Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1909-11-04
CHAPTER III.


Investigation of the Quaker preachers
fitness for his use He took Pepeeta
with him. the older hahitues of the
tavern standing on the porch and smil-
ing ironically as they started. The
meeting house was one of those con-
ventional weather. boarded buildings
with which all travellers in the West
ern States are familiar. The rays OF
the talioW candles by which it was
lighted were streaming feebly out into
she night The doors were open, and
through them We're passing meek
faced. soft voiced and plain-robed wor-
shippers
Keeping close together Pepeeta light
and graceful the doctor heavy and
awkward. both of them thoroughly en-
barrassed, they ascended the steps as
bear and gazelle might have walked
the gang plank into the ark. They en-
tered unobserVed save by a few of the
younger people who were staring va
Cantly about the room. and took their
seats on the last bench. The Quaker
maidens who caught sight of Pepeeta
were visibly excited and began to
preen themselves as turtle doves might
have done If a bird of paradise had
suddenly flashed among them. One of
them happened to be seated next her
She was dressed in quiet drabs and
grays. Her face and person We're per-
vaded and adorned by simplicity
meekness. devotion; and the contrast
between the two was so striking as to
render them both self conscious and
uneasy in each others presence.
The visitors did not know at all
what to expect in this unfamiliar
place, hut could not have been aston
ished or awed by anything else half
so much as by the ineXplicable silence
which prevailed. If the whole assem-
blage had been dancing or turning
comersaults, they would not have been
surprised, but the few moments in
which they thus sat looking stupidity at
the people and then at each other
seemed TO them like a small eternity.
Pepeeta's sensitive nature could i'll en-
dure such a strain and she became
nervous.
Take me away" she imploringly
whispered to the doctor, who sat by
her side, ignorant of the custom which
separated the sexes.
He tried to encourage her in a few
half-suppressed words, took her trem-
bling hand in his great r1w, pressed
it reassuringly, winked humorously,
and then looked about him with a sar-
donic grin.
To Pepeeta's relief, the silence was
at last broken by an old man who rose
from his seat, reverently folded his
hands, lifted his face to heaven, closed
his eyes and began to speak, She had
never until this moment listened to a
prayer, and this address to an invisible
Being wrought in her already agtated
mind a confused and exciting effect;
but the prayer was long, and gave her
time to recover her self control. The
silence which followed it's close was
less painful because less strange than
the other, and she permitted herself
so glance about the room and to Won
der what would happen next. Her Gu
riosity was soon satisfied. David Cor
son, the young mystic. rose to his feet.
He was dressed with exquisite neat
ness in that simple garb which lends
to a noble person a peculiar and seri-
GUS dignity. Standing for a moment
oei0i 1I7 7t.'H ii40 auci eS9' nc Iooheu
over the audience with the selt-pos-
session Of an accomplished orator
ne a1'eHI-oH oL every person ii the
room was at once arrested IHeE All
fecalIed LheF wandering or pfeoccu-
pea thou- nus Hiled thelr bowed headS
ana HAed IH-F eyes upon the com
manning -suFe DeIofe thern.
Ihls general movement caused Pc
peela 20 tHrh' ana she observed sud
den transformation on the countenance
OF the ooFe-IAe quaker maiden. a
nush mahtLed her pale cheek and
radiance heaned IN her mild blue eyes.
1t Was a telI-taie look, and Pepeeta,
VINO OWNED It's meaning, sL-iled sym
patnFucal.y.
But the first word which fell from
the lips 0t the speaker withdrew her
attention from every other object, for
his voice possessed quality with
which she was entirely unfamiliar. 1t
would have charmed and fascinated
the hearer. even II It had uttered inco-
herent words. For Pepeeta, It had an
other and q more mysterious value. It
was the voice 0f her destiny, and rang
in her soul like bell The spell Of
the young Quaker was a simple and
unadOrned message Of the love Of God
to men. and Of their power 10 respond
TO the Divine call
Each sentence had fallen into the