Part 7 (1/2)
”ELLOW! WHO'S THERE”
Abe had a very quaint and original way of rendering the parable of our Lord on the iood etting to bed, I ha' to be up i' th' ood toime'
'Aye,' she said, 'thaa has?' So she put supper things away, and then she and th' childer sat daan while th' good ether at the fa of Him who never slumbers nor sleeps In a little while after that they were all in bed and th' candle blown aat; they were just settling daan into sleep, when there ca at th' front door, ran, tan, tan, tan 'Elloho's there?'
exclaiood man of th' haase as he raised himself up in bed
”'It's me!' answered a voice frohbour, thaa knaws'
”'Aye, and a bonny neighbour thaa is to be coht'
”'Why, I'm vary sorry,' chimes in th' voice aatsoide, 'vary sorry to trouble you, but a friend o' mine that's on a journey, has just cos, and we ha'nt a morsel o' bread to set before him, and I want to knaw if thaa'll lend us a loaf till my wife bakes'
”'Get away hoam wi' the',' replied the man of th' haase 'I'm i' bed, and canna be bothered; candle's aat, and we ha' no ean in th' mornin', and I'll lend the' soht:' whereupon he shuffles daan into bed agean, and tries to compose himsen to sleep
”But th'thick stick, and with this he starts to hammer th' door laader than ever, till he startles all th' sleepers in th' haase
”'Naa then, what's th' one hoam'
”'Will thaa lend me a loaf till my wife bakes?' This was said in such a deliberate, deterood man knows in a moment he won't be put off
”'What thinks ta, lass? Mun I get up and gie hioa away; he'll bray t' door daan afore dayloight'
”While th' wife is rubbing her eyes and hesitating a bit, th' s sich a clash of bells on th' front door, as brought th'
good
”'Hold on! hold on, !' and he was off daanstairs to the cupboard like a shot, aat with a loaf, unlocked th' front door, handed forth th' bread to theready for another knock 'I see,' said he, 'thaa weant be put off; tak' this, and go hoam wi' the''”
This story, told in the vernacular of the district, of which this is a very iestures, was exceedingly effective, and not easily forgotten Nor did he o the necessity of prayer, i!” Abe would say, ”God is only trying you a bit in not answering first knock; it's His way of proving whether you really mean it or not Knock laader, pray on and on, He hears, He is co, bless Him! He never said to th' seed of Jacob, 'Seek ye al Son was a favourite subject with the ”Little Bishop,” and s which fell fro parable The singular pictures which he drew of this young ht ation But his chief aiain; here his ereat that he hardly knehat he was saying Many of the friends still reht the poor prodigal to the top of a lane leading down to his father's house; there he stood, covered in rags and dirt, his head bare and his shoes gone; he is just ti whether he shall go on or turn back, when at that moment out comes the old man to look up and down the road; he sees that bit of hunizes him as his son, ”'Mother! mother!' exclai at top o' th' loin Oh, run! run s, tak' me to him! Here, Jack, my lad, come to me, the' father wants thee--co with tottering steps and open ars and all, to his bursting heart” It was so real to Abe, and he was so carried aith the picture which was before his vivid iot the lad into the house, he exclais on his feet,”--whereupon a brother in the chapel called out, ”Nay, nay, Abe lad, thaa s on his feet; put uht, man” But Abe responded at the top of his voice, while tears ca over his face, ”Put um on theesen and let ain, he was lost and is faand!'” By that genuine burst of feeling, he reached a climax of eloquence that has seldo
CHAPTER XVI
”I am a Wonder unto Many”
Such were the words of David in olden times, and with propriety did ”Little Abe” frequently adopt the his condition prior to his conversion,--a wild, thoughtless, and wicked youngneither fear of God norit hat he had beco his want of education, that he never could write, and by thatwas acceptable and profitable to the people, that he drew large congregations wherever he went, so to hear him who seldom attended the places at any other ti many sinners into the fold of Christ, who are now usefulthose who serve God in His temple in heaven, ”Little Abe” really was ”a wonder unto many”
A woman once said to him, ”Aye, Abe, I like' to hear the' preach”