The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-06-10

the services Benevolence Of the prac-
teal kind engrossed all his attention
since his retirement from business, and
his particular hobby was this mission.
The attendance was of the usual
sort-men and women from the
purlieus, who found the great room
i convenient resting place and shell
ter. They took an idle. impersonal
interest in the exercises. The routine
of singing, praying and addresses was
a rather pleasant bit Of monotone,
which dulled for a little by it's drone
the sharp insistence of the main
thoughts dominating nearly every brain
where was the next dollar to come
from; where was shelter to be found
for the night? To the vicious, the
criminal, the shiftless, the unfortunate,
the mission seemed a b~lessing-at least,
in n sense of the word-it gave a mo-
mentary refuge from the impertinence
of police curiosity. There existed, also,
a fraternity of misery about the gather
ing. Black and white, the thief and
the drunkard, the siattern and the drab,
met on a common level-at the foot of
the ladder. There was no gibe even for
the forlorn Chinaman, who shuffled in
and found a place with the rest, his
CLASSY eyes and greenish yellow COM
plexion telling. as plainly as the sitting
opium fumes that chung to his clothes,
the sort of a demon which had him in
it's grip.
Il wish to make an announcement
before l close" said Mr.. Wylie. 1.-The
brethren agree with me that all the
ta~ling ought not to be done from this
end of the hall. We want you to feel
that we are your friends, and we would
be glad to have those present who are
so disposed offer a few remarks on any
line Of thought the services of this even
ing may have suggested"
There was an uneasy shutting of
feet, a few curious glances, a laugh or
two, then silence. Mr.. Wylie waited.
A stir in the back part of the room
caused the people to turn their heads.
A young man vas going forward. He
was athletic in build and dark of COM
plexion. A stubble of black beard COW
cred his face. His garments were new
but ill-fitting. As he reached the plat
form MIR. Wylie stretched forth a welcom-
ing hand. The young man refused it.
Not yet, sir" he said. "Wait till you
have heard me talk. Then if you re-
new your offer l will thankfully accept
it." He turned &c the now expectant
audience. My friends" he began, II
want to tell you a story. 1t is Of a
young man, about my age, let
us say and in looks very much
like me. Three years ago he held
a position of trust. He had friends
and opportunities. The future was
bright before him. He got into bad
company and began to go down hill.
He used money that was not his. He
could not replace it. Detection became
only a matter of time, so he stole
another and larger sum and fled the
country. He escaped those he had
wronged, but he could not escape con-
science. He grew to dread the face of
his fellow man, and to fear an officer of
justice in every visitor from his native
country. Finally-he was in South
America-he determined to hide him
self among the wilds of the Andes and
engaged guides to direct his progress
toward an obscure inland village. They
started or the journey at night. In
that far-off land a constellation shines
HuW