The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-03-07

SAID.
tess actually shrunk in alarm at mis-
suggestion.
"NOu are welcome to your break
fast" she said, coldIy, and moved as if
to close the door.
"Lhank you, ma'am; I'm going on.
so you won't see me again, but want
to sly something. The church bells
sound grand, don't they? And you are
gong to church to put money in The
plate for the heather aud to pay for
charity. And you have fed me this
morning III His name. II lie am to
ask one single meal of your charity,
would you have given Him a cold bite
outside IL the freezing blast, OF asked
Him in, and seated Him by n warm
fire."
Christ would not have robbed and
Perhaps murdered me for dong good
Nor would l. There are de speradOes
in the highest circles of society as well
as in the ranks of the outcast. But do
you not think it kinder TO keep a dog
and not put your charity TO such I
severe STRAIN? The greatest OF these
is charity reads in the revised edition
the greatest of these is love. Have l
been enjoying Christian love this morn.
ing"
As she did not answer he resumed
his side OF the discussion.
1T would have taken a few moments
of your servants time to warm the cup
of Geld coffee you gave me-: and is 4 Sil-
yer spoon of more account than the
comfort of a being who has d soul? L
would not have stolen the spoon. but
you could Tot know that. Perhaps,
ma'am, YOU have read lie; N~iserablcs,'
and 1ecaiI the old bishop, the silver
candlestick, and Jean Ealjean"?"
At this moment the housemaid thrust
something INTO the hand OF her mis-
tress-not The one holding the door,
but the other which, held back, seemed
asking for assistance. 1t was Il toy
pistol in silver and ivory which LOW
reposed /" the pint upturned palm,
which resented the intrusion.
Take ii away and bring me my
pocketbook." she said in q hall-whisper.
When tina; came she opened il and took
a dollar from it's folGs.
That is the amount ] would have
given TO the collection this morning.
Take it, and at the first opportunity
buy " warm meal. And if you come ms
way again i will trust you to eat uEier
my ROOT and give you Il spoon"
Give me half the money and save he
rest for my brother
"You have a brother, then, who is a
tramp?"
Every tramp is my brother and
yours, in Christ, or he religion taught
is a farce. He had not where to lay His
head; neither have We. l shall not
CONF this way agai" to tax your nos
pitd;ity, but you will remember me and
hereafter make yourself a cheerful
giver whom the LORD loves"
He put OF his disreputabIe cap and
hobbled away, leaving an aston;slIed
household gazing after him. The cook
and the housemaid had plenty to say
about his :mpudence, but the young
lllSiICSS HSiu llCI pSdNC. phC "S
Cling for the first time with the great
problem of the day, why men become
tramps. When she relinquished her
hold on tie door. which had shut her
in and tia: other member of the nu-
man family out, she went to her hus-
band. who was ready for church.
81 am not going this morning" she
said. Il nave had The whole service,
even TO the collection" and she re-
lated her experience with the tramp.
1t did not reassure her to be told that
she had aided criminality and that her
offering would doubtless be exchanged
for liquor, but she had begun the build
ing of n bridge of trust, and somehow
its architecture pleased her. She rea-
soned with the later-day poet whose
verse she read svith scarcely a thought
of its application:
He can't be altogether bad,
This outcast among men,"
After that she dropped the theory
and took up the practice of that much
lauded Observation-Disclosures. Free
proSS