The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-01-20
HIS START In LIFE.
A STORY THAT A DISCUSSION ON
RELIGION BROUGHT OUT.

del aud Most Remarkable Coinoi-
a.nce. AMI the Narrative Pointed n
Moral as We'll.
The question OF religion came up the
other day in the Busy Mems Lunch
club. and old Parmesan, who Is senior
warden o. 81. Pecunia's church and
therefore constitutes himself de.
fender OF the faith, remarked, You
may say what YOU like. gentlemen, but
IA religious man Is more apt 10 help
those who Aecd II than all lnldel."
Il am firm believer I'm Chrlstiani.
ty,' rcmarSed Bison, who has made a
million or 80 in the Swamp during the
last few YEARS. but take exception
10 that statement. When 1t comes TO
helping a fellow who is down, it's
about an even toss between Chris.
tan and an iulidcl. You doubt IT, he
shake his head We'll, TO prove what
| shy Will give you an episode In my
OWN life. ! came 10 New York In 1878
with no capital but country made
suit Of clio hes and n common school
education was lank looking young
fellow. with haNsced written all over
me. but Ike many another raw coun-
try lad was irresistibly attracted 10
the city. where soon expected to
strike The combination that would lead
TO fortune and fame hut before long
my main thought WAS 10 keep from
starving ! could get no work. and no.
body would listen to me when | asked
Tor il. tried to keep up my courage,
bat i'm my heart | would have given
ANYTHING - be- back on the old farm
again.
well one day grew especially des-
pcrate. The papers were full Of the
triumphant success OF Billy, the Con-
verted Bum who was holding reyiyals
all over thecountry. And asked my
self why In clean. decent young fell
low. who lad never been bum,
should bc allowed to starve, while
Billy wasllying OF the fat Of the
land. At tst the wild thought came
into my he'd to start out myself on a
career Of e-I mean OF reylyallsm I'M
der the Dme Of Charley, the Con
vcrted 30 Fiend,' and rake in tho
shekels lie Billy But somehow |
felt | COUNT get down as low as that
4 brllliat thought struck me, how
ever. Vuld state the whole thing In
an advertisement, more to relieve my
feelings tan with any hope Of getting
an answe
80 | staped enough money together
10 insertthe following In one OF the
papers. Z | were a drunken bum"
lust take out OF the gutter scores or
Kind reltious people would stretch
out haM TO help me. But as am
only a DECENT and self respecting young
man. wifi no vices or bad habits, l am
without work and starving In this
great cruel dty' And I added my
initials and ddress.
"The mex day | called to see II there
might possibly be an answer and got
two. 1le first one | opened read as
follows 1 was touched by your
strange advertisement, as myself WAS
One in the same position. l found help
through n noble Christian man, and II
vou will call and see me will prove
10 you that there Is a Christian who Is
able aud willing 20 help you II you are
worthy. Ask to see me personally. as
am sorry TO say my partner is an In
fidcl and, though a good man, he
might not be disposed to look ut your
case SO kindly
My heart jumped with JOY on read
Ing this kind letter. and for a little
while ! forgot the other one. But /
soon opened II and read As follows: I
was deeply stirred by the undertone
Of despair in your advertisement, as l
was once as friendless as you are. l
found a start IN life through a noble
man who, like myself, was an unbe-
lever. And If you will call and see
me I Will prove to you that there Is an
unbclleyer who is both able and will
ing to give you a start In life II you
are worthy. Ask to see me personally,
as my partner is a Christian, and,
though a good man, he might not be
disposed to look on your case kindly
Wonderful coincidence, wasn't 1t?
But the most wonderful part Of the
story Is yet to be told. These two men
were partners Each one Of them was
trying TO do a good deed without the
knOwledg. Of the other.
"The eD1 Of the story? Well, that
was interesting and remarkable too.
After trying 10 vain to decide to which
Of these two gentlemen | should make
myself Known | determined to see
them together and read the two letters
to them. | did so, and you ought to
have seen the look OF blank surprise
that cane 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 humani-
ty. They were silent for a few mo-
ments, and then the Christian. with
tears in ais eyes, grasped the hand Of
his partner and said:
Brother, have wronged you, for I
have learned that, without Knowing II,
you are not far from tAe kingdom Of
heaven
ut is who have wronged you,' ex-
claimed his partner, In assuming that
YOU would not obey the teaching Of
your Master to feed th.. hungry and
clothe the naked. Let us hereafter live
as brothers indeed, even though we
may not be able 10 profess the same
creed. And may the unknown God
whom ignoranUy we worship accept US
at the last
These two good men gave me q
start and we're my dearest friends un-
til they died. The moral Of 1t ALI
Well. ! think there Is more goodness
in the world than can be enshrlned IL,
any creed, however true."-New York