The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1895-12-01
THE BRUISED REED.

before a glowing CRATE, and sat'sheh
smile stole over his features. as he re-
mcrnbered mis- sermon of that morning
He had struck strong blows at SIN; re-
lattuE to his breathless congregation In
plain and burning words tales or the
wickedness, debauchery. drunkenness and
depravity that was going on in their very
midst
Following the prominent example OF
certain pure-minded and original servant
of the Lord. he had gone down himself
among the lowest haunts of vice and ini-
guilty, and there sketched in his mind
those flaming and accusive portraits that
he had painted before the astonished eyes
of his congregation. with broad brush
and vivid colors. He had heard blasphcm
les from lips that were once as pure as
his sisters he had stood In the midst
of unbridled vice, whore wine flowed like
water and amidst songs, curses. laughing
ana revelry, the chiuk OF money, earned
by dripping hearts blood could be heard
as 1t fell into the Golfers Of The devil. oh.
Ire had astonished his hoclSl lie had
hurled at them fiery words OF blame that
had been u new departure for him, but
he expected grand results. And now he
sat by his anthracite fire, and thought
over the success of his labors. ana smiled
The latch OF his study door clicked and
being entered lie was grizzly, rum
soaked, dirty. ragged. dlsreputable. blear-
eyed and of uncertain step. Once. he
might have been "a man.
Across his forehead stretched a long
strip of dinsN court. plaster; on the bridge
OF his nose an unhealed wound showed
scarlet against the milder red OF his face.
lite brought with him an odor Of dtsre-
si!ectahility., rum and disqualification.
The preacher rose; a slight distension
visible in his delicate nostril; a little
shiyer Of repulsion ripping through his
What Is it, my GOOD man" he asked
The being spoke and tho preacher strn
standing. followed him through the husky
labyrinth OF his speech.
Don't yer know me? I lives In 'Hclrs
| Delight knows you. You come down,
YOU did, and wants ter take in Their sights.
You asks Tony, the Dago, fer guide and
he sends yer to Creepy Jake. That's me.
! takes yer through the dives one and
all. knows Yer a preacher from the way
Yer did. Yer buys the wine like Il gent.
though-likc real, high roller gent; any
body would "a took Yer fer gent"
Excuse me" said the preacher, that
wound on your forehead the blood seems
to be. dripping on those engrayings-allow
Keep yer hankcher, reverend" said the
being. rs he raised a ragged coat tain and
wiped the drops from his brow. 81 won't
spue yer pictures. III git often yer carpet.
ana let some fresh air In IN a minute
one time ! could a told yer MI about
mem picturcs-dats Una and de lion
dat ones the Venus OF Milo-de other
one 5 the disc thrower-you wouldn't be-
I llevc, reverend. that | knowed de names.
NouI4 you one time | set IN cheers like
! "a, Il anus liked dat Spanish leather up-
holsterlng, but your wainacotln' amt
right DE carvin'S allcgorical and it don't
sun de moorfn panels-'scusc me, revcr-
enc dat amt what come to say. After
You took IN 90 tcnderloin, / got to tinlSin'
bout somothin' YOU said one night after
nWpul wiz you to de tough dance nj
H,t,liEa4's ncy was cove derc dat
INlEEHd You as a parson and was about
10 hit you one on de ear but nc so,'d
my gun shown down I'm my pocket. and
NINA nc n S'en my eye; and changed his
Nors"lf dut night, hut | heard yer; 70
| uluihrd rfed ne shall not qucnch and de
| sinok'n' haN he viii not Put out or some
lluR IKE dat. ana J got ter studyin over
what a low down bum I've heen, and /
says, I'm goip' to de hig bug church. and
hear de bloke preach '''''
'De boys an de tinhorns gimme dc
laugh and called mo 'Pious Jake but
today ] went to dat big church where
YOU breaches. reverend. says to my
self dat ! showed you round de Tender
ioin and stood by you whom dc FOUNDERS
! guyed you, and never let de coves work
10 fimfam on yer and when | heard
toil OF the big sermons yer was preachin'
ana dc hot shot yer was shootln' into de
| t9ngl gang, | was real proud and / fell
| IKE | kinder had a. share in de business
| ier haNin gone dc rounds with Yer. 4
SAWS II hear date cove preach, and may
ne 90 bruised reedll git chance 20
/ SttalFhtcn up--'sc mo, reverend don't
gu sk'ared, ] amt goin' to fall and smile
Ntt CARPET m little groggy. That cut
a. ny mead IS bied a heap, but ami
ISrhaps YOU would ltko-posshly, IL you
[ would s't-lust for d momcut-"
% hunkS, reverend / won't sit down
I've. lest about finished shootin my dve
S,uH; goes TO dat church and / goes
w, hcars music playin', and / SUPPOSE
mem was angels singin' up in dc peanut
gallery, an ! Nmclt-such a smell oy VIC
! cts and sum like dc hay When W.. usen
/ 20 cur II IN dc mcadcrs when wuz n Kid
peE wu2 iiue people in welvets and fol,
uc-to.-. ana way over at de oder end was
YOU reverend, standin In de gran STAN
! louhiu calm and fur away ike, lest ms
| yer Hld at Gllllgan's ball when dc duck
,lieu 10 sliy yer and | Went IN fur to near
a nattering sentence from the report OF
ms sermon In the morning paper came to
the preachers mind:
Ills popN,rf,p