Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-06-13

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, out the kitchen door and they glanced
quickly at each other.
Hurry, papa" she whispered, "yor
can't hold in much longer! Neither
can II"
And together, lchoking with laugh
ter, they hurried into the barn and
gave full vent to their feelings.
So 1t was that the twins and Con
ME were alone for while.
you did a pretty good job, Con
ME-" said Carol approvingly.
Eyes. I think did myself wa
the complacent answer. "But in
tended to put in, Keep US ~ the apple
of Thy eye, hold US in the hollow OF
Thy hand and I forgot It until had
said Amen had q notion to put in
q post-scrtpct but believe that isn't
done" .e
Never mind" said Carol, It'll use
that in mine tomorrow"
It can not be, said that this form
Of family worship was great success.
The twins were invariably stereo-
typed, cut and dried. They thanked
the Lord for tho beautiful morning,
for kind friends, for health, and fam
lily. and parsonage. Connie always
prayed in sentences extracted from
the prayers of others she had often
heard and every time with nearly dis
astrous effect.
But the days passed around and
Prudence and Carols turn came again.
Carol was thoughtless, impetuous,
impulsive girl, and her prayers were
a. nearly verbal repetitions" as any
prayers could be. SO on this morn
ing, after the reading of the chapter,
Carol knelt by her chair and began in
her customary solemn voice: =
Lob, our Father, we thank Thee for
this beautiful morning." Then intense
silence. For Carol remembered with
horror and shame that 1t was a
dreary, dismal morning, cloudy, ugly
and all unlovely. In her despair, the
rest Of her petition scattered to the
four winds Of heaven. She couldn't
think Of another word, SO she gulped
and stammered out a faint amen"
But Prudence could not begin. Pru-
dence was red in the face and nearly
suffocated. She felt all swollen in
side--she couldn't speak. The silence
continued ooh, why doesn't father
do It? she wondered. AS a matter Of
fact, father couldn't. But. Prudence
did not know that One who laughs
often gets In the habit Of Laughter
and sometimes laughs out Of season as
we'll as in. Finally, Prudence plunged
in desperately. Dear Fathers she
usually began her sweet. intimate little
talks with God-and then she paused.
Before her eyes flashed q picture Of
the beautiful morning" for which
Carol had just been thankful! She
tried again. Dear Father"-and then
she whir1ed around on the floor and
laughed. Mr.. Starr got up from his
knees, sat down on his chair and lit
orally shook. Fairy rolled on the
lounge, screaming with merriment.
Even sober little Connie giggled and
But Carol could not get up.
She was disgraced. She had done a
horrible, disgusting. idiotic thing. She
had insulted God! She could never
face the family again. Her shoulders
rose and fell convulsively.
Lark did not laugh either. With a
rush she was on her knees beside Car
oil, her arms around the heaving
shoulders. Don't you care, Carrie"
she whispered. Don't you care. 1t
was just mistake-don't cry, Car
rie." .-> 3. IT,.
But Carol would not be comforted.
She tried to sneak unobserved from
the room but her father stopped her
Don't feel so badly about 1t, Car
OIL" he said kindly, really sorry for
the stricken child-though his eyes
still twinkled., 'it, was Just a mistake.
But remember after this, my child, to
speak to God when you pray. Remem-
Der that you are talking to Him. Then
you will not make such blunder. So
many OF U.S." he said rehectively, min
listers as we'll as others, pray into the
ears Of the people and forget we are
talking to Cod" ,..
After that the morning worship
went better. The prayers Of the chill
dren changed-became more personal,
less flowery. They remembered from
that time on. that when they knelt
they were at the feet of God, and
speaking direct to Him.
It was the hated duty of the twins
to wash and dry the dishes-taking
turns about with the washing. This
time was Always given up to story tell
ing for Lark had a strange and won
derful Imagination, and Carol listened
to her tales with wonder and delight.
Even Connie found dish doing hours
irresistible, and could invariably be
found, face in her hands, both elbows
on the table. gazing with passionate
earnestness at the young story teller.
=