New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-13
A STORY WITH A MORAL.

The question of religion came up the other
day in the Busy Mems Lunch club, ana Ola
Pormcsan. who is senior warden of st. Pecu-
MAS Church. and therefore constitutes nm
self n defender of the faith. remarked: You
may say what you like, gentlemen. nut re-
"lgious man is more apt to help those who
"necd It than an inhdel."
81 am firm believer in Christianity" re-
marked Bilson. who has made n million or so
in the Swamp during the last few years, but
81 take exception to that statement When IL
..comes to helping a fellow who is down, it's
"about an even toss between Christian ana
"an inAdel. You doubt it?' he continued, as
de saw old Parmesan shake his head. "Weli'
"to prove what l say | will give you an episode
'fn my own life. l came to New-York In 10,
"with no capital but a country made suit OF
CLOTHES and n common school edncaticn. L
was a lank looking young fellow with hay
"sced written all over me- but ike many an
"other raw country lad l was irresistibly at
"tracted to the city, where | soon expected 10
"strike the combination that would lead to
fortune and fame. But before long my man
"thought was to keep from starving. couid
'gct no work. and nobody would listen 10 me
"when I asked for it. l tried to keep up my
Courage, but IN my nebTt WOuiu Si'oh
"anything to he back on the old farm again
"Well. one day l grew especially desperate
'orbe papers were full Of the triumphant sue
"cess of Billy. the Converted Bum who was
"holding revvals all over the country. And
asked myself why |, a clean, decent young
fellow who had never been pun, should
"be allowed to starve, while Billy was living
con the fat of the land. At first, the wild
Thought came into my head TO start out my
self on career Of cr-I mean Of revivalism
"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 ms that. brilliant thought struck me-
however would state the whole thing IN an
| advertisement more to relieve my feeling
ethan with any hope of getting an answer.
$50 I scraped enough money together to In
"sert the following in one of the papers:
Tf was a drunken bum just taken out Of
"the gutter scores of kind religious people would
| stretch out hand to help me. But as am
! only a decent and self-respecting young man.
| with no vices or bad habits, am without work
| lard starving in this great. cruel city
And added my initials and address
"The next day called to see II there might
possibly be an answer, and got two The
first one | opened read as follows:
| Il was touched by your strange advertise
"ment as / myself was once in the same po-
"sition | found help through noble Christian
IMAM: and II you Will call and see me / VIII
prove to you that there Is Christian who Is
| "able and willing to help you II you are worthy.
ASK to me personally. as | am sorry TO
Say my partner ia infidel. and though a
good man he might not be disposed to look at
your case kindly.
"AIy heart jumped with Joy on reading this
kind letter: and for little while forgot the
"other one But soon opened 1t and read az
| follows:
"I was deeply stirred by the undertone OF
! despair in your advertisement, as l was once
las frendless you are | found a start in
! life through a noble man VINO. like myself, was
IAN unbeliever And II you Will call and see
me | will prove TO you that there is an unbe-
! clever who Is both able and willing to give
you start in lie II you are worthy ASK to
| see me personally. as my partner s Chris
"tian, and, though a good man. might not be
disposed to look on your case kindly.
wonderful coincidence, wasn't It? But the
most wonderful part Of the story is yet TO be
told These two men were partners. Each
zone Of them was trying to do good deed
"without the knowledge OF the other.
THE end OF the story? Well that was In
"teresting and remarkable too. After trying
'in vain TO decide to which OF these two gentle
linen | should make myself known, | de-
"termined 10 see them together, and read the
two letters to them. | did 80, and You ought
ITO have seen the look of blank surprise that
"came over the faces OF both men as they
learned that. though differing so widely In
creed they were at one in acknowledging the
religion OF humanity. They were silent for
few moments, and then the Christian, with
tears In his eyes. grasped the hand Of his part