299
June 1930
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
gers arid to be “given to hospitality” would cover any such situation as this, and, for his part, he was going to adopt Armand and look after him. “I have two more years in college, and by that time he’ll be used to us,” he concluded. “That’s like Donald,” said Althea. “Yes! He would!” added Douglas Snowdon, who had become Donald’s chum. He privately resolved to ask his parents to entertain Armand for a while. There were many rooms and plenty of service in the Snowdon home. And so it turned out that what might have been a tragedy, or a near-tragedy, for this ardent young soul from the continent, was changed into a gradual painless readjust ment. But then there was Lawrence. His family would per sist in holding post-mortems, as Pauline with indignant inaccuracy termed them, over every sermon, every preacher and every Christian worker. No one, it seemed, was ever quite letter-perfect as to doctrine or conduct, or appearance. “Just think,” Pauline would exclaim with tragic fer vor, “Lawrence can never enthuse in his own home! They all come down on him if he does. There’s something wrong with everyone.” And that is why Lawrence’s mother was given to plaintive wonder that her son spent all the time he pos sibly could with “Alan’s children,” and not in his own home. Yes, Lawrence needed him. And John Dowling, who had lost his mother in the early spring, came to him con tinually for comfort. And to whom could Althea go be side him? Her family had only received her back under protest. With her own people she was chilled, and had to come to him, and “the Line” yoring people, to be warmed and encouraged. What of the fiery Djemileh? Whose hand would help to’direct that little Tartar who was a veritable storehouse of explosives ? He felt sure that the Lord had great things in store for Djemileh the Unafraid. But her very fear lessness was at present a snare to her, until she was taught proper caution. Who was to teach her? And there was, on the other hand, the timid Con stance. Uncle Alan had never met Constance but Armand had told him of her, and how in spite of her timidity God had used her to bring his father to the final acceptance of Jesus as his Messiah. There was a plan in this bachelor Uncle’s heart for Constance. He had meant to induce Althea’s family to invite her to the Coast for a year. A good thing all around, he thought. Good for Althea to have a sympathetic cousin in the house. Good for Con stance to see the clear-cut, uncompromising lives of the young Christians who made up the Thin Red Line. And then, perhaps, Althea’s family might be touched by the girls’ joint testimony, lived before them daily, as. it would be. A distant sound of chimes! It must be nine o’clock. In half an horir John Dowling, who was still the uni versity’s popular alumnus, was to make a special address, by request, to the members of the graduating class. Elise and Harold had seen to this; and Bill the Brilliant, who was taking a medical degree, was to bring as many of his “doctors” as he could. The Thin Red Line undergrads were to be ushers—they had considered this the best way to get themselves there. Mr. Jeremiah Lynch Snowdon, father of Douglas and the little Freshman Margaret was invited. And other interested trustees, with Uncle Alari were to be guests of honor.
Editor of the Children’s Division
T HE Editors are happy to intro duce Miss Edith Lillian Young tr the readers of T h e K ing ' s B u sin ess , and espe cially to those who profit weekly by her exposition of the Sun day-school Lesson in “The Children’s Di vision.” Miss Young has already gained a reputation as an au thor. Her Bible stud ies and short stories for children h a v e frequently appeared in some of the best and most widely cir culated Christian pe riodicals of the coun try. Miss Young a l s o excels as a poet. Her verses reveal a rare spiritual insight and an understanding of the Christian’s trials
that can only come to one who'has been tested in the fu r nace of affliction. Her messages grip-the heart and move the will Godward. Who can read her message on “The Lost Prayer," found on another page of this magazine, without determining that God shall have a new control of the prayer life? Little Sister came rushing to escort him. “It is to be in the old grandstand,” she announced de lightedly. Uncle Alan quickened his pace. He was glad. He loved the old grandstand and the old athletic field where the early battles in football and baseball had been fought. It had been deserted now for the great stone amphitheatre, built bowl-wise into the heart o f ' the hill beyond the Campus. But his heart still clung to the old gray wood bleachers, without any backs, where he himself had kicked, and been kicked by the toes and heels of those above and below, and had always found a sympathetic shoulder to pound and whack in the exciting moments of the game. He was surprised and pleased at the large turn out, not only of the class of Harold and Elise—that he had ex pected, since not only Harold and Elise, but John Dowling were very popular. But the number of young medicos who had yielded to Bill the Brilliant’s persuasion was amazing. The Thin Red Line pervaded the place as ushers, and Kaimakov and the young Greek were picturesque to a degree, for all “the Line” were in white with a narrow ribbon of red extending from left shoulder to right hip. A little platform and reading desk had been extempor ized for John Dowling. And John himself was already there. He looked unusually grave, though his face shone with a great inner light. As soon, as he saw him, Uncle Alan was aware that some new experience had come to John Dowling very recently. He sat in his reserved place with Little Sister beside him. Where were Harold and Elise? He could not see them. Ushering in some other part of the stand, probably. Mr. Jeremiah Lynch Snowdon, Senior Trustee of the University, arose to introduce John Dowling. Aunt Mar-
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker