isa-normaladvance-1903-00065

Description:	THE NORMAL ADVANCE.65with the water still dropping at regular intervalsfrom* the end of each. The skirt she wore was ofblue cloth, and her ill-fitting plaid waist wassurely a family relic handed down from severalolder sisters. She nervously fingered the red cotton sash about her waist until Bobs friendlyGood afternoon, Miss, and will you tell me yourname? caused her to raise her head. Lookinghim straight in the face, she told him with a pairof big brown eyes of all the wealth of confidence,admiration, and love—that were hers to bestow.Others began to come and the place was gradually being filled. It was a long, narrow roomwith rows of chairs down each side and an islecovered with matting in the middle. At one sidestood a huge coal stove, and the front space wasoccupied by the organ, table, and a couple ofchairs. Some colored Bible pictures, bearing appropriate lines beneath, covered the dingy wallpaper in many places.Bobs heart was beginning to relent a little, butstill he could not quite decide why Alice shouldlove these unattractive children as dearly as sheseemed to. Some were such dirty youngsters.Having patted the last little ragamuffin thathad entered on the head, she stepped nearer toBob as she said, I do hope Miss Fairfield will behere today. I do want you to meet her, for youwill just love her I know. But she has a greatdeal of visiting to do, and sometimes it is impossible for her to be at every meeting.Alice was just deciding that it was time to openthe school, when the wished-for person enteredwith six of her flock. With a little nod and smileto Alice she passed straight to the front. Shehurriedly took off her gloves, coat, and hat and allthe time talked to this child and that while eachsat ready to drink in every sound of her musicalvoice and echo her merry little laugh.Alice left Mr. Wilson -on one of the back chairs,where he could see and. hear all and form hisopinion of this strange group of young Americans,while she took her place at the organ.Miss Fairfield announced the number and allbegan to sing. With the first line Bob could feelthe blood tingling in his veins. It was the sweet,full tone of a contralto voice that lead the children. Such a one he knew he had never heard.He listened almost breathlessly for every sound ofthat beautiful voice, and when the last of threesongs had been sung he leaned back in his chairwith a sense of fatigue from the strain.After a short prayer Miss Fairfield began thelesson, for all the children were in one class today. Bob had wondered why those songs had affected him as they had, but after he had listenedto her sympathetic, inspiring words for a fewminutes, he decided that such emotion as she hadput into her singing could rightly come from asoul that had such beautiful thoughts. He noticedtoo that they found fitting expression in herhappy, girlish face with its beauty and air of wonderful refinement.The services were soon over and the children,eager for a last word, flocked about her. Howtender and loving she was with each. Bob waitedpatiently for his introduction, and almost enviedone of those poor little urchins the place he heldin her heart. It was soon over, a few complimentary words offered Upon the leaders ability in suchwork, and they parted. Bob dared not even admit to himself how much his own heart had beenaffected, even if the whole had been intended forthe little home missionary subjects of First andSecond streets.Bobs face soon began to be a familiar one at theLighthouse Mission, but for a time he tried to deceive himself into thinking that it was for Alicessake that he went, while she stood happily by andunderstood all. Oh, those children! In them hefound more dangerous rivals than any ballroomgallants had ever proven to be. How many timeshis good nature almost revolted at the verythought of it. But one day little Helen Fairfieldfound time to say, Yes, to the old, old story,and suddenly realized that she was a promisedbride.Dessie B. Kitch, 03.
Source:	http://indstate.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/isuarchive/id/33814
Collection:	Indiana State University Archives

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