Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1900-02-22

on the step inst 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 4 child went in
with a pail and came out 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 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 it farthest from the saloon and
began to sweep there 80 God. he
cried, '"if the bishop would only come
backI 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 10 go down them He looked
toward the sidewalk and saw that he
had left one step unswept The sight
seemed to give him reasonable excuse
for going down there to finish his sweep
ing He was on the sidewalk now
sweeping the last step with his face
p, ha uatr1an,aYt an1 his huely
. 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 il dragged him. as by a giants
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 out into the gutter and
swept that He took off his hat and rub
bed his sleeve over his face His lips
were palid and his teeth chattered He
trembled all over like palsied man
and staggered back and forth. as if 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 moistened his
lips with his tongue and took step
forward looking around him stealthily
The door suddenly opened again. and
some one came out Again the hot,
penetrating smell of the liquor swept
out into the cold air, and he took an
other step toward the saloon door
which had shut behind the customer
AS he laid his fingers on the door handle
a tall figure came around the corner 1t
was the bishop
He seized Burns by the arm and drag
| ged him back upon the sidewalk The
| frenzied man. now mad for drink,
shrieked out 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 cash
| in his cheek
He never uttered q 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 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 Godl Pray with mel Save mel
Oh. save me from my hell" cried
Burns. and the bishop kneeled by him
in the hall and prayed as only he could
After that they arose, and Burns
went into his room He came out of it
that evening like humble child, and
the bishop went his way, oldef from
that experience, bearing on his body
the marks of the Lord Jesus Truly he
was learning something of what it
means to walk in his steps
But the saloon 1t stood there, and
all the others lined the street liko SO
many traps set for Burns How long
would the man be able TO resist the
smell of the damnable stuff? The bishop
el,, ,,nrch Tho oir nP tha
whole city seemed to be impreguated
with the odor Of beer. 'How lcng. Q
God. how longf" the bishop prayed.
DR. Bruce came out. and the two
friends talked over Burns and his temp
tation
"Did you ever make any inquiries
about the ownership Of this property
adjoining usr' tho bishop asked
mo; / haven't taken time for II.
will now if you think it would be wortf
while But what can we do, Edward,
against the saloon in this great city, II
Is as firmly established as the churches
or politics What power can ever re
move it2"
"God will do it in time, as he re
moved slavery, replied the bishop
gravely. Meanwhile / think we have
n right to know who controls this saloor
so near the settlement
'I'll find ont. >" said DR.. Bruce.
Two days later he walked into the
business Office of one of the members OF
Nazareth Avenue church and asked to
see him a few moments He was cor
daily received by his old parishioner,
who welcomed him into his room and
urged him TO take all the time he
wanted
81 called TO sec you about that prop
erty next TO the settlement. where the
bishop and myself now are. you know
| am going to sneak plainly, because
life is too short and too serious for us
both to have any foolish hesitation
about this matter Clayton. do you
think it. is right to rent that property
for saloon ?"
DR. Bruce's question was rs direct |
and uncompromising as no had meant |
ii to be The effect Of il on his old pa |
rishioner was instantaneous
The hot blood mounted TO the face OF !
the man who sat there. a picture OF |
business activity in Il great city. Then |
he grew pale dropped his head on his |
hands. and when he raised It again DR. |
Bruce was amazed to see a tear roll |
over his parishioner's face.
doctor, did you know that ! took