The Petal paper. [volume] (Petal, Miss.) 1953-19??, 1956-09-27

ed the ladders, and with solder and lead and
little instrument he fastened in place the lovely
brooding face of the Madonna, and the tender,
protecting arms lowering over the sleeping Child
whose face and limbs he also attached in place
"Now!" Kissed the artist vndictively 'Now l
have paid them back the world for its treatment
of me! Now all these Christian folks will have a
new idea. They will be furiousi They may even
feel disgraced Serves them right but at least they
will have a new idea. But shall be more famous
than they dreamed
So he went out into the twilight of Christmas
Eve. There the cheerful clinkle clinkle of
sleigh bells and the busting of many feet doing
the last minute things that always having to
be done Christmas Eve. There were men mer-
rly carrying home hobby horses and sleds and TOW
bureaus; there jolly little red-mittened chill
dren skipping by him with mysterious parcels and
their faces beamed with Christmas mysteries 4
have my secret too the artist thought, and went
into restaurant for bite to eat
Then when the time arrived for dedication of
the church, he slipped inconspicuously into back
pew, for unknown as yet to>the committee
And just as he had imagined, the entire congre-
cation was looking up at his window with startled
disappearing glances There was whispering
nudging occasionally angry gesture
Il am paying them back!" grunted the artist in
his soul And his soul shriveled with dismay at the
hate in his voice.
The beautiful dedication service continued as
it had been planned but when the last carol had
been sung and the benediction had been pro-
nounced, it very noticeable that groups of
persons clustered in the aisles and everybody
was looking toward the window.
'The face of the Madonna is certainly black"
everybody saying. "She looks exactly like
negro! Even the baby looks like negro! Where
is that artist anyhow? The original sketch was not
like this, certainly the glass factory would never
have let such error pass their inspection. Some
body has done us injuryl We cannot permit
such window in this significant church !. -.
Awful"
"Horrible'
not!"
Never"
The artist lurking behind pillar, chuckled
with glee. Paying you back all you fine white
Christians, you!" 'Al1 you superior, disagreeable
lordly beings, you! Paying you back for all the
years of insult you have heaped upon a poor negro
artist. Who knows but that the Chrst-child
dark-skinned, anyhow! Go on being upset about
it ;. nobody ever worried upsetting mel"
And his black face grew hard with hatred and
spite.
The mid -night chimes rang out on the Christ
air, but the congregation had left the church
with anything but good will for men in their
hearts News of the married window telephon-
ed all over town. and although the services on
early Christmas morning were generally attended
by only few faithful souls, this year the capacity
of the building was taxed. For everybody had
come to see for himself and herself that black
Madonna.
Now is the time to tell you of the minister. For
he was very good man, and very just man, and
very gentle man. and he had lain awake all
night long wondering how he was ever going to
preach the sermon he had announced from the
text which was printed in that new famous win
dow "In Him was life, and the Life the Light
of man." He had intended to build his whole SER
mon around the window. He had intended to point
at the Christ-child and tell how the hopes of all
mankind had once clustered around the place
where the young child lay. But now, should he
point at the window? At that black Madonna and
Child? He could hardly eat any breakfast, and
seven o'clock found him walking into the dimly
lighted pulpit with miserable sinking in his
heart, as he saw the church packed with curious
gazing crowd Of people, whose eyes were turned,
of course, in one direction.
sThat settles it," said the minister to himself
planned. But, o Lord God, help me to find words
to say
Yet he really had not the least idea of what he
would say, even when at least he rose and an
nounced his text: I'm Him was life and the Life
was the Light of man." The congregation was
reading the very words in the glass of the win
dow and some of them were resenting such words
underl such picture, when suddenly the winter
sun came blazing forth that Christmas morning
with all the extra dazzle of snowy day. and its
beams came breaking through the stained glass
window A gasp of sheer surprise spread through
the church, for in that blaze of sunlight the Ma
donna's face was shining, pure as an angels and
the little Chrst-child was sheen of dazzling
glory IN Hir vas life repeated the minister,
pointing upward, land the life was the light of
men," And inspired by the miracle of the trans
figured black Madonna and Child, he preached a
sermon that marked milestone in the life OF
every person present.
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