The Penitent Father"Oh, I can see him now as he stood there pointing his finger in Katherine's face and telling her to never come near him again if she quit college and married this minister, or 'holy roller' as he called him." Mrs. Rose Fry looked on silently as Dr. Wagner examined the body of her lifeless husband. "This seems to be a rather strange case," said the doctor as he shook his head, and then inquired, "Has he had a shock of any kind, or any domestic trouble?" Breathing heavily, Mrs. Fry replied, "Yes, Dr. Wagner, about two years ago our daughter Katherine married against her father's will and he forbade her visiting us or coming upon our premises. From that time until now he's been quite a different man. He was always jolly and friendly, but not since then. He's a bitter and lonely soul if there ever was one. I'm about the only one he ever speaks to, except his employees at the store." The doctor placed his skilled fingers again on the man's pulse and counted in silence. Then he replaced his watch and said firmly: "I see nothing to account for the prolonged coma. It must be coming from his worrying." Mrs. Fry nodded her head and answered softly, "I'm sure, Dr. Wagner, you're right, for Katherine was his life and when she left, he went down-and went down hard-and has been down ever since. "You see, doctor, she was studying to be a teacher, and Heywood had a great desire for her to finish. In fact, he had even made arrangements with the board for her to teach right here in Martindale after she received her certificate. "Her older sister Eula died when Katherine was just seven, and since then, her father has almost worshiped her. We were not wealthy, but we did manage to get her through school. And Heywood did want to see her become a teacher. She was above average in her studies in both high school and college. Not long before she met the man she married, the school gave her a write-up, telling what high grades she had made during her second year at Clinton. Her father was so delighted and proud of her, and then came the tragedy. "A young minister of one of the full gospel churches came and put up a tent here in Martindale. Katherine and one of her school chums went over one night merely to look on-just out of curiosity. Strange indeed, but Katherine from the first moment was drawn to this preacher. And the next night she was right back to his tent. Not one service did she miss after that. "One night, as usual, the minister gave an altar call, and Katherine went up and knelt among several others who were seeking the Lord. She had been in the altar only a few minutes when she rose and began clapping her hands. Then she started praising the Lord, and suddenly she commenced speaking in tongues, as they call it. "This was too much for her father. We were parked near enough to the tent to see and to hear all that was going on. Heywood immediately drove away. His reaction was quite bitter from then on toward the meeting. When the revival closed, we knew definitely that Katherine and the young minister were deeply in love. "Katherine went on back to school that fall, but when she came home for Christmas, she told her father and me that she had quit school and was going to marry and start working for God. Then was when the storm broke! Nothing was, left for Heywood to look forward to. His one hope was gone. He seemed to die within himself. He wouldn't eat. He couldn't sleep. He was just ruined. He had never been "born again", but he did attend church practically every Sunday. He was so enraged! Oh, I can see him now as he stood there pointing his finger in Katherine's face and telling her to never come near him again if she quit college and married this minister, or 'holy roller' as he called him. The young man came over and tried to talk with him, but was ordered out of the house. "Katherine, poor child, was brokenhearted; yet she stood firm to her conviction and faith. She married and went away. Her father's bitterness had no limit. He even became angry with me for trying to plead with him. And he hasn't been to church since she left." Dr. Wagner, running his fingers through his thin dark hair, said gravely, "Mrs. Fry, I have learned that malice and hate can poison the body as well as the mind and soul. I'll try this injection as a last resource." After making the injection, Dr. Wagner and Mrs. Fry gazed in eagerness; still there was no response from the unconscious man on the bed. "If I were you, I would send for the daughter, Mrs. Fry," said the doctor as he walked away from the form of her death-like husband. "He'll never recover, I am sure," continued the doctor. "I don't know her address, but I think I can get it from a friend of hers on Third Street," said Mrs. Fry, with tears coming into her soft blue eyes. "Heywood destroyed her letters unopened; so she finally quit writing us." That evening when Katherine received the message her first impulse was to go to her room and have a good, long cry, but instead she began praying. Edwin was at the church getting things ready for the revival. It had been a busy day for them both. She loved the work and had never once regretted giving up her school to minister to lost souls. She knew that her marriage to Edwin Curtis was in the will of God. There was just one thing that had been hurting her-and hurting her badly- the way her father had treated her. Of course, she knew how he must have felt by her leaving school and marrying Ed, but his persistent ignoring her and her letters was almost unbearable. Katherine heard some one then driving over the bridge and looked out the window just in time to see her husband closing the car door. He was coming home for his evening meal. "What's wrong, honey?" inquired Edwin as he entered the door. "It's Daddy," she said, with tears seeping out from under the lashes of her dark brown eyes. "He's very low. For two days he's been in a coma. The doctor has no hopes for his recovery." The young minister turned and looked at his wife. He was beside her in a moment. "God can deliver your father, Katherine," he said, mopping the perspiration from his face. "He isn't going to die. God is going to heal him." His strong arms were now around her, his presence strengthening her. For a long moment they gazed at each other; then he said, looking thoughtfully: "I'll drive back to the church and tell brother Harris, so he can carry the service on tonight. You get ready while I'm gone, dear." Edwin's comforting remarks concerning her father's recovery had not lifted all the fear from Katherine's sad and aching heart. She still was afraid that her father might die before they could get there. She prayed all the way going. Edwin spoke very little. He seemed to be in a deep study. As they turned in on Chestnut from Main, a little of Katherine's fear departed, for she saw a light shining from her father's bedroom window. They never stopped to ring, but rushed on in, scarcely seeing anyone. Katherine ran past Edwin to her father's room. With a prayer on her lips she opened the door and walked quietly to her father's bedside. Her mother, with opened arms, rushed over to greet her. "How is Daddy now?" she nervously inquired, biting her lips to keep from crying. Her mother sobbed aloud and then replied gently, "He's still unconscious. And Dr. Wagner says he'll never revive." As she looked down into her father's pale and sunken face, Katherine's heart was heavy, for she could see that it had already set in the stillness of death. "Oh, Daddy!" she cried. "I must talk with you one more time!" She took his cold, wrinkled hands into hers, but there was no response. Edwin walked slowly into the room, and knelt beside the bed. His presence seemed to bring faith and courage, and immediately Katherine lifted her voice in prayer. Her mother sat down again and took her husband's Pulse. She saw her breathe heavily, and tears blinded her as her mind drifted back to the days before she left home. Her father had done so much to educate her. He had even sold part of his land. His love for her had been beyond measure. She had meant so much to him, he didn't think he could give her up. Suddenly she knew what she must do! She looked up, drew a deep sobbing breath, and began crying aloud. "O God, save my father! Don't let him die until I can talk with him ..."" She saw the flash of surprise come into her mother's eyes, but she prayed on. Edwin was praying too, with tears dropping from his big black eyes and his hands raised toward heaven. The tones of their voices filled not only the room but the entire house. She saw her mother suddenly lean forward and watch her father closely. When she was about to cease praying her mother looked up and whispered, "Don't stop, Katherine; he's stirring!" She prayed on earnestly, her eyes riveted on her father's face. She saw his eyelids flutter, then open, and he gazed at her blankly. Yes, God had answered her prayer, for a weak smile now broke over her father's ashen face. He tried feebly to reach her hand. She quit praying, and bent over him. "O Katherine, my little girl!" he whispered faintly and then closed his tear-stained eyes from weakness. "I've come to see you, Daddy! I've come home!" She pressed her soft cheek to his as she kissed his worn and faded hands. For minutes there was only silence, while the spirit of forgiveness flowed through the heart of Heywood Fry. Then he swallowed, and said in a trembling voice, "Katherine, I've wanted you so, so very much, but my stubbornness would not allow it. Can you ever forgive me-this old hard-hearted father of yours?" "Yes! yes, Daddy. I've been deeply hurt, too, but I had to be true to my faith and to my Lord." "I understand that now, Katherine," said her father, with his voice becoming stronger. "Pray with me again, Katherine! Pray!" he cried. Her voice husky with unshed tears, she began to pray in the Spirit for her poor lost father in a language not her own. When she had finished praying, her mother looked over at her husband and exclaimed tersely: "Well, Heywood, God has surely given you another chance. The prayers of Katherine and Edwin have saved your life." "Yes!" Heywood Fry replied with tears running down his cheeks, "and I mean to be a different man from this day on. I pray that God will allow me to have the same experience that Katherine has had. I want to be born again - made new by God." "This is a faithful saying that Christ Jesus came in the world to save sinners " (I Tim. 1:15).
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