Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-10-12

In the morning he almost dreaded to
face the men, but the impression of the
night had not worn away, True TO his
promise, the bishop secured work for
them The ianitor at the settlement
needed an assistant, owing to the growth
of the work there SO Burns was given
the place. The bishop succeeded in get
ting his companion position as driver
for firm of warehouse dray manufac-
lurers not far from the settlement.
And the Holy Spirit struggling in
these two darkened sinful men, began
his marvellous work of regeneration.
1t was the afternoon following that
morning when Burns was installed in
his new position as assistant janitor
that he was cleaning off the front steps
of the settlement when he paused a
moment and stood up to look about him.
The first thing he noticed was beer
sign just across the alley. He could al
most touch it with his broom from
where he stood. Over the street imme
diately opposite were two large saloons,
and little farther down were three
more.
Suddenly the door of the nearest sa-
loon opened, and a man came ont At
the same time two more went in. A
strong odor of beer floatcd up to Burns
as he stood on the steps of the settle
ment He clutched his broom handle
tight and began to sweep again. He
had one foot on the porch and another
on the step just below. He took another
step down, still sweeping. The sweat
stood out on his forehead. although the
day was frosty and the air chill. The
saloon door opened again, and three or
four men came ont. A child went in
with pail and came ont n moment
later with a quart of beer. The child
went by on the sidewalk just below him.
and the odor of the beer came up to
him. He took another step down, still
sweeping desperately His fingers We're
purple as he clutched the handle of the
, broom.
Then suddenly he pulled himself mp
one step and swept over the spot he had
inst cleaned. He then dragged himself
by a tremendous effort back to the floor
of the porch and went over into the cor
ner of it farthest from the saloon and
began to sweep there. 80 God" he
cried, "f the bishop would only come
back The bishop had gone ont with
DR.. Bruce somewhere, and there was
no one about the settlement that he
knew.
lie swept in the corner for two or
| three minutes. His face was drawn
with tho agony of the conflict. Gradu-
ally he edged out again toward the steps
and began to go down them. He looked
toward the sidewalk and saw that he
had left one step unswept. The sight
seemed to give him a reasonable excuse
for going down there to finish his sweep
ing. He was on the sidewalk now
sweeping the last step, with his face
toward the settlement and his back
turned partly on the saloon across the
alley. He swept the step dozen times.
The sweat rolled over his face and drop
ped down at his feet. BY degrees he felt
that he was drawn over toward that
end of the step nearest the saloon. He
could smell the beer and rum now as
the fumes rose around him. 1t was like
the Internal sulphur of the lowest hell
and yet it dragged him, as by giant 8
hand, nearer its source.
He was down in the middle of the
sidewalk now. still sweeping He clear
ed the space in front of the settlement
and even went ont into the gutter and
swept that. He took off his hat and rub
bed his sleeve over his face. His lips
f ,Ii Il Ia, oh / l.
trembed all over like a palsied man
and staggered back and forth, as if he
We're already drunk. His soul shook
/ within him.
He had crossed over the little piece Of
stone tagging that measured the width
/ of the alley, and now he stood in front
of the saloon, looking at the sign and
! staring into the window at the pile of
whisky and beer bottles arranged in a
/ great pyramid inside. He moistcned his
/ lips with his tongue and took step
| forward, looking around him stealthily.
| The door suddenly opened again, and
some one came ont. Again the hot,
penetrating smell of the liquor swept
ont into the cold air, and he took an
| 'tI'l Hl'p i'Ndii tii' SdiopA t'Ol
which had shut behind the customer.
! AZ he laid his fingers on the door handle
a tail figure came around the corner. 1t
was The bishop.
He seized Burns by the arm and drag
J ged him back upon the sidewalk. The
! frenZied man, now mad for drink,
shrieked out a curse and struck at the
/ bishop savagely. 1t is doubtful if he
really knew at first who was snatching
him away from his ruin. The blow fell
upon the bishops face and cut "a cash
! in his cheek
He never uttered a word, but over
his face a look of majestic sorrow swept.
/ He picked Burns up as if he had been a
| child and actually carried him up the
steps into the settlement. He placed
him down in the hall and then shut the
door and put his back against it,
Burns fell on his knees, sobbing and
praying. The bishop stood there, pant
ing with his eXertion, although Burns
was slight built man and had not
been a great weight for one of the
bishops strength to carry. The bishop
was moved with unspeakable pity.
pray, Burns-pray as you never
prayed before Nothing else will save
YOU
80 God Pray with mel Save me
! oh save ma Prom, my boll - or; I'D