The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-12-22


He Knocked, and the thin little girl with
the pale, delicate face opened the door, came
out, and shut it behind her. The tract dis
tributor took of 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 20 young to
make unconsciously. A queer sort of chill
crept over me. The tract distributor opened
the door and went In, but she stood outside,
and was still standing there when I reached
the door.
Somehow, when l was quite near her
could find no words to utter She seemed to
understand, and pointing to the door, said:
"You can go In II you want TO- Father died
this morningi"
stood specifies In the presence Of that
chllds fearless sorrow
"But help came to you yesterday" l said,
my heart sinking as q possibility had never
thought Of flashed into my mind.
AYES, he-the man who has Just gone in
came and was very kind. He stayed by
father all night, and was only away little
while; but father died while he was gone"
~And-did-did-nobody else come yester.
dAyr stammered
"Nobody else, said the child, looking up
surprised at the question
l felt ashamed to 60 in and face the tract
distributor in the presence Of the dead he had
comforted and whom had left for others to
somfort-othen who never came.
He greeted me with gentle kindness, and as
clasped his hand in that woeful dwelling
inwardly bent before him in self :abasement.
We went out together to plan for the
funeral and procure further aid for the liv.
ing.
"You did a good work when you wrote
about these people, he said, "and thank
you, for otherwise should not have known
of their existence in time to he of help when
they needed it most
With what shame remembered my article
ON religious frauds. Of which had been SO
proud only two days before.
From that hour We became warm friends.
As learned to know him well looked back
in Amusement at my former conclusions in
regard to him. "Calamity" Parker, indced
It would have been more fitting had named
him Beneiicent Parker. Lis lie was bene
Observation-Disclosures and self-denyiny; be
gave Of his abundant sympathy and slender
worldly means without reserve Nor was hi:
never failing patience and sweetness of ,pi i,
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 the outward
manifestation of helpful spirit-a habi,
contracted in bygone day among sinip!t
people. 1t hurt no one. For aught I know
it may have benefited some. Why should
assume that because man had an molten
sive habit, of which l disapproved, that b,
was fit subject to be insulted in the public
prints, derided behind his back and sneered
at when he was PRESENT. 1t was the isno
rance of youth, my children-youth, over-con
iident youth, which thinks it knows every
thing and often knows nothing l had moi
then learned that each one has his own way
of doing good, and has his rights, too. Neither
had learned that it Is foolish and wicked tc
judge people whose real lives We do lot know
and cannot know-or to judge at all
It was some time before got over my sur
prise at the apathy Of the philanthropists Of
Doonville in regard to that wretched family
was at loss to understand how they could
eat their Christmas dinners in comfort, after
reading about the distress Of the poor souls In
the old house. I did not then know thai
people unusSd to seeing poverty are slower Il
lend helping hand than they who zee Il
every day; that when We have not the pool
always with rs We forget how to be benevo
lent and sometimes grow very selfish.
GERJRupI GARRISON.