The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1886-12-31

So MNA
You intend to sweep of the earth ~
| asked.
Everything offensive and harm.
full" he replied, Ia II most positive
voice. All corruption, oppression,
dishonesty in high places, aud de-
graduation in all places. Yes, and
disease ; that, too, must go. And
poverty also. Everything that is
hateful and makes the heart bitter
shall be. swept away"
He seemed so serious and earnest
about it that | pitied him for his
d~elusion. slow long will it take
You 10 finish such a contract "a /
asked, feeling Il great compassion
for his disOrdered mind with its
humanitarian instincts.
"Oh, | shall make great changes
in Il twelvemonth," he said cOuh-
IDENTIFY. "The old earth will be an
other place altogether betnre long.
1t needs nothing bnt a good sweep
ing. l aud my broom will do the
work aud do it we'll. Brush off the
dirt and a icy order OF things will
inaugurate itself Immediately. Look
out tor universal honesty, good
times, safe banks, good wages, clean
minded stateSmeIl-bnt really |
must hurry on, Ihaye an appoint.
ment, | begin my sweeping in Il few
minutes"
"Bnt you haven't told me your
name ~ | called out as he started
Oil, with Ills broom on his shoulder.
He looked back, II broad grin on
his handsome young face, and an.
swered, "Eishteen Eighty Seven"
Before | recovered from my as.
constituent he added, 80, | can
sweep; I'll show YOU" aud he went
OH in his vanity aud Ignorace. Poor,
foolish, inexperienced, happy New
Year.
Turning about, | started toward
home, and in a moment more |
heard the village bells "uug out
The DID," aud ''ring in the new"
| had not gone far when met
another traveller, - very different
figure from the velvet.clad youth
With the c0ntitlent air who had just
lett me. He was walking with II
tired step, aud was bent, as under
Il burden. AS he approached saw
that he was elderly, somewhat
broken down, careworn as to cOun
tenancc, ihreatlbdre as to garments,
aud under one arm lie carried a
tremendous scroll, and IN the other
haul The worst wreck Of a broom |
had ever Land eyes on. II was i'm
pressed" AS tue clairvoyants say,
with the belief that be was Eight
rem Eighty Six, aud by that name
L accOsted him lis cOuiteously AS |
could, aud offered him my sympa
thy.
"Sympathyw said the old man,
laughing till lie shook. "Sympa
thy Wen that is really laughable.
Thanks, my good friend, bat | dOh't
need il. YOurcongratulationS would
be better. Ii you have any sympa.
thy to throw around rrcklessly give
it 10 my successor. | know the size
of the load he has to pick up. That
in a fine broom he carries, too.
Mine was as good a year ago. Look
at it now! Hardly a spear OF it
remains, aud With all its hard usage,
| fear | haven't LETT the earth much
cleaner. | found the contract too
much for me, though | started ia as
clipper us he does. | "a chOck
full OF reform ideas; but you see
how my efforts to clear up the earth
have aged me, and how L have
scnffled my clothes, IN we'll as my
soul. But Pm through with it now,
aud am going to disembody myself,
aud look on at the other fellow
awhile" His eyes had u humorous
sparkle, and he certainly wore a
look of happy relief.
ais it possible that your record
Is 80 bulky r. asked, pointing to
his scroll.
"Bulky!" said the old man with
y sarcastic grin. "lf you want to
know the heft as we'll as the balk
Of 1t you should glance over II. II
is made up OF deaths, riots, earth
quakes, broken banks, trusted Off
Gals EgOing wrong, wrecks, runa-
ways, blow ups, wars, rumOrs OF
the overthrow of the Liberal
parliament In England, crazy mon.
DOODLE aldermen, new re-
for Sing Slug, contested wills,
bard times, strikes, suicides, sick
ness, murders, burglaries, thrfts
and nearly every unpleasant thing
you could think OF. Think of the
heariaches represented in this re
sord. Tue thought of them or
presses me-"
~But you have done some things
to frlicitate yourself upon, haven't
sou ~ l asked.
ayes, I think l have" be said,
looking pleased. 81 set up the
Liberty statae ia New York harbor
| inaugurated a new political party
Il think I have-and I brought y
big thought wave, which Is making
hunt'np their souls aud take
some care them, as we'll rs OF their
bodies. l sowed some seed that
will not bring forth thistles, marx
me, aud then | am 80 thankful that
| wasn't a campaign years.
"Itisa little melancholy though,
10 60 away forever, isn't itf'
"F0fever y be repeated mns'ng