Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-26
THE TOPICAL TALKER.
A Slippery Peddler.

COME curious condolences were exchanged BY
the clergymen Of the Protestant Episcopa
Church who met here last week. Here is one
of them:
The subject of work among the poor of oul
great cities had been under discussion, and one
Of the clerCymen said: II think there is espe
cial need for more kindly and sympathetic at
titude toward ex-convicts. The man who
comes out of tn 70 penitentiary often finds very
little encouragement or opportunity to lead an
honest life"
mo doubt there is a wide field for us in the
direction you suggest" said another clergy.
man, who halls from great city in the East,
''but 1 must say that a recent experience OF
mine has dampened my ardor. One day last
month a member of my congregation called to
see me about some CHURCH matters. l accom-
panied him to the door when he left, and had
hardly taken my seat again in the library when
the door bell rang. and in minute or SO the
housemaid informed me that a man wished to
see me- i went out and found disreputable
looking fellow standing in the hall. 1 asked
him what he wanted, and he said he had some
soap to sell. told him did not need any soap,
and he said in mournful tone that that was
what everybody said-'nobody would buy soap
nor nothin'.'
There was something piteous about the mans
empty. took him into the library and when
he was seated 1 asked him to tell me something
about himself.
".I'l make no bones about it, he said, I've
just come out o. the penitentiary and I'm try
in to make an honest livin' the only way can,
but nobody wants my soap nor nothin'. L
wasr't always this low down. Before l was
tempted and took my employers money wore
just as good clothes as you do, sir-broadcloth
instead of these here rags. They sent me to the
pen an none O. my old friends IL speak to me
now."
II was quite touched, for the mans eyes
brimmed with tears as he talked. and, although
knew my wife would throw it away. bought
half dozen cakes of soap. much to his sur
prise and joy.
"'May heaven bless you, SIR he said. I've
had nothin' since mornin to eat. I've pawned
nearly everything. and the only thing I've got
left is this umbrela-an' thatll have to go
soon,' and he held up good silk umbrella as
he walked toward the door. cut his thanks
short and showed him out e.,
when 1 had laid the soap on the table, 1
stepped into the hall to call my wife. Just then
the door bell rang. and thinking it was the ex-
convict with the soap back again L opened it,.
1t was not the ex-convict but the gentleman
who had preceded him
"I've come back for my umbrella he said.
i left it here when l called
1--WE both looked at the umbrella stand. One
very aged and clerical umbrella. which l had
never been able to lose met our gaze. Then we
concluded it must be in the library, and we
searched that apartment. He was sure he had
left it in the stand in the hall, quite sure 1t
was gold-handled umbrella his son had
brought him this summer from Europe, and he
valued it highly.
"'Strangely enough he added, it is the only
umbrella I have left and then it flashed across
me that the ex-convict with the soap had said
nearly the same words about his silk um-
brella.
THE fearful gentleman with the soap had
taken the umbrella. And that's why say that
1 feel discouraged about the ex-convict ques-
ton"