The Oskaloosa herald., 1900-03-01
CHAPTER XII.

CHAPTER XII.
II heard your sermon this morning,
said Philips guest while Mrs. Stron
was removing the small table to tn
dining room.
did your" asked Philip, because b
could not think of anything wiser t
say.
'Yes," said the strange visitor sim
ply. He was so silent after saying thi
one word that Philip did what he new
er was in the habit of doing. He al
ways shrank back sensitively from
asking for an opinion of his preaching
from any one except his wife. But nov
he could not help saying:
what did you think of itr'
'Yt was one of the best sermons
ever heard. But somehow it did no
sound sincere"
what? exclaimed Philip almost an
grify. If there was one thing he fel
sure about. it was the sincerity Of his
Preaching. Then he checked his feel
ing as he thought how foolish 1t would
be to get angry at passing tramp
vino was probably little out of his
mind. Yet the mans remark had 9
strange power over him. He tried ts
shake 1t off as he looked harder al
ham. The man looked over at Philip
and repeated grayely, shaking his head
''Mot sincere"
Mrs. Strong came back into the room
aAd Philip motioned Der to sit down
near him while he said. "And what
makes you think was not sincerep
"You said the age in which we lived
demanded that people live In q far SIM
p&er, less extrayagant style"
"Yes, that is what / said. / believe
It, too" replied Philip. clasping his
hands over his knee and gazing at his
singular guest with earnestness. The
mans thick white hair glistened in the
open freight like spun glass.
"And you said that Christ would not
approve of people spending money for
flowers, food and dress on those who
did not need it when it could more wise
~ be expended for the benefit Of those
who were in want"
Eyes. Those were not my exact
words, but that was my idea"
ssYour idea. Just so. And yet we
have had here in this little lunch, or,
as you called it, bite of something
three different kinds of meat, two kinds
OF bread, dollhouse grapes and the rich
est kind of milk"
The man said all this in the Quietest,
calmest manner possible, and Philip
stared at him, more assured than ever
that he was little crazy. Mrs. Strong
looked amused and said, ''You seemed
to enjoy the lunch pretty well" Tie
man had eaten with Zest that was
redeemed from greediness only by
delicacy Of manner that no tramp ever
possessed.
MY Gear madam" said the man,
perhaps this was case where the
food was given to one who stood really
in need of it,
Philip started as if he had suddenly
caught a meaning from the mans
words which he had not before heard
In them.
"Do you think ii was an extrayagant
lunch then? he asked, with a very
slight laugh.
The man looked straight at Philip
and replied slowly, "Yes, for the times
In which we liver
A sudden silence fell on the group Of
three in the parlor Of the parsonage,
lighted up by the soft glow of the coal
FIRE. No one except person thorough
H familiar with the real character Of
Philip Strong could have told why that
silence fell on him instead of a careless
laugh at the crazy remark of a half
witted stranger tramp. Just how long
the silence lasted he did not know;
only, when it was broken, he found
himself saying:
MAN, who are you? Where are you
from? And what is your nameT
His guest turned his head little and
replied: when you called me in here,
you stretched out your hand and called
me brother Just now you called me
nv the great term, man These are
my names. You may call me Brother
Man."
"Well, then, Brother Man," said
Philip, smiling little to think Of the
very strangeness of the whole affair,
'syour reason for thinking | was not
sincere in my sermon this morning was
because of the extravagant lunch this
EVENING"
"Not altogether. There are other
reasons" The man suddenly bowed
his head between his hands. and Phil
FPS wife whispered to him: Philip,
what is the use of talking with crazy
man? You are tired, and it is time to
put out the lights and go to bed. Get
him out Of the house now as soon as
you can"
The stranger raised his head and
went on talking just as If he had not
broken of abruptly.
"Other reasons. In your sermon you
tell the people they ought to live less
luxuriously You point them to the
situation in this town where thousands
OF men are out Of work. You call at
tention TO the great poverty and dis
tress all over the world. and you say
the times demand that people live far
THE
CLEANSING ~ W ~