Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-01-28
Brother Clinton, cant you get IT."
The man shook his head.

you? Can't you feel It? Can't you
feel 1t now? Can't you get it? Cant
you get it now? Brother Clinton,
want you to get through before these
revival services close. They close this
night. 60 away tomorrow. This may
be your last opportunity. I want you
to get It now. All these waiting friends
want you to get it now All these pray
ing neighbors want to see you get It,
Can't you get through tonight? Just
quietly here, without any excitement,
without any noise or tumult, just You
and your soul alone togcther-Brothe
Clinton, cant you get through 20
night"
Brother Clinton shook his head.
Fran laughed aloud.
The evangelist had already turned
I to Hamilton Gregory as a signal for
the hymn to be resumed, for some
times singing helped them Through
but, the sound of irreverent laughter
chilled his blood. To his highly
wrought emotional nature, that sound
Of mirth came as the laughter OF
fiends over the tragedy Of an i'E-
mortal soul
Several times" he cried, with whit
ened face. these services have been
disturbed by the ungodly." He pointed
an inflexible finger at Fran: "Yonder
sits little girl who should not have
been allowed in this tent unaccom-
panied by her parents. Brethren! Too
much Is at stake, at moments like
these. to shrink from heroic measures.
Souls are here. waiting to be saved.
Let that little girl be removed. Where
are, the ushers? I hope she will go
without disturbance. but go she shall!
Now, Brother Gregory, sing
The corps Of ushers had been sadly
de. lie, eli by the young mems incllna-
ton t" bivouac outside. where one
could see without being obliged tc
hear. As the song swept over the
worshipers in wave of pleading,
such ushers as still remained, held
brief consultation. The task assigned
them did not seem included In their
proper functions. Only one could be
found to volunteer as policeman. and
he only because The envangelist's de-
termined eve and rigid arm had
never ceased to indicate the disturber
of the peace
Fran. was furious: her small whi'a
face seemed crt in stone as she stared
at the evange!is". How could she have
known sha was going to laugh? He"
t;lmultuous emotions. inspired by the
81. hit of Hamilton Gregory, might we'll
have found expression in some other
way. That laugh had Eeen as da t.
inc tongue-flame directed against the
armored Christian soldier whose face
was so spiritually beautiful whose
voice was SO eloquent.
Fran was suddenly aware of man
pausing irresolutely at the end Of the
plank that held her erect. Without
turning her head, she asked III
rather spiteful voice, Are you the
ehcriff?"
He spoke with conclliatory per-
suasiveness Wont you 60 with me.
little girl?" " 'r...
Fran. turned impatiently to glare It
/ tilo usher. 44
He was fine young fellow. perhaps
twenty-f four, tall and straight. clean
and wholesome. His eyes were sir
cere and earnest yet they promised
much In the way of sunny smiles--at
the proper time and place. His mouth
was frank. his forehead open, his
shoulders bread.
Fran rose as swiftly as II giant
hand had lifted her TO her feet Come
on. then" she said in tone SOM
what smothered. She climbed over thu
'stringer at the end Of her plank. and
marched behinC the young man rs II
Obvious of devouring eyes. The men
at the remembrance scurried ont OF
the way. scattering the shavings AMI
sawdust that lined the path.
AS they passed the last pole that
supported a gasolene burner. Fran
glanced shyly from under her broad
hat. The light burned red upon th.,
Young usher's face, and there was
something in the crimson glow. or in
the face. that made her feel like c-y-
ing, lust because-or so she fancied 1t
1T revived the recollection Of Ter
loneliness. And as she usually did
what she felt like doing, she cried,
silently. as she followed the young
man out beneath the stars.
CHAPTER III.
On the Foot.erldse.
TO the young usher, the change of
scene was rather bewildering. Fills
ewes we're still full Of the light from
gasolene burners, his ears still rang
with the confusion of tent-noise into
which entered the prolonged mono
tones of inarticulate groanings. and
the explosive suddenness Of seeming
~ irrelevant Amens. Above all, he
tingled from the electric atmosphere
of intense religious excitement; he
was charged with currents at pres
sure so high that his nerves were I'M
responsive to dull details OF ordinary
life
Nothing just then mattered excent
the saving Of souls. Having faithfully
attended the camp meeting for three
weeks he found other interests blotted
out The village as whole had given
itself over to religious ecstasy. Those
who had protested their faith Left no
stone unturned in leading others to
the altar, as If life could not resume
it's routine until the unconvcrted were
brought to kneel at the evangelist's
feet.
As Abbott Ashton reflected that. be-
cause of this young girl with the
hooking laugh, he was losing the
climateric expression of the three
weeks campaign, his displeasure
orou, Within hin, wac an Underlined