Page 43 - MailOrderBrideFlipBook

through the efforts of someone else?” Jim asked. “Why, yes,” Eli replied. “I never thought you listened to my sermons.” “I try not to,” Jim growled. Then he continued, “Anyway, think about it, Eli. Maybe she’s not the answer to your prayers, but maybe you’re the answer to hers.” “I don’t understand,” Eli said. Whitman put his hand on Eli’s shoulder. “You’re the one who always says you feel that God will direct your life if you let him. Maybe He’s directing yours now.” “And who knows,” Jim added. “Maybe she is the answer to your prayers. You always say that God knows better how to answer our prayers than we do.” Eli grinned. “Maybe you two ought to get up and preach the sermon tomorrow.” Jim stood, laughed, and teasingly poked Eli with his cane. “No. I can’t wait to see what kind of sermon you come up with. I bet, as the word gets out, you’ll have a packed house.” Just then, Mabel and Elizabeth came running in. They ran to Eli, each grabbing one of his arms, trying to be the first to get his attention. Mabel pulled him around to face her as she spoke. “Eli, are you ready to greet your future wife?” Eli’s face reddened. “Now, wait just a minute here. No one said that...” He was interrupted by a loud clatter. He looked over at Jim and saw that he had dropped his cane to the floor and was staring, as if in a trance. Whitman, beside him, also stood motionless. Their faces had a look of astonishment. Eli turned around to see what drew their 40