Show B BLACK L A ACK C K ROCK ROC K KA 4 A TALE OF OP THE TilE S by ELK IRKS by Ralph Conner It Il blought back the Ire mountains and amid time the old days to hear again Billys Billy's s tones in his Imis mothers mother's voice and to see gee her silling sitting there In the vcr very dress she wole the time night of or time tile league you OU re remember re- re member some member some soft stuff with black lace Jace about it It and and to hear her sing as she dl did for or Billy ahi ah ah ah aim His Ills voice unexpectedly broke but Ina in ina a moment he was master of himself and begged beg me to for forgive lve his Imis weak weak- ness I am afraid I said words that should not be saId saId-a said a timing thing I never do except when shen suddenly and utterly upset I II am am getting gelling selfish BelOsh and weak he lie said I must get to work I am glad to lo get to work There is much lo to do and II it is worth while 1 if only to tol l keep coop cp one from getting useless and lazy lazy Useless and lazy I said saW to myself thinking thinkIng- of my beside his and anti trying to get command of my voice so as not to make quite a fool of or myself iny- iny my my- mye self And for or many mony a n da day those words goaded me tue to work worl and to time the exercise exercise exer exer- cise else of some sonic mild self seU But Butmore more than all else after Craig had gone gommo one back to time iho mountains Graeme's letters from the time railroad construction camp stirred one one oneto to do 10 unpleasant duty long Jong postponed and nd rendered uncomfortable un un- comfortable m my hours of most luxurIous luxurious ous case ease Ian 1 Many o of the old oid sang gang were with him both of lumbermen and miners and arid Craig was wn their minister And the letters told of how he labored by day lay and b by night along ahong the line of construction carrying carr his tent and kit with him preaching straight sermons watching by sick men writing wrIting- their letters and winning their hearts makIn making mak- mak In ing ng strong strong- their lives and helping them them hem to die well when their hour One du day those letters proved tOO muCh for mc tor awa away my my paints and brushes and made mado m mOW my OW ow unto the Lord that I would do something with myself In consequence consequence conse conse- quence I found my myself lf within three weeks walking the London hospitals finishing my course that I might join that hat band of men who vimo were doing something with life lIfo or or 01 If throwing it awa away iway were ivere not lo losing it Co for I nothing I had being a fool I hoped at lea least t a fool of the time useless ss and luxurIous luxurious lux lux- lux- lux urious kind The rho The letter that came caine camerom from rom Graeme In reply to lo my request requestor for or a position on his staff stare was characteristic characteristic char char- characteristic of oC time the man both new and I old full of gayest humor and of or most earnest welcome to th the thi work Mrs l Mavens Mavor's reply was like herself herself herself her her- self self- I know knew you would not nol long iong be he conent content con- con tent ent with tho the making of pictures which time the world does docs not really need m and ind would join your OUr friends s in the thc t dear deal West Vest making Ij es that the world needs so sorel sorely But her hel la last t wor words s touched me 1110 i strangely cly But Bui be sure uie to lo be thankful ever every overy da nay lay for your OUI privilege e. e It II L will be ime to think of you all with I time the glorious g mountains about you OU amm and I II Christs Christ's own work In your our hands I Ah how we would like ilke to tc choose our work wort and the place ii in I which to do it il The Tho longing did clid not appear in the words but hUt I needed lI no tie words to tell teh I me Inc how deep leep and how constant It was And I take tako some credit to lo myself that thal I In him my reply 1 I gave her no bidding t to Join JOhl our hand band but rather praised th the work she was doing In her place tellIng tell tell- ing her how I had heard of or it from fran Craig The summer f found und me are religiously 1 doing Paris and Vienna gaining a amore amore t trimore more perfect acquaintance with the t extent and variety of m my own i igno ignorance ignorance no- no rance ranee and anti so fully occupied In this thi S Interesting and ancl whole wholesome me occupation i I that timal I fell foil out with all my correspondents dents with the result of or weeks o of f I silence between us Two letters letters- amon among the tho heap waiting i on rn ray rny table In Lon London on made am my heart beat quick but hut with how hom differ I ent ont feelings one from Graeme mo are that Craig had been Very cry ill m ant and 1 that he was to take lake him home as soon soot i as he ime could be he moved mO Mrs 1 Mayor Mavor's S letter told me of the d death of the tire Ol old I lad lady who had been her hor care for the past two years cars and ammil of her intention to spend sonic omo months In her old homo home In Edinburgh h. h And this letter It I is S that thai accounts for my presence in a I miserable dingy dIrt dirty little hall hail run run- nm ning off oft a close in the tho historic Cow Cow- gale gate redolent of or the tIre glories of oC the timi r splendid past and of or time the various odors odor S of or tho the smelling evil present I was wa S there lo to h near nOar ar Mrs Mayor Mavor sing sing- to tb the a crowd of gamins that thron thronged ed the thi S closes In the neighborhood and that tima t had been gathered into a club JJ by a I fine frao frae the West Vest End fo for r the love o of Chi Christ 1st and His Ills lost Tin This S was wal an aim at ironic homo night and tb the 13 mothers and fathers sl sisters te and I brothels of oC all ages ant and sizes were Weri a pre present Of or all aU the sad faces I had ham I ever seen those mothers carried tIm the C saddest and most wo I. I Heaven pity us I found myself t saying is j this tho tire beautiful th the tho C cultured tho the heaven exalted city o of at f Edinburgh will vm It not for this b be bt e cast down to hell heB some da day If It it repent I not or bt Its closes and their dens of orde Me- Me Ic Oh the utter weariness the dazed hopelessness sno s of or the ghastly y faces Do not the kindly gentle C going church folk tolk of or the crescents ani and 1 the the- gardens garden's see sec them In their dreams dreamt or 01 arc aro their dreams cams r-cams too heavenly fo for Cor r these ghastly faces to appear 1 I cannot recall the time program of at tb the e evening but In m my ray memory gallery gallen is Js i S a vivid picture of oC that face sweet sad sael beautiful all alight lIl with time the deep p glow of her lien eyes as she stood and and sang g to lo ip that dingy crowd As I sat t upon a the window ledge e listening to tho the vole 0 with its flowing song my thoughts thought S w were rc far aWa away and I was looking g down once more upon the eager coal coal- I grimed faces in the rude little church ii I i In n Black Alack Rock flock I was brought back backo I Ito t to o find tInd myself mys swallowing swallowing- hard by an I a audible whisper er from Crom a a. woo wee lassie to h her hel er mother See till yon on man He Hes He's s g ree tin When I came to lo myself she was s singing The rho Land Lana o o. o time the Leal the S Scotch Jerusalem the Golden Immortal Immortal Im Im- im- im m mortal ortal perfect It needed experience o of or f the tire haunted hunger closes c hill chill with the he black mist of an eastern h haar aar to feel tho time full Cull bliss of the tire vision i in n the words words- words words- Theres There's nae nac sorrow throne there Jean fean Jean T There's Theres neither nor care Jean T The ime day Is aye fair fall in Tho Iho T he Land o 0 the Leal Lea A land of fair faJr warm days untouched un un- un t touched by sorrow and e care re would woul b be e heaven indeed to the time dwellers of ot t the ire Fire Tho rest of or that evening is hazy enough nough e to me mc now till tIU I 1 find myself O opposite Mrs 1 Mavor Mayor at her r readIng readIng read read- i Ing ng Graeme's letters Jolters then timen all Is vivid a gain again I could not keep the truth front from her I knew It would be folly rolly to try So SoI I read straight on till I came caine to the wor words s He has hus had hall mountain fever rever whatever what what- what what-I e ever vei that may be and he lie will not pull L up II again If Ie I can I shall shaH take tako him home to lo my mother when mother when she suddenly sud sud- d denly stretched out her hand saying Oh let me read and I gave save her the time letter etter l In a a. minute she had hail read it a and nl began almost breathlessly Listen l 1 My life is much changed M My law In is gone g she needs me no lon longer er My Iy solicitor tells me t too oo that owing to unfortunate investments invest invest- t- t ments there thoro Is need of money moner so great reat need it it Is possible Impossible that r the estate estat ft or or the works must My cousin has Imas his Iris all all all' in itt the theY works work works iron Iron works you OU know knott It would bo be wrong t to o have him suffer I shall give Ive up t the Ime estates that estates that Is the time best Sire She pause paused And come with mo nie I cried Whon When do you sail Next week weel I answered ans eagerly She looked at me a few moments moment an and into inlo met her eyes there came a 0 light soft and tender as she sire said saidI saidI nl s I shall go with you And so she did and no old Roman In all aU the glory of a triumph u carried a 0 prouder heart than I as I bore her herand herand and her little one ono from floom tho the train to Graeme's carriage cr cryl crying Ive got her But his Iris was tire the better sense for he stood waving his hat an and shouting Hes Hos all right at which Mrs Mis Mayor Mavor grew white while but when she shook hook hands with him tIre the red was in iii her cheek again It dIt was uvas the time cable did it H went on or Graeme Connors a great doctor Ills his J first case will viiI make him famous Good prescription after mountain fever try u IL cablegram And the re red grew rew deeper in the beautiful face ace beside us NevI Never did the time country look so loveI love love- I ly Tho Time woods WOOlS were in their theil ga gayest cst autumn dress s the brown Holds were bathed in a purple haze the iho a air It was and fresh with a suspicion of the coming frosts of winter But nut in spite of all aU the road seemed lon long and anti It was as If hours had gone guno before our oui eyes fell upon th the white man manse e standIng standIng standing stand- stand Ing Ing- among the golden olden leaves Let them go I cried as Graeme paused to take in lit the time view and down downtime time the sloping hoping dusty roa road we wo flew Hew on time the dead run Reminds one a little of Abcs Abo's curves said Graeme as we drew ui up at the tIne gate nut But I answered him not for 01 I was introducing to each othmer the tire two best women in tho the world As AsI I was about to rush into tho the hou house e Graeme seized mo ate b by the time collar saying saying say say- ing ing- Hold on Connor Conner You forget your our place Youre You're next Why hy certainly I cried thankfully thankfully thank thank- Cull fully enough What hut an ass I am ann Quite true said Graeme solemnly Where here is he ire I asked At this present moment he hc asked in iii a shocked voice Why Connor you surprise me Oh I see Yes Ye ho hu went on gravely you may trust my nry mother mothel to bo be discreetly attending attending- to her domestic duties She Sime Is a a. great woman my mother I had bad no doubt of It it for at that moment she came canto out to us with Marjorie In her lien arms Yes he ire went on gravely you youma ma may trust my mother I hope said Graeme but she only smiled and said ald Run Hun awa away with your horses you silly boy hoy at which he Ire solemnly shook I his head I Ah Alt mother you are ate deep who deep who I would have havo thought it Jt of ot you I That evening evening- tho time manse overflowed with joy and the days that followed I were like dreams set to sweet sweat music But nut for sheer wild delight nothing in lit my memory can quite come up to tire Iho demonstration organized by Graeme with assistance from Nixon Shaw Sandy Abe Geordie and Baptiste In honor of the time arrival al in camp of Mr Ir and Mrs l Craig And Amid In my OlI opinion On it added something somethIng- to the thal after afler all the cheers for Mr 11 an anti and Mrs Mrs- Irs Craig had hud died awu away and after aCter all time the hats had hal como come down Baptiste who had bad never taken his hiso o eyes oyes es from that radiant face taco should suddenly have swept the time crowd into a a. perfect storm of cheers by excitedly seizing his toque and calling out in his hissin sin ill voice B By gar tree cheer for Mrs Mayor Mavor And for tor man many a n day the tire men of oC Black Blaek Rock would easily fall faU Into Iho tiro old and well veil name but up and down own the tho line lino of construction In all the camps beyond the Great Groat Great Divide the time new now name became as dear as time the theold old had ev ever 1 been in Black Rock Roc Those old wild days are long long- since gone into the time dim distance of the past They will not nol come again for tor we wo have fallen Callen Into quiet times limes but often orten In my quietest hours I feel fool my heart pause ii In its ita beat boat to hoar hear again that s strong trong clear voice like the lie sound of or ofa ora a trumpet bidding us to be men and und andI I think of them all all Graeme Graeme their c chief hief Ran Sandy ly Baptiste lc Ab Abe Aba the he Campbells Nixon Shaw all s stronger better for Cor their h him im and then I think of ot Billy asleep u under the pines and of or oJ old man Nelson Nelson Nel Nel- s son on with the time long grass waving over O h him im In the tho quiet churchyard and ally all aU m my y nonsense leaves leave me mno and I bless ti the me Lord Lor for aU all HI Ills His benefits but c for tor the day I met mot time the missionary mission mission- a ary ry of 01 Black Rock nock in the lumber camp I a among mong the I The End Bird |