THE
TANGLED
WEB
By Elhel Watts-Mumtord Grant cf$
Authot cl "Dupa." "Wliilewuh," Elc. jj
Copyrisht, 1903, by Beni. B. Hunpton ego
CHAPTER XIII.
The nurse rose as Wendham en
tered the room, and raised the win
dow shade. Tbe light illumined the
face on the pillow. She looked like
a tortured child, Infinitely pathetic
and innocent.
"Has she been restless?" ho asked,
as he bent over her.
The nurse nodded. "Yes, some
what. She has persistent delusions.
The trouble seems to have taken
deep root In her mind. But the
wound is in good condition."
Nellie Gaynor stirred uneasily.
There was a painful Rttempt to turn
the wounded neck. At the sound of
Wendham's voice she half opened
her eyes. She spoke thickly and
with effort, trying to raise her hand
to the bandages about her throat.
"Oh, my dear, my dearl you have
found It out. I'd rather have died."
In spite of his self-control the doc
tor flushed crimson, hardly daring
to raise his eyes to the calm face of
the nurse.
"She has been repeating some
thing of that sort at Intervals," the
woman said, as she smoothed the
pillow. "Here's the chart." The
matter-of-iact tone and the sys
tematic and familiar paper helped
him to regain his mental poise.
"H'm! Bad temperature. We
have our work laid out for us. Get
a drop or two of this down her
throat, if you can. The swelling
will soon prevent her swallowing or
speaking, poor woman. Now go He
down for a while. Miss Tredlay.
You'll have to be up all night."
"Thank you, doctor," she said,
and left the room.
As the door closed Wendham tools
hold of Nellie's slender fingers,
gently caressing them. Sho turned
toward him with n movement so
slight that It harc'l" disturbed the
folds of her pillow yet it suggested
Immeasurable relief and confidence.
His soothing touch sought her heat
ed brow, while he repeated over and
over such assurances as a mother
gives her child frightened by the
imaginary terrors of the night.
Something of the peace and reliance
that the comforted child knows in
that crooning protection descended
not only upon her, but upon his own
troubled soul.
The hours wore on. Outside the
storm raged, venting Its fury upon
wooded hills and open plain with a
passion of destruction. Darkness,
wind-swept, and sound-tortured,
came early. By four o'clock the room
was dark. Wendham lighted the
green-shaded lamp, and drew the
curtains at the window.
Nellie was sleeping gently, appar- (
ently without pain; her pulse beating
regularly. Only the swollen Hps
and fluttering eyelids gave sign that
fever still held sway. A gentle
knock anounced Adele. She entered,
her eyes fixed upon his face with
agonized questioning.
"She is doing very well indeed,"
he said. "We have every hope, we
must " He broke off abruptly.
They stood, facing each other. It
came again a knock, light, but in
sistent, at the window. What could
it mean? There! this time rapid, yet
discreetly softened as by one solicit
ing attention and secrecy.
A thrill of superstitious fear smote
at his heart. But the next instant
he had drawn back the curtains,
raised the shade, and was looking
out into the night.
"What is It?" gasped Adele's
voice close beside him.
All was still for a moment. He
strained his sight, shading his face
with his hands the better tp pene
trate the shadows without. For a
moment the wind lulled to a sigh,
but the next a sharp squall tors
screaming by. A line like a whip
lash snapped against the window
pane a streamer of ivy torn from
its hold, beating with subdued insist
ence. "The vines," he said in quiet ex
planation to the girl beside him. His
own words aroused him. "The
vines!" And what of might nut
thiB tempest relentlessly reveal
everything? There was no time to
e lost. "Stay here. Adele," he or
dered. "Miss Tredlay will be back
presently. I sent her to rest. Mrs.
Gaynor has been asking about her
little pillow no I'm going up. I'll
get It and send it down by one of the
maids."
Adele settled herself near the bed,
and Wendham hurried from the
room. He paused before Mrs. Gay
nor's door in the guest wing. The
corridor was empty. Not a sound
eavo the howling of the wind and
the thrash of rain. Quickly opening
'the door, he found himself in the de
serted room. The window showed
opposite as a pale square. He crossed
hastily and raised the sash. In
stantly the warring elements enter
ed, the curtains bellied inward, Tbe
flutter of flying papers and the click
and rustle or striking objects Bound
ed loud in his ears. He must be
quick.
He leaned far out, feeling along
the face of the wall. Far down as
his hand would reach his fingers
found a nail beneath tho whispering
leaves. A wire hung from it, but no
weight held It taut. He raised it. It
was loose for about four feet, and
Its end was doubled and curled as if
untied. The bag was not there. A
gasp escaped him. Feverishly he
felt among the vines for another nail
and wire. His hand grasped two,
but they were too far away from the
window to have been reached by
Adele, and they were so firmly fast
ened below that they were evidently
the "trainers" that the gardeners
had laid for the growing tendrils.'
A sound reached his ears, like tho
regular thump and splash of a can
tering horse upon tho drive. He
made out an approaching bulk. A
moment later the lights by the en
trance shone upon two figures
streaming and steaming before tho
porch a horse, thoroughbred and
spattered Raddle-high with mud, and
his rider, stalwart man, a soaked
hunting cap drawn over his eyes, and
a slicker covering him to tho tops
of his puttees. Wendham drew back.
"I'll ride over and leave the nag
with Billings," he heard Stacy's
voice tell the butler. "I'm all right.
I'll walk over. Ask Mr. Evelyn if
he'll be so good as to lend me some
eld hunting puttees the rest of me's
dry."
Man and horse disappeared from
the misty circle of light before the
door and were lost in the darkness.
Wendham closed the window. His
mind was in a whirl of speculation.
One thing was certain, he must make
Instant search at the foot of the
vines. Perhaps the bas hac not been
securely tied. It might have drop
ped below. He scratched a match,
snatched up that which was the ex
cuse of his visit, and hastening down
once more, delivered It into Adele's
hands. In the hanging closet be
neath the stairs he found a mackin
tosh. He threw it over his shoulders,
and, .unobserved, made his way into
the tempestuous night, under the
windows of Mrs. Gaynor's former
room, and with eager haste felt the
rain-soaked earth. The bag was not
there. For ten feet to left and right
ho explored the ground. He ran
his arms and hands into the dripping
foliage. In hope that the object of
his search had caught upon some
projection in its fall His efforts
were fruitless.
In despair he re-entered the house,
cast aside his sodden" outer garment,
and threw himself down upon the
sitting-room lounge to fathom this
new and menacing mvsterv.
Alice bounded down tne stairs
two steps at a time. As she would
have put It herself, she was "gotten
up legardless," meaning her black
velvet concession to evening customs,
and her grandfather's diamond pin
In the soft folds of her stock.
"Joe Str.cy." she exclaimed, "you
are a brick; but I had no idea I was
letting you In for a Walpurgis night
when I called you up You must be
cold as Greenland's icy mountains.
Como, have a ball."
"Thank you, Alice; you're a good
guesser." The young man smiled
delightedly at his companion. He
was small and trim as a jockey, but
bror.d of shoulder and Iron In mus
cle. His square countenance was
dark with tan, in which blue-gray
eyes shono in pale contrast. Well
groomed blond hair and a tawny,
close-clipped mustache, intensified
his personification of "neatness and
dispatch." Everyono swore by Joe
Stacy If he did have to earn his liv
ing by his very capable management
of the Laughton estates. But no one
did this as frequently and fervently
as the tomboy beside him.
"There you are, old man," she
said, as, standing before the laden
sideboard, she ministered to his
wants. "Here, take one of Charlie's
private-stock cigarettes." She offered
him the square silver box, and pre
sented the matches. "Now, come, I
want to talk to you. You don't sup
pose I dragged you out like this just
for greens, when I know yru are as
busy as a terrier in a rat hole?"
"No, I didn't think you did, and
I've had softening of the brain try
ing to guess why. You've all become
so spectacular over here that any
thing is possible. Has that blond
Easter Chicken accused you of her
troubles?"
"No; and besides," Alice laughed,
"Charlie has found out her real name
it's 'Skirling Harpie.' He got that
off all by himself. You can imag
ine what pressure he was under. Let's
go to the gun room; the fire is lit
there, and nobody will be down for
an hour. By the way, I told Charlie
I wanted your advice about Tiddledy
wlnks' shoulder, and the news from
the stable; so give mo a line of pony
flip at table. Now, listen. Take that
chair: it's comfortable. First of all.
I don't need to say that you're tbe
only person in the world I'd trust
with this. I didn't call you in be
cause you happened to be the nearest
doctor."
"Good girl," said Stacy. "I'm
vn ii r man Friday. Out TV 1 1 il "
CHAPTER XIV.
Alice suddenly fell silent, leaning
forward, elbow on knee, and chin
in hand.
"And?" Stacy suggested.
"One of Patty'B macaws, that rain
bow live theater hat, by the door
yonder, got away this morning. I'd
been watching them doing turns on
their rings. They really are most
picturesque gymnasts. Then Mr, Jo
peph's font t'-rr'- t'-p chnln on Vs
foot, and, whoop la! out of the door,
which had been standlns ODen to let
me BinuKe out 01 tne nan. ui course,
T flew out, and a great chase we made
of It. Snap-shotted by tho reporters
In full cry. One of the gardeners
saw us, dropped his rake, and joined
the hunt. That wretched bird set us
some stiff country, too. I don't care
for hurdling on my own legs, and as
for brush work the gardener and I
burrowed Into hedges and rose
bushes, and every time wo thought
we had the beast, off he'd go again.
At last he flopped up against tho
house and hung for dear life to tho
ivy, right under Nellie Gaynor's
window the end window in the
guest wing. I coaxed and threw
pebbles at It, but there It hung, its
feet had become entangled, and we
couldn't reach it nor dislodge it. So
the gardener went for a ladder. We
put it up and I offered to go up, be
cause the silly cuss bird Is used to
me, though you wouldn't have no
ticed it to see it give mo the chase.
The gardener wasn't keen to get his
fingers nipped. So 'ladles first' and
up I go. The feather duster
squawked and struggled, but couldn't
get loose. I got hold of it with one
hand and started to dislodge his
claws with tho other, when I nearly
lost my balance and fell off. There,
right under my hand, tied to a wire,
hung a flat red leather bag. My pet
had given it a first-class clawing. I
saw Just one thing Mrs. Lawdon's
ruby pendant. I gave a yowl In
spite of myself.
" 'Did he bite you?' the gardener
asked me. Lucky he did, for It saved
me from making a prize blunder.
"Yes," I said. "Go to Lizzie or
somebody and bring me a couple of
pieces of sugar and a towel to cover
his head. He can't get loore. His
foot Is caught."
"Gardener went off on a run, and
In a jiffy I had that bag stuffed In
side my shirtwaist. I tugged the
wire and found It was fastened to a
nail within Teaching distance of 'the
window. The man came back and
I caught my bird In the towel, and
handed It down to him. I knew that
would keep him busy. He'd never
notice even though I bulged liko a
pouter pigeon If ho had the macaw.
He was as afraid of It as of dyna
mite. I kept behind him. and rang
for the butler when we reached the
hall. I started for the stairs and
called over to anchor the theater hat.
to Its ring. Jove! when I reached
my room, I was sick, Joe, like a kid
dy at her first jump. I locked my
self In and looked at the find. It's
all there. I've got them now, hid
den up the chimney, and I'm so
afraid some one will happen on them
that I'm green."
"Why don't you give them to Cass,
or the I.awdon?" Stacy interrupted.
"Because," said Alice slowly,
"there isn't any doubt In my mind,
nor would there be in his or hers, as
to who took them. And I want to
get that stuff back so nobody can
guess who was responsible."
"The maid?"
Alice gave him a queer look.
"Have you heard what happened
this morning?' He shook his head.
"Mrs. Gaynor shot herself by er
accident."
"What!"
"Here in the gun room; right
thero behind you, in fact, with Cass's
revolver from the top of that rack."
Stacy turned with a start as If ho
expected to see the tragedy Instant
ly re-enacted.
"She developed brain fever."
"I'd heard that," he said quickly.
"Yes, but she was sane then. I
saw her. I was 'way down the line
there; Cass was over In the drawing
room. I saw her run across the room,
hesitate, and turn in here. She
looked in there," she jerked an Indi
cative thumb over her shoulder,
"threw up her hands, and and then
bingo! It's a miracle sho didn't
succeed."
"But what made her? Who was
in tho den?"
"Wendham and Adele. He'd
brought the girl down to explain the
mechanism of some apparatus he
wanted her to use on Nellie. That's
what Lizzie told me. She was left
to watch Mrs. Gaynor when they
went; only Patty rang. So off she
goes, and Nellie has a flash of intui
tion, and gets out "
"But what the deuce are you driv
ing at?" Stacy looked the girl
straight in the eyes, Sho met his
gaze keenly,
"Nellie thought Wendham was get.
ting the truth out of Adele, that's
what; and she thought the game was
up."
"Good heavens! you don't bellete
that! Why "
"Yes, I do. It's been one thing
and another thing, and two and two
till I can't help It. It's Just up to
this. Nellie, sweet old Nellie yes,
and I love her better than a sister.
But I don't believe the races is where
she's got the money she's scattered
around these last few vear."
"Alice," he said slowly, "you're
either a genius or a "
"I'm neither, thank you," she in
terrupted. "But how in the world
can I get it back to the Lawdon and
incriminate no one? Suppose It's
'mysteriously returned In the house
To tho day of our deaths every one
of us will bo suspected. It's got to
come from tho outside, and some
body's got to take it out "
"And that person's yours truly, I
suppose." Stacy finished her sen
tence. "Bo a brick," she begged. "I've
busted my head to think it out. Per
haps you can plan better."
Stacy was silent. "Do you think
Wendham knows?" he asked at
lifth.
. mi.c Hhool; Her head, "No, or elee
lie u an cctor In a million. Besldfa,
! la m love with tier. You couldu't
i.-onvlnre him with a moat ax. If she
lives noor lamb and she'll have
him. he'll marry her. What? Did
you think I'd go to him with ray
find? Not much!"
"How tho devil will you get the
things to mo?"
"You've got to do the rest,' sho
said seriously. "The burden Is on
you now. tannic goodness!" She
made n gesture of lavish bestowal.
"You're very good." He bowed.
"I wish I could take all of your
burdens, Alice. It's a bore I'm such
a non-eligible, isn't It?"
"You bet.'" she ugrced cordially,
"but I'm noi exactly a pauper, you
know."
"Walt a bit. If Alvord "
"I wouldn't be half bad In the
horse business myself," she ven
tured. "That's it I havo It!" he ex
claimed cheerfully. "The ponies
will save us all yet. 6ee if they
don't. I'm to look your Ge over.
You said 'hat's what you told Cass,
Isn't It? Well, when you do, It will
be just before I start see? Give
me the stuff. It will be a cold day
If we can't find a good excuse to keep
the grooms busy. I've got my slick
er; you put on a what-you-may-call-um-cape
transfer and may God
have mercy upon my soul!"
"There, I knew lt'd be all right if
I got you into it." She smiled calm
ly. "You're a great comfort, Stacy.
I feel already as If I didn't have jew
el, to burn In my flroplace."
"Who's to find the er swag?"
asked Stacy dreamily, after a mo
ment's pause.
"How in the world should I know?
I'm not the soventh daughter of a
sovonth daughtor."
Stacy turned clear and laughing
eyes "non her. "My dear, kind.
Christian friend, you don't Intend to
let Provy look after the whole mat
ter, do you? What's to prevent some
vagabond or other happening upon
the spoil, if you casually drop it; or
suppose it falls Into the hands of a
detective, aud he thinks no one
knows and the thief doesn't dare
make a roar? What's tho few thou
sands of reward against the whole
cheese? Don't you see that some
one vitally interested must know,
must be advised that the 'Skirling
Harple's' decorations are on the re
bound?" "That's a fact," exclaimed Alice,
"and we can't write a thing, enn
we?"
"We can cut words from a news
paper and paste them, and produce
a perfectly non-committal communi
cation." (To he continued. 1
Pantacjruclllc Feast.
Pantagfuel'lc feasting up to data.
At Szeged in Hungary, there has core
to a close a triple wedding feast on
a scale of Pantagruelllc profusion,
rare even for that country of mediae
val survivals. Three brothers were
married together, and the festivities
lasted eight d-.ys. Seven hundred
guests assembled, and at the first
day's feast there wero served two
oxen, two calves, IS lambs, 130 head
of poultry, 200 dishes of pigs' feet and
ears in jolly, and SO enormous cakes.
When the first dance, a czardas, was
called, 200 couples stood up. Feast
ing In this way, with singing and
dancing, continued dally, and during
the whole of this time music never
ceased day or night, quite a number
of bands taking successive turns. But
tho company could hardly face the
music. When the eighth day closed,
only a dozen young folks remained
to take leave of their hosts. London
Globe.
Not What He Wanted.
Brigadier-General E. J. Stuart Wort
ley, of the King's army, speaking at
.he mayor's banquet at Folkestone.
England, said that many of the unem
ployed did not desire to be employed
One day, on his estate In Hampshire
a man asked him for work. He said.
"Yes; go to my bailiff, and he will give
you a spade, and I will pay you six
teen shillings a week."
"Thank God!" said the man. "I can
not tell you how much obliged I am."
The man then disappeared, and in
two weeks' time ho observed written
on his gate the following words:
"Do not apply for work here, be
cause you will get it."
No Hope.
Miss Irene Gillicudd:- of Millvlllo,
Miss., writes: "I have a gentleman
friend who has . een keeping com
pany with me all this year, but who
has never innicated or intimated that
he wishes to be considered other than
a friend of mine. I am 19 years old,
with ruby lips, roe-plnk cheeks,
golden hair, azure eyes and a cantle
disposition. Do you think I should
hang up some mistletoe and acci
dentally stand X eath it while he is
around, Just to encourage him?"
Irene, If a young man needs the en
couragement of mistletoe under the
circumstances, there Is no hope for
him.
Weight of Air.
Thero is no uniform weight for
air. For instance, say the weight
of a cubic foot of air at sea level Is
1,700 grains, tho pressure removed,
say, by its elevation to an altitude of
10,000 feet, its weight would be
about the half of 1,700 grains. In
other words, tho cubic foot, at ten
or twelve thousand feet above the
sea, would expand to two cubic feet,
each of about 850 grains weigh.
Loafers at tho Pool Table.
The bos-t pool players In any town
are generally the young fellows who ,
never bang onto one Job very long i
Bt a time. . I
DEER HUNTING BY RAIL
Animals Killed by Trains and Engl
' neers Stop Buying Beef and
Are Eating Venison.
Washington, N. J. Deer are so
numerous in Warren county that they
are being killed by railroad trains as
they cross the tracks. Such killings
havo become so common recently that
engineers, especially those employed
on the Lackawanna Railroad, have
ceased buying beef and aro feeding
their families on venison. One of the
first questions the housewife asks her
engineer husband nowadays when he
returns home from his run Is how
many deer he killed on tho trip.
Tho animals, which are so keen In
fleeing from ordinary foes, seem to be
paralyzed with .fright when they see
trains bearing down on them. One
was caught between a Lackawanna
train and a steop bank yesterday. In
stead of leaping up the bank It did Its
utmost to boat the locomotive with
the track for a race-course, with the
result that It was struck, hurled and
injured so badly It was killed to put
It out of Its agony. Another deer
rushed down the mountain side to tho
tracks day before yesterday and tried
issues with the locomotive. It, too,
was injured mortally. The game
wardens assert that unless the slaugh
ter ceases all the engineers will be
compelled to take out hunter's licenses
and also take their chances In prose
cution for killing deer out of season.
NEW "PANTALOON GOWN."
Newest Feminine Creation Parts
Above Knees, Revealing Trousers.
New York City. "Pantaloon
gowns" are now seen in Fifth avenuo
and Broadway and the new thriller In
feminine wearing apparel sets the Dl
rectolre gown upon a pedestal of
modesty.
It is made of light olive chiffon
broadcloth, with a train fifty-six inches
In length, trimmed with French cord
embroidery, embroidered ecru Chan
tllly lace and black satin. Twelve
dozen self colored buttons are used.
It has tho Dlrectolre back, long effect,
Louis XIV. front nnd bolero shape.
Seven yards of cloth compose the
whole dress.
But that Is not the point. When
the wearer stands still It resembles an
ordinary, pretty costume. The mo
ment she moves It Is quite different.
What has seemed a skirt parts just
The Pantaloon Costume,
above the knees nnd regular trousers
come into view. Trousers just trous
ers. They make no pretence of being
anything else.
They measure thirty-six inches
around tho bottom and reach to the
shoe soles. A seam that goes up
tho front of the skirt from the knees
to the waist gives an all pantaloon
appearance to the front of the gar
ment. No underskirts can be worn with
this costume and the lingerie bills of
those who adopt it will be a negligible
quantity.
LYING DUE TO MENTAL LAZINESS
W. H, P. Faunce, President of Brown,
Explains Suspension of Students.
Providence, R. I. "Intellectual slo
venliness" Is the greatest cause of
falsehood in this country, in the opin
ion of President W. H. P. Faunce of
Brown University. When nine stu
dents at the university were suspend
ed tor "cribbing," the president com
mented on the affair in these words:
"The great source of untruth In
American life Is not deliberate resolve
to He. No man consciously chooses
falsehood as his mode of success. The
real source of the evil is Intellectual
slovenliness, unwillingness to buckle
down to hnrd work and willingness to
take shelter in the first and easiest
refuge that offers."
UATTLE WITH SIX EAGLES.
Virginia Lumber Dealer Attacked In
Woods and Nearly Overcome.
Norfolk, Va. J. L, Durnell, a lum
ber dealer of this city, while looking
over some timber land on Sand Hills
plantation in Princess Anne county
had to fight for his life with six
eagles.
The great birds swooped down on
him, and falling Into a hole he was
momentarily helpless. With their
talons and beaks scratching his flesh
and tearing his clothing he regained
his feet and fought them with a big
stlcl: for SCO yard3 before gaining
shelter. He was then almost helpless
and wltnout. protection soon would j
have bepn overcome hv tho oaelfts.
fill fiWk
i
ifiort jgtermmtAS
For a
Theme:
THE ROCK OF AGES
4. 4. 4.
By Rev. John White Chadwlck
Text: "And the rain descended, and
the floods came, and -the winds blew,
and beat upon that house; and It fell
not: for It was founded upon a rock."
Matthew vll., 25.
4. 4. 4.
Because all men are much wiser
than the individual, because our great
social generalizations concerning
property and inariage, concerning
duty, Immortality and God, aro part
and parcel of the Rock of Ages, are
the deposits of unnumbered genera
tions of co-operating thought, of
countless individual minds working in
a social medium, it behooves the
modern thinker to hasten slowly when
he would wipe out all theso generaliza
tions, as if they were a milkman's
score, and make a brand new start:
Here is no plea for slavish acquies
cence in a traditional belief, but here
is solemn warning to respect and
not too rashly set aside those institu
tions and opinions which are tho nat
urally selected products of a course
of evolution which began five hundred
thousand years ago, and has perhaps
as long a time to continue. Nay, but
why suggest a limit to the process,
either way? Let us follow the Old
Testament Rock. Tho craving for tho
supernatural resents the naturalizing,
humanizing processes of evolutionary
thought, aB If they were atheistic, as
if they eliminated God. But what they
do In sober fact Is to recognize him
and declare him in all times and
things and places, and not merely hero
or thero In an irrational and arbitrary
isolation. More surely than tho rock
ribbed earth came from the sun's per
fervid, nebulous mass, so surely as
the earth's alluvial mantle Is woven
from tho crystalline stuff of the prime
val hills and studded with their gems,
the process of man's social evolution
Is a thing of God, the product of his
mighty heart, close-woven of tho stuff
wherewith ho covers himself as with
a garment. Nor Is tho story told when
we have carried back the process by
as many vast removes from the man
to tho ascldlan, from the ascidian to
the lifeless earth condensing Its
steaming vapors into floods and riv
ers whereunto the Mississippi and tho
Amazon are purling streams. No; but
every Instant of the process carries
with it the life and spirit, purpose, en
ergy, and inspiration of the ever-present,
all surrounding, and upholding
God In whom we live and move 'and
have our being. Surely, our house of '
life is builded on the Everlasting
Rock; nnd the rain may fall, and tho
floods come, and tho winds beat upon
this house, and it will not fall becauso
Its foundations are imbedded in tho
impregnable reality of things.
What is more wonderful than tho
atomic structure of tho earth and
stars, so many millions of atoms In
the smallest space on which tho most
powerful microscope can seize, nor
one of them (If we may trust some of
the loftier recent speculations) with
out Its Individual life? I will tell you
what is much more wonderful than
this. It is tho atomic structure of that
Rock of Ages, that social accumula
tion capitalized for the joy and peaco
and blessing of the generations over
surging up from the great central
deep. If wo could see what that la
made of. It would be a sight as much
more wonderful than the dance of
atoms, as the dance of atoms Is more
wonderful than that of midgets In tho
summer's quiet air. What countless
struggles, failures, and successes,
failures that look like successes often,
and successes that look like failures!
What duties done, though hard, what
sorrows sweetly borne, what search
ing for the truth, what loyalty to It
as far as known, what grand dissatis
factions with things as they are, what
resolute endeavors for the things that
ought to be, what tears and laughter,
and whnt peaceful joy of faithful wed
ded hearts nay, but the catalogue so
lengthens out as to defy our speech!
And here I bring my sermon homo to
every private heart. This surely must
go unsaid, that the Rock of Ages con
sidered as the social fund of human
experience, massed In the present so
cial order, Is much more the product
of innumerable, infinitesimal fidell
ties than of isolated genius making
here and thero its splendid contribu
tion to the good of life. Innumerable
the Increments by whoso strength we
live and In whose virtue we rejoice.
And who is there of us that cannot
think some thought, or do some work,
or ease some burdened heart, and so
make the Rock of Ages such a foun
dation that men may build upon it
with a sweeter confidence than here
tofore, and find Its ragged crevices
abloom with tenderer and more love
ly flowers, their beauty breathing
balm for spirits wounded grievously
In life's hard tray?
I found It difficult the other night to
cross a muddy street because of the
deep shadow cast by my own body,
which stood between the electric light
and tho walk over which I was cross
ing. Not a little of the time, I fear,
do we stand in our own spiritual light,
making our own pathway black with
ugly shadows cast by our own per
sonality, while tho light flashes all
around us. If you would avoid tho
shadows, walk toward the electrlo
light In the heavens and let Its bea:r
!all In your face. George L. Perln.