Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-03-05
ess actually shrunk in alarm at his

tess actually shrunk in alarm at his
suggestion.
you are welcome to your break
fast" she said, coldly, and moved as il
to close the door.
"Ihank you, ma'am; I'm going on.
so you won't see me again, but l want
to sly something. The church bells
sound grand, don't they? And you ire
gong to church to put money in The
plate for the heather and to pay for
charity. And you have fed me this
morning in His name. If He came to
ask one single meal of your charity,
would you have given HIN a cold bite
outside III the freezing blast, or asked
Him in, and seated Him by a warm
fire."
Christ would not have robbed and
perhaps murdered me for doing good"
Nor would I. There are desperadoes
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 q
| 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.
ut would have taken a few moments
of your servants time to warm the cup
of cold coffee you gave me; and is a sill
| yer spoon of more account than the
comfort of being who has a soul? I
| you could not know that. Perhaps,
ma am, you have read Les Miserables,
and recall the old bishop, the silver
candlestick, and Jean Vatican"
| 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 toy
pistol in silver and ivory which Low
reposed il the pink upturned palm,
which resented the intrusion.
81 axe it away and bring me my
pocketbook," she said in half-whisper.
When tina; came she opened it and took
dollar from it's fol6s.
THAT is the amount 7 would have
given to the collection this morning,
Take it, and at the first opportunity
buy y warm meal. And if you come ;his
way again l will trust you to eat uE;.er
my roof and give you a spoon"
give me half the money and save The
rest for my brother"
"1ou have a brother, then, who is g
tramp?"
Every tramp is my brother ind
yours, in Christ, or The religion taught
is farce. He had not where to lay Ills
head; neither have we. 1 shall not
come this way again to tax your nos.
pitaiity, but you will remember me and
hereafter make yourself a cheerful
giver whom the Lord loves"
He put on his disreputable cap and
hobbled away, leaving an astonished
household gazing after him. The cook
and the housemaid had plenty to say
about his ;mpudence. but the young
mistress held her peace. She was strug'
Cling for the first time with the great
problem of the day, why men become
tramps. When she reiinquished heI
hold on the door, which had shut heI
in and that other member of the hu'
man family out, she went to her hus'
band, who was ready for church.
81 am not going this morning" she
said. ~ 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 hel
offering would doubtless be exchanged
for liquor, but she had begun the build
ing of bridge of trust, and somehow
its architecture pleased her. She rea
soned with the later-day poet whose
verse she read with scarcely 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 virtue-charity.-D Free
Press.