Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-02-04
SUDDENLY CHANGED HIS MIND.


Mistake made By = MoraIist in Trying
20 Teach = Serious Lesson.
An old gentleman, with an appear
ance of authority. stood looking at a
number Of workmen that were putting
up an enormous building. He mani
Tested a keen interest In what was go
ing on; he examined beams and scru-
tinized the great stone that was to form
the arch at the entrance Of the mann
moth structure.
Athoughtful A fellow came along. and,
speaking TO the o.d gentleman, asked:
Would you object to giving Ine a
few moments Of your timer
mo. sir"
will You step over here, then, out Of
the wayT
Il will"
They stood apart from the busy
world about them. The old gentleman
looked inquiringly at the thoughtful
looking fellow and said:
We'll, sirr
II have called you aside to speak a
lew bciAOuS HOfuD " YOU AZ ihSs ~
may strike you that / am presumptuous,
but after awhile you will see that my
motives, If not comineDdable, are at
least honest. AS | came along there
Just now | saw you standing in self for
getful attention, gazing at the progress
Of this great building, and | wondered
II It had ever occurred to you that it
will not be long until--now pardon me
the great house now going up will be
long to some one else. You are going
to protest, see, but wait moment.
Your race in this life is nearly run. a
few days more you, as inanimate as
one of those foundation stones, will
sink beneath the surface of the earth.
The anxiety you felt in this great build
ing will BE- gone-all with you will be
over. Please wait until get through.
eve will not speculate as TO the fu-
ture dwelling place of your soul; we
viii not hint that your deeds have not
been noble and generous enough to in
sure you an eternity of peace, but we
will do this: We will question the judg-
ment of man, with one foot on the
crunbling brink of time, giving up his
few remaining days in gazing with in
fantlike rapture at building projected
by greed and executed in vanity. Par
don me, if 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 it,
as the vulgar saying goes. No one
will miss you, except in sort of self
congratulatory way. You will be mold
eNng."
'Rpt, my dear sir''-
''Hold on, said the moralist, mildly
protesting. ''Wait until have uttered
a few more words and then / will let
you return to vain occupation. Now,
if were a wealthy man, and knew my
time on earth was short. what would
dol Put up great building and act
as # l were going to live alwaysl No;
would do some real good with my
money; | would leave behind me one
man at least who would hold my mem
ory dear. would select some poor,
grateful fellow--now, let me tell you" ;"
he suddenly broke Off am the most
grateful man in the world. In the
Ieweled frame of memory now hold
the picture of man who gave me ten
cents five years ago. Now, let me have
five dollars, please"
Your talk is worth five dollars, ="
said the old gentleman, "and I'm sorry
you didn't let me save it for you"
"Save whatp
1.-THE talk"
How save itP'
by telling you that I'm not putting
up that building-that l merely stopped
bore to look at the workmen. / am
tie pastor of the Third Presbyterian
church and-won't you stay little
longerl Nol Well, good day, and don't
forget TO be grateful for all you get in
this life. "--Arkansaw Traveller.