The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-12-21


SCOTT & BOVINE. Chemists New York.
ions intention. Then he hastily drop
ped the money back into the bishops
pocket
"You can take your hands down.
sir The man with the weapon low
cred it slowly. still keeping an eye on
the other man and speaking with rough
respect. The bishop slowly brought his
arms to his side and looked earnestly at
the two men. In the dim light it was
difficult to distinguish features he was
evidently free to 90 his way now but
he stood there, making no movement.
"You can go on. You needn't stay
any longer on our account The man
who had acted us Spokesman turned and
sat down on stone. The other man
stood viciously digging his STAKE into
tho ground.
That's just what I'm staying for. "
replied the bishop He sat down on a
board that projected from the broken
fence.
"You must like our company. II il
hard sometimes for people to tear them
selves away from rs, the man stand
ing up said. laughing coarssly.
shut up!' exclaimed the other
Were on the road to hell. though;
that's sure enough. We need better
company than ourselves and the devil. "
"If you would only allow me to be
of any help The bishop spoke gen
tly, even lovingly. The man on the
stone stared at the bishop through the
darkness. After moment of silence he
spoke slowly. like one who had finally
decided upon course he had ut first
rejected.
"Do you remember ever seeing me
before?"
"No." said the bishop 1.-The light is
not very good, and | have really not
had good look at you.
"Do You know me now?" The man
suddenly took off his hat and. getting
up from the stone, walked over to the
bishop until they were near enough to
touch each other.
The mans hair was coal black. ex-
cept one spot on the top Of his head
about as large as the palm Of the hand.
which was white.
The minute tho bishop saw that he
started Tie memory of Is years ago
began to stir in him. The man helped
him.
Don't you remember one day back
in 81 or SO u man came to your house
and told story about his wife and
child having been burned to death in
tenement fire in New York ?"
"Yes; l begin to recall now" MUIR
INJURED the bishop. The other man
seemed to be interested. He ceased dig
ging his stake in the ground and stood
still, listening.
'Do you remember how You took me
into your own house that night and
spent all the next day trying to find me
a job and how. when you succeeded in
getting me q place in a warehouse as
foreman. l promised to quit drinking
because you asked me tor"
81 remember it now," the bishop re-
piled gently. ~ hope you have kept
your promise.
The man laughed savagely. Then he
struck his hand against the fence with
such sudden passion that he drew blood
kept it'll l was drunk inside Of a
week. I've been drinking ever since,
but I've never forgotten you or your
prayer. Do you remember, the morning
after l came to your house and after
breakfast. you had prayers and asked
me to come in and sit with the rest 7
That got me. But my mother used to
pray. can see her now kneeling down
by my bed when was lad. Father
came in one night drunk and kicked
her while she was kneeling there by
me. but never forgot that prayer Of
yours that morning You prayed for
me just as mother used to, and you did
not seem to take count Of the fact that
was ragged and tough looking and
more than half drunk when rung your
doorbell. My God, what life I've
livedl The saloon has housed me and
homed me and made hell on earth for |
me. But that prayer stuck to me all the
time. My promise not to drink was
broken in thousand pieces inside of
two Sundays, and lost the job you
found for me and landed in police sta
tion two days afterward, but 1 never
forgot you or your prayer. don't
know what good it's done me, but
never forgot it, and l won't do any
harm to You nor let any one else. So
you're free to 20. That's why"