The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-01-09
CHANGED HIS MIND.
Mistake Made NJ = Moralss Trying "a
Teach . Lesson.

Mistake Made ny Mroral.ss Trying ca
Teach Lesson.
An old gentleman. with an appear
ance Of authority. stood looking at q
number OF workmen who were putting
upan enormous building. relates the Ar.
kansaw, Traveller. He manifested a
keen interest in what was going on;
he examined beams and scrutinized
the great stone that was to form the
arch at the entrance of the mammoth
structure.
A thoughtful fellow came along. and.
speaking to tho old gentleman. asked:
Would you object to giving me a
few moments Of your timer"
mo SIR"
win you step over here then. out
Of the wayp'
IL will"
They stood apart from the busy
world about them. The old gentle
man looked inquiringly at the thought
ful-looking fellow and said:
~ We'll sir?"
Il have called you aside to speak a
few serious words to you. At first 1t
may strike you that am presumptu-
Gus. but after awhile you will see that
my motives II not commendable. are
ut least honest. As / came along
there just now saw you standing In
self-forgctful attention. gazing at the
progress OF this great building. and
wondered II it had ever occurred to
you that 1t will not be long until-now
pardon me-the great house now going
up will belong to soma one else. You
are going to protest / see. but wait a
moment Your race In this life ia
nearly run. A few days more you, as
inanimate as one OF those foundation
stoned will sink beneath the surface
OF the earth. The anxiety you felt in
this great building will be gone-all
with you will be over. Please wait
until 1 get through. We will not
speculate as to tho future dwelling
place Of your soul; We will not hint
that your deeds have not been noble
and generous enough. TO insure you
On eternity Of peace but we will do
this: We will question the Judgment
of man with one foot on the crum-
bling brink Of time. giving up his few
remaining days In gazing with infant
like rapture ut a building projected
by greed and executed in vanity.
Pardon me- II seem harsh. and force
upon yourself sufficient patience to
listen TO me until / am done. A few
more hours and the world will move
on without you. You won't be in 1t,
as the vulgar saying goes. No one
will miss yon except in q sort OF self
congratulatory way. You will be
Wondering
Hold on" said the moralist mild
ly protesting. Wait until I have
uttered a few moro words and then
will let you return to your vain occu-
patton. Now. II / were a wealthy
man and knew my time on earth was
short, what would ! doP Put up a
great building and act rs II ] were
going to live alwaysp No; / would do
some real good with money; would
leave behind me one man, at least
who would hold my memory DEAR I
would select some poor, grateful fell
low-now. let me tell you he sud-
denly broke Oft am the most
grateful man in this world. In the
jeweled frame of memory now hold
the picture OF man who gave me 10
cents five years ago. Now leu me
have IS please"
Your talk is worth $5." said the
old gentleman. land I'm sorry you
didn't let me save it for you"
Save what?"
The talk"
How save?"
by telling you that I'm not put
ting up that building-that merely
stopped here to look at the workmen-
am the pastor OF the Third Presby-
terian church and-won't you stay
longerp MOP Well. good day. and
don't forget TO be grateful for all you
get In this life"