Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1916-07-06

missionary. I've nao 70 gave 1t up-
One needs 20 much b be Z mission
AEy.s
Il never thought or 1t that way"
said Alan. u always thought that II
was the people that were unit for al
most anything else that turned 10 mis-
sionarying m Z last resort
"Oh. nor said the girl. sitting y
very straight In her chair and nxing
her eyes on his face. How wrsng
You are! Missionarying. 40 you call n.
Ii just another nane for swing, snA
how can one give . great deal unless
one has great deal to glve--strensth
and youth and vitalityY'
And you have given ailr asked
Alan.
The girls eyes nlled. 1.
mo, you haven't given oil" went an
Alan quickly. you are stili giving.
I must not borrow your last mits.
But--your voice Ii like nurses hand"
When Alan went to bed he could not
sleep. For while the little mission
airy girl held his thoughts. He WAS
filled with wonder. not MT her, hut ii
himself, For once In his life he had
not been flippant before grave things.
From the girl his thoughts turned 10
Alix. He could have cahled to her
about Gerry fropi pernambuco. but he
| had not done 80. The note that he was
carrying for Gerry was iight--only 1
half-sheet. probably. The lightness 81
1t told Alan that the things Gerry had
to say to his wife could not be put on
paper. Alan had almost cabled. Now
he was glad he had not done 10.
AK" he said to himself, isn't wait.
Ing, she's trusting A cable would
have heightened waiting by month. !"
Then, without volition. his mind
wandered from AK and raced ahead
to the goal Of his Journey. What was
the goal of his Journey whittier was
he bound? He reached for Clem's let
ter and held II In folded hands. He
had no need to read II Agains The
words were nothing: the picture was
all. 1t stretched before his mind, 1
living canvas.
Once when Alan was WANDERING
with an Englishman In the hills above
Granada. faint odor had brought
them to sudden halt. II was the
Engiishman who made the surprising
discovery first. ''Biackberries, BY
Jove" he bad exclaimed. Good old
blackberries." And then they two had
stood together. yet half world apart.
and stared at 'he berry laden bush.
What vision OF a tangled, high.walled
garden burst upon the Englishman
Alan never knew. but to himself had
come q memory of East mountain In
autumn, 80 clear, so poignant, that II
had brought his throbbing heart into
his throat
1t was so now with CIem's letter.
The words were but hurried daub.
but they touched his eyes with a magic
wand. The daub became a scene, Z
picture. a world--his world.
Red Hill was spread out before him,
a texture where the threads and eolorx
OF life were blended into carpet soft
but enduring. Men walked and little
| va iNa fNtHh NlUEtsN Ian
eyes and sighed. What had he been
doing with life? Making sackIng I
Sacking was commercial. Ii paid In
cash. 1t was the national industry.
But what could one do with sacking on
Red Hill?
Then, almost suddenly, the full spirit
OF Clcm's letter seized him. One did
not take gifts to Red Hill. To every
one Of It's children Red Hill was the
source Of all gifts--the source Of life
On that thought he slept.
When he was back once more In his
rooms, before Swlthson had had time
to open bag. Alan re-directed Gerry's
swithson out to post 1t. He did not
try to temper the shock OF the note
with a covering letter. He was too
weak and tired. Besides, he felt that
the note carried its own antidote to
joy.
The next morning a message came
by hand to Aian's rooms. AK had
come to town and wished to see him ut
once. Would he please come around?
| He replied that he was too iii. Half
an hour later Swithson answered a
ring Mt the door and Alix slipped
quickly past him into Alan's sitting
room. There was flush OF anger IT.
her cheeks, but Alan was pleased t.
see no trace Of tears In her eyes. A
woman's crying always touched him
on the raw and seldom awakened his
| pity.
At sight OF him Alix forgot her con
Germ for herself why, Alan" shs
| cried, what ls the matter?"
Alan laughed. There was pleasant
note In his laugh she had never heard
before. "I'm all right, Alix. Dom
| make any mistake. I'm resurrection
In the bud. Doing fine. ! don't have
to ask how you are. You're well.
You're looking just as well as little
slip like. you can ever look Sit down
do"
Alix' thoughts went back to herself
! end Immediately the fame burned
again In her cheeks She pulled Ger
rvs crumpled note from her glove and
tossed 1t open On the table before Alan.
He read the two or three lines In
which Gerry told her he would arrive
n.