Evening star., 1925-06-25

The minister spoke rapidly, anc
when he passed the year '63 without
alluding to Gettysburg, Riley drew
long breath: so long and loud that the
boys nearby thought he was awak
ing from sleep and giggled softly
From now on he listened with JOY sc
intense that 1t was almost painful
He forgot the mistaken views of his
family; he forgot the dimly-liShteC
stable; he listened as one able at last
to worship openly a divinity which he
had hitherto had to visit in secret
He leaned forward a little, and the
beauty of his old head and It's rap1
expression impressed even the un
thinking youths beside him.
But his rapture did not last; he was
suddenly plunged back into the pit
even into deeper pit. Said the young
preacher in his pleasant, earnest
voice:
I'VE cannot leave our contempla
ton of this great and beloved figure
without recalling that this is the 18TH
of November and that on another 18Th
of November he trod these streets
slept under a roof of this town, looked
upon our sky and our beautiful hills
He was not then recognized as hero
except by the far-seeing. He was
jeered at. Knocked. scorned despiseo
and rejected of many men. Even his
great words uttered here We're re
ceived by thousands with laughter
IT is said they gave him small horse
to ride and that he looked ridiculous
That incident has now mysterious
suggestiveness; often God makes the
wickedness of men to serve His pur'
noses. There was Another Who rode
a palm -strewn road on a small beast
to triumph beyond which waited
Goleotha."
Riley sank back into his chair, a
cold sweat upon him. He could not
believe that he had heard Alright, yet
every word was craven on. his mind.
A new aspect of his situation opened
If he had provided this parallel, then
the ghouls would be more than ever
on his track. Even the friendly
preacher, whom he loved, might try
TO develop further this interesting
idea,
He heard none of the brief conclu-
sion, and the procession out of the
church seemed interminable. He went
home. and in his house muttered as he
prepared his dinner. He could not
eat, and when there was a knock at
the door he started with terror.
Without stood the kindly minister.
Prof. Law and DIR. Tolman and
half dozen other men who remember
cemetery with me-wouldn't you like
to come, too?"
Riley hunted desperately for an ex-
cuse.
Some one is coming to see me-"
But the afternoon is so beautiful
9t's a pity not to be out of DOORS
Il wish l could go with you" said
Riley from his heart.
AS if to punish him for his lie, some
u, t.,, u,
there was another knock, this time
through the sidelight Miss Cant
stood waiting; she had still the aspect
of the rabbit who shifts cabbage. To
Riley she looked like one who believes
cabbage near at hand. He tiptoed
through the house, flew down the
boardwalk to the rear gate and fled
out Long lane toward the fields. His
anxious mind compared his crime now
to that of Booth, of Guiteau, of Czol-
gosz
Cutting through the Union battle
line where Gen. Lee had hoped to
penetrate, he went toward the south
east, avoiding monuments and mark
ers and Travelled roads.
Riley Travelled as though the
stranger and Miss Cant and the
preacher and all curious persons We're
pursuing him. His active imagination
pictured newspaper reports with large
headlines, headings of chapters in
books, ignominy forever But he
could say in defense that the substi-
tuted horse was quieter than the tall
black one he had disabled, that no
vicious purpose had been ill his mind
that he had only meant to play a
practical joke. He stopped once or
twice in order to think better and.