Mexico Missouri message., 1918-02-07

him vigorously with the handle Of the
pltchfork until he was aroused to con-
sciousness, and then guided him into
the woodshed with the buggy whip.
When he was seated on a chunk of
wood she faced him sternly.
"Well, you are a dandy" she said.
"Going into a parsonage barn, of all
places in the world, to sleep off an odor
like yoursl Why didn't you go down
to Fred Greer's harness shop, that's
where you got 1t. We're such an awful
ly temperance town, you know! But
the parsonagei Why, If the trustees
had happened into the barn and caught
whiff of that smell, father'd have
lost his job. Now you just take warn
ing from me, and keep away from this
parsonage until you can develop q
good Methodist odor. Oh, don't cry
about it Your very tears smell rummy.
Just you hang on to that chunk of
wood, and I'll bring you some coffee"
Like thief In the night she sneaked
into the house, and presently returned
with huge tin of coffee, steaming hot.
He drank 1t eagerly, but kept a wary
eye on the naughty twin, who stood
above him with the whip in her hand.
"That's better. Now, sit down and
listen to me. If you would come to
the parsonage, you have to take your
medicine. Silver and gold have we
none, but such as we have we give to
you. And religions all we've got.
TIV,nh "
any choir or any Bible, but parsonage
folks have to be adaptable. Now then,
Ben Peters, you've got to get con-
verted."
The poor dOddering old fellow, So
bered by this awful announcement,
looked helplessly at the window. 1t
was too small. And slender active
Carol, with the buggy whip, stood be-
tween him and the door.
mo, you can't escape. You're done
for this time-it's the straight and mar
row from this on. Now listen-it's
really very simple. And you need it
pretty badly, Ben. OF course you don't
realize it when you're drunk, you can't
see how terribly disgusting you are,
but honestly, Ben, pig is a ray of
sunshine compared to a drunk man.
You're a blot on the landscape. You're
a-you're "a" She fished vainly for
words, longing for Lark's literary flow
of language.
"Tm not drunk" he stammered.
"No, you're not, thanks to, the buggy
whip and that strong coffee, but you're
no beauty even yet. Well now, to come
down to religion again. You can't stop
drinking"
81 could" he clustered feebly. 81
could If wanted to-"
"Oh, no, you couldn't. You haven't
backbone enough. You couldn't stop
to save your life. But" Carols voice
lowered little, and she grew shy, but
very. earnest, 'but God can stop you,
because he has enough backbone for a
hundred thousand-er, jellyfishes. And
you see, it's like this. God made the
world, and put the people in it. Now
listen carefully, Ben, and I'll make it
just as simple as possible so 1t can
sink through the smell and get at you.
God made the world, and put the peo-
pie In 1t. And the people sinned, wor-
SHIPPED idols and went back on God.
and-did lot of other mean things.
So God was in honor bound to punish
them, for that's the law, and Gods the
judge that can't be bought, He had to
infiict punishment. But God and Jesus
talked 1t over, and they felt awfully
bad about 1t, for they kind of liked the
people anyhow" She stared at the
disreputable figure slouching on the
chunk of wood. TITS very hard to un-
derstand, very. should think they
would despise us-some of us" she
added significantly. "I'm sure should.
But anyhow they didn't. Are you get
ting me?"
The bleary eyes were really fastened
intently on the girls bright face, and
he hung upon her words.
"Well, they decided that Jesus
should come down here and live, and
be perfectly good, so he would not de-
serve any punishment, and then God
would allow him to receive the punish
ment anyhow, and the rest of us could
go free. That would cover the law.
See? Furnishing him when he deserved
no punishment. Then they could for
give us heathens that didn't deserve it.
Do you get that?" She looked at him
anxiously. "It all hinges on that, you
know. I'm not a preacher myself, but
that's the idea. So Jesus was crucified.
and then God said, There he is! Look
nm him believe in him wOrShiD him
and in his name you stand o. X See?
That means, If we give him the chance,
GOdTl let Jesus take our share of the
| punishment. So we've just got to let
go, and say, 'All right, here am. 1
believe 1t, I give up, know don't
amount to hill of beans-and you can
say it very honestly-but If you want
me, and will call it square, God knows
Pm willing And there you are"
''Won't drink any more?"
CTo BE CoNTINUED)