The Black range. (Robinson, Socorro County, N.M.) 1882-1897, 1897-06-25
HER FATHERS
VICTIM
A Story of Western Life.
BY THoMs b. MoNFORT.
LCopywright, 1891, A. N. kellogg N. Col

science pricked him. A Thought Of his
daughter, too, flashed through his mind,
and for an instant he wondered if she
might not be one of those who were
starving-one whowas ground down by
another, even as hundreds were ground
down by him. He never dreamed that
she could be one of his own victims.
He began to feel a sense of shame and
dread, and even a slight twinge Of re-
gret, but the ever alert Sarah saw how
his mind was drifting, and thought fit
to recall it, which she did by saying:
'The poor we have always with us,
Sister Gooding, and I'm sure we are all
ever willing to aid the needy. But what
are the wants of the body as compared
with the welfare of the immortal soul?
Besides, there are public chIarities'for
The poor of our own land, ann the soX.
ernment will see thatnobodynstarves
We must not let tri6es like this.,il-
huence us from our duty as ChristisA. !.
We are engaged ina good work and y
must not turn aside from it."
$50 be it, Sister Blatchford, said Rev.
Wheedler. ssYou speak with the Spirit
and the understanding. We are &hers
Tor souls, and not feeders of the body.
We have higher and a mightier mis-
sion than that of catering to the appetite
of the physical man. Our duty calls us
above such"
After little further conversation OF
this kind in which each tried to con-
vince himself or herself that he or she
was walking in the marrow way,r
the meeting at last broke up and
Blatchford and his wife were left alone
in the parlor, where for some time they
remained silent. Finally Blatchford
spoke. He said:
"The words of that woman have dis
turbed me, Sarah, and feel that | am
to q great extent responsible for the
sufferings q many Of those poor peo-
pie out there in Kansas. might have
been more lenientN with them and
saved them the losB ofSso much money
in that Paradise Park boom Suppose
May should be sntfering aysolne other
person's hands what my victifas are
suffeving at 1l1pfe?"
Nov, HiraEn, 8 said Sarah, "that%is
just your WY You allow your heart
and feelings to accuse You of some
great wrong, when you know you are
not guilty of any. AS business man
you have only done what you ought to
do, and you have been benefactor to
fhnSn r,anro1a Won h,rra 1af fharr,
have money when they could not have
gotten it anywhere else, and that was a
great accommodation, I'm sure. You
are not responsible for the seasons and
the failures of crops, and all that, and
you have no right to let your generous
heart accuse yon, You are too con
scientious, Hiram, for a business man
| that you are.
These words had the effect on Hiram
that the willy Sarah knew they would,
and instantly he began TO feel quite
fond of himself and would have liked tC
hug himself to his own bosom. He
chirked up at once, and thought that he
had really rendered those poor unfortu
nate victims of his great and lasting
service by loaning them money at rate
of,interest they could never pay.
''As for your daughter" continued
| Sarah, when she wants your aid ol
sympathy, even, she will let you know
Remember she went away from you oi
| her own accord, and it is wrong for yoI
to grieve your honest soul on her ac
count. You have performed a glorious
part toward the church to-day, Hiram
and you must not let the happiness fol
lowing that deed be clouded by sucl
foolish regrets"
And he did not for any gre at while
| A.
CHAPTER Xxx.