The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1899-09-21
IN HIS STEPS,.
What H1nul1
grzus 1u z"
CHAPTER I.
By Charles NJ. Sheldon.
Cup,tr>igRted and published in boot form bU the
ldrdncc Publishing Co. Of Chicago.

1t was Friday morning, and the Rev.
Henry Maxwell was trying to finish his
Sunday morning sermon. He had been
interrupted several times and was
growing nervous as the morning wore
away and the sermon grew very slowly
toward a satisfactory finish.
''Mary,' he called to his wife as h.
went up stairs after the last Interrupt
ton, IF any one comes after this l
wish you would say that I am very
busy and cannot come down unless 1t
is something very important.
Yes. Henry. But I am going over
to visit the kindergarten, and you will
have the house all to yourself
The minister went up into his study
and shut the door. In a few minutes
he heard his wife go out.
He settled himself at his desk with
sigh Of relief and began to write. His
text was from I Peter ii, 81
"For hereunto We're ye called be-
cause Christ also suffered for you, leav
ing you an example. that ye should fol-
low his steps,
He had emphasized in the first part
of his sermon the atonement as per-
sonal sacrifice, calling attention to the
fact Of Jesus suffering in various ways,
in his life as we'll as in his death. He
had gone on to emphasize the atone
ment from the side Of example, giving
Illustrations from the life and teaching
of Jesus to show how faith in the Christ
helped to save men because Of the pat
tern or character he displayed for their
imitation. He was now on the third
and last point, the necessity of follow
ing Jesus in his sacrifice and example.
He had just put down, "(3) Steps
what are they?' and was about to
enumerate them in logical order when
the bell rang sharply. It was one of
those clockwork bells and always went
off as a clock might go if it tried to
strike - all at once
Henry Maxwell sat at his desk and
frowned little He made no move
ment to answer the bell Very soon it
rang again. Then he rose and walked
over to one Of his windows, which COM
manded a view Of the front door.
A man was standing on the steps, He
was a young man very shabbily dressed.
Looks like a. tramp" said the min
lister. II suppose I'll have to go down.
and
He did not finish the sentence, but
went down stairs and opened the front
door.
There was moments pause as the
two men stood facing each other. Then
the shabby looking young man said:
''I'm out of job, sir, and thought
maybe you might put me in the way Of
getting something
Il don't know Of anything. Jobs are
scarce, replied the minister, begin
ming to shut the door slowly.
81 didn't know but you might per-
haps be able to give me line to the
city railway or superintendent of the
shops or something,' continued the
young man, shifting his faded hat from
one hand to the other nervously
1T would be Of no use You will
have to excuse me. I am very busy this
morning. I hope you will find some
thing. Sorry I can't give you some
thing to do here. But I keep only a
horse and COW and do the work my
self. -
The Rev. Henry Maxwell closed the
door and heard the man walk down the
steps. AS he went up into his study he
saw from his hall window that the mar
was going slowly down the street, still
holding his hat between his hands,
There was something in the figure sc
detected, homeless and forsaken that
the minister hesitated a moment as hi
stood looking at it. Then he turned tt
his desk and with sigh began thu
writing where he had left off.
He had no more Interruptions, ant
when his wife came in two hours late:
the sermon was finished, and the loos,
leaves were gathered up and neatly tiet
together and laid on his Bible, all read,
for the Sunday morning service
IA queer thing happened at the kin
dergarten this morning, Henry" sail
his wife while they were eating dinner
'You know, I went over with Mrs
Brown to visit the school,, and just aft
er the games, while the children wer
at the tables, the door opened, and
young man came in, holding a dirt
hat in both hands. He sat down nea
the door and never said a word, onl
hooked at the children. He was evident
1y tramp, and Miss Wren and her az
sistant, Miss Kyle, were little fright
ened at first, but he sat there yer
quietly, and after few minutes b
went out
perhaps he was tired and wante
to rest somewhere. The same ma
called here, I think. Did you say
looked like tramp?''
eyes, very dusty, shabby and gene
ally tramplike-not more than 80 or {
years old, should say
''The same man," said the Re
Henry Maxwell thoughtfully.
''Did you finish your sermon, He,
ry?' his wife asked after pause.
Eyes, all done. It has been a vel
busy week with me. The two sermon
cost me good deal of labor"
They will be appreciated by lar,
audience tomorrow, I hope" repli,
his wife, smiling. "What are you e