Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-02

said, and, leaving them his benediction
he went away.
In the morning he almost dreaded 10
face the men. but the impression OF the
night had not worn away. True 70 his
promise, the bishop secured work for
them. The ianitor at the settle
meut needed an assistant, ow-
Ing 70 the growth OF the work
there. 50 Burns was given the
place. The bishop succeeded In get
ting his companion position as driver
for Arm OF warehouse dray manufac-
turers 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 janit0r
that he was cleaning of the front steps
OF the settlement when he paused a
moment and stood up TO look about
him.
The first thing he noticed was a beer
sign just across the alley. He could al
most touch II with his broom from
where he stood. over the street lmme-
diately opposite were two large saloons,
and q little farther down were three
more.
Suddenly the door OF the nearest sa-
loon opened, and man came out. At
re e. Nv more went In. A
s.r. r fioatcd up 10 Burns
= he st, :. on the steps OF the settle
ment lie clutched his broom handle
tight ara began to sweep, again. He
~ ~. nj 10,
on itep just below. He took another
STEP .lwn, 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 out. A child went In
with pail and came out q moment
later with 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, stlll
sweeping desperately. His fingers were
purple as he clutched the handle Of the
broom.
Then suddenly he pulled himself up
one step and swept over the spot he had
Just cleaned. He then dragged himself
by tremendous effort back to the floor
Of the porch and went over into the cor
ner Of the farthest from the saloon and
began 20 sweep there. 20 God" he
cried. III the bishop would only come
back" The bishop had gone out with
DR.. Bruce somewhere. and there was
no one about the settlement that he
knew.
He swept In the corner for two or
three minutes. His face was drawn
with the agony OF the conflict. Gradu-
ally he edged out again toward the steps
and began TO 20 down them. lie looked
toward the sidewalk and saw that he
had left one step unswept. The sight
seemd to give him reasonable excuse
for going down there 10 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 a 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. II was like
the Internal sulphur OF the lowest hell.
and yet 1t dragged him, as by giants
hand, nearer its source.
He vas down IN the middle Of the
sidewalk now ,stlll sweeping He clear
ed the space In front Of the settlement
and even went out into the gutter and
swept that. He took of his hat and rub
bed his sleeve over his face. His lips
were paid, and his teeth chartered. He
trembled all over like a palsied man
and staggered back and forth, as II he
were 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 molstened his