Willmar tribune., 1900-05-16
!CH AI,TER ,XIl J.

~
IN the morning Philip knocked at his
Eguest'ss door stos.wak Ken hini for break
! fast. Not sound could be heard with
in. He waited little while and then
knocked again. 1T was as still as be-
fore. He opened the door softly and
looked in. Il sst8. & ~ q ::.sz 5@:5
To bis amazement, there was no one
Fthere. The:'betl was made: up neatly,
4 everything In the room was Sin It's
place, but the strange being who had
called himself Brother Man" was
gone. ....,, s,sve>., rs,
Philip exclaimed. and his wife came
IN hS Ii Y
so our queer guest has flown! He
must have been very still about it.
heard no noise. Where do you suppose
he Is? And who do you suppose he ISL"
Are you sure there ever was sucl,
person. Philip? Don't you: think you
xdrea med all that about the Brother
ManT" Mrs. Strong had not quite for
given Philip for his skeptical question
Ing of the reality Of the man with the
lantern who had driven the knife into
the desk. >' : e.
Yes, it's your turn. now, Sarah
| Well. If our Brother Man was dream
he was the most curious dream this
family ever had, and If he was crazy
he was the most remarkable insane
person ever saw"
"Of course he was crazy. All that
he said about our living so extrava-
gantly"
DO you think he was crazy in that
particularly asked Philip In a strange
voice. His wife noticed it at the time,
but it's true significance did not become
real to her until afterward. He went
to the front door and found it was un-
locked. Evidently the guest had gone
out that way. The heavy storm of the
night had covered up any possible signs
Of footsteps. 1t was still showing furi-
ously.
= Philip went into his study for the
forenoon as usual, but he did very lit
tie writing. His wife could hear him
pacing the floor restlessly.
About 10 O'clock he came down stairs
and declared bis intention Of going out
into the storm to see If he couldn't set
tie down to work better.
He went out and did not return until
the middle Of the afternoon Mrs.
Strong was little alarmed.
"Where have you been all this time,
Philip? In this terrible storm too!
You are monument of snow. Stand
out here In the kitchen while sweep
you Off"
Philip obediently stood still while
his wife walked around him with a
broom and good naturedly submitted
ing worked into shape for a snow
man." he said.
"Where have you been? Give an &C.
count Of yourself"
| II have been seeing how some other
people live. Sarah, the Brother Man
was not so very crazy after all. He
has more than half converted me-"
"Did you find out anything about
himY'
eyes; several of the older citizens
here recognized my description Of him.
They say he is harmless and has quite
| history; was once wealthy mill
owner in Clinton. He wanders about
the country, living with any one who
Will take him In. 1t is a queer case. l
| must find out more about him. But
I'm hungry. Can have bite of some
| thlngT"
Haven't you had dinner7"
mo; haven't had time"
'Where have you been?"
"Among the tenements.''
"How are the people getting on
there?"
IT cannot tell. 1t almost chokes me
to eat when think of it,
"Now, Philip, what makes you take
1t so seriously? How can you help all
that suffering? You are not to blame
for it,
"Maybe l am for part of 1t. But
whether am or not there the suffer
ing is. And don't know that we ought
to ask who Is to blame in such cases.
At any rate, supposing the fathers and
mothers In the tenements are to blame
themselves by their own sinfulness,
does that ma lie innocent children and
helpless babes any warmer or better
clothed and fed? Sarah, I have seen
things in these four hours time that
make me want to join the bomb throw
ers Of Europe almost"
Mrs. Strong came up behind his chair
as he sat at the table eating and placed
her hand on his brow. She grew more
anxious every day over his growing
personal feeling for others. It seemed
to her It was becoming a passion with
him, wearing him out, and she feared
Its results as winter deepened and the
strike in the mills remained unbroken.
"You cannot do more than one man,
Philip" she said, with sigh.
mo, but II can only make the
church see it's duty at this time and act
the Christlike way great many per-
sons will bs saved" He dropped his
knife and fork, wheeled around alb
ruptly in his chair and faced her with
the question, 'Would you give up this
home and be content to live in a SIM
pier fashion than we have been used
to since we came here?'' :;
X EYES," replied his wife quietly. IT
will go anywhere and suffer anything
with you. What IS it you are thinking
of now?"
II need little more tin:c There is
a crisis near at hand in NY thought of
what Christ would require of me. My
dear, am sure we shall be led by the
spirit of truth to do what is necessary
and for the better saving Of men,