The record-union., 1893-08-10

struction. and lurid flames of everlasting
burning, and all that. And then they
sing OF IoVe, and peace, and Joy, and
Hlercliul Kindness, and pity for man, and
sympathy for the poor and wretched.
IL was fine opening" at least so said
Captain Smith of the Life Boat. II
opened saloon once" said he, as he
tucked his fiddle under his arm pit.
hat whatW ~ cried dozen voices.
On; L meant | opened place that had
peen saloon once; opened 1t as Saliva
ton Army barracks"
"Ah!" sighed the army with relief.
But this beats it," continued the fid-
dler, and then he called for There's
sunshine In My Soul" And if one is to
Judge by the singing of the song, the sun,
the moon, the stars, and all sources of
llght were flooding every red-shirted
breast on the platform, and making the
souls bubble up and boil over and run
down on the outside.
SAVED owENs''
Was introduced. He is a man Of 50.
until a few months ago piano player in
Pacific-street dive in San Francisco.
lie gave as solo, to his own accountant
ment, whittier Than Snow" and in
voice of feeling, though bit ragged from
dissipation and little worn with the
frettlng of age. But it was well sung,
ana the audience and the Army joined in
the chorus in manner leaving no possi-
Die doubt OF sincerity. Acting men and
women never have, never can put the
soul into music, rough hewn or polished
be 1t, that conviction and honesty do.
HAPPY JACK"
His face all smiles, so smiling and warm
and genial that it was no wonder all the
people laughed out of pure sympathy,
was introduced. But Jack was short and
10 the point, saying that he was too
happy to say more than that he was hap
py and wished everybody else was hap
py, and down he went, shouting and
waving his arms and beating his big
palms until a small girl in the rear whis-
pered aloud, won't his hand go sore?''
Then the local Captain asked the visit
ing naval detachment from the river to
stand aside. while he showed them how
to raise $40 in ten minutes, to help pay
the rent for the Old Hoss saloon But he
did not show them. He pleaded, he
urged, ne put it strong, and gently, and
hot and cold but it was no go. BY dint
Of the hardest of hard work, in half an
hour he wrung just IS 10 from the crowd,
and 81 OF that was an l. 0. u. The people
wanted to give; they showed their desire
plainly enough. but all the diving most
OF them could do into holey pockets and
wasted purses brought up only drink
tickets and nickels, and here and there a
dime. The thriftier part of the audience
put IN the quarters and halveS-but at
the eight ten" mark the Captain gave
up with despairing wave of the arms
and, II thank you, thank you heartily
Yes, l do" Then that jolly tar,
SMITH, THE FIDDLER,
Took hold of the meeting, and trotted out
saved Owens" who told his story, and
made one of the best, practical, sensible.
humanizing and broadly charitable ex-
hOrtariOpS If has avpr baal, Our fOrt,,po
hear. II was worth hearing and worth
printing, If eXigencies of space and time
did not forbid the latter.
Then Captain Fee told about the
Life Boat Station in San Francisco, where
meals costing four and half cents are
served by the army to the poor and
worthy at five cents, and where man
can board and lodge for 81 40 per week
and be helped to work, if only he will be
cleaniy, or try to, no matter how poor his
raiment. 1t was a well told tale of a prac-
tical charity, hinged on the Intel Of the
truism. that he is best helped who is
helped to help himself.
Then there was more music with that
poor asthmatic piano in the ead-all else
fairly good but it. If some music dealer
wants to do real good let him send tuner
TO the barracks and do a real charity to a
worthy institution.
SO there was song-snging and glory
shouting, and at last the mourner's bench
was brought out and the Sacramento
Captain made strong, earnest plea for
some one 10 come and be prayed for. At
last, midst singing and prayer, one stub
and twist man. whose face looked as
if a pin prick would start the bourbon.
went forward and the army gathered
about to help the poor wretch to cast off
his burden of sin, and the crowd melted
away and left the sinner and the Saliva
tlonists alone to wrestle.
But one said on the outside: ''That fell
low was hired to go up; 1 saw the Lieu
tenant take him out of a back corner and
stop his rattle of talk and tell him now
was the time to CO."
lie saw that, too-but we prefer to be-
lieve that the Lieutenant was honest. and
the mourner sincere, even if apparently
"boozy."