The Parkerstown Delegate Read Online Free PDF Page B

using itself up in the dark when it would be so nice for our society. I shouldn’t think it would hurt things very much—just once a week—would it? Or couldn’t I have it for my bedroom and you move the things in here and have this for the parlor? Do you think it is a very ridiculous plan, father? Because if you do, you and mother, why, I said I wouldn’t coax, but I’d like to have you think it over very hard before you say,” he said pleadingly.
    And so, after much calculation and some changing of household plans, with a few tears mingled by father and mother, it is true—tears of love for their afflicted little boy—the plan was carried out, and the front parlor of the Winters’ household became the headquarters of the Parkerstown Christian Endeavor Society. It is true that the room had not been much used as a parlor, and that it afforded ample accommodation for the meetings of the society.
    “In fact,” said father Winters, “we don’t need it and they do, and what Harley wants will please us better than anything else, anyway.”
    There was much bustle of preparation after the decision was made. Franklin agreed to give as his part enough cane-seat chairs to accommodate the members. Someone sent a fine engraving of Father Endeavor Clark, Lois brought over a large copy of the United Society Pledge, neatly framed, to hang over Harley’s couch, and together she and Harley planned little decorations to make the room look home-like and yet “churchified,” as Harley said. A great monogram C. E., was made from evergreen and hung in the center of one wall, surrounded by the motto, “For Christ and the Church.” Another wall contained the motto, “One is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.” Harley made Lois describe the mottoes she had seen at the convention in Lewiston, and they made theirs as much like them as possible. When the motto, “For Christ and the Church,” was put up, Harley lay thinking long about it. He didn’t see how he could be working for the Church at all. But the end of his thoughts was that he wanted the new minister asked to attend the meetings. The minister was invited, and came with a glad heart. He had heard of this society with thankfulness, but had not thought it best to come until invited. Now he became one with the young people, and helped them along more than they knew. He grew to love the little president much as did everyone else, and came frequently to see him, finding that in this young disciple there was much of the spirit of Jesus, and that he might sit at his feet and gather inspiration and new love and faith from conversation with this sweet, trusting child.
    The work of this society was carried on according to the most approved methods. No suggestion passed by unheeded. Everything, too, was talked over carefully with the minister, to see whether in their particular society such and such measures were expedient. Every member had a pledge-card. There were cards from the National Headquarters for the different committees to use in their work, and topic cards and everything else that could be thought of for when Harley expressed a wish for a simple little thing like that to work with, there were plenty to see that it was granted; and so it came about that there was not in all the State, a society better fitted out for work in all departments, than the one at Parkerstown.
    Harley had one thing of which he was very proud. The minister brought it to him one day when he came to see him. It was a Christian Endeavor scarf-pin of solid gold; and how Harley loved that pin! He looked at it for hours at a time thinking what it meant; he held it in the rays of sunlight that lay across his bed; he wore it pinned on the breast of his dressing-gown with pleasure, and showed it to everyone that came to see him.
    “It seems to shine brighter than any other gold thing,” he said one day. “I wonder what makes it. Is it because it is for Christ?”
    The meetings were