Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-10-17

say, "they are vicious poor, and there |
fore they do not deserve our sympathy.
| Are they vicious? SO much more need they
your pity. The Christian poor God helps
them Through their night there twin
kles the round, merry star OF hope ana
through the broken window they see the
crystals of heaven but the vicious poor,
they are more to be pitied. Their last
light has gone out. You excuse yourself
from helping them by saying they are so
bad they brought this trouble on them
selves. I reply, Where l give ten pray
| ers for the innocent who arc suffering l
will give twenty for the guilty who are
suffering.
The Open Door.
Pass on through the alley. Open the
door. "Oh." you say, sit is locked No.
II is not locked. It has never been locked.
No burglar would be tempted to go in
there to steal anything. The door is never
locked. Only n broken chair stands
against the door. Shove it back. Go in.
Strike a match. Now. look. Beastliness
and rags See those glazing eyebals.
BE careful now what you say. DO not
utter any insult, do not utter any sus-
picion, if you value your life. What Is
that rcd mark on the wall? 1t is the
marx OIL murderer manu-. IspOh Ut
those two eyes rising up out of the dark
ness and out from the straw in the cor
npr. coming toward you. and as they come
near you your light goes out. Strike an
other match. All. this is a babe not like
those beautiful children presented in hap
tis,n. This little one never smiled it never
will smile \ flower flung on an awful
" barren beach. O Heavenly Shepherd,
fold that little one in thy armsl Wrap
around you your shawl or your coat tight
err for the cold wind sweeps through.
Strike another match All, is it posi-
bic that the Scared and bruised face of
that Young woman was ever looked into
by maternal tenderness? Utter no scorn.
Utter no harsh word. No ray of hope
has dawned On that brow for many a
year. No ray of hope ever will dawn on
that brow But the light has gone out. Do
not strike another light. 1t would be a
mockery to kindle another light in such a
place as THAT Pass out and pass down
the street Our cities are full of such
homes, and the worst time the third
watch of the night.
Do you know it is in this third watch
of the night that criminals do their worst
work? 1t is the criminals watch. At
half past o'clock You will find them in
the drinking saloon but toward IL o'clock
they go to their garrets, they get out their
tools. then they start on the street.
Watching on either side for the police,
they go to their work of darkness. This
Is a burglar. and the false key will soon
= touch the store lock. This is an inccn-
diary, and before morning there will be n
light on the sky and n cry OF Fire, fire.'
This IS an assassin. and tomorrow morn
ing there will be a dead body in one of
= the vacant lots. During the daytime
these villains in orr cities lounge about,
some asleep and some awake, but when
the third watch of the night arrives their
, eye is keen, their brain cool, their arm
strong. their foot fleet to fly or pursue,
they are ready. Many of these poor
t creatures were brought up that way.
:. They were born in thieves garnet.
t Their childish toy was n burglars dark
l lantern. The first thing they remember
! was their mother banda ging the brow of
I. their father, struck by the police club.
, They began by robbing boys pockets. and
i now they have come to dig the under
< ground passage to the cellar of the bank
: and are preparing to blast the gold vault
Just so long as there are neglected chill
drcn of the street, just so long we will
;. have these despcradoes. Some one. wish
T.. ing 10 maze goou ShriStah point nho
|, " quote p"SSuSe VI Hctip'uie, eNpcctiiis
p 10 ge' 'crip,ural phSs"S' IA ans"ei
: su'd 10 one ol .i,rse pool iaus, r"st ou
+ anu MIe.cnou' nen soui -, i".nrr nnl
a noonc' io'S'Ne so", "n ,p, WI ,"Nt =, so'
=, uP' anu 'ne ooS s"iu' Int peiHce
+ Hour of Great Temptation.
= In the third watch of the night gam
bling does its worst work. What though
/ the hours he slipping away and though
~ the wife be waiting i'll the cherries
+ home? Stir up the fire. Bring on more
q drinks Put up more stakes. That com
: mercial house that only little while age
y put out n sign of copartnership will thi
:. winter be wrecked on a gamblers table
q There will be many money till that will
. spring leak In the third watch Of th
II night pass down the streets of these cite
;. and you will hear the click of the die
. ard the sharp, keen stroke of the ball
- or the billiard table At these place
: merchant princes dismount and legisla
~ tors. tired Of making laws, take a respit
:, in breaking them. All classes Of peopl
! are robbed by this crime-the importer 0
- foreign silks and the dealer in Chatham
street pocket handkerchefs. The clerk
Of the store take a hand after the shut
u tiers are put up, and the officers of tn
le court while away their time while tn
l. jury is out
> In Baden Baden when that city wa