The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1914-06-26
but scared on like a stream of golden
light, strong and unafraid.

but scared on like a stream Of golden
light, strong and unafraid.
More than one person that Sunday
morning stopped singing themselves
beauty of Ellen's notes. And as Mary |
Reddin listened to her she let her hand
steal down under cover Of the desk in
front of her and just touched David's.
Adrian Blair at the back Of the
schoolhOuse silenced his own exceed
ingly good tenor voice and fixed his
eyes on Ellen's face during all the
singing of the hymn, and when it came
to an end he drew a long breath.
After the singing and the following
prayer and reading Of the Scripture,
Lloyd Johnson, as II Of the church
elders. rose solemnly and with a con
scientious air Of self Importance took
up the collection. He took it up in his
own Sunday hat of black felt and not
the least person in all the congrega-
ton was sighted.
Brother Braxton, with II last and
extremely thorough hopping of his
brow, rose and began his onslaught
upon the
Many of the younger children put
their heads down upon the desks in
front of them, or, if their dimensions
We're extremely short. down upon old
err sister or mothers lap and went Sc
renely to sleep, undisturbed by the
fervor of oratory poured forth above
them.
The sermon was a long one, but It
was also a good one and reached more
than one of the listeners. And when
it was over and the preacher conclud-
ed with Il few words of farewell to
the people of the Draft, touched by
honest regret, there was scarcely one
among the older women present who
did not have ecOurSe to her pocket
handkerchief. and many of the men as
we'll shifted in sympathy.
"And now" Brother BraXtOn con
cluded, you will please sing Goo be
with you till we meet again. during
which l hope my friends will come
forward and shake me by the hand
in l~eavetaking."
Again Ellen DAVIS voice rose, and
the rest of the congregation followed
her into the old hymn of farewell,
"God be with you till we meet again.
sung owe and over, while different
members of the church went forward
with solemn faces and shook hands
with their departing pastor. He stood
in a rapt posture, with closed eyes and
extended hand, and body that swayed
family back and forth in time to the
singing voices. The last person had
shaken hands, the singing ceased and
Brother Braxton opened his eyes.
Let us pray" he said. And in the
confusion of the general kneeling down
he cast his eye over the congregation
for a suitable person to call upon.
Brother David Cree, please lead us
in prayer" he said at length, some
what to the surprise of all, for David
had only joined the church the pre-
vious autumn. But it was Brother
Braxton's habit to encourage the
younger members, and perhaps, too
something of David's expression hat
inspired the preacher to select him.
Surprised though he was, DAVID
knelt down obediently, untouched by
embarrassment and with Il certain feel
ing of gladness that on the browning
&. day of his happiness it should be Civ
' en- him, with his sweetheart beside
5 him, to voice the gratitude in his hear
: for the joy and the glory that hac
come to him.
@ Turning around that he might knee
t the more easily between the crampet
benches. he put his head upon the
l back of the seat, and, free from sell
r consciousness, poured out his thanks
| giving. The words themselves were
clumsy and the sentences awkward
and oft repeated ones, cut back of the
empty makeup of speech was the vita
spark of Il man III the presence of hi.
f Creator. And the spirit spoke through
the dead words and awoke in tn,
+ wOrnOut phrases Il freshness and full
t ness of life that flung them forth re
5 created and enriched by the vital es
canon IF oil thinrc Gu 1hot Iii. ,.o,.