The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1910-02-09
CHAPTER xvI1I.-(continued.) d.


speaker who had been exhorting his
audience upon the testimony OF pro
phet and apostle now appealed 10 MS
swn personal experience.
Look at mel" he said, laying mis-
great hand on his broad chest I was
once as hardened and desperate a man
as any Of you; but God saved mel See
this book!" he added. holding UP the
old volume. II will tell you story
about It. found 1t in log cabin
away out in the frontier State OF Ohlo.
Listen, and will tell you how. / had
left a lumber camp with a company
of frontiersmen one Sunday morning
to go to new clearing which we were
making in the wilderness, when sud
denly discovered that had forgotten
my axe. Swearing at my misfortune
I returned to get It. As / approached
the cabin which had left a few min :
utes before, I heard q human voice.
paused in surprise, crept quietly TO the
doc rand listened Some one was
talking in almost the very language
in which have spoken to you. / was
frightened and f1edl Escaping into
the depths Of the forest, lay down al
the root of q great tree, and for the
first time in my life made a silence
in my soul and listened to the voice
of God. know not how long / lay
there; but at last when I recovered
my consciousness returned to the
cabin. It was silent and empty; but
on the floor I found this book"
Great heaven!" exclaimed a voice
30 rapt had been the attention OF
the hearers that at this unexpected IN
terruption the women screamed anc
the men made wide path for the fig-
ure that burst through them and rush
ed toward the platform. The speaker
paused and fixed his eye upon the mar
who pressed eagerly toward him.
"Tell me whether a red line Is drawn
down the edge Of a certain chapterl
he cried.
TT is," replied the lumberman.
"Then let me take it," exclaimed
David, reaching out his trembling
hands.
What for?"
Because 1t is mine! am the mar
who proclaimed the holy faith, and
God forgive me, abandoned 1t even al
you received i'll"
The astonished lumberman handel
him the Bible, and he covered II will
kisses and tears. In the meantime. tn
crowd. excited by the spectacular ele
ments Of the drama, surged round tn
down. took David by the arm AM
raised him to the platform.
BE quiet, my friends" he said. will
q gesture Of command, "and when thi
prodigal has regained his composur
we will ask him to tell US his story.
OF what was transpiring around hin
David seemed to be entirely uncon
scious and at last the tickle crowd Le
came impatient.
whats de matter wild your" said
sarcastic voice.
Speak outi Don't snuffie." exclaim
cd another
Tip US your tale" cried a fourth
go on. Go on. We're waiting,
called many more.
These impatient cries at last arous
cd David from his waking dream, h
drew his hand over his eyes, and be
gan his story. For time the strang
narrative produced profound impress
sion. Heads dropped as II in medi
tation upon the mystery and meanin
Of life; significant glances were ex
changed; tears trembled in many eyes
these torpid natures received shoe
which for moment awakened them t
new life.
But It was only for moment. The
were incapable of the sustained effor
Of thought, of ambition. or of will. I'm
pressions made upon their souls wer
like those made on the soft folds of
garment by the passing touch of
hand.
To their besotted perceptions thi
scene was like a play in a Bower
theater, and now that the dramatic de
nouement had come. they lost their in
tsrest and sauntered away singly or /
little groups. In q few moments ther
were only three figures left in the ligf
Of the flaming torch. They were thos
Of the lumberman, David. and Mantle
who now drew near. took his friend b
the hand and pressed It with gent
sympathy.
where did you come from 2" aske
David. In surprise. az he for the FIR,
time recognised his companion.
II have followed you all the ever
ing" Mantel replied.
Then you have heard the story Z
this book7"
81 have. and could not have believ
cd II without hearing"
Can you spare W q little of yoy
timer" said David, turning to the lum
herman
Il owe you al the time you wis
and al the service can render" /
replied
You have moro than paid your del
By what you have done for me Il
night. but who are your
Il am only another voice crying
the wilderness"
How do you support yourself
asked Mantel. to whom such . ma
was q phenomenon.
I'VE do not any OF us support oul
selves so much ~ we are supported
he replied.
-And this life of toll and self -deni
had its origin In those words spoil
In the empty lumber camp1" asks
David. incredulousiy.
1T Is not life OF self-deniai. b'
that was Its beginning"
1T IL a mystery. lost my fai,
and you found II. and now perhaI
~A., are ruinx 10 rfyo A back axair,