The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-24

Again she laughed, but /. sank 70 q wall
So wlerd that the girl who held tho candle
cropped 1t IN her Tear, and for a moment
there was darkness.
Light, light screamed the diving
woman, and when it was light again sc
glared at the circle about her until thew
shrsnk back. so you will die. every one
lady once
The blood came I'D and choked her and
as she struggled, her mood changed. %
this IS frightfll.n she moaned. Can't Won
SEND for minister Do something q
Christ; once l could plead but now
Just then she saw Reed. You look like
minister, she said, "a real minister who il
sorry for the world that is so bad. Wonit
you taik TO mel Can Christ save meP She
eagerly awaited an answer.
well, you know that a reporter doa,r,t
nave much sentiment about suicides gen
orally, but when l looked at Reed it was
pain somehow that be had lost that old
aspect or reserve. Without hesitation he
stepped Harvard and took the womanis hand
IL was for humanity's sake. [ said his
heart was tender. He spoke TO her Every
comforting passage of scripture, every
promise, every gentle admonition, seemed
W roil from his tongue as if he had cher
lshed them.
Ny mother taught me that Christ could
save even unto the uttermost, he said. He
Is the embodiment Of love. He can reach
to any depth. This is a faithful saving
ana worthy of all acceptance. that Jesus
Chrlst came into the world TO save sinners,
heed had full, melodious voice, deep
and sympathetic, and as he spoke there was
not sur within the room. The women
were awed, and the dying one smiled. Il
remember. remember it all. It's good.
But now you must pray.
looked at Reed again. His face was
pale ana his eye glittered, but he knelt by
the sofa, aud such prayer, so touching, so
beautiful, such an appeal to divine mercy
for penitent soul, never heard. The pc
utlon sent up by that ungodly reporter was
a poem for its pathos, a sermon in its SEEM
ing trust. IL was more than a Dreyer. il
was an inspiration. The yellow light flick
cred over the scene; every one present stood
entranced, till one after another the hearers
gave way and the women sank upon their
knees sobblng. Even as Reed finished, the
haDd that he held relaxed, the pain van
lshed from the pain against the pillow,
Death had at last crowned the unfortunate
with disappearance Of peace.
The coroners assistants came busting in
from the rear where they had been I'M
patiently waiting with a pauper's box. In
front, the fiddle squeaked again, aud the
caller shouted. We turned to CO. Just then
the girl had observed at first came to Reed
and grasped his arm. Please take me away
from here she said hurriedly and in low
tone. You are good man or would not
ask it. have no home, no people,
80 she pleaded, aud Reed, who had be-
come used to surprises, said, as calmly as If
taking girl from dance hall were an
every day affair, that he would be back for
her in an hour.
I'VE walked toward the Office. Sud-
denly, as though 1 had been expostulatlng
with him, Reed exclaimed: Wei. the
woman didn't die any harder for it, did
she.'
Now did not ask him to Justify his
conduct. We were late at the Office Make
a stick Of that suicide grumbled the CITY
editor. and did. You see. there was not
much to it, only the end of a dissolute
career Whatever CLEAN of hope there was
at the last moment did not concern the
public.
1--WE got a hack and returned to the
dance hall As we had naturally supposed,
we had to thump him before we got the
girl, and never have regretted it, though"
and the old reporter looked at his right fist
thoughtfully, Thought that knuckle never
did get quite in shape again. Reed ordered
the hackman to drive to the cottage where
the old lady kept the child. Il don't know
anything else to do he said, a little
thoughttuly.
IAN the way the girl chung to both OF us
till we knocked at the cottage door and
auntie, as we called her. came blinking and
startled. Bless my soulp she exclaimed,
and il it isn't Mr.. Reed. And what have
we herep she added. seeing the girl, who, /
should have Faid, had told US that her name
was Lily.
"'Some one for you to take care of,
auntie. Be good to her. Don't ask her
any questions. | and my friend will pay
expenses
ut was just like Reed TO say this. Auntie
pulled her guest into the hall. and there we
left her crying on the old lady's broad
bosom. and being assured that everything
was all right, dearie.
1.-The plan of salvation said Reed re-
fectively as we drove away, is not logical,
but it does seem to have its good points, l
noticed that after this he dropped the sub
ject and that he could report sermon with
out swearing about it.
But III skip details. The girl we had
adopted-for it amounted to this-at first
almost pitfully shy, grew in beauty and
loveliness. She would never leave the
cottage save with auntie, who soon
learned to look upon her as her own. Bless
her heart :, she would say, however in the
world got along without Lily, Pm sure l
don't see.' We were frequently at the cot
tage, Reed and ], but no mention of the
past was ever made to Lily. To me Reed
would occasionally remark as be came out
of brown study: Joe, that was good
nights work Of ours
"As the memory Of her troubles faded,
Lily grew blithe az bird. She would sing
a good deal, and she was pioUs, but she
sang sweetly, and her piety did not irritate
Reed in the least; he was responsible for 1t,
anyhow.
1.-TWO years slipped by. In the meantime
Reed and had rented a larger house, in~
stalled auntie as mistress, and got some OF
the fellows to board there-formed select
club, in fact. Lily was looked upon as q
relative of auntie's and we let 1t 90 this
way. Reed and l instructed Lily from
books we had. She was a bright pupil,
anxious to learn, and at II, give no hint In
her manner of lack Of early training, nor
retained q trace Of once vicious surround
ings. Her work was the care of Reeds
daughter, and she devoted herself to 1t.
lone morning there came storm that
reminded us of our visit to the dance hall.
We had spoken about it as we sat here
waiting for the wind to lull, when be heard
al alarm of fire. 1t was instinct for us to
listen. and when we understood that IL had
sounded from the corner nearest our house
we dashed way together. Neither OF us
was prepared for such shock as followed
The house was ablaze and the WIND was
blowing the flames until they roared ike
furnace. Reed dashed through the crowd
mailman. calling for his daugh-
tar Auntie stood in the front yard weakly
wringing her hands, and when Reed APP
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