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T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
April 1925
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F I N E GOL D O R T H E P E A R L O F G R E A T P R I C E JOSEPHINE HOPE WESTERVELT Ì
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(Continued from last m onth) TH E STORY TO DATE
to the h u t a dozen rods away, and knocked on th e door, calling, “ Ike, Ike, come on ou t.” Only a groan from th e old man greeted the words, but a clear childish voice ran g out, telling them to come in. Jim Hinson bu rst open the door, and th ere was Billie Bob dancing up and down w ith glee, trying to te ll him everything a t once. Civil W ar Ike was on his bed, his face drawn in tense pain. Jim H inson stepped to the door and u ttered such a yell th a t the re st of the men and boys came runn ing up in g rea t excitement. It was a th rillin g time. Between Billie Bob and th e in ju red man, th e p arty soon became possessed of th e main facts. Ike was cu tting down a tree on S aturday morning, and it fell on him. W ith much pain and effort he managed to drag himself to th e h u t, and into the bed, hoping th a t he would be b etter for a complete
The sto ry s ta r ts off w ith th e friendship of Billie Bob an d B luebird, his little n extdoor neighbor. Billie B ob's fa th e r felt called to th e m is sion field, b u t his wife w ould n o t go. H e becam e p a sto r of a fashion able ch u rch in B rooklyn. B ecause of his w ife’s e x tra v a g an t ta stes, he lived far beyond his m eans, becam e discouraged, w ent o u t in a b o at an d w as n ever seen again. T he re p o rt w as th a t he had em bezzled the ch urch funds. H is wife sells all th e p ro p e rty and h er jew els to m eet o u tstan d in g obligations, th en goes b ack to h er old hom e, w here she gives herself up to rem orse. Billie Bob is neglected an d allow ed to run w ild. Billie Bob gets lo st. M rs. M orehouse’s n erves give w ay, an d she becom es ill w ith fever. CHAPTER 4 CIVIL WAR IKE DOZEN men and boys sta rted out Monday morn ing, resolved to go down th e stream four or five miles, if necessary, in hope of recovering Billie Bob’s body. They judged th a t th e strong cu rren t
perhaps had carried him much fu rth e r than they first surmised. It was a sad group th a t wended its way down th e river, and th rough the woods, ever on the lookout for the lit tle body. As they neared th e edge of th e clearing, Jim H inson, who was leader of the group, suggested th a t sev eral of them go to the h u t of “Civil W ar Ik e,” as he had not been seen in town for several days.
rest. Before n igh t his pain was intense, and he wondered if he could live, and how long it would be before any one would find him . V isitors seldom came to the little hut. Toward evening Billie Bob came to the door, begging for something to eat. At once it flashed into his m ind th a t if he kep t the child w ith him, parties would be ou t search ing for him, and thu s he him self would be found. It was dark, th e child was lost, and he dared no t let him go back alone, and in th e night. All th e next day he eagerly expected searching par ties. Billie Bob was able to give him food and drink, bu t refused to go out in the woods again; he told of th e
It is interesting to watch the plan of God worked out in a life. Oftentimes what seem to be adverse circum stances are only God’s hand leading on to the fullest and high est and best that can be wrought out for one’s life.
“ Civil W ar Ik e” as they all called him, served under Sherman during the war, and was proud of th e fact th a t he had marched w ith th a t general to the sea. H is wife died while he was gone; _____________ ___ he came home to two motherless little girls, and had done his best to raise them righ t. They both m arried young, and th e ir father, thu s left alone, decided to tak e to hunting, trapping and fishing for a living, as it. seemed to him an ideal way in which to spend his life. He bu ilt a h u t not far from th e river about th ree miles from th e village, and for a number of years lived a free and easy life. He cultivated a little garden some distance from the house, bu t for the most p a rt he lived ra th e r shiftlessly. His h u t was untidy; his clothes poorly washed and poorly mended, bu t such things did not seem to cause him any concern. It g reatly amused his village friends when “Civil W ar Ik e” began to construct a boat, small and compact, in which he declared he expected to spend th e re st of his life. He would set it afloat during the spring freshets, and make his way down the Ohio, and finally to th e Mississippi, where he would carry cargo from place to place and still have a care free life. Thé boat was now nearing completion, having been sta rted two years before. As th e men walked about the boat n ear th e w ater’s edge, they could see w h at progress he had made since Spring opened. The name “Sherm ania” was drawn on th e prow, and h alf of th e letters were painted. Jim Hinson and two of th e boys ran up th e path
animals he had seen when he was lost. It was plain th a t th e little lad did not know his way back home again, and had been frightened too much to care to make the attem pt. So Billie Bob’s p light resu lted in good for the in ju red old man. A fter sending the boys off to th e village w ith the news of th e finding of Billie Bob, Jim H inson and th e other men rigged up a stretch er and carried Civil W ar Ike into town, where he could have b etter care and attention. The village was rejoiced over th e finding of th e child, and a place was made ready for th e wounded man. Billie Bob was much petted and cared for. His m other was too ill to comprehend the good news, although they trie d to tell her. She grew b etter before the week was out, and Billie Bob was brought in to see his mother. He patted her cheek, and kissed her, then ran out to play, feeling himself quite a hero among th e adm iring children. Mrs. Morehouse in a few weeks was able to go about th e house, b u t not having a strong constitution, she did not gain very rapidly. W ith the approach of fall she was ill in bed again; she realized th a t h er condition was serious, although others though t she was unaw are of it. (Continued on page 189)
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