Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1886-12-25

THE THIN LITTLE GIRL OPENED THE DOOR,
He knocked, and the thin little girl with
the pale, delicate face opened the door, came
out, and shut ii behind her. The tract dis
tributor took Off his hat, she looked up ut
him, and knew she spoke, though was NOT
near enough to hear what she said no
ticed, too, that she raised her hand in ges-
ture--a solemn and intensely dramatic ges-
ture, it seemed to me, for one so young TO
make unconsciously. A queer sort of chill
crept over me. The tract distributor opened
tho door and went in, but she stood outside,
and was still standing there when l reached
the door,
Somehow, when I was quite near her
could find no words to utter. She seemed 10
understand and pointing to the door, said:
@You can go in IL you want to. Father died
this morningr
! stood speechless in the presence of that
chld's fearless sorrow.
"But help came to you ycsterdnyln l said,
my heart sinking as possibility had never
thought Of flashed into my mind.
"Yes, hottie man who has just gone i'm
came and was very kind Hc stayed by
father all night, and was only away little
while; but father died while he was gomez
nd-did-did-no else come yester-
day2n 1 stammcred.
"Nobody else" said the child, looking up
surprised at the question.
felt ashamed to go in and face tho tract
distributor in the presence OF the dead he had
comforted and whom had left for others to
eomfort--others who never came
lie greeted me with gentle kindness, and MS
clasped bis hand IN that wocful dwelling
inwardly bent before him in self-abaseuleut
We went out together to plan for tho
funeral and procure further aid for the liv-
ing
"You did a good work when you wrote
about these peoples he said, .'and I thank
you, for otherwise ] should not have known
OF their existence In time TO DO OF helpwhcp
they needed it most.
With what shame Remembered my article
ON religious frauds. of which | had boon so
proud only two days before
From that hour we became warm friends
As | learned to know him well loosfcd back
in amazement at my former conclusions III
regard to him. "Calamity" Parker. indeetla
1t would have been moro fitting had named
him Reneiicent Parker. Ills life was Il beno-
dction--unohtrusive and self-denyina; he
gave Of his abundant sympathy and slender
worldly means without reserve. Nor was his
never failing patience and sweetness Of spirit
the cloak Of hypocrisy, but the result Of years
Of spiritual aspiration and discipline, which
have never yet begun to attain. His habit Of
distributing tracts was merely tho outward
manifestation Of helpful spirit--a habit
contracted in hygone day among simple
people 1t hurt no ono. For nught / know
it may have benefited some. Why should
assume that because man had an inofFen-
siyo habit, Of which ! lisapproved, that he
was fit subject to be insultcd IN the public
prints, deriGed behind his back and sneered
at when be was presents 1t was the igno-
ranceof youth, my children--youth, oyer-con-
iident youth, which thinks it knows every
thing and often knows nothing / had not
then learned that each one has bis own way
Of doing good, and has his rights, too, Neither
had learned that it is foolish ana wicked to
judge people whose real lives VIC do not know
and cannot know--or TO judge at all