Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1917-01-12

SAiCS PPc averaging lutec SCoIt
years and five-were discussing the
news around q roaring fire IN the par
Tor of the White Horse inn. Five years
ago they had retired, each on q snug
llttle pile. They were looking forward
to Il mellow old g in port and Il lons
succession OF evenings at the White
Horse, where they gathered to debate
the politics Of their district. The wan
had given them new topics. but Capt
John kendrick-who had become a
parish councillor and sometimes car
ried bulky blue documents in his breast
pocket, displaying the edges with care
full pride-still kept the pot aboiling.
He was mainly successful on Saturday
niehts, Wen The Gazette" their
weekly newspaper, appeared. IL was
edited by q Scot named Macpherson,
who had learned his job on the Ar
broa;n Free Press
.Macpherson viii never be on the
ounci now said Captain kendrick.
"Thcre's Il rumoi that he's u free think
er. He SAYS tilat Christianity has been
proved q failure by the war
well. ti.es" chaps of ours now said
Captain Davidson. out at sea on "a
night like this, trying to Kill Germans.
Germans would kill our own folks if we
gave EN- a chance. But don't it prove
that there's no use for Christianity? In
modern civilization. l mean"
'Macplncrson's no free thinker said
Captain Morgan, who was a friend of
the editor and inclined on the strength
of it to occup the intellectual chair at
the White Horse. "Macphcrson says
we'll have to try again after the war.
OF it will be blood and iron all round"
He's upset by the war said Cap
tain Davidson. "and he's taken to writ
ing poytrN in his paper. He'd best be
careful or he'll lose his circulation"
".Ah." said kendrick, that's whatll
finish him for the council. What we
want is practical men. Poytry would
DESTROY any mans reputation. There
was a great deal of talk cause by his
last one, about our trawler chaps.
Fishers of Men, lie called it. and I'm
not sure that it wouldn't be considered
blasphemious by a good many
Captain Morgan shook his head. "lcv-
cry Sunday evening" he said. my
missus asks me to read her M%acpher-
come to enjoy them myself. Now, what
does he say in Fishers OF Men,
Read it," said Kendrick. picking the
Gazette from the litter of newspapers
on the table and handing it to Nor
gan. IF you know how to read poytry.
read it aloud. the way you do to your
missus. l can't make the head or tail
of poytry myself, but it looks blasphe-
mi0uS to ne
Captain Morgan wiped his big spec
tacles, while the other two settled
themselves to listen critically. Then
he began in his best Sunday voice. very
slowly, but by no means unimpress-
lively:
Long, long ago He said,
He who could wake the G
And walk upon The sea
"Como, follow Me.
"Leave your brown nets and bring
Only Your hearts to sing,
Only yUur souls to pray;
Rise; come away.
"Shake u your spirit sails,
And brave those wilder gales,
And l will make y then
Fishers of men,"
Was this. then, what RE meant
Was this His high intent,
After 1900 years
OF blood and tears?
God help us, if we fight
Flo right, n not for might.
Goo help US if we seek
To shield the weak.
Then, though His heaven be far
From this blind weller of war,
He'll bless us on the sea
From Calvary.
1T seems to rhyme all right said
Kendriek. IT'S not so a for Mac
pherson."
Have you heard" said Davidson, re-
IlectlVely. they're wanting more
trawler shippers down at the base?"
I've been SO years, man and boy, at
sea- said Captain Morgan; that's half
q century. mind YOU"
"Ah. it's hard on the women, too
said Davidson. We're never sure what
boats have been lost till we see the
women crying. | don't know how they
get the men to do it,"
Capt. John kendrick stabbed vic
iously with his forefinger at a picture
in an Illustrated paper.
Here's a wicked thing now" he said.
Here's a medal they've struck in Ger
many to commemorate the. sinking Of
the L~usitania. Here's a photograph of
both sides OF il. On one side you see
n great ship sinking loaded up with.
munitions which wasn't there: but not
a sign of the women ana children that
was there. On the. other side you see
the passengers taking their tickets
from Death in the New York booking
office. Now, that's a fearful thine. I
can understand EN- making a mistake.
but l ant understand 'em wanting To-
strike a medal for it,"
"NOt much mistake about the I.,,s;.
tania," grOwled Captain Davidson.
No. indeed. that was only my areu-
ment." replied the councillor. They're
q s~treacherous lot. Twas a fearful
thing to do--a thing like that. MY
he tells he. it's like sinking a big Lon.
don hotel. There was ladies' In evening
dress. M dancing In the big saloons
every night, and lifts to take you from
deck to another. and shops with
plate glass windows. and smoking
Dsannna \ as,H -
deck. 30 that the little children could
play there II. bad weather. and He