THE HESPERIAN 6
where he could watch the door, and to wait "Y'u see wo hain't got no lino furn'ture
for the miniBtor to come out. Ilnd llot lnuch of it noitlloPi 8aid Lijh
Ho waited an hour saying to himself now thoy stopped within the door. "Middle un
and then, "If he's out, he'll come hack kin y'u git up and lot tho gentleman have
pretty soon; and if he's in, before long he'll tho box? Take tho box yondor, mister, and
como out. So I'll jost wait for him. lot mo havo yor hat." Tho minister reluct-
About nine o'clock he saw tho minister autly seated himsolf on tho soap box, saying
como out of tho hotel, and start toward him. to himsolf as his oyo took in tho room:
Ho pulled out his knife and began to whittle. "Kind o' cross, and 'poars like sho's sot
"I'm sottin' a little to one sido" said agin r'ligion." Tho "middle un" joined
Lish to himself, "but I guess he'll see mo." hor mother and sisters who woro squatted in
Tho preacher drew closer and closor, and a corner upon a heap of bod clothing, noatly
was now about to pass. "May bo ho don't covered with tho best quilt. Lish found a
know mo" thought Lish, preparing to speak, seat near the wall upon the floor, saying as
"boin' as he only saw me at night." He ho did so: "My back's hurtin' of mo, guess
hesitated, looked at his dilapidated shoes I'll sot down whore I. kin loan agin some
and his rusty clothes and kept still. th'n."
But at that moment the preacher looked "This is Mrs. Beadle, I believe," said the
around and saw Lish. Ho stopped and minister presently . "I met Mr. Beadle last
looked at him a minute, then walking up to night, and 1 asked him if I might call. J
where he stood said: "Are you Mr. Beadle hope you will not think I am intruding ?"
whom I met at the church last night?" "J "0 no sir," was the reply. "Yor welcome
bo," said Lish. "I looked for you and to como, only wo ain't fixed up for company,
your wife till nine o'clock," continued the I s'poso Lish told y'u 'bout that," she added
minister, "and I was wondering as I came looking over to where Lish sat, braced
out of tho hotel why you had not come." against the wall. "Yes, I told him 'bout
"Well, my wife's kind o' touchy 'bout hor tho furn'ture," answored hor husband, "but
clothes and thought thoy might'nt look jest
right in a hotel," answered Lish. "Per
haps your wife would not object this morn
ing if I were to call on her. I would be
ho 'lowed as how he didn't mind, so I
fetched him along."
"Mrs. Beadle," presently began the min
ister, "last night your husband was thinking
very glad to go with you at once, if you of becoming a Christian man. I thought
like," said the minister. "Well, it ain't that perhaps you would liko to give your
very nico lookin' down there; but if you kin heart to Christ at tho same time. It is well
stand it I reckon we kin," replied Lish, and for a wife and husband to take the step to
added: "We're livin' down this way, gether. It is hard for one to make the start
mister." alone. I suppose you have thought of ac
"Guess they ain't quite ready fer us yit" cepting Christ as your savior, havo you not?"
remarked Lish, as he caught sight of a cloud "Yes; Lish told me two years ago as how
of dust issuing from the door of tho shanty, we'd have to answer fer the way we was
"If y'u don't mind y'u kin sit on that chunk bringin' up the children, ana 'lowoa umi wo
vonder " he said oointimr to tho block of ortor be Christians," replied Mrs. Beadle,
yondor," ho said pointing
wood from which his wife had hacked the
fuel the night before.
"Mam says yer kin como in now," called
a voice from around tho corner of the
shanty. "All right, middle un," answered
Lish, "tell yer mam we're comin'. Guess
we'll go in, mister,"
and continued: "My mother and father was
good Christians, and they brung mo up to
go to church. But we ain't alius lived
whore there was churchos and since we've
been hero wo ain't looked lit to go to moot
in'; and there ain't boon nary a minister in
this house since we've lived in it. Seoms