The Choir Invisible

"Let me ask you a question," said John, suddenly and earnestly. "Have there

ever been days in your life when, if you'd been the camel, you'd have thrown

the load and driver off?"

"Ah!" said the parson keenly, but gave no answer.

"Have there ever been days when you'd rather have done wrong than right?"

"Yes; there have been such days--when I was young and wild." The confession

was reluctant.

"Have you ever had a trouble, and everybody around you fell upon you in the

belief that it was something else?"

"That has happened to me--I suppose to all of us."

"Were you greatly helped by their misunderstanding you?"

"I can't say that I was."

"You would have been glad for them to know the truth, but you didn't choose

to tell them?"

"Yes; I have gone through such an experience."

"So that their sympathy was in effect ridiculous?"

"That is true also."

"If you have been through all this," said John conclusively, "then without

knowing anything more, you can understand why I am not like myself, as you

say, and haven't been lately."

The parson moved his chair over beside the school-master's and took one of

his hands in both of his own, drawing it into his lap.

"John," he said with affection, "I've been wrong: forgive me! And I can

respect your silence. But don't let anything come between us and keep it

from me. One question now on this our last Sunday night together: Have you

anything against me in this world?"

"Not one thing! Have you anything against me?"

"Not one thing!"

Neither spoke for a while. Then the parson resumed: "I not only have nothing against you, but I've something to say; we might

never meet hereafter. You remember the woman who broke the alabaster box for

the feet of the Saviour while he was living--that most beautiful of all the

appreciations? And you know what we do? Let our fellow-beings carry their

crosses to their Calvarys, and after each has suffered his agony and entered

into his peace, we go out to him and break our alabaster boxes above his

stiff cold feet. I have always hoped that my religion might enable me to

break my alabaster box for the living who alone can need it--and who always

do need it. Here is mine for your feet, John: Of all the men I have ever

known, you are the most sincere; of them all I would soonest pick upon you

to do what is right; of them all you have the cleanest face, because you

have the most innocent heart; of them all you have the highest notions of

what a man may do and be in this life. I have drawn upon your strength ever

since I knew you. You have a great deal. It is fortunate; you will need a

great deal; for the world will always be a battle-field to you, but the

victory will be worth the fighting. And my last words to you are: fight it

out to the end; don't compromise with evil; don't lower your ideals or your

aims. If it can be any help to you to know it, I shall always be near you

in spirit when you are in trouble; if you ever need me, I will come; and if

my poor prayers can ever bring you a blessing, you shall have that."