The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1909-04-29

A sudden, sullen anger seized John
Hardaway, and putting the ring into
his pocket he hurried to the door.
Then he paused, and his voice had
something Of a ring of challenge in it
as he said: ELLEN, I think you had
better read your gospel again. 1 be-
lieve that you will find somewhere
that the great Exemplar says: 4
come not to ia the righteous, but to
bring sinners to repentance The later
method seems to be push the sinners
to the wall so that the good may revel
In their own virtue"
"John!"
But the door had closed behind him.
Nathan Foster was a genial. med
der. The very generosity of his soul
made everybody's business his bust
ness and he pr1ed into the most secret
matters with SO naive an innocence
that he disarmed resentment.
So when he saw John Hardaway
coming up from the Hargots' and look.
Ing as desolate as a prairie at dusk
he made mental note: Johns either
under conviction or Ellen's give him
the mitten, an I'm a-goin' to find out
which,"
True to his resolution, he let but a
short time pass before presenting him.
self at Ellen's door. The girl was full
of deep and troubled thought, and she
welcomed this simple old man both as
a diversion and a possible helper in
her dilemma.
Out of the fullness Of her sorrow
Ellen told the old man her Joy and her
grief, her pleasure and her trouble.
and out of the sweetness of his old
mellow life he replied: I'm afeared
you was a little hard on him, Ellen.
It's mighty hard work a.drivin' sinners
into the Christian fold, you got to
lead 'em. I knowed an old sheep once
that ST Bollender had, and when the
rest O. the flock 'u'd go through the
bars, he'd hang around and bungle
about until some one took an led him
through. Folks air like sheep in
more'n one perticilar. Now that little
ring O. your'n you give him back
might "a bin jest the little leadin' he
needed to bring him in. Never push
a mule; you're bound to git on the
wrong side of him."
20, Uncle Nathan" the girl cried,
II hadn't thought of it that way and
I believe I was, hard on him. Il ought
to have shown him that religion makes
us %tenderer."
That's it exactly. There amt no
use bein' a Pharisee even If you are
thankin' the Lord under yore breath
that you amt like Brother or Sister
So-and-So."
The old mans simple words were az
a sermon to the girl, and she looked
often and sadly at her bare finger be-
fore it was time for church that night.
1t was a period of unusual interest
at the meeting house, because the
series of services were drawing to a
speedy close, and many who had held
aloof were fastening to make their
peace before being finally shut out.
And as the evangelist told them, none
knew whether this chance to come
into the fold would ever be offered
again.
It was among this class that the
local gossips put John Hardaway
when he was seen that night seated
in the church for the first time since
the "protracted meeting began.
"He's weakened at last" the whis.
per went round.
From the looks on his face, he's
under conviction"
well, if anybody could fetch him,
Brother Center should"
Meanwhile the evangelist poured
the fiery Goals of his eloquence upon
poor Johns head. It had become a
personal matter with him. Above all
things he wanted the conversion OF
this young man as the one browning
triumph that should be the climax ofhis
labors. He pleaded, he threatened, he
cajoled, and through it all to the end
John sat unmoved, impassive, and
Brother Center dismissed services
that night with a very un. Christian.
like disgust written on his coun.
tenance.
Ellen glanced wistfully at John, but
he eluded her. and slipped away by
himself, and the Free Methodist
church saw him no more during the
progress OF the meeting.
1t was a week after the close of the
series that Ellen met John walking
towards the river with head bent. 1t
was his %favorite route.
MAY I walk with you?" she stopped
to ask.
"Yes, yes" he said, "but 1 euess
am pretty poor company nowadays;
even my dog won't follow me-"
She said nothing until they reached
the bank Of the stream. Then she
stopped. "John," she cried, with a
catch in her voice, Il was hard and
unjust to you and altogethe. un-
Christian, and-and-may I have my
ring back?"
1t was hard for the woman. But for
the man, his hands trembled SO that
he could hardly take the little circlet
from the pocket where it had reposed
since the fateful day.
He managed to slip it on her finger,
and then-well-the elms screened