RAYMOND 
 
 BY 
 
 HENRY MORRIS MOORE, B. D. A. B.

 
 RAYMOND 
 
 HOW A BOY BECAME A MAN BY 
 HIS OWN EFFORTS 
 
 DEDICATED TO MY SCHOOLMATES AND 
 FRIENDS 
 
 BY 
 HENRY MORRIS MOORE, B. D. A. B. 
 
 1911 
 
 OULLA & MORROW 
 
 PRINTERS AND BINDERS 
 
 315 North Main Street 
 
 Anderson, S. C.
 
 SRLF 
 URL 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 TX sending- forth this little volume the author 
 hopes and prays that some youth hitherto dis- 
 couraged shall catch inspiration and cheerfully 
 plod the rugged road until he reaches the goal. 
 Many a person fails because the path of success 
 seldom, if ever, lies through the flowered gardens 
 of earth. There must be will, backed up by cour- 
 age, if you determine to rise despite the ghost of 
 seeming failures. The character of this volume is 
 a fair illustration of this. 
 
 There has been no effort or attempt at flowers : 
 these have been left to the writers who did not 
 have to acquire this ability. Plainness and every- 
 day words have been used in this work, hoping to 
 convey the truth in a manner that w ill satisfy the 
 reader. 
 
 For criticism and suggestions I am indebted 
 to Prof. E. C. McCants, Superintendent of the City
 
 iv PREFACE 
 
 High School, and Prof. Robertson, of Columbia, 
 S. C. 
 
 If, after reading- these pages with care, one is 
 made to feel like making the most of his life, I shall 
 feel that my effort has not been in vain. 
 H. M. MOORE, 
 Pastor St. Paul Baptist Church, 
 
 Anderson, S. C. 
 February 22, 1911.
 
 RAYMOND 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 HIS IJIRTH. 
 
 WHILE the darkness of an autumn night was 
 gradually^ disappearing, giving- place to a 
 light that was becoming visible in the distant East, 
 there was a heart throbbing with joy, and then 
 with sorrow, which was cheered only by the melo- 
 dious voice of a twittering swallow that rang out 
 from among the branches of an old 0:1 k that stood 
 in the back yard. The crowing of the cock, which 
 seemed to be making known to his neighbors that 
 day was breaking, had died away, and he was lead- 
 ing his companions out to their daily occupation, 
 when the door of the little two-room cottage swung 
 open as if to admit the morning breeze, The sun 
 now begins to come forth, "which is a bridegroom 
 coming out of his chamber," flooding the earth 
 with his brilliant light. It did not appear too soon. 
 Doubtless no place on earth needed his light more 
 than this humble home. Surely the king of the 
 day understood his mission, for the door had scarcely 
 opened before his light had filled every nook and
 
 6 RAYMOND 
 
 corner of the room, which served to gladden the 
 heart of a poor destitute woman and made her feel 
 that God had not forsaken her. 
 
 Now, six weeks had left their records full of 
 events to brighten the pages of the community's 
 history, so the whole talk of the vicinity was: 
 "What will poor Betty do with that little boy?" 
 The father had gone to town six months before the 
 child's birth to purchase a home, for he said: 
 "There is nothing to be made on the farm," he, 
 therefore, decided to change his business so that he 
 could better care for his family as he had long de- 
 sired. His whereabouts had become as great a 
 mystery as his purchasing a home in town without 
 money or friends. It was not expected that Betty's 
 sister, who had willingly left her home for a month 
 and had done all that she could to add to her com- 
 fort, would remain there. Neither did it seem wise 
 for Mrs. Alston to give up housekeeping and at- 
 tempt to rear her son in a family with other chil- 
 dren. The neighbors had suggested this and that 
 for the poor woman to do until they had exhausted 
 all the resources of the whole community, and fin- 
 ally landed upon the spot from which they had 
 started six weeks before, each one ending, "I don't 
 know what poor Betty will do with that little boy." 
 It is amusing to carefully note the interest assumed 
 in one's affairs on a plantation, especially if these 
 affairs are beyond the ordinary happenings of the 
 place. Each one seems to know what ought to
 
 HOW A BOY SUCCEEDED 7 
 
 be clone when the matter belongs to another person 
 and will give advice unsolicited. 
 
 "I can better teach twenty what was good to 
 be done than to be one of the twenty to follow my 
 own instructions." 
 
 This problem must be solved, not by her rela- 
 tives or friends, but by herself. Here she is left in 
 a two-room cottage to await the return of the man 
 who had pledged, not to her alone, but before a 
 crowded church a little more than twelve months 
 ago, that he would "love, honor, cherish, protect; 
 forsaking all others in sickness as well as in health, 
 in adversity as well as in prosperity; and cleave 
 unto her as long as they both shall live." She 
 now begins to examine her conduct with him from 
 the day she had pledged her all to him, but there 
 was nothing discovered by her that would in the 
 least justify such an act on his part. Then she 
 thinks for a moment and tries hard to decide that 
 after all he did not really love her. Her mind now 
 runs back over the five years that they were lovers, 
 and she recalls how he appeared perfectly happy 
 only when he was in her presence. She is reminded 
 of the pleasant faces of Ella and Bertha who \vould 
 have given half the world if they could have won 
 his affections, and even though they were better 
 educated and their parents were in better circum- 
 stances, making the inducements on their side 
 much more desireable than on hers, nevertheless, 
 Frank had declared to her over and over again
 
 8 RAYMOND 
 
 that if he did not marry her he would die a broken 
 hearted bachelor. She recalled again, when there 
 was a little misunderstanding between, them and 
 she decided that it would be better for them to 
 cease their correspondence, and wrote him to that 
 effect, how he almost lost his mind. How, when 
 his sister, Maude, came and spent a night with her, 
 who declared that he did not intend to mar her 
 feelings when he said that he would not come to 
 her home any more because she did not receive 
 him on the evening when he called unexpectedly. 
 With these, and a score of other evidences, as they 
 arose one by one before her vision, it was not diffi- 
 cult to conclude that he firmly loved her. Yet 
 there must be reasons assigned for the action of 
 her husband which had been so freely and frequently 
 condemned by others as well as by her relatives, 
 and she had the unpleasant task of assigning these 
 reasons. It is not like a loving wife to see her 
 husband's faults however numerous. Therefore, she 
 finally decides, that because his landlord refused to 
 allow him to connect to his farm a certain five- 
 acre patch near his house, in which she might work 
 and save her the long walk of a mile to his farm, 
 he became disgusted and left the plantation. The 
 excuse that there is nothing to be made on the 
 farm, etc.," was only a pretex of getting off. As 
 she thus reasoned and decided in his favor she was 
 unconsciously justifying his action. Oh, woman's 
 love, thou art blind!
 
 HOW A BOY SUCCEEDED 9 
 
 The chilly winter had sent a heavy frost as a 
 forerunner to warn those who had failed on their 
 farms that it would show no favors to the poorly 
 clad. The landlord had given notice on the plan- 
 tation that because of the short crops and the very 
 low price of cotton that he could not advance 
 money as he had done before. Furthermore, he 
 had about decided that he wanted no one on his 
 plantation who could not work a full farm. An 
 application had been sent in during the summer for 
 the place which Frank had left, and the application 
 was from one of Frank's supposed friends, who had 
 informed the landlord all about his leaving and de- 
 clared that he would never return to the farm again, 
 which up to the present had proven true. It was 
 not so serious with the rest as it was with Mrs. 
 Alston. While they all seemed to be sorry for her 
 no one could sympathize with her, save old Aunt 
 Adeline, whose husband was sold to slave traders 
 twenty years before the Civil War, and her advice 
 was: "Betty, you had better pray, child, for your 
 husband has done left you for good." The advice 
 was gladly received and tended to encourage and 
 strengthen the faith that she had in the Christ whom 
 she had learned to love and trust from her tenth 
 year until now. 
 
 Early one morning, after having wrestled with 
 the Angel of Faith for means of support in her 
 poverty-stricken condition, her prayers were an- 
 swered. She had spent the first part of that cold
 
 10 RAYMOND 
 
 night in prayer, while the earth without was robing 
 herself with a garment of white. The barrel had 
 been robbed of its last dust of flour to make a small 
 cake for her supper, which she ate, and drank a 
 glass of water, meanwhile tears fell gently from her 
 eyes, then, in deep meditation, she sat before a glow- 
 ing fire whose light threw her huge shadow upon 
 the wall making the appearance of a ghost. The 
 only comfort she had, if not a discomfort, was little 
 Raymond, who occupied an old fashioned cradle at 
 her right, and acted as if he were not to be slighted, 
 for he yelled so loudly all at once that it interrupted 
 her meditation, then she quickly seized him and 
 said: "Hush boy, or your papa will not love you." 
 Then she waited as if to listen for his footsteps at 
 the door. But, alas, no sound was heard save that 
 of the falling snow. She wept aloud. Then hur- 
 rying to bed, she failed to kneel at the bedside to 
 pray, as her custom was, for the prayer was too long. 
 The amen had not been reached when she fell to 
 sleep a short while before day, and when she awoke 
 the words of the petition were still lingering upon 
 her lips as though she had not slept. Taking ad- 
 vantage of the little boy's morning nap, she hurried 
 to the well for a bucket of water. Much to her 
 surprise she found Mr. Lawson at the well the 
 wealthy landlord of the plantation on which she was 
 living who had made a fire in his stove and was 
 preparing to fill his kitchen buckets with water, then 
 go to her house to deliver a message from his wife.
 
 HOW A BOY SUCCEEDED 11 
 
 "Betty," he said, "Airs. Lawson and I have 
 spent a very restless night solely on your account. 
 We have every reason to believe you are indeed a 
 very worthy woman, yet you have been deserted 
 by a worthless man and, too, there is a child left 
 to your care and no one to assist you." 
 
 She stood trembling- before him as did that 
 woman who had touched the garments of Christ 
 and was made whole. 
 
 "Mrs. Lawson," he continued, "Says that your 
 grandfather was her Uncle Joe's carriage driver 
 and she can't help feeling sorry for you, so we 
 have decided to let you have the house in our yard 
 and your board and pay you $4 per month to cook 
 for us. Now, if you will accept this proposition, 
 we will move you today." 
 
 This, in some respects, resembles the case of the 
 Samaritan woman who met the Saviour at Jacob's 
 well, and, after listening to His words of wisdom, 
 perceived that He was a prophet, ran away, leaving 
 her water pot. Poor Betty did not tell him that 
 she would consider the proposition, neither did she 
 carry her bucket full or empty to her house. She 
 wept so loudly that Mrs. Lawson \vas moved with 
 sorrow and came out of the old mansion and ac- 
 companied her home and bore little Raymond 
 back in her own arms, while the mother brought 
 the cradle on her shoulder and placed it in the 
 kitchen. Breakfast was soon prepared and over, 
 but the new cook failed to eat for she. had meat of
 
 12 RAYMOND 
 
 which they knew not. While the hands moved 
 her furniture, she was still praising Him for the 
 answered prayer. She blessed over and over Aunt 
 Adeline for having advised her in that old fash- 
 ioned way to pray. She thought what a glorious 
 privilege it is to have one who could be touched 
 with the feelings of one in sorrow. How, just last 
 night, she had dusted her barrel and this morning 
 she has many barrels at her disposal. The more 
 she thought of her new surroundings the more she 
 felt like weeping. Despite of all that, somehow it 
 would occur to her, "What if Frank would come 
 home now,' couldn't I make him happy?" 
 
 Ere the close of the day the news has suddenly 
 been flashed over the whole community, as if by 
 wireless telegraphy, of Betty's new home, but no 
 one seemed to be responsible for the circulation. 
 Then the talk: "What will poor Betty do with the 
 little boy?" had suddenly changed into, "Its a good 
 thing that he has gone. She will certainly do well 
 now for every one knows that Mrs. Lawson is a 
 good woman, only she is a little close with what 
 she has." 
 
 Here Mrs. Alston spent three very pleasant 
 yet very laborious years. Never before had it en- 
 tered her mind that she would be forced to cook, 
 wash and iron for her own support, much less that 
 of her family. The jolly good days upon the farm 
 of her girlhood had left a fondness that could hardly 
 be gratified elsewhere. The more she listened to
 
 HOW A BOY SUCCEEDED 13 
 
 the humming bees, the twittering birds, the singing 
 of the boys and girls and, too, occasionally the 
 trembling yet musical voices of the elder people as 
 they chanted the good old spiritual songs that were 
 sung at church, which songs she had not the priv- 
 ilege of singing in the choir as of old, the more she 
 longed for the liberty that the farm afforded. This 
 longing must be gratified at any cost. When she 
 told Mrs. Lawson six months before the end of the 
 year that she would not burn out her eyes over the 
 hot stove any more after that year, it was received 
 as an idle tale. But there was no persuasion so 
 strong, no argument so plausible, as to change her 
 mind, for she was resolved to return to the cotton 
 fields. 
 
 On Christmas eve morning, when she pre- 
 sented herself for a settlement, Mr. Lawson at- 
 tempted to employ her to fill the place another 
 year, which she had held with credit and to the 
 entire satisfaction of his wife for more than three 
 years. But she refused on the grounds that she 
 preferred to work on the farm. Thinking that if 
 he offered her no work on the farm after the holi- 
 days were over that she would return to her former 
 occupation. But the sun did not make its way 
 across the heavens, leaving the earth in darkness, 
 before this woman was employed on another plan- 
 tation three miles away. There she began life 
 anew.
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 HIS FIRST SCHOOL EXPERI KXCK. 
 
 "TV /TAXY a mother in the rural districts has made 
 W-*- sacrifices for their children's schooling-, and 
 if they were told, would sound fictitious. If Mrs. 
 Betty Alston would head the list her place would be 
 that of merit and not of favor. In those dark days 
 of ignorance and superstition among- her people, 
 she stood ready to join in with the few men who 
 were equally as anxious about their sons and 
 daughters, to better the school conditions. There 
 was no meeting of the public for the consideration 
 of the education of the children but that she was 
 not present, not as a silent witness but as a ready 
 speaker, for she would often address the audience 
 upon the school affairs as she saw it, and showed 
 the necessity of lengthening the school term from 
 three to six months. Furthermore, she would be 
 among the first to pay her son's tuition in advance. 
 "Whatever this boy amounts to in the future we 
 must not forget that in the background there was a 
 mother. 
 
 At the age of six Raymond became a student 
 in the public school. The announcement of the 
 opening. of school had been made at church on 
 Sunday which fully settled it in his mind as a fact. 
 It was a problem, however, before going, how one
 
 HOW A BOY SUCCEEDED 15 
 
 man could teach so many children, for, as he under- 
 stood the matter, every child in the whole world 
 was to be there. He had asked his mother about 
 'every boy and girl that he could think of, and she 
 said that all of the children were going-, and that 
 he must ask no more questions, but wait until to- 
 morrow. It was a long time to wait, thought he. 
 
 His bed hour having arrived two hours too 
 soon, he was soon on his knees at his mother's 
 command to repeat the Lord's prayer which he 
 had forgotten. A few spanks from the strong hand 
 of his mother served to drive the words farther 
 from his recollection. The present company, seated 
 in the yard, discussing the preacher and teacher, 
 which conversation had become so heated that it 
 saved him from a good flogging, so he was rushed 
 to bed. Sleep failed to take possession of him at 
 once, so it was not until that noisy band had dis- 
 persed at 1 1 o'clock, before he fell to sleep. He 
 was haunted all night with dreams of the events of 
 the next 'day. On being aroused at sunrise that 
 bright August morning, he was as anxious for this 
 new experience as he was a few hours before. 
 
 It was his good fortune to fall into the hands 
 of a large girl whose parents occupied a portion of 
 the house in which he lived. The pair set out for 
 the school house about two miles distant. On the 
 way Raymond thought of a hundred and one more 
 questions to ask Isabelle, but they proved to be the 
 hardest questions that she ever attempted to answer,
 
 16 RAYMOND 
 
 and finally ended by saying that she did not know. 
 Very soon their vision was met by a large crowd 
 of gay boys and girls. The little lad quickened 
 his pace and gazed at them with astonishment. 
 His hat was under his left arm and the old blue- 
 back speller was in one hand, while his lunch bas- 
 ket was in the other, as he paced first in and out of 
 the bypath that led to the schoolhouse door. There 
 were tall long leaf and old-field pines standing ir- 
 regularly over a triangular five-acre spot, and the 
 new school building was located near its center, 
 and as the lively boys were dodging around those 
 trees, some were climbing and sliding down, others 
 were swinging and "skinning the cat" on the 
 branches located near the trunk of the trees, Ray- 
 mond's attention was attracted by this curiosity, 
 and he paused a moment to interpret its meaning. 
 Just as Isabelle was about to enter the school build- 
 ing, she looked around for her little companion, 
 much to her surprise, she beheld him fifty feet be- 
 hind her firmly stationed in the path with his eyes 
 and mouth .open, gazing upon these boys in dismay. 
 So absorbed was he in what he saw, that he had 
 even forgotten his own name, for, as she squalled 
 almost to the top of her voice at him, attracting 
 the attention of the other children all over the 
 school ground, he remained as immovable as a 
 statue. She retraced her tracks, quickly snatching 
 him from his location, and led him into the school 
 building.
 
 HOW A BOY SUCCEEDED 17 
 
 They had scarcely entered the building before 
 a very stout man entered the opposite door. He 
 wore a pleasant smile on his face despite the intense 
 heat that seemed to be against him and brought 
 perspiration freely upon his brow. He had mag- 
 netic influence over that noisy crowd, for with his 
 presence the noise died away and they marched in 
 behind him two bv two. What cared they for song 
 books as the most of them knew by heart, "Jesus 
 Keep Me Near the Cross?" With a sound of this 
 familiar song they filled the breeze, and as its melody 
 echoed and re-echoed over every hill and dale near 
 by, falling softly on the ears of their neighbors, 
 they too, took their seats under the shade trees in 
 their yards and joined in the chorus. 
 
 The old scholars did not need any examina- 
 tion for they began where they had stopped four 
 months previous. It was only necessary for the 
 teacher to assure them that he had the same amount 
 of strength to add to the occupant that stood in 
 the right corner pointing to a dozen of seasoned 
 switches left from last term and they (switches) 
 had no respect of persons. Many of the old schol- 
 ars had indelibly inscribed upon their person marks 
 that served as a reminder of what he had done, and 
 fearing that no change had taken place in his temper 
 and no new method of punishment had entered his 
 mind, they began to study their lessons before he 
 could outline his work for the new term. 
 
 Before he could turn his attention to the new
 
 18 RAYMOND 
 
 scholars, some three dozen or more to begin with 
 their alphabets, about 10 o'clock it had somehow 
 occurred to one member of this large class that it was 
 noon. There sat in one corner a little bashful boy, 
 yet somewhat brave, who seemed to be intensely 
 interested in an object that belonged to himself, 
 that none else need concern themselves about. The 
 teacher had asked all this new class to open their 
 books for the assignment of their lesson, which he 
 would explain in a few moments, when one of the 
 pupils burst out in boisterous laughter unexpectedly. 
 This so excited the passion of their schoolmaster 
 that he quickly approached the corner already 
 pointed out. But before he had time to flog that one 
 there were twenty or more who had joined in the 
 laughter, and all were pointing their finger in the 
 other corner at the little fellow who had opened 
 his basket and was eating his lunch. Mr. Ducket's 
 temper failed him and his face too broadened with 
 a smile. When he inquired of this little boy's 
 name more than a dozen said "Raymond." 
 
 "March out for ten minutes recess, boys to the 
 right, girls to the left. March one, two, three, 
 four. Right, left, right, left." During this con- 
 versation Raymond had not moved. 
 
 When his teacher who now held a private con- 
 versation with him asked why he would eat his 
 lunch without permission, met the reply, "I thought 
 it was dinner time cause I heard a horn blow." 
 There had unfortunately come near the school
 
 HOW A BOY SUCCEEDED 19 
 
 building a fox hunter, who blew his horn to keep 
 his dogs together, and was responsible for the inter- 
 ruption of the school work. 
 
 The rest of the day passed without a single in- 
 terruption. Raymond began with his A B C's 
 where he had the unpleasantness of dwelling for 
 six weeks. He appeared to have had a special 
 fondness for them as no punisnment from the hand 
 of his teacher seemed to avail. Whenever it was 
 reported at his home that he received punishment 
 at school, why his mother felt that it was her duty 
 to add another one, which she cheerfully did. The 
 school term ended without his promotion. He had 
 only two reputations among his schoolmates; one 
 was that he would not or could not learn, and the 
 other that none of the boys his size and age could 
 throw him the "best two out of three." 
 
 A month and a half in a crowded school room 
 of one hundred pupils under the instruction of one 
 teacher, gives a very poor or practically no oppor- 
 tunity for a six-year old child to demonstrate his 
 ability to learn; and less to show signs of a great 
 man whose mission was to lead his comrades to a 
 higher standard. Four years came bringing the 
 unfavorable and apparently unchanged conditions 
 so far as lengthening the school term or adding an- 
 other teacher, which was so much needed. Never- 
 theless, during these last short terms, Raymond 
 made some upward strides that were astonishing to 
 many in his class. Besides ascending and descend-
 
 20 RAYMOND 
 
 ing from foot to head in his spelling class from 
 ''baker to compressibility" in the old blue-back 
 speller, he won some reputation and notoriety as 
 a speaker. He was very fond of speaking and 
 never missed a Friday afternoon to speak. His 
 ability to memorize was unparalleled in the whole 
 school. Often he would commit his afternoon 
 speech of some dozen or more stanzas on the 
 morning of the same day that he was to speak, and 
 would rarely make a blunder in his delivery. The 
 student body was always delighted whenever he 
 mounted upon the old bench to speak. Their faces 
 would broaden with a smile whenever his name was 
 called, and every eye would be centered upon him 
 as he would cheerfully march to the stand, for he 
 would never fail to cut some figure or disfigure his 
 face if his teacher's eye was not upon him, which ac- 
 tion would always bring its desired results disorder. 
 
 However gifted or brilliant one may chance to 
 be, he will not always show wisdom to rely wholly 
 upon that talent without needed forethought or 
 preparation that should accompany this unusual 
 gift. A lesson that is best learned from experience 
 to which this little character would gladly testify. 
 
 During these eventful, days when Raymond's 
 fame was at its zenith, he unfortunately slept a day, 
 and]when he awoke, his teacher, at the beginning of 
 an afternoon session commanded, that all books be 
 laid aside. He began with the lowest grade and 
 called them out one by one to speak, to which call
 
 HOW A BOY SUCCEEDED 21 
 
 they readjy^and willingly responded. It was under- 
 stood that every scholar was to speak, unless he or 
 she had obtained an excuse a day beforehand after 
 a scrutinizing examination of the cause presented 
 him in ones favor. Raymond had not complied 
 with any of these conditions, and in this crisis he 
 could recollect no speech save the ones that he had 
 previously spoken, and to repeat any one of these 
 meant his coat. "Time and tide wait for no man," 
 was fully realized by Raymond. Every moment 
 left one less and ere he had time to decide what to 
 do his name was called. The whole crowd turned 
 in their seats as he arose with an unusual appear- 
 ance, as there was no smile on his face, no wink of 
 the eye, for his countenance had failed and attracted 
 the attention of his companions, which would have 
 changed their smiles and gained their pity and sym- 
 pathy had it not been for a naughty boy sitting near 
 him who understood the trouble, and burst out in an 
 undertone sniggle, and brought back the smiles upon 
 the faces of the scholars. When, with the dignity of 
 a statesman, he ascended the old bench, which was to 
 leave an impression upon him for life, it seemed to 
 him that everyone was making a face at him. There 
 was silence for a moment, yea, for five moments, so 
 that a pin would have produced a sound if dropped 
 upon the floor almost equal to that produced by an 
 upset chair in an empty room. "What shall I do?" 
 thought he, to repeat means a whipping, and "If I 
 recite that stanza that none has ever recited it will
 
 22 RAYMOND 
 
 reflect upon the teacher and will mean even more," 
 were the thoughts revolving- over and over in his 
 mind. He was confronted with the most difficult 
 problem of his life. "I will open my mouth and 
 whatever comes will have to come'' was his final 
 conclusion. He tremblingly gazed at the large 
 man who was leaning upon his switch at his left, 
 as if waiting his signal, recognizing the look gave 
 a nod to proceed. Raymond proceeded as follows: 
 
 "A monkey sitting on the end of a rail, 
 Picking- his tooth with the end of his tail. 
 
 Mulberry leaves and calico sleeves, 
 
 All school teachers are hard to please." 
 
 He made the speech of his life. There were no 
 wild cheers full of enthusiasm to rend the air when 
 he had finished as he had been applauded on other 
 occasions. But on the other hand there was a wild 
 yell from the speaker as he received the merciless 
 blows from the rod in the teacher's hand, which has- 
 tened him from the memorable spot where he had 
 often won honor. This is the second time that the 
 school had been dismissed on his account. He 
 marched out with that sympathetic crowd to return 
 no more. There was to come a change in his 
 family connections that would serve to turn the 
 trend of his life and threaten his future destiny as 
 if to forever destroy the hope of such a bright and 
 useful career which he w r as destined to live.
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 HO\V HIS BIRTHDAY PARTY ENDED. 
 
 'HT^HE cotton fields on the morning of the twenty- 
 -*- seventh of October were as significant as they 
 appeared ten years ago. The forests present their 
 usual golden colors, and one by one their leaves 
 loosened their hold, never to renew it, and fluttered 
 on the air till they reached their destiny, while the 
 trunk of the trees had arrayed themselves in their 
 fall silvery garment. The sun shone in its fullest 
 strength, dispelling every speck of cloud from the 
 heavens. There could be heard, far and near, the 
 musical voices of children as they hurried to pick 
 their task of cotton, by noon, or at least by 2 o'clock 
 in the afternoon. They must by all means be at 
 the home of Raymond long before sunset. Chick- 
 ens had made themselves scarce around Mrs. Al- 
 ston's house, after beholding eleven heads separated 
 from bodies which they once guided. Every nest 
 had been robbed of its contents to make cakes and 
 pies. Yet the birthday party for children would 
 be incomplete without the sweet potato- custard, 
 thought Raymond, whereupon he went to the po- 
 tato patch and brought back a peck without his 
 mothers's command. His Aunt Silvia had spent 
 the night with his mother and they had talked over
 
 24 RAYMOND 
 
 the event which they were to celebrate its tenth 
 year, the next day. Many had been their peculiar 
 experiences during this decade, but He who fore- 
 knows the destiny of every individual had brought 
 them safely through. 
 
 At 5 o'clock in the afternoon there were chil- 
 dren coming from almost every direction, and they 
 ceased not to come until the sun was about to veil 
 his face in the West. The whole neighborhood 
 was well represented, for there was scarcely a home 
 that was not represented by a child or an elder 
 person. The noise of this crowd was easily heard, 
 on such a still night, for some two or more miles, 
 and had the custom prevailed that every person 
 was duty bound to bring a present, Raymond could 
 have easily set up a small mercantile business. 
 
 The crowd here is too large to get into one 
 room, even though forty could be seated around 
 the tables, but children in those days must have de- 
 lighted in waiting their turn, for all of the old people 
 were seated at the first table, save those who were 
 in corners discussing the encouraging outlook of 
 the cotton market. 
 
 The Silver Queen of Night was admired for 
 her brightness, for she seemed not to be flooding 
 the earth with the borrowed light of the sun, but 
 was dazzling every eye as with her own. What 
 cared these little people for this unusual bright 
 night, only that it favored them in their play.
 
 HOW A BOY SUCCEEDED 25 
 
 Could they appreciate its beauty any farther than 
 enjoying: their play in its brightness? But they 
 were not the only persons in the world, however, 
 that were appreciating and admiring its beauty. 
 There were hearts unknown to them, one at least 
 that was throbbing- with unutterable joy, as an old 
 carriage drew nearer and nearer that house with 
 every revolution of its wheels. Yea, it was throb- 
 bing faintly, too, for there were only a few more 
 strokes to be made ere the silver cord be loosed. 
 
 Unexpectedly there stopped at the door a car- 
 riage, with closed curtains, presenting the appear- 
 ance of an ambulance, drawn by a gray horse, the 
 sight of which calmed the noisy crowd and left them 
 huddled here and ther"e in dismay. 
 
 Raymond, at the appearance of this strange 
 sight, rushed into the house to inform the old folk 
 that there were strangers at the door, and his uncle 
 quietly answered the call, while the rest continued 
 to chat and destroy the contents of the table. The 
 driver whispered something to Elbert and he re- 
 turned, not to the door out of which he had come, 
 but to the door that led into the bed-room, where 
 he found three of the guests who had been excused 
 that they might engage in a private conversation. 
 He explained in a low tone something to them, 
 meanwhile there fell from his eyes great drops of 
 water. Having delivered this startling message, 
 he returned quickly toward the door, and the three
 
 26 RAYMOND 
 
 men left their seats and hastily followed him. 
 Quickly, yet as tenderly and carefully as if they 
 were handling a child, they drew from behind the 
 curtains a man and carried him into the bed-room 
 and the carriage withdrew.
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE END HAD COME. 
 
 'IpHERE was a time when news was not flashed 
 * over the electric wires of this country, and 
 too, it was an epoch as full of news worth the 
 knowing as now, much of which, if it had been 
 known in its fullness, was calculated to inspire and 
 ennoble the youth of that period as that of this 
 worthy and history-making age in which you and 
 I are favored to live. Then there were broken- 
 hearted wives and grieved mothers numbered 
 among earthly mortals, as there are now, who im- 
 plored the good will and sympathy of the tender 
 hearted. But, despite the unfavorable circum- 
 stances of any period in the world's history, many 
 of the people have been prepared to meet its dis- 
 advantages. 
 
 The consternation that seized the guests at 
 Raymond's home last night by the house of a near- 
 by neighbor being on fire, possibly saved a greater 
 terror at his home. After most all of this crowd 
 had quickly withdrawn to that large building which 
 was going up in flames and smoke, the rest of the 
 guests were quietly gathered around the bedside to 
 behold another house dissolve. 
 
 His face had lost its color, which was once 
 admired for its handsome appearance, and pre-
 
 28 RAYMOND 
 
 sented a weary and tiresome look. His eyes, 
 which were once so suggestive when centered upon 
 an object, were now occupying: a sunken recess 
 under his projecting; brow and their light was 
 dimly shining-. The large hands that had so often 
 soothed the tiny hands of a lovely wife had lost 
 their flesh and were now reduced to bones, thinly 
 covered with a diseased skin. He had been propped 
 up in the bed, and there were some two or three 
 fanning him, as if to keep the light aglow a little 
 longer, while he was gasping for breath. Mean- 
 while there appeared through the door from the 
 adjoining room, a medium size woman, borne on 
 the arm of a stout man, wringing her hands and 
 with sobs so softly, as if not to fret him, that 
 would have melted the hardest heart, whose pulsa- 
 tion was brought to a standstill, only when she had 
 reached the bedside of that long lost one who was 
 so near and dear to her heart. She had promised 
 her sister Silvia that she would not part her lips to 
 him, fearing that it might tend to intensify the 
 agony through which he was unwillingly passing. 
 She kept her word, but her lips parted at their 
 own volition and her voice rang out once more, 
 enunciating that name which sounded like music 
 in her ears, "My God! Frank, is that you?" The 
 dying man revived at the sound of that familiar 
 voice, which he had not heard for ten years and 
 six months. He was not dying, thought he, or if
 
 HOW A BOY SUCCEEDED 29 
 
 so, he had received an electric shock by the sound 
 of that voice to which he must respond 
 
 He faintly opened his eyes in the presence of 
 those who looked upon him wistfully and they 
 lighted upon a little woman arrayed in a white 
 costume at his side who to him had the appear- 
 ance of an angel and he recognized that she was 
 his own wife. He had only two desires which he 
 attempted to gratify; one to beg her forgiveness 
 and the other to see his child. Whereupon he 
 vainly put forth an effort to sit up, 'but his strength 
 had departed. Then he faintly reached forth his 
 right hand towards her, which she firmly grasped, 
 and he opened his mouth to call her name, yet no 
 soun,d was heard, but his quivering lips made 
 signs so clearly that they read the name "Betty" 
 which his tongue failed to utter, and the light of 
 that house flickered at the attempt as if it were the 
 last piece of timber to support it, and went out. 
 
 The news of the fire and the death of Frank 
 Alston, long before the dawn of day, furnished an 
 interesting subject and was discussed in almost 
 every home ten miles around. The funeral was 
 largely attended the next day and there was much 
 sympathy shown Mrs. Alston. Even though the 
 preacher was on a trial, because no one could 
 hardly believe that this man was saved who had 
 been condemned by the whole neighborhood for 
 his malicious treatment of one of the best girls in 
 that vicinity, proved himself equal to the occasion
 
 30 RAYMOND 
 
 when he gave warning from the text: ''Rejoice, 
 O, young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart 
 cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in 
 the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine 
 eyes; but know thou, that for all these things God 
 will bring thee into judgment."
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 FRIENDSHIP LEADS TO LOVE. 
 
 ^ I ^HE bereaved family had well nigh forgotten the 
 -^- late death of that prodigal son whom they had 
 long given up as dead, save his wife. She wa s 
 wearing her veil with no thought of ever changing 
 her name again, long after the old bachelors and 
 widowers began calling, who claimed to have been 
 calling for the purpose of cheering and consoling 
 her. This proved to the contrary, however, in a 
 short while. One of that number, while the minis- 
 ter at the cemetery was tenderly saying "earth to 
 earth," kept his eyes upon the widow, and it was 
 by no means a sympathetic gaze, but rather one of 
 admiring fondness, which seemed to have been full 
 of future hope and anticipation. Before they 
 turned their backs on the last remains, this same 
 man was at Mrs. Alston's side, exercising every 
 muscle of his strong hand in aiding her brother in 
 bearing her fainting form to the carriage. 
 
 The tendency of humanity is that of gradually 
 withdrawing from a bereaved family for the first 
 few days, as if to leave them to sorrow alone, and 
 then return when the deepest grief has been under- 
 gone. Very often when we most need encourage- 
 ment and sympathy from our friends they are far-
 
 32 RAYMOND 
 
 thest from us. Then we are most apt to gladly ac- 
 cept sympathy from those who are not our friends. 
 When this sorrowing wife was drinking from that 
 cup of bereavement, there was only one who seemed 
 willing to add to her comfort, and he failed not in 
 giving her encouragement out of his own experi- 
 ence, for he had likewise received a similar stroke 
 from the Almighty about five months before. He 
 held to the opinion that Providence did only those 
 things which were best for His creatures, and if they 
 would leave it all to Him they w r ould finally see 
 that it was for their good. 
 
 Xot that she missed the care and protection 
 that Frank had given her for the last ten years of 
 his life, but it was the unexpected and sudden death 
 that caused her grief. Whether he had accepted 
 the Christ in whom she had so long confided was 
 unknown, thus she was left to wait the final day. 
 His whereabouts, for so long, was still a mystery, 
 for no intelligence had been received more than he 
 landed from a southbound train, borne by four men 
 while lying upon a cot, and was placed in charge of 
 a hackman. She tried to imagine what he wanted 
 to tell her before he fell asleep. But the greatest 
 grief after all was that he never looked into the 
 face of his only child, which she could never forget. 
 
 She was turning over these thoughts, one by 
 one in her mind, when she was interrupted by a tap 
 at the door.
 
 HOW A BOY SUCCEEDED 33 
 
 Raymond answered the call and ushered in 
 Mr. Anthony, who made an unusual bow to the 
 widow, whose melancholy appearance drew tears 
 'from the spring- of his eyes, and the little boy moved 
 his study, consisting- of three books, into the next 
 room. So frequently had been his visits, and espe- 
 cially when she first received the stroke, that she 
 had somehow began to expect and was always 
 pleased to welcome him; too, there was nothing- 
 withheld from him, so she now briefly rehearsed 
 the subject of her meditation when he knocked at 
 the door, and assured him that she would never be 
 able to give up her Frank. This statement gave 
 him an opportunity to speak for himself, and who 
 can make better use of such an opportunity than an 
 old widower! He at once began to discuss the 
 providence of God. He soon convinced her that 
 Providence had removed the barrier that stood be- 
 tween her and the real happiness that awaited her 
 at the hands of another. He had had such clear 
 evidences that he was the one to give her this hap~ 
 piness, that he had not missed a single opportunity 
 of rendering her any needed assistance within his 
 power since the day of her bereavement. 
 
 He had fully made known to her the source 
 from which all these unexpected favors had sprung, 
 and left it to her to decide, hoping that she would 
 decide in the affirmative. When she bade him 
 good night she failed to return and close the door 
 at once as on other occasions. The heavens were
 
 34 RAYMOND 
 
 aglow and each star, as she beheld them, shone 
 more brilliantly than ever. Having moved a short 
 space from her, his attention, too, was curiously 
 attracted upwards, and he exclaimed: "What a 
 beautiful night." "Indeed, I was just thinking," 
 she added. "Ah! our minds seem to run together," 
 he said, as he reluctantly plodded homeward. She 
 had turned to enter the door, when she quickly 
 looked around to make out a strange light that 
 shone about her. The heavens that were so beau- 
 tiful a few moments ago now seemed to be on fire. 
 It proved, however, to be a light from a falling 
 meteor. Thinking that she was perplexed over this 
 strange phenomena, he turned and raised his voice 
 so that it might carry the message distinctly and 
 said: "It's nothing but a falling star." She said 
 tenderly, "I hope you are not afraid," and closed 
 the door.
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 AN UNHAPPY HOME. 
 
 COUNTLESS ages in the affairs of the human 
 ^ family are effected as mother earth revolves 
 around the sun. Each of the four seasons is busy 
 \vith its own events. Each of us is concerned with 
 our peculiar interests as these different seasons 
 come and go. Sometimes they bring sorrow, and 
 again there comes with them joy. At times we 
 assert that life is not worth living, and if live we 
 must, we will live alone, be it. the life of a bachelor, 
 old maid, widower, or widow. All of these reso- 
 lutions are but evidences that we do not know 
 ourselves. 
 
 Mrs. Alston thought that for her to live now 
 was only to live for her fatherless son. The sun 
 had shone upon one man who had found favor in 
 her eyes, but he had proven to her that all men 
 were but reproductions of his worthless self, which 
 forever hardened her against them. 
 
 She could never forget the unusual kindness of 
 Mr. Anthony, who seemed to have, taken special 
 delight in calling by twice a week to learn if 
 things went well with them. It was quite a sacri- 
 fice on his part to leave his three motherless chil- 
 dren all alone in his house, some two or three times
 
 36 RAYMOND 
 
 a week, yet there are times when such sacrifices 
 bring a two-fold blessing-. Be it a blessing or a 
 curse, time is the only revealer. Philosophers 
 have perplexed their minds and puzzled their 
 brains until their heads have become frosty, search- 
 ing into human needs, striving to decide whether it 
 is better to live without a companion or to follow 
 what the good book seems to teach. They most 
 invariably reach the conclusion that it is wisdom 
 to leave each individual to determine for himself. 
 Mrs. Alston had that kind of dictation to which 
 it was not hard for her to yield. She had long 
 wanted him in whom her soul delighted, to come 
 directly to the point where one yea from her would 
 settle it and set at rest two minds that had been 
 restless since he gave the first hint. But he had to 
 learn anew. It was talked so frequently that the 
 people expected their marriage at any time; thus 
 he shook off his fear and suggested the idea that 
 they meet the expectation of the people, to which 
 she willingly agreed. The setting sun, throwing 
 back its golden rays upon the windows of the old 
 mansion on the hill, only reflected its light to leave 
 a reminder of those words falling so tenderly from 
 the lips of the minister, which made two hearts 
 beat as one. No Sabbath had closed with such a 
 benediction, thought the happy pair. 
 
 None can, with certainty, predict the future of 
 two persons thus beginning life anew. Every couple 
 must work out their own destiny or allow it to work
 
 HOW A BOY SUCCEEDED 37 
 
 out itself. Here comes tog-ether two set? of chil- 
 dren, not totally strangers and, too, strangers as to 
 customs and habits of their horn 2 life. Three had 
 lived a short while without a mother and one had 
 never known the care of a father. Each child 
 looked for faults in the other, while the father and 
 mother were not free from the same expectation. A 
 few days and less than a week had passed before 
 the children had suffered blows from the hands of 
 each other, which of course demanded the special 
 attention of their parents, who did not fail to cor- 
 rect them. But that home never had the light of 
 affection any more, until one member of the family 
 found a dwelling- in other parts. Two years were 
 long enough for this household to stand united, and 
 how it stood that long no one but the Almighty 
 can tell. The disagreeable stepfather and thought- 
 less mother had allowed the neighbors to expect 
 the worse at any hour. Raymond had more than 
 once prayed for death to end his earthly existence. 
 He finally persuaded his mother to allow him to go 
 away and labor, agreeing to give her half of his 
 earnings. Thus, at the early age of fourteen, he 
 was allowed to go forth and try life for himself. 
 
 It is too sad to see a boy going away from a 
 mother's care at such an early age, yet the world 
 today has thousands of such pitiful sights in the 
 country and cities. Had it not been for the train- 
 ing of that sainted mother, his life might have been
 
 38 RAYMOND 
 
 wrecked. He worked upon the farm, at mills, and 
 all kinds of public work, and in company with many 
 bad characters. He had well nigh decided to give 
 up those lofty ideas of being a man when the words 
 of his Sunday School superintendent, "Be true to 
 your purpose," came to him. He tried to be true, 
 but unfortunately he had learned to play "chucks," 
 without his mother's knowledge, and it was hard 
 for him to stand around the fire at a country frolic 
 and see his friends lose almost every time the 
 banker pulled his cup. Being quite fifty miles from 
 home, too far for his mother to learn of his fault, 
 he fell upon his knees and got into the game, and 
 in five minutes he had won ten dollars, which 
 broke the banker. This gave him quite a reputa- 
 tion and possibly he would have followed this 
 practice had not illness summoned him to the bed- 
 side of his mother. 
 
 He now renews the old idea of entering school, 
 and thus, upon the first day of the New Year of 
 his fifteenth year, he entered a village normal 
 school about fifteen miles north of his home. Hav- 
 ing no knowledge of what it cost to be a student, 
 especially a boarding student, he carried the small 
 sum of fifteen dollars, which was all he had. He 
 was immediately assigned to a room near the 
 campus among that class of boys who did their 
 own cooking, where he remained for one month. 
 His lack of sufficient clothes was largely responsi- 
 ble for his having contracted cold which terminated
 
 HOW A BOY SUCCEEDED 39 
 
 in pneumonia. This illness which laid its cruel 
 hand upon this over anxious lad after he had been 
 a student for one month held him for six weeks. 
 He was removed to his home and never entered 
 school again for five years.
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 PREPARATION" FOR COLLEGE. 
 
 ^T^HE doctor dismissed his patient after six 
 -*- weeks careful attention with the injunction: 
 "Take special care of yourself, my boy, lest there 
 be a relapse". The chilly winds of winter had 
 exchanged places with those of March. There could 
 be heard far and near the gee and haw of the 
 ploughman. The smoke from the fields, as the 
 bush and litter were consumed by fire, could be 
 seen ascending- heavenward, slightly obstructing 
 the light of the sun. Raymond was so anxious to 
 secure a job from which he hoped to realize a suf- 
 ficient sum to reenter school, that he hired himself 
 out before he was able to work by three weeks, for 
 five dollars per month for six months and three 
 lessons per week. 
 
 Money did not come fast enough to assure 
 him a year's schooling at the end of that time, so 
 he seized a new opportunity to supplement his in- 
 come. There was no little demand for soft drinks, 
 especially when the hot. ones could not be easily 
 obtained; then, too, there was no prohibition 
 against the former. The people in the country 
 knew nothing of coca-cola and the like, but every- 
 body seemed to be fond of apple cider. Raymond
 
 HOW A BOY SUCCEEDED 41 
 
 began the sale and did an unusually lively business, 
 especially on Sunday. He seemed not to have 
 thought that this was one of the ways that ap- 
 peared right, but the end meant trouble, until his 
 Sunday school teacher told him that it was a step 
 to blind tiger dealing. He gave his word that he 
 would never be guilty of such a crime but his word 
 fell to the ground. Scarcely had two months 
 passed ere he was secretly dealing with the "hot 
 tea". A friend of his mother informed her of his 
 downward drift and she hastened to his rescue. 
 And fortunately, too, for less than a fortnight spies 
 seized two gallons from two of his companions 
 and brought them before the magistrate who were 
 found guilty and were made to pay one hundred 
 dollars for violation of the law. 
 
 He went to the railroad next spring despond- 
 ent and discouraged, because his efforts to begin 
 his education thus far had failed. Each year he 
 was falling farther and farther behind in his classes. 
 He had thirty dollars the previous fall which would 
 have probably carried him through the term if he 
 had known how to manage. He spent five years 
 in succession preparing to enter school at the end 
 of which he still was not prepared. Whenever he 
 saved fifty or more dollars he would spend it fool- 
 ishly. He would pay twenty-five dollars for a suit 
 of clothes, five dollars for shoes, three dollars for a 
 hat, five dollars for shirts, six dollars for under- 
 wear, two dollars for cuffs, and collars, two dollars
 
 42 RAYMOND 
 
 for ties, then send his mother a dress, and of course 
 present his best girl with a five dollar present. 
 Then he would lament over his failure and disdain 
 the idea of a young man attempting to educate 
 himself. No one, he thought, ought to become a 
 student if he could not dress well and keep in so- 
 ciety before going to college. In fact, it cost so 
 much to stay in line that one ' could not secure an 
 education unless his parents paid the bills. 
 
 He now chanced to attend an association 
 where he heard a man speak in interest of a college 
 of wide reputation, who made a lasting impression 
 upon him. As he held his audience spell-bound, 
 there was one statement of Prof. Newman that set 
 Raymond wild. Prof. Newman eloquently said: 
 "I have the honor of representing an institution 
 that is giving to the world a class of young men 
 and women of whom we are not ashamed. When 
 they shall have graduated from Oakland College 
 we will give them our unqualified endorsement 
 and guarantee that they will compete in the class 
 room, in business, in the pulpit and in general ap- 
 pearance with students from any college in this 
 country; and I have no fear of their character re- 
 flecting dishonor on their alma mater. We do not 
 ask you to send us any flower girls or dude boys. 
 But we ask for the girl and boy who want an edu- 
 cation. Let them come to Oakland College money 
 or no money. If a boy wants an education and 
 has no money but has the will, send him to us, for
 
 HOW A BOY SUCCEEDED 43 
 
 it is not money that he needs but it is the will." 
 This opened the way for this despondent 
 young man. He had spent almost five years get- 
 ting- ready for the class room and had made as 
 poor a headway as the frog that struggled to make 
 his exit from a well fifty feet deep by climbing up 
 two and six-eighths feet by day and falling back 
 two and seven-eighths feet by night. Raymond 
 was striving for what he thought he needed most 
 money, but he now learns that he possessed what 
 he most needed the will. Still no one ever en- 
 couraged him to start with what he had. Oh, how 
 thoughtless our people are about our struggling 
 youth! How many at our doors are making stren- 
 uous efforts to educate themselves and yet we fail 
 to lend them our support. Raymond's friends had 
 allowed him to work for a long time in vain, when 
 probably one word might have caused him to reach 
 the goal sooner in life. On this occasion Ray- 
 mond made himself known to Prof. Newman, and 
 enrolled his name as a student of Oakland College.
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 COLLEGE EXPERIENCE. 
 
 FEW boys leaving the country, from which the 
 men who stir the world have often come, ever 
 attracted more attention and gave rise to more 
 strange comment than Raymond. His mother 
 said but little to others concerning his leaving, and 
 less to her husband, who had often told her that the 
 boy would go astray. His three children had al- 
 ways had the protection and tender care of his 
 home, yet two of them had abused these privileges, 
 leaving him hopeful of the youngest, who seemed 
 to have but little or no ambition. Mr. Anthony 
 noticed with peculiar interest the many failures of 
 his stepson's people, and especially his father's, 
 whom he imitated so much. Mrs. Anthony lived 
 a life of hope and believed that by her prayers her 
 son would accomplish much. The people upon 
 the old plantation discussed his new undertaking 
 pro and con. Many said that he wanted to shun 
 the field; some said that he wanted to make money 
 easily, while others said he wanted to be a minister 
 for the honor of the position. To their minds 
 there seemed to have been two things against him, 
 viz: He was too old to be educated and he had 
 no way of securing enough money to finish a course 
 should he begin it.
 
 HOW A BOY SUCCEEDED 45 
 
 Finally the day appointed arrived when he 
 was to bid farewell to the old plantation upon 
 which he had made many a track. One of his 
 friends drove up in time for him and his trunk, 
 and in the presence of twenty more of his play- 
 mates he bade each adieu with a hearty handshake 
 until he came to two aged women. One wept as 
 'she threw her arms about him; the other, whose 
 head was almost as white as the cloth that covered 
 those hoary locks, swung about his neck and re- 
 luctantly loosed him after sixty seconds. "My 
 boy, take care of yourself," were her last remarks, 
 which touched a responsive chord in him that never 
 ceased to vibrate. They were soon conveyed out 
 of sight, but the mother looked in the direction of 
 their departure long after the sound of the wagon 
 had died away. Thirteen miles were soon driven. 
 He received a letter from the post-office, on reach- 
 ing the village, from the president of Oakland Col- 
 lege to the effect that if he would come at once he 
 would be given a job that would pay at least half 
 of his tuition. The message was gladly received, 
 for at that moment he was not in possession of 
 enough money to pay his first month's tuition. 
 
 He arrived at Oakland College, which was lo- 
 cated at the capitol of one of our Southern States, 
 in four hours after leaving his home town. His 
 appearance was a unique example of a green 
 "stickman." His coat sleeves were some distance 
 from his wrist and his trousers had but little fellow-
 
 46 RAYMOND 
 
 ship with his low quarter shoes. His clothes in no 
 respect appeared as if they were intended for him. 
 But one or two things were in his favor; he could 
 make friends and take jokes. He was assigned 
 with a good chum and things went well in their 
 room, and his work was done with ease and to the 
 entire satisfaction of the president. When he had 
 fully settled for work he had only two cents left of 
 the six dollars that made the sum total of what he 
 possessed when he left home. 
 
 Raymond decided to stand near if not at the head 
 of his classes. This was indeed a lofty idea. It is 
 easier to possess such an ambition than it is to do 
 the necessary work to merit this distinction. This 
 fact was fully realized when he was thrown into a 
 class of thirty, in the second year in English, most 
 of whom were .brought up in the city graded 
 schools, which were taught by some of the best 
 teachers in the state. His average standing for the 
 first term was '78 per cent, just 3 per cent above 
 pass mark. He began the second term with a 
 double resolution, but it only showed that if he 
 did no better the third term he would be compelled 
 to repeat the work. 
 
 He very soon felt called to the ministry, and 
 inasmuch as it was a calling for which a man 
 should sacrifice everything, he did not see the wis- 
 dom of undertaking to complete any course, but 
 thought he should take a nearer cut to his calling. 
 He immediately called upon the president of the
 
 HOW A BOY SUCCEEDED 47 
 
 institution and laid the matter squarely before him. 
 Out of many years of observation and experience 
 the old Gamaliel persuaded the young man to pur- 
 sue the college course until completed. He en- 
 deavored to lay before him the great possibility of 
 accomplishing very much more by going to the 
 top and the probability of accomplishing but little 
 or nothing by stopping just as he was laying a 
 foundation in the English department for a higher 
 education. After receiving similar advice for a 
 few days from the president, the young man re- 
 turned to his studies with a renewed effort. 
 
 Having received license to preach before leav- 
 ing school, the temptation to seek a church and 
 get out into the world was intensified. His vaca- 
 tions were now spent in teaching and preaching 
 here and there, and that without much compensa- 
 tion. While he was loved by the pastors, his 
 ability as a preacher was not manifested when he 
 secured an appointment to any marked degree. 
 The people heard him gladly because their pastors 
 saw, as they said, great things resulting from his 
 future labors, but they were too far in the future to 
 be seen by the people. These pastors evidently 
 had a vision, for all and even more than they pre- 
 dicted was seen in less than a decade bv the people. 
 Neither were the people the only ones blind at first, 
 for Raymond declared after a failure in the pulpit 
 on one occasion, before a large crowd, that he had 
 surelv answered the other fellow's call.
 
 48 RAYMOND 
 
 Experience, the greatest of all teachers, taught 
 him a lesson that proved his salvation. He had 
 given himself almost wholly to the study of his 
 calling at the expense of neglecting his other stud- 
 ies, upon which his graduation depended. When 
 the list of names of those who had satisfactorily 
 finished the work that made them eligible to the 
 graduating class was read -before the school, his 
 name was not read. He was not even on condition. 
 He desired his class marks which were quickly fur- 
 nished and to his surprise he had succeeded in av- 
 eraging 67 per cent. His courage failed and his 
 ambition ceased to aspire for higher attainments. 
 It was obvious to him that there was no "royal 
 road to learning." He had worked hard both 
 night and day to enroll his name among those who 
 were to receive the honors of the college on com- 
 mencement day; he had worked harder to make 
 himself worthy of the high calling of the pulpit, 
 which work had received too much of his scant 
 time to allow him a good class standing. Often 
 he had been warned by his teacher, who manifested 
 a deep interest in his welfare, and particularly in 
 his class promotion, against the unwise and care- 
 less negligence of his studies, but he, like most of 
 those over-anxious and short-sighted young licensed 
 preachers who have been pulled too soon, felt that 
 the world had need of him and that the King's 
 business demanded haste. But this haste proved 
 waste. He was compelled to repeat the year's
 
 HOW A BOY SUCCEEDED 49 
 
 work. The experience of this one instance stamped 
 upon his mind a lesson which time failed to deface. 
 But there was deeply woven in his nature a 
 determination to succeed over difficulties and seem- 
 ing: failures. The year lost, after all was a year 
 gained. Many a lesson had been passed over in 
 form, but lost in reality. He was often heard to 
 say: "1 never thoroughly understood a lesson in 
 detail before the year I repeated my work, and I 
 would advise any student who desires to know a 
 subject thoroughly to repeat it thrice if necessary." 
 While it was difficult for him to grasp a subject, it 
 was very easy for him to retain it. There was 
 another difficulty confronting him. That was stay- 
 ing in school. A decade in college, and that self- 
 supporting, is not an easy task for a young man 
 who has not been reared in the city and acquainted 
 with its environment, which doubtless might be 
 used to one's advantage. It was even harder for 
 Raymond, who had no city experience, to continue 
 his studies for a dozen years self-supporting, never- 
 theless, he held on with that tenacity that served to 
 make him a real man. While his drudgery work 
 fully paid his tuition after- the first few years, there 
 were other necessities that drew in a telling effect 
 on his pocket-book. He told his mother in a let- 
 ter of his sad condition: 
 
 DEAR MOTHER: I have neglected writing for 
 the last three months, because I was in need of sta-
 
 50 RAYMOND 
 
 tionery, but my affection for you grows daily. I 
 have just finished washing" my clothes and hung 
 them up in my room to dry, as it is raining- to- 
 night. I received today a shirt and a pair of 
 trousers from one of my teachers, so now I have 
 two white shirts. The Lord is greatly supplying 
 my needs. While my shoes and hat are looking 
 old, I think they will last me until commencement, 
 especially my hat, since I wear my cap most of the 
 time. 
 
 Mother, please do not be over-anxious about 
 my welfare. I have only four more years here now. 
 Pray that God will in the future use me to advance 
 His kingdom on the earth. Then I will not have 
 labored in vain. 
 
 Your son, 
 
 RAYMOND. 
 
 In the busy rush of life time is upon wheels. 
 The four years came around in so short a time 
 that he hardly realized it. He looked back witli 
 pleasure mingled with sorrow over the years that 
 lay in the back-ground. Many discomforts, disap- 
 pointments and discouragements had been con- 
 fronted by him, but they had only served as step- 
 ping stones upon which his weary feet ascended 
 the college heights of his alma miter. The last ex- 
 amination had passed and he stood well in his class, 
 despite the double duty of his school work and 
 pastoring, in which he had been happily engaged 
 for nearly one year. He thought over the many 
 young men and women who had been in his classes 
 from time to time, but all of them save ten had
 
 HOW A BOY SUCCEEDED 51 
 
 fallen by the wayside. Much to his surprise, he 
 was one of the chosen speakers, and he played well 
 his part on commencement day. When he received 
 that document assigned by the faculty which at- 
 tested his character and qualifications were worthy 
 of all that it stood for, he determined to lift it high 
 and never allow his work or conduct to fling back 
 any shadow on the old institution save that of 
 honor. Having received through constant and 
 laborious efforts his third diploma, he had that 
 pride and distinction of having gotten the victory 
 by his own toils, which should be the ambition and 
 characteristic of every young man who would write 
 his name upon the pages of history with those illus- 
 trious characters who have added to the develop- 
 ment of their respective races. There was never- 
 theless that feeling that he was about to commence 
 life anew. He leaves the halls of learning to take 
 his place in the world among men, and each teacher 
 as they anxiously watch their student's career is 
 expecting that Raymond will stand foremost among 
 them all.
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 PASTORIXC NEW HOPE. 
 
 A FTER commencement what, where and how 
 -" L are subjects full ofthoug-hts that entertain ev- 
 ery student. Providence had already opened the door 
 of hope for Rev. Raymond Alston even before he 
 had fully prepared for the duties common to his 
 calling. He was serving a country church some 
 forty miles from the college a year before his course 
 was completed, but the time had come when he 
 naturally looked forward to a larger field and his 
 hopes were soon realized. 
 
 The first church at Yorkville became vacant 
 on the first day of April of the same year that Ray- 
 mond came out of college. The pastor of New 
 Hope was by no means an ordinary man. It was 
 his ability that placed him at the head of the dean 
 department of one of the greatest theological semi- 
 naries of the West, a position made vacant by 
 death. Xew Hope as a church occupied no second 
 place among the other churches. Every promi- 
 nent pastor in the state was inclined to visit this 
 mourning church, not only to advise and aid in the 
 securing of a pastor, but even to offer their own 
 service. A pulpit committee was wisely appointed 
 by the church which was composed of five of the
 
 HOW A BOY SUCCEEDED 53 
 
 strongest and most judicious members. This com- 
 mittee put itself on the alert, yet it was not dis- 
 posed to recommend just any one to this promi- 
 nent church. 
 
 After having taken a careful survey over the 
 state without finding a man to offer, the committee 
 appointed one of its members to visit their state 
 college during the closing exercises, with the view 
 of finding a man. He was not to divulge his mis- 
 sion. He was favorably impressed with one of the 
 young men on the campus whose deportment had 
 won the good will and affection of the student 
 body, and when one would chance to ask about 
 the student preachers almost every student would 
 speak of Raymond first. His oration on com- 
 mencement day was not so eloquently delivered as 
 some others, but his real earnestness won for him 
 a place in the heart of Mr. Arnold, who upon his 
 return cheerfully recommended him to the com- 
 mittee. 
 
 When little Marcel Williams gave the parson 
 a letter marked Yorkville, on his return from the 
 office, he was curious to know who was writing 
 to him from that place. He was astonished when 
 he found that the contents were an invitation from 
 the pulpit committee of the first church of Yorkville 
 desiring his services for the next Sabbath. He read 
 the letter to Mrs. Williams with whom he was 
 boarding. She quickly interpreted its meaning and 
 prophesied to her husband, who was a deacon of
 
 54 RAYMOND 
 
 the little church that Raymond pastored, and said: 
 "The Reverend is going- to leave us." A woman 
 can foresee coming events and their predictions 
 are generally true. 
 
 The sun shone unusually bright the second 
 Sunday in June and all nature seemed to have 
 been in smiles. But the heart of one mortal was 
 throbbing faintly with fear as it sent forth the 
 blood through its restless body. He had seen in 
 his imagination a large crowd seated before him 
 with each eye firmly fixed upon him. The old 
 bell sent forth her clear tones that morning and 
 one seemed to linger as if giving the other time to 
 hear its message before it would follow. The peo- 
 ple soon came from every direction and had occu- 
 pied their seats when the signal for preaching was 
 heard. The door of the dressing room stood ajar 
 and there stepped forth a puny man dressed in a 
 black suit and sat in the center chair as directed by 
 one of the two licensed preachers who accompa- 
 nied him. He did not raise his head at first, but 
 appeared to be engaged in silent prayer. The old 
 organ was sending forth a beautiful prelude, pi- 
 anissimo, when he slightly raised his head and his 
 large eyes seemed to have taken in the whole con- 
 gregation with one glance. When the crowd stood 
 to sing the opening hymn, there were many strain- 
 ing their eyes to get a fair look into his face, yet 
 their eyes were only satisfied when he was intro- 
 duced and stepped forth and announced his text.
 
 HOW A BOY SUCCEEDED 55 
 
 His preliminary was short. With fear he took 
 his text, selecting John 3:16. Many were asking- 
 one to another, "Can he preach?" While some 
 thought he could, others said that he could not. 
 For twenty-five minutes he held their attention, 
 and the whole audience experienced a strange feel- 
 ing stealing over them. They went away exceed- 
 ingly anxious to return at. night. 
 
 He had done the best he could when the day's 
 work was over. He went to his room that night 
 with the consciousness of having been true to the 
 spirit, even though he had failed to keep his rhet- 
 oric together and had unmercifully murdered two 
 verbs to his recollection. There were many who 
 congratulated him upon his two excellent sermons 
 and assured him how much they had enjoyed them, 
 but he had learned how to receive such praises. 
 Two of the pulpit committee escorted him to the 
 train the next morning and secured his consent to 
 allow them to suggest his name to the church. 
 
 After three weeks he heard from the church. 
 The membership became divided over the election 
 of the pastor. Some of the preachers in the city 
 had used their influence against his election on the 
 grounds that he was inevperienced and unmarried. 
 Four of the deacons had been offered twenty-five 
 dollars each to work for another man who lived in 
 the city and was familiar with the conditions of the 
 church. The members turned out four hundred 
 strong on the night of the election, and three-
 
 56 RAYMOND 
 
 fourths went for Raymond. He was at once noti- 
 fied, by special delivery of his election, and that the 
 church desired his presence the following Sunday. 
 
 He had only a few books and a trunk to trans- 
 fer. The very fact that he moved on Friday was 
 "bad luck" said one old lady, who told him that 
 he must pray much if he would stand against what 
 was coming. He had the faith in God and attached 
 nothing to chance. But when the four deacons, 
 who opposed his election, offered their resignation 
 the first day he entered upon his duties as pastor, 
 he felt that he had made a poor beginning. He 
 did not know how to fight his opponents. He had 
 an idea that a pastor ought not be forced to fight to 
 hold a church, neither ought he be unkindly dis- 
 posed to his opposers. He had no one to whom 
 he might carry the unpleasant affair for advice. 
 Pastors of other churches in the city were only 
 hoping that if any of the members should leave the 
 old church that they might join theirs. Others 
 who had no churches in charge were thinking if he 
 had to resign there might be a chance for them. 
 He had not been there long enough to know his 
 friends, therefore he refrained from discussing his 
 troubles with anyone. 
 
 After a few months he was rapidly gaining 
 ground, until he refused to accept any more invita- 
 tions to Sunday dinners. The young women were 
 rivaling each other in preparing special dinners for 
 him through their mothers. But when he publicly
 
 HOW A BOY SUCCEEDED 57 
 
 announced that there must be no more special din- 
 ners for him on Sunday some of his best friends 
 declared that he was too cranky. 
 
 He had scarcely regained his former standing-, 
 with the young- women and mothers, before he had 
 accumulated more trouble. On a special occasion 
 he preached a temperance sermon in which he dealt 
 a death blow to all whiskey drinkers. He had no 
 doubt but that the strongest and most influential 
 men of his church, and even that metropolis of the 
 South, would bid him God's speed. He used the 
 strongest terms in denouncing this great evil. He 
 went far enough to say that "any drinking man 
 would lie, steal, rob, and that he was unreliable 
 and could not be depended upon to ever contend 
 for the moral, intellectual and spiritual develop- 
 ment of the people." 
 
 The very next day there was quite a stir among 
 the people who heard the sermon. Many had 
 longed for a fearless minister in that city which 
 seemed to have been enslaved to the drink habit. 
 But it never occurred to him that his congregation 
 would be affected in the least until a committee 
 waited upon him the following Monday evening 
 and advised him to be a little more moderate in his 
 denunciation of certain evils. He had insulted one 
 of the trustees who stayed about "three sheets in 
 the wind" most all of his time and he swore that 
 he would never foot the church again.
 
 58 RAYMOND 
 
 Only one year had passed under his adminis- 
 tration, but it was the most prosperous year in the 
 history of the church. Over one hundred mem- 
 bers had been added, some three thousand dollars 
 raised and the congregation had greatly increased. 
 The church now raised his salary which was a sur- 
 prise to him. It had been the hardest year's work 
 of his life but not without results. 
 
 There was a feeling pretty generally among 
 the people that the pastor ought to occupy the par- 
 sonage where each member would be free in call- 
 ing upon him. There were many girls in the 
 church well qualified to care for his home. The 
 women began at once to select him a suitable com- 
 panion and many of the girls were thinking, "I 
 ought to be the fortunate one". Yet he had not 
 been asleep over this all important matter upon 
 which his future career so largely depended. He 
 committed his secret to the deacon board and to 
 the family with whom he boarded. He had not 
 only corresponded regularly with one of his class- 
 mates, but had paid her two visits that year and 
 had secured the consent of her parents. The whole 
 secret was broken one Sunday morning when the 
 church clerk read the notice, then said: "I hold in 
 my hand an invitation to the members and friends 
 of this church". Silence prevailed and if the church 
 floor had not been carpeted one might have heard 
 the sound made by a falling pen. It proved to be 
 an invitation to the wedding of their pastor and
 
 HOW A BOY SUCCEEDED 59 
 
 Miss Maude who lived in Chesterfield one hundred 
 and thirty-seven miles from Yorkville. There 
 were many sad hearts, but none dare show signs 
 of their regret. 
 
 There was much talk about the coming: bride 
 who was to become mistress of the parsonage. It 
 was thought that she would not be able to win the 
 affections of the people, as she was a stranger the 
 people would be inclined to keep a distance. He 
 arrived in the city at night accompanied by a 
 party of ten, three of whom were his members. 
 Despite the lateness of the hour there were scores 
 waiting at the depot and everyone tried to 'catch 
 a glimpse of the bride, who was dressed in a 
 dark blue suit matched by a hat that partly dis- 
 closed the light from her blushing face. They 
 were hurried to the parsonage where another 
 crowd awaited to greet them. There the table was 
 laden with dainties but their joy was full and their 
 appetites could not be excited. 
 
 After the grand reception was over the next 
 night, the pastor settled down to work. The madam 
 soon adapted herself to the home and her pious 
 disposition and her affectionate manner won for her 
 the highest respect of the members, and they soon 
 felt that she was one of them. Raymond was never- 
 theless conscious that some of the people did not 
 care for him as they had hitherto appeared. He 
 knew that he would no longer receive presents, 
 which would naturally make him feel obligated to
 
 60 RAYMOND 
 
 different ones. He felt free to visit the members 
 as never before. He could now bend all of his 
 energy in developing the work, and that, too, with- 
 out shunning homes or persons because of misun- 
 derstanding. He spent four and one-half years 
 with this people but they were not years of ease. 
 They were filled with anxiety for the fullest Christ- 
 life for both pastor and people. He now enters in- 
 to their sorrows and comforts alike. He always 
 felt that "woe is me" if the people among whom 
 and for whom he served are not continually grow- 
 ing more and more like their Master. Being over 
 anxious to bring the people up in a few years to 
 that standard to which individuals must grow, and 
 not attain by bounds, he labored the more zeal- 
 ously. He was not able to win the four deacons 
 who resigned their much loved positions. They 
 were thorns in his flesh always presenting the hand 
 of Esau in the peculiar upheavals of the church, 
 but his ears never misunderstood the voice of Ja- 
 cob. It was obvious to him that few pastors ever 
 lead all of their people. He saw that many had 
 drifted with the crowd and their hearts were far 
 from the cause. 
 
 He saw many of his mistakes after five years 
 yet he was proud of the stand he always took for 
 the right. He was honored by his young people 
 even though he had rendered himself, at times, of- 
 fensive by attacking their card playing and danc- 
 ing, etc. But they were enforced to endorse his
 
 HOW A BOY SUCCEEDED 61 
 
 stand after a malicious murder of two of the prom- 
 inent young- men of the church at a private dance 
 in the home of one of the upper tens. The disap- 
 pearance in one year of five young- women, two of 
 whom were members of the choir, and the others 
 were prominently connected with the auxiliaries of 
 the church, whose whereabouts remained a mystery 
 to everybody save their respective families. With 
 all the criticism against his preaching- and adminis- 
 tration no one entertained the slightest doubt of 
 his moral integrity. He had never backed down 
 one iota from any principal if he believed it to be 
 right, however strong the objection.
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 AXSNVEKIXC THE CALL FROM OVER THE SEA. 
 
 FULLY five years are necessary to plant a pastor 
 with a people, so that they may have that 
 cemented love that is so- essential for their largest 
 usefulness. To sever these ties, when bound by 
 that chord, each thread of which is made of genuine 
 affection is unwise; yet no man looketh on the out- 
 ward appearance. A voice from over the sea had 
 been ringing in the ears of Raymond for many a 
 year. The more he pondered and prayed over the 
 seeming call, the clearer it- pointed to him. He 
 mustered up enough courage, one night after a suc- 
 cessful service, to break the news to his wife. It 
 was such a shock to her that it robbed her of a 
 whole night's sleep. 
 
 By times the next morning she had breakfast 
 prepared and her house in order. Then they drew 
 their chairs up to a large center table in his study, 
 and for two hours or more discussed this antici- 
 pated new field. She called to his mind the possi- 
 bilities that lay before him, in this, his nativity. 
 He was now pastoring the leading church of his 
 state and his success had been far beyond all ex- 
 pectations. As a pulpit orator he was recognized 
 as the best among his comrades. Honors had been
 
 HOW A BOY SUCCEEDED 63 
 
 offered him which he declined and as it was ob- 
 vious to her in a few years he would be a national 
 character. 
 
 These unexpected words of praise from his 
 wife were astonishing- to him. Never before did 
 he conceive that she entertained such a hope of 
 him ascending- these lofty heights based upon his 
 ability and the unparralled success already at- 
 tained. More than once he decided that in her es- 
 timation he was hardly an ordinary pastor, and 
 less an impressive and persuasive preacher. Hav- 
 ing now learned her estimation of him, he was 
 more determined to become a foreign missionary. 
 He assured her that his life's work anywhere, save 
 on the foreign field, would be a failure. Therefore 
 he decided to go at any cost. Believing it to be a 
 call of the Lord, she affirmed that it was better to 
 obey God than man. "For," said she, "whither 
 thou goeth I will go, and whither thou lodgeth I 
 will lodge, where thou dieth will I die, and there 
 will I be buried." 
 
 He was bound to respect every duty that he 
 owed the church, whereupon he made known the 
 facts in a joint meeting of the deacons and trustees, 
 numbering twenty-five, on the night of the same day 
 that his wife decided to cast her lot with him. 
 When he had discussed at length and in detail the 
 accomplishment of Xew Hope under his adminis- 
 tration, and had thanked them individually for their 
 loyal support, without which success would have
 
 64 RAYMOND 
 
 lagged, then he made known his call to the foreign 
 field and his decision to go. The whole board was 
 smitten with awe on receiving this startling state- 
 ment. The meeting was prolonged until one o'clock* 
 then adjourned to meet the next night at eight 
 o'clock. Promptly at the designated hour each 
 man was in his place. They used every possible 
 argument in persuading their pastor to remain, all 
 of which was useless. Three of the members be- 
 came so disgusted at the idea of his giving up their 
 church, that they excused themselves before the 
 meeting closed. 
 
 Now as the King's business demanded haste, 
 it was agreed that he might make known his inten- 
 tions to the church on Sunday, for not a single 
 member of that board would be the first to make 
 known his purpose. The favorable weather that 
 Sunday seemed to have sanctioned the purpose of 
 the pastor. The church was taxed for seating ca- 
 pacity when he announced his text from Matt. 24: 
 14, then read: "And this gospel of the kingdom 
 shall be preached in all the world for a witness to 
 all nations and then shall the end come." There 
 was a quivering in his voice recognized by many. 
 As he spoke he appeared to have been absorbed in 
 his text as never before. The people entered into 
 sympathy with him for the heathens and felt that 
 some one ought to haste away bearing the story of 
 the cross. For fully one hour he eloquently spoke 
 holding his audience spellbound. When he had
 
 HOW A BOY SUCCEEDED 65 
 
 exhausted his prepared discourse, he drew from his 
 inside coat pocket another paper and read: To the 
 Beloved Saints of New Hope Baptist Church: I 
 feel called upon this morning to make public this 
 declaration which has been a weighty burden upon 
 me for many years, to you I owe a debt of grati- 
 tude and love that time will never permit me to 
 pay. Here my experience has come by toils, and 
 they have been toils laden with bitters and sweets. 
 But this experience doubtless was educating me for 
 a nobler service, I have learned to love each of 
 you, and ^because of this fact I loath to tell you 
 that the time has come when I must give back to 
 you the cares and responsibilities of this great flock! 
 But listen, do you not hear ringing in your own 
 ears the cry of teeming millions as it comes, float- 
 ing over the blue waters of the Atlantic, 'Give us 
 the light.' I have answered the call. I hereby 
 tender you my resignation as pastor, not as a mat- 
 ter of choice, but as one of duty. The rest of my 
 days shall be spent among that people, many of 
 whom do not know their left hand from their right. 
 I beg, therefore, that this resignation take effect six 
 months from today. 
 
 All of which I humbly submit. 
 
 RAYMOND ALSTON. 
 
 Silence prevailed for a short while, only broken 
 in by sobs here and there among the people until 
 Deacon Hopkins arose and said, "Let us pray".
 
 66 RAYMOND 
 
 Once in the history of this church did everybody 
 bow in prayer. Both old and young were plead- 
 ing with Jehovah, and what would impress one 
 most, there were those who were recognized as vile 
 sinners whispering a petition while hot tears kissed 
 each other under their chins. When the prayer 
 was over, Raymond beckoned to the audience who 
 rose upon their feet while he with uplifted hands 
 pronounced the benediction and walked back into 
 his study. 
 
 The secretary of the Foreign Mission Board 
 issued a special call meeting of the board immedi- 
 ately after receiving Raymond's letter offering his 
 services to the board. The board accepted his ser- 
 vices and his commission was forwarded at once. 
 It was announced, therefore, through the papers 
 that he would sail December 15. 
 
 Yorkville is located on one of the largest riv- 
 ers in the South. A city of one hundred and sixty 
 thousand inhabitants had felt the influence of one 
 unselfish life. His departure on Thursday, Decem- 
 ber 15, had given rise to an interesting subject in 
 the school, around the table and desk in almost ev- 
 ery home and business place. Darkness had 
 scarcely given place to the light of the sun, which 
 appeared to be rising out of the river that morning, 
 before the tramp of feet were heard upon the pave- 
 ment moving toward the wharf. Many were too 
 full of anxiety to wait their breakfast. At nine 
 o'clock several business places were closed. The
 
 HOW A BOY SUCCEEDED 67 
 
 school bells rang but the teachers failed to appear, 
 and not the voice of a child was heard upon the 
 --campus. Women left their household duties and 
 men by hundreds did not report on duty. The 
 hacks were rushing vainly to accommodate their 
 customers and the street cars were overcrowded. 
 The whole wharf was thronged and for a mile the 
 people were strewn along the banks of the river. 
 
 It is nine-thirty o'clock for the tug boat is ap- 
 proaching from the opposite side in response to the 
 signal. Xow the flags are unfurled. Someone 
 said: "There is the man that has attracted so much 
 attention. How they shake his hand and weep as 
 he pushes onward towards the boat." He was fol- 
 lowed by his wife and three-year old son. The 
 sound of the gong meant ten minutes more. The 
 rest of the time was almost spent in silence. At 
 the sound of a shrill whistle from Old Venice that 
 was soon to plough the great Atlantic, the ropes 
 were loosed and the captain gave orders to launch 
 out. They floated on so gently that one could 
 only tell that they were moving by the space that 
 became wider between them and the boat. Thous- 
 ands of handkerchiefs floated in the breeze as the 
 boat moved farther and farther away. Then the 
 little tug loosed her hold from Venice and gave a 
 farew r ell signal and returned. As the large vessel 
 glided onward she became smaller moment by mo- 
 ment until the handkerchiefs were lost from view.
 
 68 RAYMOND 
 
 Alas! the large vessel disappears in the distant blue 
 Here upon the banks of the river the crowd is left 
 impatiently waiting the news of his landing upon 
 Africa's shores.
 
 END VIEW OF UOC. 
 
 Burriss Metal Shingles 
 
 Suitable for Residences, Churches 
 8 and Public Buildings. 
 
 Neat in Appearance, Serviceable 
 Rain and Storm Proof 
 
 Can be applied by any careful 
 person 
 
 Manufactured by 
 
 Jno. T. Burriss & Son 
 
 ANDERSON, S. C.
 
 I 
 
 AM LOCATED" -in 
 
 McGowan's Build- 
 ing, corner of West Mar- 
 ket and South Main streets. 
 I carry a full line of 
 
 Staple and Fancy 
 Groceries 
 
 I assure you courteous 
 treatment and prompt de- 
 livery of goods. 
 Call us if you do not care 
 to come. Phone 748-L. 
 
 H. J. Taylor 
 
 Manager 
 
 :*::*::
 
 I am prepared to furnish 
 the public with 
 
 STAPLE AND FANCY 
 
 GROCERIES, SHOES, 
 
 CORN, OATS, and 
 
 BRAN. 
 
 Flour a Specialty 
 
 Prompt Attention and 
 
 Courteous Treatment 
 
 to all. 
 
 Phone 135 
 
 Wm. Menefield
 
 When in need of Staple 
 
 and Fancy Groceries I 
 
 shall be pleased to 
 
 supply you. 
 
 Prompt Delivery is Shown and You Shall 
 Have Goods Delivered as Ordered. 
 
 Call to see us on South Fant St. 
 
 J. E. Williams
 

 
 Jenkins' Pharmacy 
 
 406 
 S, Main Street 
 
 ANDERSON, 
 S. C 
 
 PresoiptioBS CnHfy Compounileil 
 
 WE KKI-:P rx STOCK ALL THK 
 STANDARD PATENT MEDICINES 
 
 DRUGGISTS' SUNDRIES. 
 PUTNAM AND DIAMOND DYES 
 
 of all colors. 
 
 PERFUMERY 
 
 Cologne. BO.V Rum, Florida Water ;md 
 tracts of the Finest Quality, Coniprisii 
 the Most Popular Orders. 
 
 SODAS 
 I co. Cream and Ice Creavn Sodas Made f) 
 
 the Purest Extracts, 
 Our Phosphates are the Best, 
 
 You can find Anything 1 You Wish in the line 
 of Stationery and Post Cards