New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-27


Wien the vicar sat alone in his study Una.
evening he was very miserable IL wa onncar in
decent condition. AZ the service next Hui Hi"s
what would become of all the beautiful music ~
had taken so much trouble to prepare, ioI Wv, gr
GLORY of Cod and-well, yes in some ueasuIc; W,
his own qualification? Toms manner haa 'cn
defiant and his words ranklci in the wear Ws
He did not believe IN re p1s,io,iiN '"I iIo M1
NIalonev could do anything but harm iic uiu
not think that She had ever been TO chn a ;
certainly she had not consulted him, nor ohn'eu
TO become a church worker under Ilm. 10y, iiTw
was il possible she could do any good? NO uoupo
moor Tom was deluded. The woman was pret'A :
who could tell how she might lare hlm 10 , ~,
struction? The vicar grew restless, ana "a. idsV
determined 20 hover about Toms pain IlH So al
invisible guardian anger. and see hin sale nome:
drunk or sober when the orgies at MaloheSs
were over. -. ,, -, an
| thnsiasln be once more rushed along the street.
and only stopped when lie reached Ma'oheS'
corner ,.a, oo,onored
with tGc mi ,orable houses around. warm
liCht shonp into the street through the req Cur
tajns across the window, and sounds OF music
could be heard some distance on Mr. Laihv }
had passed more than dozen oIhrt PUN, NV
houses on his way to Maloncys, but not one
OF them seemed 10 b so popular a. uhs. i,c
groaned in spirit, as be stood az the oppossiL.e
corner and watched the people entering Men
end women of ali sorts; many young laus' aii"
even quite rcspcciabc-l choking girls. Alas aiaS !
Suddenly, he quickly crossed the street huitei.
ing, All! what horrible Dissertation must pun
a stop 70 this. =. ,. On
He pushed open the door, let it swing TO
behind him, and stood still. unnoMceh III we
crowd. Had he made mistake was lnls wv, NV
place which lie had often called the curse OF lIie
parish? Was il decoration that sacred music
should be sung 20 such an audience az tnls
For in the midst Of the people stood rom "riluI
lev and sang. Every face was turned lo"di u
him. and every face bore traces of poverty and
toll. many of sin and shame also. There were
figures bent with WEAKNESS, eyes oiearcu WI ,o.
tears: there were coarse and brutal faces IN ma
strange crowd. and faces which had grown s'o1d
in hopeless wretchedness, but as the vicar looked
a wonderful CLEAN seemed 10 pass from lace 10
face while in tle lovely tones which often brought
tears TO .he eyes Of his sensitive congregation
at ST Matthias Tom sang And the crooKcd
shall be made straight, and the rough places
shall be- made plain, for the mouth oil the hOru
II was the anthem chosen for Christmas Day
The vicar felt choking in his throat. II Tom
could only sing in church 10 Jch an audience "a, a.
lint if such an audience would not come to
church, what then
The vicar remained hidden behind thc crowd
and looked round, curiousv moved The place
was ordcrly and. at least while the music lasted,
perfectly quiet. There were some few meu sinok,
ing but not many because. a ON artcrwaiu
eXolaincl, lac had told them the tobacco GOT d"Wh
his throat, and il was only newcomers VINO
smoked daring the singing Many OF ne men
had glasses before them. and there was the uenai
smell OF beer ana spirits, anu uHcLVdu nanny e
but through the opened folding doors Mr.. Lamote
could see Lat In the pailOr men ana women were
drinking tea and coffee, and eating SANDWICHES
and buns and many others seemed 10 ID waning
TO take their places.
Jus, beside Tom was a piano, and a lady sat
and played for him; but Mr. lamote had Tor
gotten Miss Maloncy for the moment, ana II was
only when the song was over and the people
began TO move about that he saw her. and remein-
hrrcI with a quick sense of shame the words he
had used 70 her
Tom stepped forward once more to sing without WITHOUT
music n Christmas carol and a. the people settrd
down again to listen, the Wears gaze r,~'cu on
a fair woman, in plain black dress, who sfood
in the centre of a group Of girls with Sieepihs
baby in hcr arms, and listened TO IN" SiinpI"
carol, with tender smile on hcr lli~, ana al
expression Of loving compassion IN her eyes 's
they wandered round the curious assembly
Good heavens" the consciencos'rickcn clergy
man cNclninlcd she looks like blessed Ma
donna and called her painted Iczcbel
lie was an impulslve man. Cd he saw his error
As soon ~ the carol was over he pushed his way
10 Ms MaIoucy's side, and turning toward thr
astonshcd crowd, said Friends, want you an
10 hear me tell Miss Maloney that | am bitterly
ashamed for what said ia her Yesterday. ! was
wholly in the wrong. She is doing you all far
more real good than ever did she l. the best
friend Won have ever bad" Then he Offered his
hand 10 Mary with bow Of pcntent reverence
and when she had mcckly submitted 10 hi' warm
clasp. he hurried away without another word.
We'll, that were rum start .ai! he i'an,
ing politician of the company " but II amt the
first time a. the Church aud the vested interests
AS shook and-, and it won't he the last
Many Christmas Evts have come and gone; the
vicar and Miss Maloucy are firm friends now.
ard have many ways Of helping one another
Neither If them, perhaps. secs much result OF end
lcs. labor The parish Of 81 Mntthns-infhe-
Fields D. not Yet composed solely Of dcyout, decent
Churchucn and Churchwomcn Drunkenness still
rinq, it, attendant train Of vice and wnnt disease
and sorrow 10 darken the lives of the men and
women who herd IN the still low nrighbOrhoOd Of
Maoneys pullic-hou-c Hui the vicar has got "A
new hobby He buys up al tie public-hpuscS h.
can and finds among his dcvotccs ladies' las much
like Miss Mal0ncy possible 10 manage them.
There is 40 saying what results may be produced
in time.
And Mary Is content She knows that here and
there a man who once drunkard Ii sober
now: and that no one gets any harm now even
when not capable OF getting good from her pub
lic-hOu~c. She knows that here and there sh, has
saved an outcast and brought hope 20 the desolatc
and after all what are great results but multi
tudc Of little changes?
The Vicar Of II. Matthias is still unmarried,
and will never marry. But IL ever his principles
ale put 10 the test If is when he catches glimpse
Of Marys bright hair and sweet face through the
windows Of Maloneys public hOus. Blanche At
kinson in Good Words.