The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-03-06
An AstOnished Clergyman.
By V. G. MELVILLE.

desk, and in the early twilight, well
satisfied, he turned an easy chair tt
4he fire and settled himself to rest, and
soon he was busily engaged in count,
ing I'D the successes and blessings o.
the past year.
ats been an uncOmmonly satisfac
tory year." he mused, "but an uhcom'
monty busy one. Let me see. have
preached at least seventy-tive sermons
and touched on every vital question:
WNo, YOU haven't" said a. decided
voice beside him. Turning in sur
prise, he saw a sweet creature, angelic
in appearance, who certainly did mol
look capable of contradicting man Sc
fatty.
,"Why, what's this: Who are you 2
az am the angel of Mercy
"Eh! Anybody dying, or in need
Did you want me"1'
"Plenty of people are dying and in
need but for none of them am | here
Yes, I want you; get ready, for we
have long journey"
sRut tits chilly out; l am tired, and
Tomorrow we dine at Judge rs" re-
monstrated the man of God.
"Are you christian?" asked the
angel.
ter of the gospel"
"Did YOU not say that, as such, you
had touched on all the vital questions
during the past year?'
81 did"
"Some of us angels of mercy have
.hovered over your pulpit, as we'll as
all other Christian pulpits, every Sab
bath during the past year, aud you
have never mentioned in either ser
mon or prayer one of the most vita
questions of the day."
Astounded, the good man could only
stare and mutter: "What can yor
mean ?" "Come with me and 1 will
show you"
Impelled against his will, the min
lister made ready and accompanied his
ruide. who, strangely enough, lee
him to large livery stable. With SUI
pernatural sight he beheld, as he pass
ed from stall to stall, the diseases thai
made life torture for many of the
horses there. Some were troubled by
toothache, exaggerated by having 8
bit in the mouth all day, some could
not eat we'll, on account of torn anC
bleeding mouths, irregular teeth and
other ills. Others held up their feet
and moaned with pain. Shoes put on
haphazzard-in most cases their feet
cut down to fit the shoe.
Nobody to speak a word for uss, anC
we can't speak for our selves" walled
one, whose neck was swollen in knots
from the use of the over-draw check
rein.
land yet there is class of people
calling themselves Christians, wht
pretend to give their lives to helping
the helpless and doing good" said an
other, who shivered so he could hard
ly make himself heard. Here l Ell
dured from insects untold torture al
summer because my master cut OIL my
tail and name, and now they have
clipped close all the hair on my body
and I'm so cold"
"What did he clip you for::' asked
another.
II don't know. My mistress is :
very devout woman, and they've beer
decorating the church for Thanksglv
ing services tomorrow, and [ had tC
stand in the wind-my head drawn
clear back-and every bone in mt
aching, for three long hours
"Is she a Christian?"
'.Yes; they say So"
What the minister saw was both as
tonishing and painful: But the ange
hurried him on, showing him horses
cattle, dogs, cats and birds, suffering
from every species of pain and priva
tion. A great many were being starV
ed, or in some way tortured, through
mere thoughtlessness.
Itwas broad daylight. and midsum
mer weather. when they paused al
the stock yards. Long lines of cars.
packed with their living freight, stood
everywhere. Hundreds of miles some
of them had come without one drop Of
water-wild-eyed believing, piteous
throng, the weaker ones trampled be-
meath the feet of the stronger, the
whole suffering indescribable torture.
To the right were the yards, acres OF
shadeless dust. Presently they begau
unloading the cars, and then the min.
lister turned away. 1t seemed to him
that every bloodshot eyeball was fixed
on him in mute reproach, and though
he had ofttimes watched the "unload.
ing of stock cars"-never before had
it come to him that those swollen, loll.
ing tongues could form no word to
plead for themselves.
"What terrible thingn he cried.
Even So" said the angel. "COme." "
Ifthe minister's overcoat had been
burdsnsome at the stock yards, it was
not on the icy, wind-swept western
plains, where next he found himself
and if the misery of the shipped stock
was indescribable, the suffering of the
starving herds here was more so.
"Do they never feed them ~ he ask
ed.
mo; thousands upon thousands
roam through the snow for months
with no food save the dry grass thai
they paw from under the snow. See
their hoofs are worn until the BLOOD
marks every step! These represent
the wealth of the cattle kings who are
rolling in splendor in their eastern
homes to-day. When the sleet storms
come, the herd will be one writhing
mass of ice, driven desperately before
the gale. Thousands will die before
spring.
The minister remembered two rich
men in his church whose wealth was
said to consist in 'cattle out west" he
he had been very courteous to them, fol
they paid we'll into the church fund.
Along the Pacific slope they went,
pausing to view long lines OF mules
engaged in the heaviest drafting, win
shoulders one mass Of sores and sides
laid open with the pitiless whip
through the South it was even worse
b,,,l nf yinbtS Sbopl; inc that