The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-07-23
The Mission

Fhe had listened daily ever since she
had come to the mission three years be-
fore.
i can not understand it" he said.
he continued in this strain, wondering
why he failed and others had succeeded.
he went on rather longer than he should
have done, but that was because he did
pot receive the usual words of sympathy
and cheer from his wife. She remained
)silent, her eyes fixed on the heat haze
in the distance.
ITO make matters worse,n he said.
changing the subject, "Joseph's 's broth
: er, the one from Kabul, is here. He
lFpat at me as 1 passed him today and
informed me he lad come to wipe out
1.-THE family disgrace Poor Joseph! We
must see that he comes to no harm. -
lie paused again, awaiting a reply,
but his wife only nodded slightly.
Poor Joseph" continued the mission,
fary; "if l could convert a few more he
would not feel such an utter outcast.
tWhy is it that l can not do soi Heaven
knows l am sincere enough and that my
faith is strong"
4 This also she had heard many times
before and had comforted him. Per
maps, now, the heat and the thoughts of
Jan English spring had warped her mind,
for she asked quietly:
i Have you ever thought that you
Rare not fitted for this worki"
y The missionary started in surprise. It
WAS the first time that his wife had
questioned his ability. He paused a mo-
ment before answering.
y Faith" he said, twill move noun
tains."
His wife closed her eyes in weari.
ness and lay back in her seat. Her hus-
band watched her anxiously; her actions
were rather strange-somewhat queer.
He was a just man, was the missionary
sahib, and with a great tenderness hid
den away under the dominance and
/ rigid determination of his zeal He no.
ticed her utter lassitude, the dead pal
Tor Of her skin, her frail wrists and
hands He recalled that three years ago
he had brought her to the mission radi-
ant and sparkling with youth and laid
. caressing hand on her shoulder.
"You are tired" he said, as if in
apology for this demonstration.
She sprang from her seat and faced
him tense with emotion.
"Dont," she said fiercely, "don t
touch me-" Her body relaxed as she
spoke and her shoulders dropped with
her WEAKNESS. "Your hand" she add
ed, "is so--so-abominably hot"
"This is hysteria," he said quietly.
you must control yourself. 4"
She walked to the end of the veranda
and turning faced him with pleading in
her eyes and sob in her voice.
"Let us go home," she said, "back
to England. Take me away from here
for God love take me away"
The missionary fingered his beard and
lowered his eyes SO that she might not
see his agony.
"I can not" he said, very quietly.
"You can not" she replied, whipped
into immediate anger. Cant YOU
even you-see that the mission is a
farce and that you are failureF"
~ know that, " said the missionary,
somewhat sadly
"Then do you think it just and right
to yourself-to me--to allow your pride
and stubbornness to longer perpetuate
this faihrel''
~ must remain" be replied.
"This is senseless folly. You know
that the people at the church at home
have given up supporting the mission
when the reports could show but one
We are keeping it up now out
of our private funds. Great heavenl
What possible reason can there be for
longera"
The missionary pointed to Jojug, who
stood nearby, his back turned to them,
patiently watering.
"There's the reason" he said. "If
we had ourselves to consider 1 would
have given up the struggle long ago.
Do not think that perhaps because
o,,. oo4 damon et rat;ua I do nor roa1izo |