Black Rock

R >> Ralph Connor >> Black Rock


That evening the manse overflowed with joy, and the days that followed
were like dreams set to sweet music.

But for sheer wild delight, nothing in my memory can quite come up to
the demonstration organised by Graeme, with assistance from Nixon, Shaw,
Sandy, Abe, Geordie, and Baptiste, in honour of the arrival in camp
of Mr. and Mrs. Craig. And, in my opinion, it added something to the
occasion, that after all the cheers for Mr. and Mrs. Craig had died
away, and after all the hats had come down, Baptiste, who had never
taken his eyes from that radiant face, should suddenly have swept the
crowd into a perfect storm of cheers by excitedly seizing his tuque, and
calling out in his shrill voice--

'By gar! Tree cheer for Mrs. Mavor.'

And for many a day the men of Black Rock would easily fall into the old
and well-loved name; but up and down the line of construction, in all
the camps beyond the Great Divide, the new name became as dear as the
old had ever been in Black Rock.

Those old wild days are long since gone into the dim distance of the
past. They will not come again, for we have fallen into quiet times;
but often in my quietest hours I feel my heart pause in its beat to hear
again that strong, clear voice, like the sound of a trumpet, bidding
us to be men; and I think of them all--Graeme, their chief, Sandy,
Baptiste, Geordie, Abe, the Campbells, Nixon, Shaw, all stronger, better
for their knowing of him, and then I think of Billy asleep under the
pines, and of old man Nelson with the long grass waving over him in the
quiet churchyard, and all my nonsense leaves me, and I bless the Lord
for all His benefits, but chiefly for the day I met the missionary of
Black Rock in the lumber-camp among the Selkirks.