The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-07
THE EVENING STORY
A Wonen's Way.
(By Gertrude James. }


down for repairs, and its engineer,
Frank Burton, was free to take a vaca-
ton. His sister Olive had come on
from New York to Join him in the
outing. and young Taylor and Will
Hams were to make I'D the quartet for
a mountain camp.
When supper had been eaten one
night at Andys stage house. halfway
on the journey to the site selected,
and while the night grew blacker and
the rain fell steadily, all sat in the
room which was office. bar and
smoking room combined.
By and by the girl was asked to
sing. There were the grim mountains
shutting them in: there was the black
night and the falling rain; there was
she was shut out from all the world.
These things sobered her. She felt
the awe of them. and after bit she
softly sang:
Nearer my God. to Thee. nearer to
Thee,
Fen though it be a cross that radseth
Still all my song shall be.
Nearer, my God. to Thee
Nearer. my God. to thee;
Nearer to Thee.
No one sang with her. The hymn
was surprise to all-even to herself.
The last words were dying away when,
from the veranda in front and
through the open door and window,
came the second verse. In rich, deep
voice. Of that hmyn which has made
more women weep and more men re-
hect that any other written by human
hand. Every one 1ookel up. but no
one moved hand or foot.
When the singer had finished they
heard a light step on the veranda, the
horse. and there was no longer any
one outside. There were only the
darkness and the pouring rain.
my poor house is honored to-
night" said the landlord with a laugh.
First the lady from New York: sec
payne I'd open bottle
Happy Harry. the road AGENT"
shouted all the men in chorus.
1.-THE same. He meant to turn in
here, but the sight of the young lady
scared him. A modest and retiring
before that he could sing. He'll have
to shelter in gulch somewhere to-
night"
The notes seemed to be echoing about
the room yet, and floating out of door
and window to lose themselves among
the girl sang. in a voice scarcely above
whisper:
Still all my song shall be,
Nearer, my God, to Thee;
Nearer, my God, to Thee;
Nearer to Thee.
HE has held up more stages than
any other three men combined" re-
sumed the landlord as he looked around
with something like pride in his face
Regular daredevil, but not bad at
heart. Got the birth and breeding of a
straight-out toff. Guess he amt in the
business for money. but out of reck-
lessness. You can gamble that he's
got a history back in the east some
where"
Then you don't call him a real bad
mann" asked the girl somewhat anx-
iously.
BLESS your heart, miss, but could a
real bad man sing that there hymn
with the feeling he did? There was
almost a sob in his throat as he finish
ed, and wild horses couldn't have drag
ged him in here to show his feelings.
later, and I for one shall be sorry for
it,
For an hour the talk ran on about
the man who had come, and come SO
mysteriously, and the girl was a silent
and sober listener. The wind had risen
to a gale, and the door and window
had to be closed against the driving
rain.
She was thinking Of the loneliness
and discomfort of him they talked Of
of hat he was and what he might
have been. Then, when some one re-
marked the lateness of the hour, Miss
Olive walked to the window and peer
ed out into the night ana sang again:
There let the way appear steps unto
heaven.
All that Thou sendest me in mercy
giv'n;
Angels to beckon me,
Nearer, my God, to Thee;
Nearer, my God, to Thee;
Nearer to Thee.
Next DAY the camp was pitched in
a long narrow valley, with the grim
mountains coming close down on each
side and the ends lost in the hazy dis
lance. A colored man followed them
from Virginia City to do the cooking,
and after things were running smooth
ly the engineer and his companions
began hunting and prospecting. Ten
days had passed, and the men were
away one quiet afternoon when the
girl, swinging lazily in her hammock
a feeling of awe and reverence steal
ing over her and softly sang:
Still all my song shall be.
Nearer, my God, to Thee;
Nearer, my God, to Thee;
Nearer to Thee.
And 10! from close beside her a
voice repeated the last TWO lines or
the refrain and brought her out of her
hammock and upon her feet in an
instant.
Leaning against a tree scarce two
yards distant, she saw g. young man
of less than thirty, with his cap in his
hand and a smile Of apology on his
bronzed and handsome face. He was
roughly dressed, and yet the garments
did not fit him i'll.
"a thousand pardons for the, in
trusIon." he said as he bowed low.
"You-you are the man who sang
at Andy's and you are hurt?" she said
as she took a step forward.
"Only a bit of an accident. miss
two or three ribs broken by a fall
from my horse. know this place.
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