Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-06-11
THE CHURCH WIN IN OVERSIGHT WHEEL
n Copyright. 1920, Doubleday,
4 D
~ ~ HI y AA 4 Syndicate
Continued From Page one.)

to convert the old mill into a church.
Lakelands was too poor to build one; and
the still poorer mountaineers could not
assist There was no place OF worship
nearer than twenty miles.
The miller altered the appearance of
the mill as little as possible. The big
overshot-wheel was left in its place.
| The young people who came to the
church used to cut their initials in its
soft and slowly decaying wood. The
mountain stream nppled unchecked
down it's rocky bed. Inside the mill the
changes were greater. The shafts and
miTlstones and belts and pulleys were, Of
course, all removed. There were two
rows of benches with aisles between, and
a little raised platform and pulpit at one
end. On three sides overhead was a
gallery containing seats, and reached by
a stairway inside There was also an
organ-a real pipe organ-in the gallery,
that was the pride Of the congregation
Of the Old Mill Church. Miss Phoebe
Summers was the organist. The Lake
lands boys proudly took turns at pump
ing 1t for her at each Sundays service.
| The Rev. Mr.. cambridge was the
preacher, and rode down from Squirrel
Gap on his old white horse without ever
missing a service. And Abrahm Strong
paid for everything. He paid the
preacher $500 year; and Miss Phoebe
5000
Thus, in memory of Aglaia, the. old
mill was converted into a blessing for
the community in which she had once
the child had brought about more good
than the three score years and ten OF
many. But Abram Strong set up yet
another monument to her memory.
out from his mills in the Northwest
came the "Aglaia" -four. made from the
hardest and finest wheat that could be
raised The country soon found out
that the "Aglaia' -four had two prices;
One was the highest market price and
the other was-nothing.
Wherever there happened a calamity
that left people destitute fire, a food
a tornado, a strike, or a famine there
would go hurrying a. generous consign,,
ment Of the "Aglaia" at it's nothing"
price. 1t was given away cautiously and
judiciously, but it was freely given, and
not a penny could the hungry ones Fay
for It. There got TO be saying that
whenever there was a disastrous IRE IN
the poor districts of q city the fire
chiefs buggy reached the scene first,
next the "Aglaia -four wagon and then
the fire engines.
So this was Abram Strong's other
monument to Aglaia. Perhaps to q poet
the theme may seem too utilitarian for
beauty but to some the fancy will seem
sweet and fine that the pure, white ylr-
gin -four flying on its mission Of love
ad charity might be likencd to the spirit
Of the lost child whose memory It sig
naliZed.
There came year that brought hard
times to the Cum berlands Grain crops
everywhere were light, and there We're
no local crops at all. Mountain floods
had done much damage to property.
Even game in the woods was so scarce
that the hunters brought hardly enough
home to keep their folk alive. Especially
about Lakelands WAS the rigor felt.
As soon as Abram Strong heard OF
this his messages dew; and the little
narrow gauge cars began to unload
ul
ders were to store the douT in the gal
erv OF the Old MIL Church and that
every one who attended the church was
TO carry home sack OF II.
Two weeks after that Abram Strong
came for his yearly visit TO the Eagle
House. and became Father Abram'
again.
That season the Eagle House had
fewer guests than usual Among them
was Rose Chester. Miss Chester came
to Lakelands from Atlanta, where she
worked in n department store. This was
the first vacation outing Of her life.
The wife Of the store manager had once
spent a summer at the Eagle House.
persuaded hrer to go there for her
three weeks holiday. The managers
wife gave her letter 70 Mrs. Rankin,
who gladly received her in her own
charge and care.
Miss Chester was not very strong She
was about 20. and pale and delicate from
an indoor life. But one week OF Lake
lands gave her a brightness and spirit
that changed her wonderfully The time
was early September, when the Cumber-
lands are at their greatest beauty. The
mountain foliage was growing brilliant
with autumnal cOlors; one br' thed aerial
champagne. the nights were delicousiy
cool causing one to snuggle costly under
the warm blankets Of the Eagle House.
Father Abram and Miss Chester became
great friends The old miller learned her
story from Mrs Rankin. and his Interest
went out quickly TO the slender, lonely
girl who was making he- own way IN
the world.
The mountain country was new to Miss
Chester. She had lived many yenrs IN
the warm. fat town OF Atlanta and the
grandeur and variety Of the Cumberlands