The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1914-11-12


The lines looked hard, he thought, al
most insolent. He was glad now tina
he had not married her, and yet, pei
haps she would have been differen
had she married; she looked as if al
the impulses of her nature had beer
frozen, as though she had missed he
heritage, that dover of womanhoot
which should have been her right.
Through the sermon he relaxed
somewhat; every infection was famil
iar-it was as if each gesture, eacf
word, had been impressed on his mine
years ago. i, But toward the end the
minister's voice strengthened; Angela
shifted her position. there was a per
ceptible movement through the build
ing.
Men of the Second church." the
minister's voice was full and strong
forty years ago today l stood in this
pulpit and looked in the faces of my
people. Some of them are still here,
worn and old like myself-thank God
the army of Jesus Christ has no age
limit--you who were here will remem.
Der the day. warm June day like
this. The city was quiet-quiet with
the stiffness of desolation. Regiment
not come back. Another call had come
for volunteers; the danger was great
At Fredericksburg and Chancellors
vile the Army Of the Potomac had
been defeated with sickening loss;
General Grant was before Vicksburg;
Lee under cover of strategy, was NOV
ing his army north through the Shen-
andoah valley
THE president called for hundred
and twenty thousand more men-those
who could be spared had gone before;
there were left the fathers of families,
people had been awakened with the
blast of bugles and the changing OF
the church bells. Some of the men
who sat in these pews were stained
with clay from the earthworks where
they had labored all night. And stand
ing here"-the old mans voice shook
with the eyes of women and chill
dren on me, read the presidents call
for more men, and asked for volun.
teers to follow me to the field. Sixty
men stood up at the call, every man
of enlisting age in the congregation.
Not man who did not leave a moth
er, or wife and children. OF the 60
Is came back again. Three of them
are still living, but the time is not
far when there will be none to an
swer present to the roll call.
But although these men are gone
their children and even their chill
dren's children are still with u.s. To |
day we are threatened, not with civic
conflict, but with civic degeneracy
This great country, which was saved |
at such a cost, is in danger, danger
from its public men, who would sell |
its soul for gain; danger from It's peo-
pie, who are becoming place seekers
and money getters. Men Of the Sec.
0nd church, your country needs you
as much today as it did 40 years ago
volunteers for the army of pure gov.
and just legislation. l am an
old man. but once again l would like
to see my people respond to the call
Of duty. Up, then all of us, who vol
lnteer to preserve the purity of this
great country we love-"
Before the call was finished men
we're on their feet; in the pew ahead
If Stoddard an old man in faded army
blue stood up with the erectness OF
nth 10 fhair. foA Of oh oh
y, urged by their mothers eyes. The
heads of families, solid men all, rose
With quiet determination that was al
most grim-many of them remem-
,ered wildly the historic scene Of 40
vears ago.
Stoddard had felt his pulses leap at
he ministers words; his father had
,een one of those to go, and had not
ome back. Then he looked at An
,ela; probably she would be scornful
he posed as an advocate of pure gov
She gave no indication of
sitting erect and tense, but
he was very pale. Louie Stoddard,
rom his mother" Perhaps he would
etter get up. He drew a deep breath,
hen he rose slowly, gripping the back
I the next pew with straining fingers.
''The spirit of your fathers lives in I
ou," said the minister softly. THANK
ou." Z
Through the benediction Stoddard I
i'd not look at his wife. They slipped s
way quietly when service was over, $
nd once in the carriage, he relaxed {
gain. q
WELL" he said with an attempt at 6
how do you like me as an l
dvocate of purity in politics?" c
IF you had not stood up" she said, y
oking away from him, 81 should have r
ated you" And with a new tender
ess he reached over and took his t.
lies hand. b
BY the following Wednesday the n
-oddards were back in Washington Y
Id by Thursday the senator was i'm e
ersed in business again. On that t
~ there came to him a gentleman n
lmed Flynn, a well-groomed, smooth a
)iced individual, shifty Of eye, who
oke for some minutes concerning a
rtain iniquitous measure in which he e.