The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1894-09-13
Trpme.} Shopper year. in advance.
1n"o' Six Months 50cents.
BILL ERWIN'S PRAYER.

Lord let This Good man Look Upon me
in my Poverty and Lend me Five
Dollars.
Of w. w. Erwin, St. PauTs criminal
lawyer who has been called to defend
Debs, Major Handy relates in the Inter
Ocean the following story:
Mr.. Erwin is not yet more than 40
years of age, but is one of the best law
yers in the West, and his record as one
who never lost case at the criminal
bar led to his engagement as counsel
for the Homestead strikers two years
ago. Like Debs, however, he was
wild Young man and had his season of
idleness, poverty and disrepute. Out
in st. Paul they tell good story OF
that period OF his life. He lived after
fashion, in small room IN an upper
story of large building devoted to the
business of certain Mr.. Ingersoll, who
was at the head of a great retail estab-
lshment employing large number OF
men and women. Mr. IngersOll was
prominent in the church, but had
the reputation of being pretty severe
task master One day Erwin met his
wealthy landlord on the stairs and asked
loan of S.. Ingersoll looked at him
not unkindIy but with some disgust
and said: "Come down stairs with me,
Erwin. | want to have a little talk
with YOU
They went down in the basement to-
gether and there amid the litter OF old
packing boxes and refuse OF the shop
up stairs, Ingersoll talked to the younger
man like a father He told him how he
was going to the dogs inveighed against
his shiftlessness and his wasted Oppor-
tunities and told him how surely his
slavery to drink would bring him to
grief, disgrace and perhaps to death.
Erwin seemed just as much affected
and was more so when lngerSOll said:
"NoW kneel down with me, my boy, and
let us pray to God to forgive you and
enable you to resist temptatlOn.
They knelt, and the prayer that arose
:, was fervent and eloquent, but, perhaps,
in the opinion of the subject, little too
= emphatic and specific in the enumera-
y ton of his shortcomings. AS soon as
> Ingersoll said "Amen," he turned to go
away, but Erwin said: 'Hold on, Mr..
y Ingersoll; you have been very kind to
E me and l appreciate your prayers. In
- deed | feel like praying now myself.
Will you kneel down with me-
Somewhat surprised, but delighted
:, none the less at the others evident penl-
tence, Ingersoll knelt again, with Erwin
= by his side. With the advantages OF an
early religious acquaintance, Erwin had
- the gift of prayer himself, and ne
prayed as earnestly and eloquently. as
long and even louder than his friend,
. forthe sound brought some Of lngersolls s
y employees to the head of the stairs.
80 Lord he said, 'help me to feel
- nv wickedness and to appreciate all
# that this good man is doing for me.
:, But. O Lord, bless Mr.. Ingersoll too,
!, and make him a better man. Thou
10 hast blessed him with an abundance OF
! worldly goods; thou hast blessed him.
. as the good book says, in basket and III
10 store; thou hast given him more than
,t his share of the good things of this life
d. But, 0 Lord, thou knowest that he has
w been unworthy of the least OF these thy
~ blessings. Thou knowest that he i:
r. charged with grinding the faces OF the
IN poor, and that the widow and the orphan
bo in his employ find it pretty hard to hav'
,r- meat more than once day and pa.
Il their car fare. Thou knOWest he is TOT
ho apt to turn deaf ear to thy sufferin!
or Door. Lord make him a better man
od make him humble, make him liberia
70 loosen the bowels of his compassion
nd and to show that our prayers are an
r.. swered, let him look upon me in m
ar poverty right now and lend me S
No. And thine shall be the glory! Amen
Ill Tho nroiCoc Of an onnmV are SuSDlC