The Yale expositor., 1918-02-14

How can ! know whether It's trash OF
not, unless read It? L"
Ministers daughters are supposed
TO keep their fingers clear of the burn
ing ends of Matches" said Carol neat
ly. ave can't handle them without
getting scorched, or blackened, at least.
Prudence says So"
prudence" said Connie gravely, els
dear sweet thing, but she's awfully
old-fashioned, Carol; you know that"
Carol and Lark were speechless.
They would as soon have dreamed OF
questioning the catechism as Pru-
dence's perfection.
"She's narrow. She's darling, of
course, but she isn't up-to-date. want
to know what folks are talking about.
don't believe this poem. Pm Chris
tian. But 1 want to know what other
folks think about me and what be-
lieve. That's all. Prudence IL fine,
but / know a good deal more about
some things than Prudence will know
when she's a thousand years Old"
The twins still sat silent.
"Of course, some folks wouldn't APP
prove Of parsonage girls reading things
like this. But approve of 1t. want
to know why 1 disagree with this
poetry, and can't until know where
we disagree. It's beautiful, Carol,
really. It's kind of sad. 1t makes me
want to cry. It's"
"Pve a big notion to tell papa on
you" said Carol soberly and sadly.
Connie rose at once.
"Pm going to tell papa myself"
Carol moved uneasily in her chair
"Oh, let II go this time. II just men
toned it to relieve my feelings. ]
won't tell yet. I'll talk it over with
you again. I'll have to think it over
first"
81 think I'd rather tell him." insisted
Connie.
Carol looked worried, but she knew
Connie would do as she said. So she
got up nervously and went with her
She would have TO see ii through now
Of course. Connie walked silently up
the stairs, with Carol following meek.
ly behind, and raped at her fathers
door. Then she entered. and Carol. in
hushed sort of way, closed the door
behind them.
'Tm reading this. father. Any objeo
tions?" Connie faced him calmly, and
handed him the little book.
He examined it gravely, his brows
contracting, a sudden wrinkling at the
corners of his lips that might have
meant laughter, or disapproval, or any.
thing.
II thought parsonage girl should
not read It," Carol said bravely. ave
never read 1t myself, but I've heard
about it, and parsonage girls ought 70
read parsonage things. Prudence says
so. But"
"But 1 want to know what other
folks think about what believe" said
Connie. $50 I'm reading it."
"What do you think of it?" he asked
quietly, and he looked very strangely
at his baby daughter. 1t was a crisis
and he must be very careful.
81 think It is beautiful" Connie said
softly, and her lips dropped a little
and a wistful pathos crept into he,
voice. 'It seems so sad. keep wish.
ing l could cry about 1t Part of it
don't understand very WELL"
He held out hand to Connie, and
she put her own in it confidently. Caro-
too, came and stood close behind him,
eyes" he said, at is beautiful, Cor
ME, and II is very terrible. We can't
understand 1t fully because we CAM
feel what he felt. He looked Thought
fully at the girls. "He was a marvel.
Gus man, that Khayyam-years ahead
of his people, and his time. He was
big enough to see the idiocy OF the
heather ideas of God, he was beyond
them. he spurned them. But he wa,
not quite big enough to reach ou'
alone, and get hold of our kind of g
God. 1t is q wonderful poem. II
shows the weakness, the helplessnes,
of q gifted man who has nothing ia
cling to. / think IL will do you good
to read 1t, Connie. Read II again and
again. and thank God, my child, that
though you are only girl, you havr
the very thing this man, this genius
was craving. We admire his talent
but we pity his weakness. You viii
feel sorry for him. You read it, too
Carol. You'll like it. We can't under.
stand 1t, as say, because we are SO
sure of our God, that we can't feel
what he felt, having nothing. OF
course 1t makes you want 10 cry, Con,
ME. 1t is the saddest poem in the
world"
CTo BE coNTrNUED.)