The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1886-12-16

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
the door and went in, but she stood outside,
and was still standing there when reached
the door. ,slssB
Somehow, when ] was quite near her
could find no words to utter She seemed to
understand, and pointing to the door, said !:
"You can go in if you want to. Father died
this morningi' t ,afiAts - Fr.G
l stood spcechless in the presence of that
chllds fearless sorrow - s-4ft6
1But help came to you Yesterday" said,
my heart sinking as possibility had never
thought of flashed into my mind
Eyes, he--the man who has just gone in
came and was very kind. lie stayed by
father all night, and was only away a little
while; but father died while he was gone"
sAnd-did-tlid- nobody else come yester-
dayr stammered.
Nobody else.n said the child, looking up
surprised at the question -
] felt ashamed to go in and face the tract
distributor in the presence of the dead lie had
cosnforted and whom had left for others to
oomfort--otiers who never came.
Hegrceted me with gentle kindness and as
| clasped bis hand il that woeful dwelling
inwardly bent before him in self-abasen1ent.
We went out together to plan for the
funeral and procure further aid for the liy-
ing.
@You did a good work when you wrote
about these people," ho said, "and thank
you, for otherwise / should not have known
of their existence in timo to be of help when
they needed it most"
With what shame remembered my article
Oh religious frauds, of which l had been so
proud only two days before. ga.
From that hour we became warm friends
AS learned to know linn well looked back
in amazemcnt at my former. conclusions In
regard to him. "Calanlity" Parker, indeed.
1t would have been moro fitting had named
him Beneficcnt Parker. His lifo-was II beDe-
observation-disclosures and self-dnnying; Eo
gavo 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 l
have never yet begun to attain. His habit of
distributing tracts was merely the outward
manifestation of a helpful spirit-a habit
contracted in bygone day among simple
people. 1t hurt no ono. For auSht know
it may have benefited some. Why should
assume that because a man had an inoffen-
sivo habit of which disapproved, that lie
was q fit subject to be insulted in the public
prints, dcrided behind his back and sneared
at when he was present? 1t was tho igno-
rance of youth, my children-youth, over-con-
fidcnt youth. which thinks it knows every
thing and ofteu knows nothing I had not
then learned that each one has his own way
of doing good, end has his rights, too Neither
had 1 learned that it is foolish and wicked to
Judge people whose real lives VIC do lot know
and cannot know-or 10 judge at ALL # E
It was some time before I got over my sur
prise at the apathy of the philan:hropists of
Doonvillo in regard to that wretched family
was at q 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. l did not then know that
people unused TO seeing poverty arc slower TO
lend helping hand than they who SEQ it
every day; that when we have not tho poor
always with us we forget how to DO bercvo-
lent and sometimes grow very selfish.
GERTRUDE GARRISON