The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1886-12-25

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 off his hat, she looked up at
him. and / knew she spoke, though / was rot
near enough TO hear what she said no
ticed too, that she raised her hand I'D 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 thue when / reached
the door.
Somehow. when | was quite near her
could find no words 10 utter She seemed to
understand, and pointing to the door, said;
"You can go in if you want to. Father died
this morning"
/ stood speeches. in the presence OF that
chllds fearless sorrow.
"But help came to you yesterday SAID,
nv 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. He stayed by
father all night, and was only away little
while; but father died while be was gone"
"And-did- did-nobody else come yester-
dayi' | stammered.
"Nobody else" 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 he had
comforted and whom had left for others TO
eomfort-others who never came.
He greeted me with gentle kindness, and as
7 clasDed his hand in that woeful dwelling |
inwardly bent before him in establishment
We went out together 10 plan for the
funeral and procure further aid for the lly-
ing.
GYou did a good work when yod wrote
about these people," he said, "and | thank
Won. for otherwise l should not have known
Of their existence in time TO be of help when
they needed it most"
With what shame remembered my article
ON celipious 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 amazement at my former conclusions in
REGARD TO him. Calamity" Parker, indeeds
II would have been more fitting had named
him Benefcent Parker. His life was bene-
dctiou-unobtrusive and self-denying; he
cave 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
nave never vet begun to attain. His habit OF
distributing tracts was merely the outward
manifestation Of helpful spirit-a habit
contracted in a bygone day among simple
neople. 1t hurt no one. For aught l know
Il may have benefited some. Why should
oss,ne that because man had an molten
sive habit. Of which l disapproved, that he
was a fit subject to be insulted IN the public
nrints derided behind his back and sneered
at when he was presents 1t was the igno-
rance of youth, my children-youth, over-con-
fldent youth which thinks it knows every
thing and often knows nothing. l had not
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 to
udge people whose real lives we DO not know
and cannot lnow-or TO judge at all.
II was some time before got over my sur.
nrIse at the apathy Of the philanthropists OF
DoonviIle in regard to that wretched family.
was ut a loss to understand how they could
e,t their Christmas dinners in comfort, after
ceadipx about the distress OF tho poor souls IN
the old house. / did not then know that