The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1874-12-10
ON THE TRAIN.
~ =. QUAD.

! On the train the other day a very
solemn looking man, dressed in black
and carrying hat-box, came along and
dropped into half my seat.
cit is fine day" I remarked, desir-
ing to be friendly.
lit Is a fine day, but young man, how
is it with your soul ?" he replied, roll
ling up his eyes and looking still more
solemn
[ asked him what he meant, and he
answered:
''Where would you go to if you died I?
How does your record stand in heaven?"
told him that I was jogging along
peacefully like, paying my debts, saving
little money, and dropping some
thing into the contribution-box as it
passed.
"That won't do-ah," he said as he
folded his hands and closed his eyes.
'sYou're sinner, -ah, baleful sinner.
There is no mansion laid up for you in
the land beyond the skies-ah. Do you
ever pray-ah %
"Once in a great while,'' I told him.
'"The devil is in your heart-ah," he
went on. ''You pray not, neither do
you sing. Like flower you shall be
cut down, and the stem shall wither and
decay, and be seen no more among the
fields
"What would you advise me to do %
I asked, feeling little weak.
81 am but poor worm myself" he
answered meekly, sslike unto puny
insect
GA cockroach, for instance" I put in
as he paused.
"Only poor, struggling wor-um, %
he went on, never minding me, "yet [
am trying to Go my appointed work.
Away, over the sea, in Africa, millions
are living in ignorance and vice, know
ing nothing of heaven, having no good
IN their hearts, living like the beasts of
the field. In my poor, humble way, I
am trying to save a few benighted hea-
then-trying to redeem few souls
Gin what particular way?" inquired.
"Partly by my prayers, and partly by
collecting money and buying Bibles to
ship to them, that they may have the
word Of life"
There was a pause for moment, and
then he laid his hand on my arm and
continued:
'Young man, the Lord loveth a cheer
full giver! Out of your abundance con-
tribute something for the cause of the be-
.nighted. Even though you are not a
Christian, your good act will be put to
your credit in that land where all is Joy
and bliss
Iaslzed him if he could change a 800
bill and give me back $19.95, and he
turned away and seemed weary.
We rode on in silence for about a
mile, and then he took string from his
pocket, laid it on his knee in way to
make two separate loops in it, and then
| he said:
"YoJlng man, thou art sinner, and
thou will not freely contribute to the
cause of the benighted.'
(Which the same is true muir
INJURED.
''On the part Of the heather and my
cause, I desire to bet thee five to three
that thou canst not put thy finger in the
| loop that VIII catch." he said, smiling
sweetly.
sIt's the old string game-seen it
forty times,'' I answered.
ssSolely on account Of the benighted
heather do I wish to bet five to three
that thou canst not locate the JOKER" he
went on, producing three thimbles and
pea.
''Played it IN the army for four years, %
I replied, turning away with nlournful
heart
ssThen you are willing that the hea-
then shall struggle on like the beasts OF
the field and the birds of the air - he
asked, putting up lbs thimbles.
eyes, truly" I answered.
"'Tis sad that one SO young should be
SO SINFUL" he murmured, and he went
to the other end of the car and succeeded
in fleeing an old man out Of S34 and a
watch on the check game-for the cals e
of the heather in Africa.
| The METRIC SYSTEM OF WEIGHTS AND