The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1918-02-14
Huestor\,

hearted and generous. She prOdded
him vigorously with the handle Of the
pitChfork until he was aroused to CON
sciouSness, and Their guided him into
the woodShcd with the buggy whip.
When he was seated on Il chunk of
wood she faced him sternly.
"Wcll, you are a dandy" she said.
"Going into n parsonage barn, of all
places in the world, to sleep Off an odor
like yours! Why didn't YOU 20 down
to Fred Greer's harness shop, that's
where you got II. We're such an awful
ly temperance town, you know! But
the parsonage! Why, if the trustees
had happened into the barn and caught
a Whit OF that smell, fathcr'd have
lost his job. Now YOU just take warn
ing from me- and keep away from this
parsonage until you can develop n
good Methodist Od0r. Oh. don't cry
about it! Your very tears smell rummy,
Just yuu hang on to that chunk of
wood, and I'll bring YOU some coffee"
l4lNt Il (lll'I III Jllc IlEul Silt SlltNhPU
into the "Ouse, and presently returned
with a huge tin of coffee, stcaming hot.
He drank ii 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.
You're here, and I'm here. We haven't
any choir or any Bible, but parsonage
folks have TO be adaptable. Now then,
Ben Peters, you've got to get con-
rerted."
The poor doddering old fellow, So
hcrcd by this awful announcement,
looked helplessly at the window. Ii
was too small. And slender active
Carol, with the buggy whip, stood be-
tween him and the door.
"No, you can't escape. You're done
for this time--it's the straight and mar
row from this on. Now llSten--it's |
really very simple. And you need It
pretty badly, Ben. OF course you don't |
realize 1t when you're drunk, you can't !
see now terribly disgusting you are,
but honestly, Ben, pig is a ray of |
sunshine compared to q drunk man.
You're Il blot on the landscape. You're |
a." She fshed valnly for
words, longing for LGrk's literary flow
of language.
"T'm not drunk he stammcrcd.
"No, you're not, thanks to the buggy |
whip and that strong coffee, but you're |
no beauty even yet We'll now to come |
down to religion again. You can't stop
~ could,' he hlastcrcd fechly: 81
could if I wanted TO-"
"Oh, no, you couldn't. You haven't |
backbone enough. You couldn't stop |
TO save your life. But," Carols voice |
lowered q little, and she grew shy, but |
very earnest, "but God can stop you.
because he has enough backbone for n
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 III make II !
just as simple as possible so 1t can |
sink through the smell and get ahyou.
God made the world, ard put the pco-
pie In Il. 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, lie had to
irAict punishment. But God and Jesus
talked It over, md they felt awfulIy
bad about II, for they kind of liked the
people anyhow" She stared at the
diSrcputable figure slOuChing on the
chunk of wood. ITS very lard to I'M
derstand. very. | should think they
would dcSpise us-sOme of us" she
added significantly. "I'm sure l should.
But anyhow they didn't. Are you get
ting meT
The bleary eyes were really fastened
intcntly on the girls bright face, and
he hung upon her words.
swell, 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 hin to receive the punish
ment anyhow, and the rest of US could
60 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 1t.
Do you get thati' She looked at him
anxlOusly. "It all hinges on that, you
know. I'm not n preacher myself, but
that's the idea. So Jesus was cruciied.
and then God said, There he isl Look
on him. believe In him, worship him.
and in his name you stand o. X See?
That means, IL we give him the chance,
God'll let Jesus take our share Of the
punishment. So we've Just got to let