Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1918-02-14

Ministers daughters are supposed
to keep their fingers clear of the burn
ing ends of Matches" said Carol neat
~. 1--WE can't handle them without
getting scorched, or blackened, at least.
Prudence says So"
Prudence" said Connie gravely, ''is
a 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 q darling, Of
course, but she isn't up-to-date. want
to know what folks are talking about.
don't believe this poem. I'm a Chris
tian. But want to know what other
folks think about me and what 1 be-
lieve. That's all. Prudence is fine,
but / know good deal more about
some things than Prudence will know
when she's thousand years old"
The twins still sat silent.
"Of course, some folks wouldn't ap-
prove Of parsonage girls reading things
like this. But approve of 1t. want
to know why / 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"
'I've a big notion to tell papa on
you" said Carol soberly and sadly.
Connie rose at once.
I'm going to tell papa myself"
Carol moved uneasily in her chair
"Oh, let it go this time. II just men
toned 1t to relieve my feelings. /
won't tell yet. I'll talk 1t over with
you again. I'll have TO think 1t 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 it 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.
"rm reading this, father. Any objec-
tons" 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 dlsapproval, or any
thing.
II thought a parsonage girl should
not read It," Carol said bravely. "Pve
never read 1t myself, but I've heard
about 1t, and parsonage girls ought to
read parsonage things. Prudence says
so. But"
"But I want to know what other
folks think about what believe" said
Connie. $50 I'm reading It."
"What do you think Of it2" he asked
quietly, and he looked very strangely
at his baby daughter. 1t was crisis
and he must be very careful.
II think it is beautiful" Connie said
softly, and her lips dropped little
and a wistful pathos crept into heI
voice. '1t seems so sad. keep wish.
ing I could cry about 1t Part of 1t
|
He held out q hand to Connie, and
she put her own In it confidently. Carol
too, came and stood close behind him
"Yes," he said, at is beautiful, Con
ME, and it is very terrible. We CAM
understand it 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 wa:
big enough to see the idiocy of thu
heather ideas Of God, he was beyond
them, he spurned them. But he wal
not quite big enough to reach out
alone, and get hold Of our kind of {
God. 1t is wonderful poem. !
shows the weakness, the helplessnes
of gifted man who has nothing t.
cling to. think it will do you goot
to read it, Connie. Read it again ant
again, and thank God, my child, tina
though you are only a girl, you hav'
the very thing this man, this genius
was craving. We admire his talent
but we pity his weakness. You will
feel sorry for him. You read 1t, toe
Carol. You'll like 1t. We can't under
stand it, as say, because we are s.
sure of our God, that we can't fee
what he felt, having nothing. o
course it makes you want to cry, Con
ME. 1t is the saddest poem in tn
world"
CTo BE CoNTINUED)