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The box was now in the required spot; and, orously to test their strength "I' I'll have to gird up "

Then he was silent The look of ht he had never seen a ht on his brow, looking wistfully over the heads of his little audience toward the rugged mountains Then slowly and reverently he raised his hands and began to pray aloud It was a conventional prayer, such as the average rural preacher used in opening a ; and when it was over he took a worn hyan to sing in a deep, sonorous voice So notes and the men in bass tones joined in This over, Leach cleared his throat, stroked his lips with a tapering, sun-browned hand, and began to talk

"Somebody over the mountain yesterday wanted to know, brethren, how I happened to take up this roving life, and I told the to tell you To begin with, the best temperance talker is the race of the Lord got out of it to give living testimony as to its evil Now, I'm pretty sure, for the sah the mire of hell on earth is competent to testify about that I'ht say My folks had ot out of school I went into business on my own hook in my home town You will be interested in this, Brother Wartrace; so make them fellers come out of the store and be quiet"

Order was restored Thewithin slouched out on the porch and stood respectfully listening

"I went into the grain business," Leach continued "I was young then, and I thought I owned the o slow, but I paid no attention to hiot into fast ways I played poker; I had a pair of fast horses, and I was guilty of other habits that I sos After awhile I slid into the hole that is at the foot of every ungodly slope on earth I was facing ruin I had only one chance to saveon wheat To do it I actually stole some money out of a bank run by a friend of mine It's awful to think about, but I did it I was found out I was accused and arrested I was tried and found guilty Lord, Lord, I shall never forget that day! My mother and father were in the courtrooht fell on his white head