Licking Valley courier., 1921-08-18

gOdly strong Hes been a-beggIn' Babe |
Llttleford to marry him fo' year or
two, and she won't listen to HIM.
"Ef ever We do haf to fight Black |
ADAM John Moreand went Oh, 'ye
want to fight him with twO-eyeC
shotgun and buckshOt. He's the mean
est man on earth; snake-broth and
pizen vine is religious aside o him
But ontel We begin a-makin' love TO
Babe IittlcfOrd, | reckon the amt no
danger o you a-hayin' trouble with
Black Adam; and you amt likely,
take it. to make love to Babe"
"But Babes the best one o. the Lit.
tlefurds," declared Luke.
John MOreland reached for the
leatherbound Old family Bible. lie
opened the Book Mt random.
ITS about time we was a-goin' to
our rest, and we'll 20 jest MS soon as
we've had prayers, Mr.. Dale"
When half chapter from st. Mat
thew had been, laboriously but rever-
emily read, the MOrelands knelt at
their chairs, and so did Bill Dale. John
MorelaDd's bedtime prayer was very
simple and very earnest, and it had
in it more of thanksgiving than Of
supplcation. And part of It certain.
ly was uncommon
BLESS the stranger with us here to.
and uI ,' nttt. lyiprn1tsu aud oil
o. our friends, ana our lnlmles, the
specially the Littlefords
Aymen !"
Dale was deeply impressed. lie
heard Mrs. Moreund dlmly when she
told him to let her knuw-she would
hear him If he called-if there wasn't
enough cover for his bed, Then he
found himself aone with the stalwart
chief Of the MOrelands.
lie stepped forward anu put his
hand on the mountamecrs shoulder.
"llow Il man can 50 down on his
knees and pray for his enemies"
,&nii,u -, is satirelX beyond me-
DO you really mean itY"
81 try hard to-" Moreland said quick
ly. "m a-duin' that" he went ON, 81
so Ben Liltloford one better. Ben
Littleford's the bell sheep y the peo.
ple who lives acrOst the river from
us, people we've hated TO- years and
years. Ben, he holds family prayers
too, every night He'd aX the blessm
o the Lord on the stranger onder his
roof, but not on his nimies, the More
lands. Yes, Try hard to mean it, Bill
! Dale"
And that other enemy" murmuret
Dule-and he wondered why thai
should bother him so much, why h,
should feel that vague responsibility
about lt-"the man who killed youl
brother, David"
81 don't never pray TO him." inter
rupted the momtaneer, going u llttl,
pale. 81 halnt that nigh jutfect, A
man don't git so good ut he axes Tho
Almighty to bless the devil-or tn,
rattler In the luurels, or the copper
head at waits Qnder Il bush fo' tn,
passln' o. some bare-legged child"
Dale WINGED, but Mureland dldn'
notice It. Dale let his hand fan frou
the others shoulder MOrelund ,begOl
to speak again;
81 didn't tell We afore, Bin Dale. NJ
brother David, he was the hope o. hi
people. lie was bettcr'n the rest o
us. The one big aim o his life wa
to educate us all, the bcnighted. Ne,
we're bcnighted, and we know II. II
meant to do 1t with the coal he
founl. As I've done told ye we ain
never had the heart to sell the con
| hope ven have fine rest Bil
Dale, amt a-goin TO call ye Mister
no more, Bin Dalep
, "Dontm smlingly said the youngC
, man. "'Bn Dale is right, y'knov
Goodnight, John Morelandp -
Dale removed his shoes and cute
clothing, blew out the light, and wer
, to bed In the best rooms hand.carve
4 black walnut fourposter.
For long time he lay there awak
/, and stared through little window +
ward Il bright star that burned like
beacon fire about the plne-frlngc
n crest Of David MorelOnd's mountai
He believed he understood now wi
his father had turned greenish grr