheltered by
a sacred temple guarded by the holy
emblem of the cross.
Life, like the world, is Of two hem
ispheres. To pass from one earthly
hemisphere to another may require
weeks, perhaps months. A passage
from one spiritual hemisphere to an
other may be accomplished in a frae-
ton of a second. As Eli looked up at
what as a child he had been taught
TO reverence 1t occurred to him that
Il had been placed over his treasure
that no hand should profane It, For
what purpose7 To save his soul. By
whom2 She who had long passed to
her heavenly home-his mother.
In a twinklIng he was changed. In
q twinkling that which In prison he
had looked forward to longlngfy. count
ing the days between him and its DOS
session, had become only means by.
which he might be rescued from evil.
Going to the front Of the chapel, he
found the doors open and entered.
There was the stiffness Of house Of
worship when no services were being
held Several people were kneeling be-
fore the altar He went forward and
dropped on his knees.
Long he stayed immovable. his head
bowed upon his breast. He was think
ing Of the old woman who took him to
church when he was little boy-how,
doubtless, she had waited while he
was In prison for this moment, how
she had interceded for him and how in
the inscrutable ways of the heavenly
hosts all this had been brought about.
Beside the altar was booth shielded
by a curtain in which priest was
hearing confession. When the con-
fessor came ont ELI Plat entered and
told the priest the story of his theft,
his endurance for its final possession
and where he had buried his treasure.
The next day the priest conducted
the chief Of police and party of work.
men to the cellar of the chapel TAX
ing up the cement floor. they dug in
the earth. and a few feet under the
surface directly beneath the cross they
found box Of Jewels. They were sent
to their rightful owners.
A few days after their return the
priest sent for Eli Plat and told him
that lady who had been the possessor
Of what he had stolen had been so
pleased 9t getting her property again
that she had sent him a present of
$500. ELI declined to touch a cent of It..
ut all belongs to me. not as a thing to
be converted into money, but as a key
| by which my better nature has been
| unlocked. II was kept for me by my
old mother In heaven, who put this
chapel and the cross over it that l
| might find 1t to work a miracle on my
| return"
| Ell Pl0tt, though a converted man,
| though his conscience Is far tenderer
than that OF millions of his brothers, re-
| mains an eX-convict. and as such his
road is more thorny than before But
there Is no temptation for him to at
tempt to amelloratc his condition by
dishonesty He Is waiting for release,
for different reward. in the hereafter.
Is he not nearer than his fellows to
that Christianity when to be a Chris
han meant martyrdom?
FRANK P. CHENEY.
|
nox,1a sohnct .,oOka 80 NI.....-.A,