Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-08-24


Don't take in vain the name of the
God you have offended" she replied
severely. What was the trouble: Don't
tell Inc il You don't like. Some say they
were innocent. but it is a pity to tell
lies. You were not innocent. Your face
shows il. have seen an innocent man
come out Of prison and know the diff
ference. That man came ont in rage"
They call it obtaining money under
false pretenscs What mattefs?'
Il thought il looked like money.
Sometimes Pray the Lord to take all
the money out Of the world. Money it
is that mostly fills the pit. Never mind
now. Come with me to barracks and
rest bit while you look about you.
Barracks is the place for you. There
you can sit down and talk things over.
We're ali friends together at barracks,
you know. Some of us brother soldiers,
but all of us friends -
She took his hand and held il with q
warm and sis.erly grasp and led him.
now as unrcsisting as q lamb, along
with her. "Ohr' she murmured, softly.
"Oh. good Lord. here is q gentleman
look at his facc-a gentleman and q
scholar should say. Look into his
thoughts think they are hard and
wicked. He hasn't turned from his
wickedness yet He has never worked
with his hands Lord, break up his
stubborn heart for him. He knows his
Rcdcemcr by hearssy. We shall not have
to teach him anything: we only have to
give him food and love and presently
grant it. Lord-he will give way alto.
gcthcr and be broken up" Now even as
she spoke there stole into his heart a
faint image OF the old emotion which
formerly he had loved to awaken i'll
himself and in others. And it staid
there and grew there. He made no reply
to her while she continued her CONVERSE
tiOn on his case with the Lord. The
gentle touch of her fingers sOftened him
it was so long since anybody had taken
any interest at all in him. He knew
who she was-a Salvation Army girl
and he knew what she wanted and why
she was so loving. but he was weak
from his solitary confinement and the
prison dict. Tears filed his eycs-rea!
tcars-not simulated. The girl saw
them and went on murmuring soft and
kindly prayers. So he walked beside
her with dropping head and quivcring
lips. quite ready TO be broken down
whenever the moment should arrive. He
was taken to n place where they gave
him hot breakfast and shook hands
with him Is If they were really glad to
see him. When he said he was that
morning out of prison, they murmured
gently. rs If it was his misfortune and
not his fault. They said that many great
sinners came to them from prison and
that many other great sinners who also
came to them had never been sent to
prison ut all. They gave him books to
read. and they told him that he might
stay there while he looked about for
work. They all seemed to be very busy,
but they found time to look in now and
then where he was sitting with some
other men and TO say friendly word
The girl who had captured him came
half dozen times in the course Of the
day to ask him what she could do for
him, and before long it was known in
the barracks that they had got a real
clergyman OF the establishment. no less
a person than the frisky deacon known
to the music halls. the man who had
been turned out Of the church and who
had suffered imprisonment for obtaining
money under false pretenses This was
extremely interesting.
In the evening there were addresses,
hymns and prayers at the barracks.
Paul sat on bench and listened He
was in q highly emotional. hysterical
condition to begin with. AS the speak
ers became more fiery he lost all control
OF will and reason. Presently when the
singinS-good singing. as he knew. hot.
fiery singing. full Of the rapture which
he rcmembercd-began. his head went
round and round he sprang to his feet
shrieking. he threw up his arms. he fell
headlong on the floor. crying. laughing
and saying he knew not what. Miracle.
Miracle! One more prison bird struck
| with conviction
! When the strength of the hysterical
| nj was partly spent, Paul was placed on