The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-06-02

HE HAS PERISHED FROM EARTH.
possibly a figure of no little amusement.
Old Justin was a man of iron consti-
tuition. He was out in wind and in rain
and snow When people Rugged their
stoves the old rag pedder was about his
business. His health continued a long
time. The winter was a severe one
Ferhaps the worst experienced in this
country 1t set in early and continued
d lohs time. The snow lay in great drifts
ana was impossible. Houses in many
parts of the mountains were crushed in
ana IN a few instances the occupants
suffered death. And when after weeks
OF this bitter cold, people of New Castle
emerged from their doors, they thought
OF all the objects of charity on the face
OF earth save Old Justin. The old man
mad padded his own canoe so long, and
mad so often refused charity, that he
was not down on the list of pensioners.
And If he suffered he suffered in silence.
months came and went The world moved
on. People bought and sold, and bought
and sold again. Spring came and sput-
tered and lost itself in the whirling winds
or March. Summer was about to be usher
ed in. Good natured shopkeepers had
collected stray pieces of paper and cotton
which had fallen in their doors as they
were accustomed to do, and the scavenger
department had allowed out of way
streets to become Uttered with paper,
doing good turn to Justin.
While the old man never begged or ac-
cepted' aims he was nevertheless under
the eyes of every body. Nobody ever
saw scrap of paper but they wished for
old Justin. No child ever scampered
across the street and picked up a paper
before it, but it thought of the old rag
man. And so it came to be a trick of
every body, unconsciously, to help Justin.
And if at first his absence created no
concern among the people, that absence
was only to be prolonged when they would
stop and count upon their fingers when
the last time was that the old man
came, and to become a inter about which
neighbors inquired, shopkeepers asked
and stragglers gossiped.
Justin came not.
A new book OF Clarity had just made
its appearance. 1t was a ground swell.
Every body agreed that it was the
smartest production of this masterful
writer. There were those whom it made
weep. There were those that the book
made laugh. The preachers said that 1t
and that it recited happy hereafters to
old age. They said that is was as tender
as a child and yet as convincing as
eternity. 1t made religion rejoice. 1t made
vice the foe to every good thing on this
earth 1t was the sensation of this com
munity, as far back as ran the memory
of men. Truly, everybody said, it was
a time when all might join with Old
Justin in defense of his favorite writer.
A. 20 chi
their sail so, for the time, the calls
for Justin shifted from those who wished
rags removed from their doors, to those
who wished to discuss a big book with
him. And as opportunity offered the rag
man was sought.
Day passed and as each good citizen
came away from the old mans cottage
they shook their heads in silence.
Old Justin is dying.
The intelligence made some people sad.
Really and truly.
Old Justin was inoffensive. Did nobody
harm Was honest if poor. And to think
that he was going out now and ever
made sympathetic souls seek his humble
quarters to say farewell The doctors
said it was a matter of few days. But
DAYS came followed by weeks and weeks.
Justin lived on. People had said good
bye God take the poor old man" often.
! And they waited. The doctors at length
I had grown tired of the suspense, for the
old fellow hung on to life far beyond
their expectation. True, only thread
held his life. But 1t was strong thread.
A steel thread-a thread spun from
faith not acquired of men, and which
is truly respondent in no condition save
death. And in his appointed time Justin
lived 1t Is easy to say Lord, Lord, But
how often is it that we mean 1t. 1t is
easy to say we sympathize. but how often
it is that we grow tired of even our own
when they become too long with use
enfeebled.
II was remarked about the streets that
old Justin was going to be we'll again.
People laughed and said that the old fell
low was as mysterious In this stage OF
his existence as he had been In the other
and that he would gather rags again.
And II did seem as If everything was
propitious for health, II 1t was to be. The
sun was tender. The winds carried the
nerfume of the roses. The birds sang.
Snring passed out of the tide OF zephers
and the great Summer was born
Glorious change.
hid n shake the lattice or no? A feeble
old man asked. and raising out of his
hed he threw back the blinds and while
tba winds whipped his tangled hair.
Iuetin the rag peddler, the defender OF
Garrity. looked on the world-the same
world into which he had come with
nothing, and out of which he was taking
massage. carrying nothing in his hands
rho rext morning we found him. Alas
10 had passed through the valley and
shadow. - Atr,
90 He does nobody harm. In one hand
eIrtched tight we found a scrap-a stray
piece of paper-the same that ne was
accustomed to gather from tne s.reets,
I 49,, a. we found written in Justin's
soy,ir,re hand. his story; His last VIII
ana testament. And 1t read; 49,.
II David Garrity. in love- 6eaueatn
- NV wife and my children, all that
restless s feeble unworthy old man. go
ing. leaves after him.