Pippin; A Wandering FlameRichards, Laura Elizabeth Howe
General
Pippin; A Wandering Flame
Richards, Laura Elizabeth Howe
Bildungsromans; Ex-convicts -- Fiction; Love stories; Orphans -- Fiction; Young men -- Fiction
"The chaplain used to come and see me once or twice a week, and he give
me papers to read--nice papers they was, too; I liked 'em--and said I
was in a bad way and didn't I repent, and I said no, I didn't, and he'd
shake his head and say, 'Hardened! hardened!' kind of sad, and go away.
He'd ben there a long time, and it had soaked into him, as you may say.
He'd lost his spring, if ever he had any. Well! come one day--I'll never
forget that day! bright, sunshiny day it was, just like this--I went to
chapel as usual. I liked to go to chapel, 'count of the singin'. I'd
rather sing than eat, any day. I never noticed the words, you
understand, but I liked the tunes, and I sang out good whenever I got a
chance. So I went in with the rest, like a sheep, and sat down, never
lookin' up. I'd got a piece of string, and a feller had showed me a new
knot, and I sat tyin' it, waitin' for the singin'. I never took no
notice of anything else. Then a voice spoke, and I jumped, and looked
up. It was a strange voice, and a strange man. Tall and well set up, he
was, kind o' sandy hair and beard, and eyes that looked right through
you and counted the buttons on the back of your shirt. Yes, and his
voice went through you, too; it wasn't loud nor yet sharp, but you
couldn't help but listen. '_The Lord is here!_' he said. He let that
sink in a minute; then, 'Right here,' he said, 'in this chapel. And
what's more, you left Him behind you in your cell. And what's more,
you'll find Him there when you go back. _You can't get away from Him!_'
I can't tell you all he said, but every word come straight as a rifle
bullet. I wasn't the only one that sat up, I tell ye! 'Twas different
talk from what we was used to. He spoke about ten minutes, and it didn't
seem three; then he stops short and says, 'That's enough. Now let's
sing! Hymn 464!' Well, there was some sung, like me, because they liked
it, and there was a few here and there was professors, but half of 'em
didn't pay no attention special, just sat there. After the first verse
he held up his hand. 'I said _sing_!' says he. 'And when I say sing I
mean _sing_! Never mind whether you know how or not; _make a noise_! I
ain't goin' to sing alone!'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account