1136 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



but I said it was almost the cornerstone of 

 the factory and of Gleanings itself. Then 

 we knelt down and I prayed about it; and, 

 if I remember, I prayed witli so much faith 

 that I was almost on the lookout the next 

 day for some glimpse of an answer to that 

 prayer. I cannot now remember whether 

 it was the next day or a day or two later, 

 tliat a letter came reading something like 

 this : 



" Mr. Root, I have a very good place to- 

 work. I like my work, and my pay is good 

 — better, I often think, than I deserve. But 

 my employers are both profane and ungod- 

 ly'^ men, and I feel as if I could not stay 

 with them any longer. I am interested in 

 the bee business, and have been reading 

 your journal. If you have a place for me 

 in the apiary 1 will go and work for you if 

 you give me enough to pay for my board 

 until you tliink I am worth more." 



The letter came from away off in Canada. 

 I showed it to Mrs. Root, and told her it 

 was the answer to our prayer. 



Right here I wish to give you something 

 I found in the Sunday School Times in our 

 morning lesson. It so completely takes in 

 the idea of prayer that I give it here: 



Learn to habituate yourself to taking the least 

 detail of your life's work to the Lord. He loves to 

 he trusted, and nothing is beneath his notice. Take 

 your plans and program for to-day, and lay thera in 

 his presence, seeking guidance, wisdom, and grace to 

 carry all out for his glory. This adds a wonderful 

 luster to life. 



Of course I told the young man to come 

 on. When he arrived I told him that, 

 instead of discussing the matter of board, 

 we would start him at a dollar a day. But 

 when Saturday night came I said I should 

 be ashamed to make it less than $1.25. 

 That was a fair man's wages at that time. 

 The next week I said the same thing and 

 gave him $1.50 ; and as he made himself in- 

 creasingly efficient and useful, he kept being 

 promoted, with better pay, right along. 

 Right here I wish to digress a little : 



I have not only thanked the Lord for 

 our two sons, but I have thanked him also 

 for our three sons-in-law, who are all good 

 clean men, right up to date, and professing 

 Christians. I could honestly say a good 

 word or many good words for each and all 

 of them; but for obvious reasons I am just 

 now going to confine my remarks mostly 

 to one of them. Before I go further let 

 me mention just one incident in the boyhood 

 of this young Canadian, or this young man 

 of whom I have been talking. 



It is not at all strange that, after a time, 

 our oldest daughter, then about seventeen, 

 became interested also in the young Cana- 

 dian with whom I was so much pleased. 



Well, John (for that was his name) used 

 to come up to the house almost every morn- 

 ing before the whistle blew, to get instruc- 

 tions about the duties of the day. One 

 particular morning he stood on the door- 

 step, and liesitated until I said : 



"Well, John, what is it?" 



I think Mrs. Root came to the door just 

 then, and then John commenced: 



" Mr. and Mrs. Root, you have been very 

 kind to me." 



Then he hesitated until I said, "Well, 

 John, we are very glad to hear it. But 

 what brings the matter up just now." 



His bright ruddy face colored up for a 

 little as he went on. 



" Why, what I want to say is this : Af- 

 ter all the kindiiess you and Mrs. Root have 

 shown me since 1 have been with you, it 

 would ill become me to go on with anything 

 that might not meet your approval. Your 

 daughter and I have of late been getting 

 pretty well acquainted." 



Then he stopped. 



" AVell, John, is not that all right?" 



" Why, Mr. Root, it is all right if you 

 say so. If not, do not hesitate about speak- 

 ing right out." 



I replied, " Well, John, if you and the 

 young lady agree, that is all right ; and I 

 want to say furthermore that if I have ever 

 in the past doubted your honesty and sin- 

 cerity in whatever you do, this one incident 

 dispels all such doubt." 



As the yeare pa.ssed by, John, with Er- 

 nest, lifted the load from my shoulders, and 

 permitted me to go to California, the Ber- 

 mudas, Florida, and finally up into north- 

 ern Michigan to raise potatoes. The busi- 

 ness ever since John has been general man- 

 ager has grown and paid a profit more or 

 less. I have recently made notice of the 

 marriage of Howard R. Calvert, their old- 

 est child, and gave a picture of the baby, 

 the first great-grandchild. 



Just recently, on tlie 55th anniversary of 

 our wedding. Miss Mildred Calvert was also 

 married. Below is a sketch in regard to 

 the wedding, written by our youngest 

 daughter. 



The wedding of Miss Mildred Calvert and Mr. 

 Marshall Frye Bryant took place on Friday, Septem- 

 ber 29, at four o'clock, at the old Boot home, now 

 occupied by E. R. Root and family. Miss Eva Mc- 

 Naughton, of Oberlin, sang a selection from the 

 Bridal Chorus from " Lohengrin," accompanied by 

 Mr. Harold Smith, of the Oberlin Conservatory. 

 Jean Boyden, Hall Kellogg, Helen Boyden, Alan 

 Root, Mar.iorie Ainsworth, and Ralph Boyden held 

 the white ribbons which formed the aisle thru which 

 the bridal procession came. Little Elizabeth Boyden, 

 as flower girl, led the way to the bank of green and 

 white clematis at the east end of the living-room, fol- 

 lowed by Katherine Root as ring-bearer. Mrs. How- 

 ard Calvert, in white net over pale-green taffeta, was 



