The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-04-01

der tone, 81 want YOU to Law WI uTfy @ Ten
a, me m heaven, and you can t do if !
Thar iTa 'u.n IL PACK on the Lords poor
iney are his poor, Mr.. JohpFH;,
poor ana L want you to helm tban
aiong IN this world, SO that when M thl
Ho olu VI tne poor comes in the clouds OF
neaven he will say to YOU s.Mv HI, -
loseo J9hn, lnasmuch as you did f int,
one OF the least OF these nv bretbran
you alu it unto me- sAnd If viii ~ ~, =
nappy day for you, Mr.. John. when II the
Lord blesses you for blessing his moor
lou used to be generous little fellow ;;
continued Aunt Prilly. ~ rememhs,
exactly how you looked, running ronnd
.ne streets, giving away every th3no vo,'
naa 10 any poor body that needed Il
put when you grew up you made money
All! Mr.. John, you made monev. asi
money don't always open the haan. anu
wide, the Lord knows ''
Mr. John Claverhouse was a monev-
grinder, and the world said truly when
II II sald that he was ''a hard listed man y,
put The tender voice of a. tender
woman was always a little disturbing tn
nim, ana Aunt Prilly's voice was sne.
cialiy tender that bright, sunny spring
afternoon. lug
"What bother these women are
sometimes 5. M he thought to himself
ahey DO SO stir up man,
But, determined to shake off Amt
rrilly," he said. "You pet and coddIe
tnem, and teach them to live ON charity.
when they ought to do more TO baIn
themselves. You know, as well as 7 do
mat they are miserable crew. Water
otreet Is the worst street in town. You
can t lind any worthy poor there; but
you spend ON them all the money YOU
"lf you won't give me any money!
answered Aunt Prilly, quietly, "will
you 90 something else for me, Mr..
q" Yes, yes; any thing to please Won.
any thlng but money. What is itp''
WHl you go out tonight in the
moonlight (you have no wife and chill.
dren to keep You at home), and 90
through Water Street, and up two fliohts
OF stairs, where the poorest of the Door
live, and
.' Yes, yes, I will," interrupted Mr..
John 81 like to air my brain at night, |
after working it all day over my money
troubles. And III take run up the |
two flights of stairs. And I'll do some
thing more for you, Aunt Prilly," added
John Claverhouse, now actually smiling
and trying to make himself agreeable. |
f" Ii l find saint, one genuine saint. |
such as you talk about, up those two
flights of stairs, I'll pull your bell be- |
iore go to sleep and empty my wallet
INTO your lap. AS sure as my name is
John Claverhouse, l will.''
Give me your hand on that,'' ex-
claimed Aunt Prilly, rising from her
chair and stepping up to Mr.. John.
MIR. Claverhouse extended his hand,
but with knowing smile, as he said:
''-You needn't talk to me about your
worthy poor in Water Street. Not
saint will find there.n
"Well, goodbye for to-day, Mr..
John. I'll leave it with you to decide
there's saint in Water Street
" not.n
Aunt Prilly was gone; and Mr.. John
was left alone, to mediate
IN the uncertainty of riches and to
ieplore the fact that they take wings
ind fly away. His riches had not
7et flown away, but their wings seemed
pread, just ready for flight, and Mr..
'ohn Claverhouse was very anxious
nan.
But evening found him hurrying
long in the direction of Water Street, |
nd as he turned into the street the dim ,
ights shone out here and there into the
.utters, and all the air seemed foul, not
My with bad odors, but with oaths and
urses.
"There's nothing that looks as if
here were a saint anywhere around ,
ere," thought Mr.. Claverhouse; "but
III keep my word and take
un up two flights of stairs. There's
o knowing, though, what I'll get
ito. Bad place, this! bad place!
What! what! Music in here, as sure as
m alive.' 7
As he said this John Claverhouse was
5anding by the first door, at the top of t
le second fight of stairs, with his hand
ent ready to knock. But he did not :,
mock. He stopped and held his breath =,
} listen to the music inside.
There is no name so sweet on earth,
No name so sweet as Jesus.
ga saint up here, I'm afraid! A .!
lint at the top of this shaky, wretched
aircase!" said John Claverhouse to J
mself Again there came to his ears
There is no name so sweet on earth,
$50 No name SO sweet as Jesus. e
"I must gosin!, / must go in!" he {
i'd, nervously. =
He tapped; and, hearing faint, soft q
lswer, Gomez he walked in.
A face bearing the marks of severe :
Iffering, and yet serene, looked smil- .
ely up at him from a poor old bed n
ead-as poor and old as the rest of u
e scanty furniture.
+" How do you do, ma'am'" he asked, a
ther abruptly, for he was not used to 81
sitting the poor. a
More comfortable that usual, sir. "
hank you, kind stranger, for coming
to see me- l am alone nearly all the v
ne. Poverty, you know, attracts few ! y
lends. Please take a chair near the y
e. A very poor fire it is for so raw "
I'd chilly an evening, but it is a fire." cl
For the first time in his life John a,