The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-11-19
Spirit of the Press.
A STORY WITH A MORAL.

New York Tribune.
The question of religion came up the
other day in the Busy Mems Lunch
Club, and old Pamesan, who is senior
warden of st. Pecunia's Church, anC
therefore constitutes himself a defender
of the faith, remarked: You may SAY
what you like, gentlemen, but re
ligious man is more apt to help those
who need it than an infidel"
Il ann a firm believer i'm Christianity. :
remarked Bilson, who has made mil
lion or so in the Swamp during the last
few years, ''but j take exception tC
that statement. When it comes tic
helping a fellow who is down, it's about
an even toss between a Christian and
an infidel. You doubt it?'' he continued
as he saw old Parmesan shake his
head. well, to prove what / say
will give you am episode in my own
life. | came to New York i'm 'T3, with
no capital but country-made suit OF
clothes and a common school educa-
ton. j was a hank looking young fet
low with hayseed written all oven
lad l was i1resfst;ibly attracted to the
combination that would lead to fortune
and fame. But before long my main
thought was to keep from starving.
could get mo work, and nobody would
listen to me when / asked for it.
tried to keep up my courage, but i'll my
heart / would havea given anything u
be back ON the old farm again.
"Well, one day l grew especially des
perate The papers were full of the
triumphant success of tBilly, the Con
verified Bum, who was holding revivals
all over the country. And | asked my
self why l. a clean. decent young fell
low. who had never been a bum,
should be allowed to starve, while Bill
ly' was living on the fat of the land
At first, the wild thought came into
my head to start out myself ON a career
Of er-I mean of reviyalism, under the
name of Charlie, the Converted Boy
Fiend,' and rake in the shekels like
Billy but somehow | felt | couldn't
get down as low as that. a brilliant
thought struck me, however. i would
state the whole thing in an advertise
ment, more to relIeye my feeling than
with amy hope of getting an answer.
10 | scraped enough money together
to insert the following in one OF the
papers:
IF | was a drunken bum just
taken out of the gutter scores of
kind religious people would stretch
out hand to help me. But as l
am only a decent and self-reSpect-
ing Young man, with no vices or
bad habits, ann without work
4 ~
city.
"And | added my initials and address
1.-THE next day | called to see if there
might possibly be an answer, and got
two. The first one i opened read as
follows:
Il was touched by your strange
advertisement, as | myself was
once in the same position. i found
help through a mobile Christian man;
and if you will call and see me
will prove to you that there rs a
Christian who is able and willing
to help you if you are worthy
Ask to see me personally, as L am
SORRY to say my partner is am IN
fidel and though a good man he
might not be disposed to look at
your case so kindly.
MY heart jumped with JOY ON read
ing this kind letter. and for little
while / forgot the other one. But |
soon opened it and read as follows:
/ was deeply stirred by the UNI
dertone of despair in your advertise
ment, as / was once as friendless
as You are. i found a start In life
through a mobile man who, like
myself, was am unbeliever. And If
YOU will call and see me will
prove to you that there lis an unbe-
liever who is both able and will
ing to give You start i'll life, if
YOU are worthy Ask to see me
personally, as my partner lis a Chris
tian, and, though a good map, might
not be disposed to look ON your
case kindly.
Wonderful coincidence, wasn't !. !!
But the most wonderful part OF the
story lis yet to be told. These two men
were partners Each one of them was
TRYING to do a good deed without the
knowledge O. the other.
'sl'he end of the story? Well, that was
interesting and remarkable, too. AFTER
irving in vain to decide to winch OF
these two gentlemen | should make
MYSELF known, / determined to see them
together. and read the two letters 70
them. / did so and you ought to nave
seen the look of blank surprise that
came over the faces OF both men as
they learned that, though differing so