Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-07

brown by the sun, and turning impatiently
fell to watching two of those strange in
sects known as the praying mantis o.
often in South Africa as Hottentot gods
which. after a series Of genuflections
were now fighting desperately among the
dead stalks OF grass at her feet. Mer
could not be. more savage, she reflected
for really their feroclty was hideous
Then great big tear fell upon the hea6
OF one of them. and astonished by this
phenomenon. or thinking perhaps that i,
had begun 20 rain, ii ran away and hid
Itself. while It's adversary sat up and
| looked about 1t trumphantly, taking &c
itself all the credit of conquest
She heard step Behind her. and hav-
| ing again furtively wiped her eyes with
her hand. the only handkerchief available,
! looked round TO see her father stalking
! toward her.
. Why are you crying, Rachel?'' he ask
| ed in an irritable voice. 1T is wrong
! to cry because your little brother has
! been taken to glory"
Jesus cried over Lazarus. and He
wasn't even His brother" she answered
in reflective voice. then ~ way of de-
Tending herself. added inconsequently:
Il was watching two Hottentot gods
fight
AS Mr.. Dove could think of no ren,v
to her very Anal Scriptural example. he
attacked her on the latter point
"A cruel amusement he said, "espe-
cially as / have heard that boys. yes. and
TO LheSe poor insects against
each other. and make bets upon them"
Nature Is cruel. not l. father Ma
ture is always cruel" and she glanced
toward the little grave under the rock.
Then while for the second time her father
hesitated. not knowing what to answer.
she added quickly, is mother better
now?'
No he said worse. 1 think; very
hystcrical and quite unable to see things
in the true light
She 10
courageous child. then asked:
Father. why don't you take her back?
She isn't fit to go on. 1t Is wrong to
drag her into this wilderness
AT this question he grew very angry
and began to scold and to talk of the
wickedness Of abandoning his call"
But mother has not got a call she
broke in
Then. as for the third time he could
find no answer. he declared vehemently
that they were both in league against
him, instruments used by the Evil One
to tempt him from his duty by working
on his natural fears and affections and so
forth
The child watched him with her clear
gray eyes. saying nothing further, till at
iast ne grew calm and paused.
we are all much upset" he went on
rubbing his high forehead with his thin
hand II suppose 1t is the heat and this
-'nis-trial of our faith. What did
come TO speak to Won about? Oh. I re-
member: your mother will eat nothing, |
ard keeps asking for fruit. Do YOU know
where there is any fruit?'
1T doesn't grow here. father" Then
her face frightened and she added: Yes, |
" does. though. The day that we out
spanned in this camp mother and 7 went |
down to the river and walked to that kind |
OF island beyond the dry donga to get |
some flowers that grow on the wet
ground. I saw lots Of Cape gooseberrtes
there. all quite ripe"
Then go and get some. dear You
will have plenty OF time before dark"
She started up as though to obey then
checked herself and said:
Mother told me that l was not to go
TO the river alone because we saw the
spoor of lions and crocodiles In the
mud
God will guard YOU from the lions
and the crocodiles. II there are any," he
answered doggedly. for was not this
an opportunity to show his faith? You
are not afraid, are you?''
No. father. I am afraid of nothing;