The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1891-09-05

ARK, stTOIeu uCWn 10 IN
strange looking sweat-box, and afte
considerable risk we gated the @fo
castle" and worming our way through
a crowd of noisy Young men, fount
ourselves in the midst of the stranges
gathering Of people we ever mingled
with. quite a number ofGwhaf W,
call our respectable@yourg men wer'
there, their motive being known Il
themselves alone; then there were ,
few OF our older citizens with theil
wives, and quite a number of youns
married ladies with their babies
Looking cloeely we saw some old
gray-hcaded sinners whose heightened
co%untonanceS spoke palmer than Ian
gusge Of the lives they had led, and
tie purpose OF their presence; but
what surprised IS most of all. was the
number of Young girls, from twelve
10 fifteen, who came in threes, tours
and half dozens, clinging to each other
in apparent fear, as if they we're con-
scious of the fact that they st65d Oh
slippery ground. Where wefa Inc
parents VI those girls. Dh they
know where they wcrcs Or, did they
care:
Mr.. Sheppard promiseta Inc DEMO
Graf two chairs with cushions, and
challenged a close criticism of their
work. We had hard work to find one,
without = cushion, the sultry den be-
ing crowded to ~sutfocation. We scru-
tinized the countenances of the people,
but they were nearly all strange to us.
Where do they come frcm: was asked
of several, with n5 satisfactory answer.
We waited and wondered where the
reverend(9 gentlemen were who con-
duet the services; and after a time, i,
dapper little fellow. gifted with more
presumption than brains. TOOK the
platform and stated. that there hati
been seven conversions the previous
evening, and they expected q great
pouring out Of tie spirit, and opened
by singing. in a coarse, harsh voice,
reinforced by an organ, a1id-we sup
pose the seven converts. The effort
failed to mcve the people. This at
tempt Ito charm the savage mind"
was repeated a number OF times, all
of which fell flat.
Then a new person entered the
arena, "Bro. Douglas" he was called;
anil after several whispered consulta-
tons with the embryo Sankey, who,
like Tom O'Shanter and the landlady
of old, they grew gracious, with
favors secret, sweet and precious"
until all eliminated in the statement.
that ~we must have money to carry
on the work of rc'lceming bummers
and wharf-ratS," and wanted every
Il willing to give one dollar to hold
up their right hand. No response.
Still they pressed the crowd. and to
open the ball the DEMOCRAT tossed
them a do'tnr. How hungry the
Douglas and his henchman rlrtcked
at the coin; but it rolled under the
skirts of Il Of the converts, which
caused a ripple amongst the young
men, and the two paused in their race,
looked at each other, remarking, eve
will GIT it after a while" Then the
demand Fas for a halt, a quarter, a
dime; none came. The next move
was 10 send two of the prettiest giri
converts to beg the boys" for nickles.
The GER became disgusting; but we
wedged tight, and in-for-it, re-
TO see the play out.
Mr.. Douglas gave out d text; and
we expected a sermon; were sadly |
disappointed. Such a disconnected
of repetitions, entirely for
to the text, we never heard. lie
his hrms. swung his body to
and fro, stamped his feet, and tried
by these contortions to make US be-
liete that he was a christian; Bit it
was nc 60. every word fell fat and
cold; rs il should have dohc.
How sadly that man has mistaken
his calling. If there be any @rever-
ence- in his composition We failed to
lind it: the same may be said of the
chief mate Of the ungainly craft.
More songs by the mate, still no move
from the congregation.
An old gray-haired lady walked
forward and gave a short state
.ent of her christian life and expert
ence. Had al angel dropped in their
midst the change could not have been
As hcr trembling, motherly
voice plead for sinners TO come to
there followed n stir, and the
crowded to the altar, hunger
ing and thirsting after salvation; but
Douglas had none to give, he fed
them on husks. They bowed them
in humiliation, awaiting the
coming of the spirit, as promised; but
1t was not there. They returned dis
heartencd, and more hardened than
before.
Can it be possible that there are
of persons in this city of
churches, h%ungering after the bread
Of life and none to feed them? Yet
such is the fact: and right here at
home, is the greatest field for mission
work we have eve witnessed. Where
are our boosted lady workers who
to be in the field cleaning up
those young girls, and bringing them
IN cbnrob o,t1 Supia,- c,bonI rrlo.o