| Show A SHORT STORY TOLD ON CHRISTMAS DAY hello hartley when did you get home asked a slender well dressed gentleman of a young man with a stovepipe stove pipe hat last night and I 1 cant get home till tomorrow to morrow I 1 find on account of the trains I 1 did want to get there today to day for you know its christmas and my folks are expecting me too bad but never mind come and eat dinner with us my wife will be glad to see you just then a man with a light mustache grey eyes and an intelligent face came up to the two and said in surprise 11 why hartley when did you get home been away four years you yes over four years how on earth is it that I 1 find you here i in n are you up on a visit no indeed laughed the other whose bhame larne was russel 1 I am liv ipg here moved up two years ago I 1 I 1 you dont say well I 1 am sorry you have left us come down and see us hartley do 10 you go on to day no I 1 cannot I 1 am sorry to say come and have dinner with us then thanks fisher here has just asked me to eat my christmas turkey with him goodbye good bye then I 1 am in quite a rush it is busy times for us I 1 I 1 As russel turned away fisher said there goes a good man a consistent latter day saint did you know he was our bishops first counselor you dont say how is that well I 1 dont know unless its because he is worthy and the lord knew it come on home and ill have my wife tell you a little sto story about brother russel which I 1 think is not only a key to his own own success in life but a valuable lesson to all who wish to advance in this kingdom accordingly the two hurried to mr fishers house where they were welcomed by mrs fisher a and n d cheered edby by a good christmas dinner now margaret sit down and chat with us we met brother russel on the street and henry here was surprised to find him moved up to 40 and first counsellor to the bishop I 1 told him you would relate a little story about the matter that would perhaps interest him so go on well said the good ing the folds of her dress with her hands and slowly rocking back and forth as she talked I 1 once traveled between here and in a freight team we had no cars in those days in in company with a brother who was going on a mission he had been in the church for forty years but was a tame spirited shiftless poor old man and in my girlish way I 1 wondered why the lord did not reward his long services in this work with more prosperity and honor in the church we left home in the morning that noon I 1 got out my lunch box the old gentleman had somehow forgotten to provide himself with anything to eat during our long trip and when things were were ready I 1 called him to eat and of course bowed my head and waited for the blessing he blessed the food and we proceeded with our dinner at night I 1 again got the food ready he blessed it and we ate he then went off to his team I 1 said my prayers and went to bed in the wagon next morning our meal was conducted in the same way that day at noon however when I 1 bowed my head the old gentleman said testily I 1 have blessed everything in that grub box three times now and it is certainly as righteous as it will ever get 11 1 I looked up in utter amazement and just managed to say I 1 thought you blessed the food we were about to partake of I 1 well that included the whole lot I 1 guess 19 but finding my tongue in my half indignation you might as well take your sack of flour and quarter of beef and bless it all in one abne lump that one blessing lasting all winter well about my way of doing no use going through such things every day the lord is too far off to want to be bothered three or four times a day with our trivial requests I 1 was too young too surprised too angry to make any reply and ate my unblessed food in grim silence the remains of our meals aereal were always eaten without being blessed for I 1 was too young then to have the sense to do what I 1 should now turn to and bless it myself however I 1 said no more about the matter one night as we drew up to our stop pinar place we found a number of wagons already camped there with perhaps a dozen people running about and gaily rom romping pine it turned out to be a crowd of young married people with one or two lads the young wives having accompanied compa nied their husbands just for the fun of it and the eldest man of f the party was our friend russel who was then about twenty one years old his bride of four months being eighteen years old not being very intimate I 1 did not offer to join them but watched their actions with some interest As soon as their supper was ready all gathered round the food and young russel requested one of the boys to ask the blessing this was a surprise to me for I 1 knew they were freighters and I 1 knew also that such men were not usually very religiously inclined after supper there were the evening duties then more games laughter and jokes I 1 had crawled brawled into my wagon and was preparing to go to sleep when a sudden stillness from the crowd caused me to lift up my wagon cover and peer out what do you suppose I 1 saw all those young people were kneeling down in the deep dust at spring seats and around wagon wheels some one was praying to say I 1 was surprised would be a very mild way of expressing myself the next net morning I 1 watched them very closely ah well I 1 thought they are in the usual morning hurry hitching up cooking breake breakfast ast packing wagons etc and nobody will think of praying this morning As soon as the word was given and they gathered near young russel said as quietly and simply as though asking for a drink of water are you ready girls all right well have prayers ty and down they went in the dirt and dust while brother russel offered a simple earnest prayer A blessing on the food was asked and then all began to eat with a good appetite accompanied by laughter jokes and general good nature we separated then but I 1 said to myself that brother russel was a man rare among men honest and brave enough to do the right when it would be much easier and customary with all his associates to be neglectful and careless there that is the end of the story concluded the lady rising to go out in the kitchen where is the old gentleman inquired hartley he is the same poor shiftless yet pretty good old gentleman with just enough faith in him as my grandmother used to say to get into heven heaven beven by the skin of the teeth As for brother russel he is a rising young man modest but earnest quiet but very energetic in all his duties he is respected and loved by all his acquaintances today he is as unassuming as when a freighter on the road and as honest too 1 I am glad to hear the story said mr hartley it is a solution not only to that affair but I 1 believe it is the key to many other things of a like nature that sometimes puzzle one I 1 I 1 it is and mr fisher drew up to th the grate gr e and rested his feet on the fe er every time I 1 hear my wife tell the story I 1 make a new resolve to be mo more humble and childlike then the two fell to discussing the aspect of affairs today and wondering what would be our condition three years from this christmas day HOMESPUN |
