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The Mockingbird's Ballad

Page 93

"Open your eyes. Open your hearts. Are you trying to follow a god who keeps playing tricks, setting traps so he can condemn you, take joy in your misery? That's an awful little and mean god. The One I bear witness to is lots bigger. The Great and One God is about love, not trick justice and sham righteousness."

Lou was touched, smitten by the message and the man. She often went down to the Methodist church at Dellrose but not every Sunday. The farm and stock didn't allow a regular day of rest for her and hers. When she sat in the congregation she listened and believed that she was a Christian. She took part in the Lord's Supper every quarter when presiding Elder Hawkins from Columbia offered it. Her heart was at ease with Methodist Christianity but her head had reservations. Solon's words found that place of unease, opened it and had Lou's full attention. An ache of the soul was manifest and the former horse soldier's words seemed as a welcomed shower on a dry field. Here was a message and man that she need reckon with.

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Lou stayed back. Alex had quickly made his way to the preacher after the meeting was over. Sure enough, Alex and the ex-soldier, now missionary, came walking, crunching down the brown grass to where Lou stood.

"Major, Colonel, Sir. I mean, what, I guess, 'Parson'?" Lou said, her face flushed but she carried herself with the confidence of a young successful farmer and individual. Her eyes, however, were quickly averted to the man's silver watch chain across his black waistcoat after her strong greeting.

"Our farrier, well if this isn't something. Girl, boy, now woman. Bugler and farrier all grown up and here. Alex tells me you all moved from the Sequatchie and are raising mules and farming west of here," he said to Lou, his eyes sparkling and his face open and obviously pleased.

"Yes, Sir, we sure are, "Alex answered as Lou just stood wordless and stark still. Lou could not make eye contact with the one man in the world who had seen her in the natural state. She was not embarrassed, but had that strange feeling she had experienced once before with this man. She suddenly in her heart recognized the reeling, attraction! A few bold would-be suitors had come calling up Eagan Hill on Sunday afternoons, but Lou had ignored them. Grand John L. had talked them off the place in short order after Lou's cold shoulder.

She thought, "Lou, you're stark raving crazy, the major - this preacher? - is old enough to be your father." But Lou owned that her feelings about him were anything but fatherly.

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