The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1871-04-29
OUR SATURDAY NIGHT.
How He Lost His Way.


for humanity if all men would onl, /.
throw aside their hate and worl
together like brothers, arm in arm
walking to rest under the eolde,
light in the East-we saw a quain
old man sitting on the stone step
to the building wherein are GU
rooms. At first we were temple.
to speak out in tones of authority
-"Move on!'
Thus do men in great cities
speak to the poor who rest on theil,
steps. But there came a though
of tenderness and feeling of pity
and we could not help pausing fol
chat with one whose bent form
and gray hairs told US that, no
matter how poor and ignorant
now. he must soon know more
than any of US, for he will know
of the Eternal.
"Good evening, uncle"
The old man looked at us Wit
q strange, sad. bewildered look, a.
if words of kindness were long
unknown to him, but replied not a
word.
"Good evening, uncle. Having
q little rest p
"Yes-yes, sir, but I'll move
on"
''Not now. You look tired"
81 am tired-very tired-am al
ways tired, so it makes no matter
where l 60"
"Then US two are alike-we are
both tired. Let US sit here to.
gether"
"What-you sit here to rest
when you can get inside p
"Yes-unless you will step in
and upstairs with u.s."
"No, thank you-nice rooms are
not for poor old wrecks like me
'twould only make me feel worse
to come out"
"Then we will sit here and help
you rest. Are you going home =
"Home? l have no homer"
"Where do You sleep?''
Sometimes in stable on Nine-
teenth street, sometimes in a sta
ton house, and sometimes, in warm
weather, in little corner of lum-
ber yard"
"Where do you eat p
"Anywhere that I can get food.
Sometimes I hold a gentleman's
horse and he gives me ten cents
or quarter, then I get a good
meal in place near the river.
Sometimes throw in some kind
ling wood and get a nice meal in
the kitchen, which lasts me two
days. Sometimes 1 go where
workmen are building, and after
they have eaten from their little
tin dinner pals they give me the
crusts, and bones and little pieces
left-then have. plenty. 1 get
along pretty well, only when am
sick; then It's mighty hard on the
old man."
"Won't you 60 upstairs and
sleep tonight j just once, for
luck ?'
"No-'twould be so much better
than my regular that 1 guess I'll
jog along. But you are kind to
offer it, just the same, and I thank
you"
mot very kind. It nothing to
give when one can give and not
miss it."
"Well-folks don't always think
so.''
"What is your name?
"My name2 Ihave none. Some
years ago I had one and a good
one too. Leastwise it was good on
Walt street and at the opera box
office, but l threw It after nv for
tune years ago, and they may all
go to the devil together"
"Have you no friends p
"No-only sleep and the sun
shine"
sNo relatives ?"
Relations you mean2 had
lots of them when I was rich-be
fore they got all my money. /
have none now..'
"Have you had your supper to-
night p
'Supper! What is supper2
What is dinner, or any meal, to a
man who can not be Particular
when he eats, no more than the
dos who finds a bone when he
can ?"
"How do you live ?''
"Any way. Do chores. Take
what is given me. Work when
can. live like the leaf in the fall
AS the wind blows
owl you go with us and get
good supper ?"
where p
"At nice restaurant over there
across the park -
Hardy they wouldn't let the
likes OF me at their white table
cloths"
"Yes they will-go with US and
we will see if they will not"
"Ill be glad to go if you ask me
TO- It's such a long, long time
since I've been asked to eat with a
gentleman; it will seem like old
times-'twill seem as it used to,
only shan't have it to pay for"
"Now. waiter. we will have
nice tenderloin steak; some pota-
toes stewsd in milk; pot OF nice
coffee for each of Us; some fresh