El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1896-12-09
A STORY OF MR.. BEECHER.
How the Preacher Won the Warm Re.
gard of Two Irish Girls.

| gard of TWO Irish Girls.
Here is new story of Henry Ward
Hcecher, which illustrates better than
| many Well-knovn anecdotes of the
! great preacher his ready sympathy,
! CHEEKY good humor and love for unusual
! incidents.
! About ten years ago Il young Irish
| woman named Bridget Dowd, employed
/ as q servant in one OF the families in
! the Heights district. sent to the old
country for her cousin, who wanted to
try her fortune in the new world. The
cousin came, accordingly, landed in New
York, and came over to Brooklyn to
find the address she had received. She
reached the heights, finding her way
by asking strangers, but when she had
arrived there She could not find the
street in which her cousin lived. The
longer she wandered about the streets
the more hopelessly involved she be
came. Finally. in despair, she deter
mined to ring the doorbeIl OF the near
est house and ask.
She did so, and the door was opened
by noblc-looking old man, with
magnificent physique and wavy hair.
She asked him the address, but instead
of answering her he asked in kindly
way what she wanted. Encouraged by
his manner, the young immigrant told
HIM her troubles and explained why
she wanted the address.
''Weli,' said he. you Just wait till
get my hat, and I'll go along and show
YOU the way"
In a moment he reappeared. and the
strange couple started off together.
As they walked he asked her all about
herself, and her life and troubles in
the old country, and she told him every
thing. They chatted together like old
friends, and the young woman. delight
ed as she was with her new friend,
could not understand the reason of the
puzzled chances that met them from
every one whom they passed.
Vt last they stopped before hand
some house, and the old man said: You
stand here at the gate till | ring the |
bell" lie then went down to the base
ment door, and when the servant girl !
at the door he asked: Does |
Bridget Dowd live herc?'
YES. sir said the servant: ..shc's |
the upstairs girl
WELL" said the visitor. chucIlling 10 |
will YOU kindly tell her that
Mr.. Reecher would like to see hero
The girl carried the message upstairs.
but on the way she met some OF the
members of the family, to whom she
old the astonishing thing that had oc-
cured.
''What." said one of the ladies. Mr.
ieeCher at the basement door? How
lreadful, Why didn't YOU ask him to
he front door? Go right down. YOU
foolish girl, and apologies to him and
ask him to come to the other door
But Mr.. Bcecher firmly refused to
Judge from the basement door. lie |
wanted to see Bridget DOvd. and i'm il
ew minutes that young woman, much
lustrated at the honor that was being
lone her, came to the door.
Are YOU Miss Dowd?" asked Mr.
}eecher.
Yes, sir"
Well" said he, reckoning to the
-ougp woman at the gate. who now
anne forward and was revealed for
he first time to her amazed cousin,
do you recognize this young woman?"
But there was no answer. The two
iris flew into each others arms. show
ring Irish greetings upon each cthcr. |
nd Mr.. Bcccher, his face Wrea he'd in |
miles, turned away. They recovered |
themselves enough TO run. after him |
nd try to thank him, but he would lis
en- to nothing. He hadc them good
" in his kindly way, and though he Il
never saw them again. they .,
we're two earnest young Catholics who
lever considered il sin, after having
een to mass, to go to Plymouth church
nd hear a Protestant sermon when Il
yer they could get away from their s
ousehold duties.-N. Y. Tribune