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Show THE DIXIE OWL going to the services. Oh, they could well go to the services! They were nearly all young and only in prison for a short time. He was the only one in for life. They had not been robbed of everything worth living for. Suddenly there seemed to creep over him a strange wistfulness. He wanted to be with the others. He wanted to see what they really did there. Painfully, he hobbled to the door, for his legs were stiff with age and cold. He watched thru the bars until the warden and a guard came down the hall. Then he spoke half wistfully, half defiant. Say I want to go to the meet-iMaybe itll be a little warmer there than it is in here. The warden opened his mouth n. astonishment. McDougel to attend the services! wanting Maybe the old fellow wasnt so in bad after all ! Well are you going to let me Came a short voice of the go ? old man. Sure if you are not figurin The warden and guard exchanged smiles. As if such an old man could excape But McDougel took it seriously and beating his fists against the bars, he cried out in trembling voice, What would I want to get away for? Where would I go? I haint got a home or a place on earth to go to Nobody on earth cares what becomes of me It was but the cry of an old man, but the wardens hand shook as he unlocked the door, and his voice trembled as he said to the guard, Go with him to the meetin Jim. So the old man went to the Christmas services. It all seemed so like a dream of years gone by. The walls were decorated with holly and the room was filled with people. Of course they were all convicts except the three women and two men who on escapin. ! ! ! had come to talk to them, but they were human beings and the old convict was glad to be with them. With wondering awe he listened to the music and the singing, but what sounded best to him was the story one of the young women told. It was the story of the Christ Child, of the three wise men and the star in the east. She told it to those hardened men as if they were little children. Then she told them that they must pray to have their sins forgiven them. Finally she taught them the Lord's prayer, making those convicts repeat it over and over until they had learned it off by heart. At last the services were over. Bewilderedly the old man returned to his cell. Over and over on his brain ran the words, Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For a long time he sat shivering on the edge of his cot, thinking over the story which the girl had told them. No, he would not pray. He did not believe there was a God to pray to. At last the clock struck nine, he climbed into his bed, but he did not sleep. He was thinking of the story of the Christ Child. The clock chimed out the hours of ten, then eleven, under his blankets, with his eyes staring into the night. Then almost unconsciously he crept out of bed and kneeled by the side of his cot. He seemed to be moving as one under a mystic spell. Slowly his wrinkled hands clasped together and the words came slowly and softly, Our Father which art in heaven hallowed be Thy name Thy kingdom on come Thy will be done is as done in heaven. earth it He was trembling and his old body shook with the cold but he went on, Give us this day cur daily bread forgive us our debts as we forgive our debters lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for Thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory for ever amen. His voice trailed off in a silence. Then suddenly through the night air broke forth the Christmas Chimes telling the world that Christmas day had come. The old man raised his hands toward heaven. His lips moved slowly, Oh, my Father take me unto Thy keeping. Take me to my Mary. Suddenly a light seemed to fill the room and the old man saw an angel standing before him. She carried in her arms a baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes. Tis Mary and the Christ Child he cried as he staggered to his feet. He stretched feebly out his arms. Oh take me with ! you ! The angel reached out her hand and said, Thy sins are forgiven thee. Come follow me! He looked wonderingly into her face, and he saw that it was the face of his own Mary. The next morning the warden came to the cell to awaken his prisoner for breakfast, but he found him in the sleep from which there is no awakening. The old man had gone to his Mary. Helen Moody. -- Muzlin makes a dog safe, while it makes a young lady more dangerous still, but in hot weather they both want muslin. |
