Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-05-20


''lt's down by the river miss. an
rum good place tits. too"
do your people live thereg'
NAV. Amt got no people. I
shift round with the other families"
And you like our meeting to-
night; you will come againp"
You bet l will. l never struck
anything jest like it down in Rat row.
1t makes Teller feel like he wanted
ter get up and fly"
In his dreams that night he shouted
''hallelujah." and talked to a brown
eyed girl and the next day the words
which he had heard the previous
evening REQUIRED to him full often.
and though he did not exactly COM
prehend their meaning they seemed
to make Rat row present an appear
ance different from that which he had
formerly been accustomed to. He
went to the meeting again as he had
promised, and every other night for
week. and then he joined the army.
Never did any volunteer soldier
feel prouder when first DOMINIC his
uniform than did Pat Herman when,
arrayed in his army colors, he
marched through the streets with his
comrades to the tune of Though
your sins are crimson. they may be
like snow If you'll wash in the blood
of the Lamb"
He didn't know anything about re-
ligion. He didn't know. in fact, what
the army was for but he knew that
| Of ~ Il -
ing feet made his blood leap and his
eyes flash, and that was sufficient
There's only one thing l want now
to make me the happiest Teller on
earth, =" he told the brown-eyed girl as
he looked proudly at his uniform, IAN
that is ter carry banner. Do YER
s'pose it could be fixed up someho W
SOS l could?" She told him she would
see about it, and so 1t was that when
a month later they moved into the
new barracks the raw recruit was ele-
waited to the dignity of standard bear
err in the faithful army.
In the meantime trouble had been
brewing in Rat row. Pat who had
been leader Of the young toughs in
the alley was sadly missed by his
followers who tried for some time in
vain. so reticent was he regarding
his inG<mings and outgoings to get a
clue as to where his evenings were
spent But one night he was spotted"
by two boys, and the next day con-
sternation reigned throughout the al.
ley when their report was given. He
had .got religion, the boys said, and
had joined some kind OF band up
town. They had seen him marching.
all dres ed up in red. yellow and blue;
and more than that, he carried flag
and sang. and cast sleeps eyes at a
pretty girl who blushed whenever he
CHANGED to look that way.
Then there was a mass-meeting of
the young bloods and that evening be-
fore Pat started away they told him
what their intentions were. He must
leave that crowd uptown and return
to Rat row at once or they would lick
him within an inch of his life. They
didn't intend to have one of their
gang forsake them just because he
could push into another set that could
put on little more style than they
could. 1t was something that had
never been done before and it wouldn't
do now.
Il won't come back. ;" Pat answered
defianty. Either Rat row amt like
it used ter be or ain like ] Ased ter
be. Anyhow I'm thinkin' that
there's lots o. places better N it is an
I'm going to quit it purity soon for
good. An as Ger that purity girl, I'm
goin' to marry 'er after while of she s
willin'."
Its all right" they responded.
Wen give yer jest four hours te,
come ter us an say yer sorry yer ever
left us. Eff yer don't do it. well--ye,
knows what yerll git
1t was with feeling OF dread thai
Pat left the barracks that night anG
started toward Rat row. He was moi
coward. but he knew full we'll thai
the promised clicking" was no idle
threat, and he was also equally vel
aware what such a chastisement
meant for he. himself. had helped tc
administer it to many an offender
against the code of laws that prevailed
in Rat row.
Thinking to impress more forcibly
upon the minds OF his old-time com.
rades the fact that he intended to re-
main true to the army he wore his
uniform home that night and carried
the banner. instead OF leaving them a
the barracks as he had been wont tC
do. for he had known what the result
would be when once they learned o
the course he had chosen.
At the corner where he first turned
into the alley. they met him, score
or more OF the gang OF which he hat
been captain so long
We'll. what yer goin' ter dop'
they shouted, gathering around him
I've said we'd give yer four hours
Times more'n up. but ef yer willin
ter ak our pardon fer leavin' us wei
let yer OF yit-" They paused. wait
ing for an answer, but he only drew
his breath faster and held the banner
oil %