Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-12-21

! iaborerS were few. AND In the west
perhaps earnestness would be, accept
ed in place of the culture to which he
had not attained.
So he worked and studied and
dreamed and counted the money that
was bearing him on. and at lengtn'
when the time drew near, he began 10
study the conditions of his body, as
he had tried to those of his mind and
faith, for the years that had bridged
the chasm of his duty had Slapped his
strength, and out there on the frontier
he would need sturdy health as well
as sturdy faith.
One day Jane discovered that his
bed had not been slept in the night
before, and she wondered. but said
nothing. But when the next day and
the next went by and still the bed
remained untouched her wonder be-
came investigation. and the investiga-
ton soon brought a twinkle of COM
prehension to her keen gray eyes. The
fifth evening she listened until she
heard him tiptoeing upstairs, then fol
lowed softly. He went directly to n
bare room IN an unused portion of the
house. where she heard him raise n
window. Moving noiselessly down the
hall, she waited a few moments out
side the door and then went in. He
was lying upon the floor in his clothes.
with his head near the open window.
A food of moonlight was streaming in.
Jane crossed quickly to his side.
John" she said severely as she
bent over him, what does this mean?"
He started a little uneasily and
opened his eyes, but almost instantly
his face grew tranquil.
81 am fitting myself for my work.
Jane" he said quietly. II did not
wish you and mother to know for
fear you might be worried"
Fitting yourself for a death of cold.
more likely" she retorted. For
practical farmer you are the most i'm
practical man l ever saw, john She
closed the window with a bang and
continued: "Now, ] want a good long
talk with you. I've wanted 1t ever
since you've had this notion Of the
west in your head. l suppose this
sleeping up here is the hardening proc
ess that is fitting you for life in the
camps and on the ranches"
"Why. yes" he acknowledged lit
tie doubtfully. You know 1 have
never slept outside of nice bed in
all my life, Jane, and-and it seemed
a duty to prepare myself for roughing
it."
Look here, John Whitson," she be
gan. Then her voice softened sud
denly. "You mean all right, Brother
John, but you can't do it. You would |
die from exposure out there inside Of !
a month. Besides, you are not fitted |
for that kind of work. / know what !
you'd like to have been and what you
have been, but you're mistaken in |
thinking any part of your life lost. 1t |
has been full-tust as full perhaps as |
though you could have done as you |
wished. The Lord does not waste his |
workmen, John"
Her hand was resting upon his Shout !
der now, and her voice had grown ten |
der and thoughtful.
You want TO do all you can with the /
rest of your life" she went on, but it |
seems to me you can do more here. /
You understand this people better than
you do that. / was through come of |
the worst streets of the city yester
day, and | heard little children swear
heard of sick men and women sti-
fling in close rooms, with no one to
minister to them. would like to do
something myself, John. and | can
help you here, but not out there. We
have a nice farm and a big house that
we cannot half fill and. now that the
children are provided for, have more
than we can use. Why not bring lit
tie children out here, where you can
teach them TO be good farmers and
good housekeepers? And we can I'LL
up the empty rooms of the house with
tired and sick ones who could not 9TH
erwise get country air and food. 1t
seems to me we could do the Lords
work well here. john
And John Whitson, after a long ST
lence, rose slowly and held out his
hand as a token of compact. But the
new light which came into his eyes
was not of resignation to some new
duty: rather was it a recognition of
stronger work for which he was fitted.
you are right. Jane" he said sim |