The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1909-03-25
NO. IA.

She had at home a beautiful new
Dlack gown, just from the tailor
Ihe cloth of It was smooth and shin
ing. and the fashion OF the coat was
such that it would conceal the awk
ward lines of Mrs. Harvey's figure
There was a black hat to match il.
Clad in that, the young wife would
look really dignihed, and Alice deter.
mined that she should have II. But
how to manage It without hurting
her feelings,
she set her mind to puzzle Il out.
and almost forgot what was going on
about her before she finally concIud-
ed that in order TO be able to make
the gift she must get on very friendly.
almost affectionate. terms with Mrs
Harvey.
Mrs. Harvey accepted the gift with
perfect simplicity. She looked like
different creature in the new gar
ments. Before noon of the next day
MIR. Harvey assured Alice that in all
MS forty years he had never been
treated so handsomely. Mrs. Harvey
soon forgot her perplexity over the
astounding number of spoons and
forks that surrounded her plate at
table, and was able to enter into a
very quiet and demure enjoyment OF
the drollery of Mr.. Mason and his
young wife. Day after day Alice
went with them to conference. and re.
mained through the sessions.
One day she noticed how the old
mans face always lighted up when
the bishop began to speak. But moth
Ing prepared her for what happened
on a day when Mr.. Harvey had been
asked to conduct a devotional ser
vice. He did not do it very well. He
showed that he was a little fustered.
and his old hands quivered as he held
the Bible. Alice felt sorry for him.
and for his wife, who looked at her
husband so appealingly; but after Mr..
Harvey had taken his seat the bishop
rose
Brethren, he said, at has been a
long time since I have seen this old
friend, before this conference. Forty
years-forty long years ago. he was
Just beginning his ministry, and was
serving a piney-woods circuit away
OH In an out-of-the-way place. was
young lawyer sent down to Florida
upon certain land case. and by ac-
cident, one hot summer day
stopped at a brush arbor out in the
woods, where he was preaching to a
congregation that had gathered there
in ox-carts, on horseback and afoot.
l stopped, more to rest in the shade
than because 1 felt any interest. but
he had a message. and he delivered
1t from full heart. 1t was for me
for me! 1 don't know how many 9TH
ers 1t came home to, but 1 went on
my way thoughtful and more serious
tnan 1 had ever been I'm my life be-
fore, only to come back and seek
him out at ntght-like Nicodemus of
old. And like Nicodemus of old
was told the way-the only way"
The bishop paused a moment. and
some one out in the congregation be-
gan to sing, praise God from whom
all blessings fiow," as that congrega-
tion had way of doing upon all sorts
OF occasions. The bishop bent down
and clasped hands with Mr.. Harvey.
whose uplifted face was radiant
Alice, with downcast eyes. saw the
little brides hands trembling on her
lap. and she put her own soft fingers
IN between, and they sat there listen
ing happily together through the rest
of the service.
Ted, darling" Alice said that
afternoon, I'VE are entertaining some
thing bigger than the bishop-we are
taking care of the man who put him
In the way of being what he is. oh.
wouldn't it have been awful If we .,ad
not been nice to them?"-Youth's
Companion.