Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1915-07-07
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CHAPTER x11-(continued).

cIeO dli lIdI very nicely.
Il am amazed For years you have"
"It is my opinion, Presbrey, that If
they are going to be aved they will
nave to do the greater part of the work
themselves"
But surely, with Gods help at
their
adam Carr said something to me
once that made a lasting impression. 1
believe he is right. He said: God
knows a bad boy as we'll as anyone else.
You don't have to tell Him about 1t
morning. noon and night. 1t isn't gos-
pel-it's gossip. 1t amt proper to COS
sip with h Almighty"
My dear sir, l don't see the relev-
ancy. Carr Is a s%cOffer. Surely you
are not coming to his way of thinking.
lit is unbelievable"
nevertheless. my dear friend. 1t has
occurred to me that If God knows the
bad boy, He's equally discerning with
respect to the good boy"
Il am quite confident. and always
have been. that Eric is q good boy, Mr..
Blagden," said Mr.. Presbrey stiffly.
Mr.. Blagden felt the sting in this sub
tie, arr off criticism.
Understand me. please, I do not re-
greet the methods we have pursued in
showing him h right path. We've done
all we could, Presbrey. He will keep
to that path If he so desires. If he con-
cludes to wander away from it. I don't
him. It's the thing in here that will
keep him straight. God made the
strong and he made h weak. They go
the way which Is easiest. The strong
guide them beyond a certain point.
They cast us off. The strong don't
need US n the weak despise u.s."
Mr.. Presbrey left In a state of great
depression. He had suffered what he
was tempted to consider a personal loss.
A ptl1oN IN hir tap,rNln VIZ vy0hh1irr II
was the most impeccable pillar, at that,
If the metaphor may be allowed. If
Horace Blagden bent ever SO slightly,
1t was extremely doubtful IL he, as
Gods artisan, could hope to restore
that portion Of the temple to its for
saw fit to bend. the whole Of the per-
feet edifice must needs sag with him.
Small pillars always are forced to lean
in the direction in which they are
pushed by the larger ones. and some
times they tumble and disintegrate.
That was the trouble with the church,
the world over, said Mr.. Presbrey. Toe
many monoliths.
And. I am sorry to say, Mr.. Pres
brey felt that he himself had been very
much put upon by Mr.. Blagden in the
matter Of the little Midthornes. Some
how, he always has suspected himself
Of being a sort Of catspaw. Now he
was quite sure Of it. Remorse for their
treatment of the children seemed to
have seized upon the Blagdens. Unless
he was mistaken in Mr.. Blagden, that
gentleman, in chastising himself. was
now cody shifting a rather trouble
some burden SO that it might appear to
rest on other shoulders. In so many
words, so to speak, Horace had given
him to understand that his prayers
would be wasted. that they might just
rs well be dispensed with. 1t was rath-
er hard to hear ones earnest prayers
cataloged as gossip.
Mr.. Presbrey's heart was sore as he
strobe up the garden path leading to
his own doorway. His wife noted the
faint flush in his cheeks as he entered
the sitting room.
Have they had any news Of Chef
wynd?" she asked.
MY DEAR" said her husband, sitting
down rather heavily, and quite ignor-
s sng nvf qu eonc1asion h fhat come o. !. TO ret tne
button after all. God can and will pun
ish those who make use of His offices
to further their own ends"
She was startled. "Retribution?
Ends?"
"Mr. Blagden is paying, 1 firmly be-
lieve, for his un-Christian like treat
ment of his sisters children. Yes, it
is ~retribution." said he. staring at the
floor.
I've always said the time would
COlIlc, SdlN Sic, nCI llpS IlkuIcHlI1S.
Her husband Lad not said 1t in so
many words. but she was shrewd
enough to see that his visit had not
been a pleasant n "They are such
dear children. And look at Chetwynd!
Goodness mel" That was as near to
blasphemy as she eve ventured.
Her husbands face frightened. eff
II we had worked as hard over Chef
wynd as We did over Eric n Mary,
we-well. who knows?"
We couldn't have saved that boy
with all the prayers in Christendom,''
she announced fatty.
"Oh. my dear! You forget what"
II don forget anything. God Him
self couldn't save e Blagden If he didn't
''Sh! My dear, that Is positively sac
ri-nO. 1t Is worse than sacrilegious. It
is profane. I am sorry to hear
do you kno what I'd do. Arthur.
II I were in you placer" she interrupt
ed ruthiessly. I'D have a sermon on
be taught. an example to be set. I
wouldn't be afraid of Horace Blagden."
II am not afraid Of Mr.. Blagden,''
said her husband testify. II shall not
lake unfair advantage of him. however.
He IL in trouble. He needs my private
ministrations. not public contumely.
No. my dear. I shall go to him tomor-
row and the day after. Even such as
Horace Blagden can be of contrite
heart"
You might include Rena Blagden."
:aid Mrs. Presbrey. by the way. what
lid Horace say to you?"
Ssh" said Mr. Presbrey. with q quick
glance in the direction Of the dining
room. Don't speak 80 loudly. Maggie
10 setting the table,"
''She never repeats anything she
hears here. Arthur. Besides. why should