The Marietta journal. (Marietta, Ga.) 1918-1944, 1922-11-23

do you?''
There was just brief moment of hesitation, with
speculative glance that took in the travelling man
from head to foot sample case and all. Then the
bankers answer in slow spoken word
that carried with it peculiar emphasis:
''Yes!"
The last seen of the dapper New Yorker he was
boarding an Atlanta bound with vindctive
backward glance at the bank from which he had
just emerged.
certain prominent business man Of Marietta is
pretty hard to stump when Bible quotation is in
question. He was not always so familiar with the
Scripture and tells the following story, which, in
some measure accounts for his present knowledge.
''When | was a whole lot younger than am now
and single sold goods on the road was counting
the girl who later became my wife, who lived In one
of the little towns on my route. [ made this town
as often as possible More often than necessary,
perhaps; but, of course, you understand how 1t was.
Ny headquarters were in another town some dis
tance away, where | maintained room IN private
home. For good reason, best known to her
self the girl of my dreams kept me on the anxious
seat over longer period of time than care to re
cali | was getting desperate; something had to be
done | couldn't get my mind on my work; sales
were falling off; nights were sleepless days were
flat stale and improbable. Of course, you know
how it
''Whie in this harassed mental condition, just
simply made up my mind that | would abandon the
trip was on go over to the town in which she lived
and get final yes, or no. I went alright, and
put the question squarely up to her, begging that
the answer might be favorable
with look that an indulgent mother might
give a spoiled child she said:
''' Go on back to your work and will write you
your answer within the next two weeks J"
Those were the two longest weeks of my life
dldn go back to work, but instead [ went home
I i1,c+, NH
excuse | made to my firm for not being on the lob
but, ii they had only knowp the real one | am sure
they would have found it easier to accept than the
one gave. Finally the letter came | knew bv the,
handwriting ON the envelope and the post-mark
that 1t was the letter that held my fate. You can
imagine for yourself how eagerly yet with what
fear / opened it. And this is what it said:
- You II find my answer in the Book of Ruth
first chapter, sixteenth and seventeenth verses
Not another word did the letter contain
stood there with 1t in my hand trying with all nv
might to recall something favorable from the Book
OF Ruth. III have to confess that my knowledge
tof the Bible as whole so limited at that time
| couldn't think of a thing that would give me anv
encouragement. On the contrary, all that l could
remember just then, of any portion of the Bible was
a few fragments from my earlier Sunday school
days such as Depart We into everlasting punish
ment', and You have been weighed in the balance
and found wanting
II sklrmished the business houses close around
Tor copy of the Bible but cOudnt find one Then
home went and asked my landlady if she could OBJ
llge me with the loan of her Bible for few minutes
winch she did. Grasping the precious volume tight
~ IN my hand | sought the secluson of my room
It's laughaDle now, but at that particular time If
was right pathetic For the life of me couldn +
> lind the Book of Ruth | turned that Bible upside
down and inside out, but there was no Ruth in if
that could see. In desperation, sought nv land
Lady again and asked her if she would be kind
enough to find the Book of Ruth for me- 1t didn It
take her but minute. l grabbed the book and back
to my room | went Of course, you know what the
answer was-the sweetest verse the Bible contains
At least, I've always thought so since
Right there and then | resolved to become bet
ter acquainted with this wonderful book and with
the help and encouragement of that dear girl who
told me in such unique way that Whittier thou
goest, | will go, | can sincerely say that | have
absorbed of it's beautiful truths than I ever
did before that memorable occasion when I couldn't
even locate the Book of Ruth
81 Peach county citizens refused an invitation to
a barbecue given by Houston and Macon counties
shortly after the general election but got together