The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-01-01
SAVED by a TOP
The Ons Thing Which st. Peter Had D.. No..
to Ills Credit

Dvsk nvvM
to Ills Credit. 4.
| spent the entire morning in ona 81
the big bookstores the other dnv and
came away metaphorically tearing nv
hair because I was so everlasting]v
and hopelessly poor, says '.Amher. !,
in the Chicago Herald. The onlv
time | long to be a thief is when oct
among the books. And that makes me
think Of q lovely little story I read
not long ago. A great and nomnous
potentate died and, in fnultless attire,
his eye-glass on his nose and his gold :
headed cane in hand. started brisklv
along the path that leads to heavens
gate. On the way he overlook three
who journeyed together, poor, hard
working woman, little crippled boy
and young man with halter around
his neck. He brushed by them and
drew up at Peters gate. II beg YOUR
pardon" said he with great polite
ness, "but could you inform me''-but
he got no further. St. Peter waved
him aside, and said, ''stand back and
wait your turn, the three you brushed
from your path come first" Then the
old woman drew near. ''How do you
expect to get imp" asked St. Peter;
here are many. charges against you
of an ugly temper and II bad tongue,
yet over against them all, I see, is
written, but she was very poorr"
"Oh, indeed, I was," moaned the old
woman; II was so poor that often
times l went hungry for days, and my
back was bent with constant toll"
"Well, we'll, pass through, said St.
Peter, you have come to land where
there is neither poverty nor want"
And the old woman had hardly reach
ed the other side before shining one
received her and wiped away the hard
and unlovely lines from her face, and
dried her tears. The little crippled
boy got in without any trouble, and
the young man with the halter about
his neck, because be had sinned for
love, was given admission also, but
when the grandee approached again,
the old saint in waiting told him that
there was absolutely nothing recorded
to his credit to pass him through.
You must be mistaken" said the
great one of the earth, II have built
churches and done many things to
make MY name extolled among men;
surely 1 have right to enter
heaven" "You did them all for self,
without thought Of God or heaven in
your heart. You can't go in." said
grim St. Peter. Just then the little
crippled boy put his head through the
gate and said:
'Please, good St. Peter, if you will
let the man in will give you my top"
"How is this" said the guardian of
the gate, Ibid you bring your top
with you?" my mother put it in my
grave, said the little fellow; '.because
it was the only toy I ever had and
loved it 500 ms<& s#s# Z.
Where did you get it in the first
placer" asked St. Peter. This man
gave it to me-" replied the boy.
REALLY, l have no recollection, :"
began the man, but St. Peter again
interrupted him. Tell me all about
it," said he to the boy. Il was crying
on my mothers doorstep one morning, 5"
said the little cripple, "when the man
rode by in his carriage. What is the
matter said he; are you sick?' No,
sir, said /, but am so lonely; l can
not run and play like other boys, and
my mother leaves me all day long
alone Then the man got out of his
carriage and bought me this top, and
it was the greatest comfort l had on
earth" And when St. Peter searched
the record carefully he found away
down in corner the entry, "Gave a
little crippled child toy" So he
allowed the boy to take the hand of
the potentate and lead him gently
through heavens gate. Isn't that a
lovely story? And does it not bear a
thought in its bosom for you and for
mep"