The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1915-07-08
HAPrE xI-(contlnued)

they are going to be saved they viii
have to do the greater part or the WORK
themselves"
but surely. with Gods help at
their"
once that made a lasting impression I
believe he Is right. He said: GOO
knows a bad boy a well as anyone else.
You don't have to tell Him about II
morning, noon and night. It isn't gos-
pel-it's gossip. II amt proper TO gos-
sip with the Almighty"
my lear sir, / don't see the relev-
ancy. Carr is a scoffer. Surely. you
are not coming to his way OF thinking.
Tit Is u~nbelievable."
Nevertheless. my dear friend, II has
occurred to me that II God knows n
bad boy, He's equally discerning with
respect to the good boy"
Il am quite confident, and always
have been, that Eric is a good boy, MI.
Blagden," said Mr.. Presbrey stiffly.
Mr.. Blagden felt the sting In this sub
tie, far off criticism. u ..
understand me. please, I do not re-
greet the methods we have pursued i
showing him the right path. We've done
TO hat path IL he 80 desires. IL he con-
cludes to wander away from IL. / don't
believe God or man IL going to stop
him. It's the thing IN here that Will
keep him straight. God made the
strong and he made the weak. They go
the way which is easiest. The strong
go up, the weak 60 down. We can.t
They cast US off. The strong don't
need us and the weak despise US"
Mr.. Presbrey left in a state OF great
Depression. He had suffered what he
was tempted to consider a personal loss.
A pillar in his temple was webbing. 1t
was h most impeccable pillar, at that.
II the metaphor may be allowed. If
Horace Blagden BENT aver so slightly,
II was extremely doubtful II he, as
Gods artisan, could hope TO restore
that portion OF the temple to Its for
mer strength and usefulness. II Horace
saw fit to bend, the whole Of the per-.
feet edifice must needs sag with him.
In the direction in which they are
pushed by the larger ones, q some
times they tumble and di~sintegrate.
That was the trouble with the church,
the world over, said Mr.. Presbrey. Too
many monoliths.
And, / am sorry to say, Mr.. Pres
brey felt that he himself had been very
much put upon by Mr.. Blagden In the
natter Of the little Midthornes. Some
how, he always has suspected himself
II being q sort OF catspaw. Now he
was quite sure OF Il. Remorse for their
treatment of the children seemed to
have seized upon the Blagdens. Unless
he was mistaken I'm Mr.. Blagden, that
gentleman, In 'chastising himself, was
now cody shifting q rather trouble
some burden so that II might appear to
rest OF 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
40 well be dispensed with. It was rath-
er hard to hear ones n 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. n quite ignor-
Ing her question, 1T have come to the
sorrowful conclusion. that II Is retri-
button after all. Goa can and will pun
ish those who make use of His offices
to further their own ends"
She was startled. "Retributionf
Ends?' 1885, N.
"Mr. Blagden is paying, I firmly be-
Iieye, for his un-Christian like treat
ment OF his sisters children. Yes, IL
s retribution." said he. staring at the
ilOor. ''# q =, r.
i've always said the time would
come," said she, her lips tightening.
Her husband had not said It in SO
many words. but she was shrewd
enough to zee that his visit had not
been a pleasant one. ''They are such
dear children. And look at Chetwyndl
Goodness met" That was as near to
blaEphemy as h ever ventured.
Her husbands face frightened. "If
II we had worked as hard over Chef
wynd as we did over Eric and Mary,
we-well. who knows?" ~
we couldn't have saved that boy
with all the prayers In Christendom."
she announced fatty. .
"oh, my dearl You forget what"
II don't forget anything. God Him
self couldn't save a Blagden If he didn't
want to be saved"
Ssh! My dear, that is positively sac
rt-no, Ii Is worse thar sacrilegious. It
Is p~rofane. I am sorry to hear"
DO you know what I'd do, Arthur,
u / were In your placer" she interrupt
ed ruthlessly. "I'd have q sermon on
this very thing. There Is a moral to
be taught, an example to be set. I
wouldn't be afraid Of Horace Blagden."
Il am not afraid of Mr.. Blagden,"
said her husband testify. 1T shall not
take unfair advantage OF him, however.
He is In trouble. He needs my private
illustrations, not public contumely.
NO, my dear, i snail go to him tomor-
row n the day after. Even such as
Horace Blagden can be Of contrite
heart.''
You might include Rena Blagden,"
said Mrs. Presbrey. BY the way, what
did Horace say to your"
"Sh!" said Mr.. Presbrey, with a quick
glance in the direction OF the dining
room. Don't speak so loudly. Maggie
Is setting the table"
She never repeats anything she
hears here, Arthur. Besides, why should
We n so long as she IL truthful?
have the utmost confidence In Mag
gle Green. / don't believe that woman
ever uttered a falsehood in her life.
Oh, that reminds me. She saw Chef
Wynd OF the way to the station that
very evening. and spoke to him."
Erie" said Mary, a few days before
ne went up to Cambridge, why are
you so hateful to Joan? You haven't
oeen near her In weeks, and you seem
70 avoid her everywhere we 60"
Has h said anything to you about
NFf he asked, uncomfortably. He was
very unhappy over Joan. The pain that
MS resolve had brought upon him was
simost more than he could bear. His
neart ached for her. The hour Of bliss
mad been so short, and she would not
Understand why, II had ended. There
were moments when he called himself
III ire "a - "