Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-08-11

the bAke Of warmth, . crust, q cup,
and by srsat luck, 4 ''doss." from
time to time.
The evangelist was shabby, thin
ana nervous, rather turning toward
badness. and with shrewd, quick
eye. Was he sincere? Impossible to
tell. He, too. yinton thought, might
be "getting HIS in, this work. Per-
haps he used the mission as an ex-
cuse for collecting funds from the
charitable well-to-do. Harry Kemp's
poem on the subject REQUIRED town
TOMS well stocked mind:
We huddfed In the mission,
For 1t was cold outside,
An listened TO the preacher
Tell OF the crucified.
Without, sleety drixxle
Cut deep each ragged form.
An 50 we stood the talkin'
For shelter from the storm.
They spoke OF good an evil,
An offered saving grace,
An some showed love of mankind
A shinin' in their face;
An some was urgin' on us
What they believed was true;
But some their graft was workin',
The. same as me an you.
An unusual commotion at the door
drew Yinton's eyes. The evangelist
was Fastening thither, u smirk on
his thin lips. his hand extended.
I Vinton beheld a woman entering
q woman not like these other wom-
en-; a young woman. wholesome,
clear-eyed. smiling; a woman whose
mere presence seemed to purify the
rank and sitting atmosphere. Her
smtle was not of the lips alone, but
also OF the, eyes. Vinton got an inn
preston Of trim competence from
the froSt-ruddied cheeks, the little
round toque of squirrel fur, the long,
brown corduroy coat, tight buttoned
to the firm chin. With reviving In
terest he sat up and frankly stared
at hers
Glad to see you, Sister Alden!"
greeted the evangelist. shaking her
hand. Afraid you wasn't comm
it's 80 nippin' cold. an ALL
Il don't mind the cold, Mr. Craw-
ley" she answered, drawing off her
worn gloves. Hope l haven't kept
you waiting? Krag wouldn't let me
away from the theater any sooner"
"Oh, no. no, sister, you haven't KEEP
US wattin' any to speak of. but,we're
all ready to begin reapin' the sheaves.
A goodly harvest here tonight! Lots
OF brands to be plucked from the
burnin'!" The mans voice struck
Vinton as thin and disagreeable. "A
great movin' of the spirit!">
He led her up the aisle. under the
vague lights. Her presence, in the
sitting reek, seemed like that OF
fresh cut roses in a hospital ward.
Smiling still. she. nodded to the OUT
casts as she went, and many blurred
eyes frightened. many brutalized
faces lighted at her greeting.
So they reached the little plat
form. There the girl took off her hat
and coat. disclosing masses of tawny
hair parted on one side and drawn
Eaway toward the back of her finely
nodded, neck. She was plainly
dressed In o white shirt waist and q
black serge skirt that showed sat
isfying lines. Around her throat
Vinton saw silver chain with a lit
tie anchor hanging therefron.
Hhis much he noted as she laid
her hat and coat on one of the drab
chairs and sat down. Then Mr.,
Crawley beckoned Ito massive,
hard faced woman with several
chins.
Mrs. Wesson. will you play for
us7" asked he.
Nodding. Mrs Wesson murmured
that she would, and heavily took her
place at the organ. A stir Of ANNA
ton passed thru the audience. The
social wreckage pulled itself togeth-
60 in anticipation of music and ex-
hortation. The labor of salvation
was about to begin. @
Men," exclaimed the missionary,
joining his fingertips and facing the
ranks of misery, I'VE will open bust
ness in this gospel mill tonight, with
No. on the wall, here" He ierked
his thumb at one of the tin placards
behind him. Lets have a regular
singin' bee here. Get your steam I'D,
fellers! Get into the glory works
when the whistle blows! Now go to
It'll"
The grim-faced Mrs. Wesson, at
the organ. droned a chord. Miss Al
den stood UP and smiled again at
the unsavory mob-a smile that
somehow seemed to mother every
wretch, a smile maternal, softening,
healing 10 hard souls and bruised
hearts.
Vinton felt q subtle thrill at sight
of that smile, those fine and even
teeth, that poised self possession in
dicative Of great reserve power. He
noted that the girls eyes, set well
apart, showed an honest clarity.
Frowning a. little, he vaguely won
dered why she should be here-here,
of all places. and on such a, night,
Ito be continued.)
The northern and northeastern
districts OF France include the prin-
cipal centers of the wooden industry
in that country.
81