The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1901-10-25

cooled off. Rigid musclcs rolaxad. NIX.
cited nerves soothcd. The 5whitc hair
Of the cctcsenerlan In thin drifts
across tho pillow, frcsh fall OF flakes
ON snow already fallen. Childhood,
with its dimplcd hands thrown out on
tho pillow, aud with eyory breath taxi
ing in now store Of fun and frolia.
Third watch OF the night Gods slum-
bcrless eye Will look. Lot one great
wavc Of refreshing slu,nber roll over
the heart of tho great town, submcrg-
ing caro- and anxiety and worriment
and pain. Let the city sleep.
But, my friends, bo not deceived.
There will be tonight thousands who
will not sleep at all. Go up that dark
alley, and be cautious where you
tread lest you fall over tho pros
trate forel Of, drunkard lying on his
own doorstep. Look about you, lest
you feel the garroter's hug. Look
through the broken window pane,
and see what you can see. You say:
"Nothing.' Then listen. What is
it? ''God help usi" No footlights,
but tragedy khestlier and mightier
than Ristori or Edwin Booth ever en-
acted. No light, no fire, no bread,
no hope. Shivcring in the cold, they
have had no food for "A hours. You
say: "Why don't thcy beg?" They
do, but they get nothing. You say;
"Why don't they deliver themselves
would not ask that II you ever heard
the bitter cry of man or child when
told he must go to the almshouse!
"Oh," you say, "they are Vicious poor,
and therefore they do not deserve our
sympa thy" Are they vicious? SO
much moro they need your pity. The
Christian poor, God helps them.
Through their night thore twinkles
the round, merry star Of hoPo and
through tho brokon window they see
tho crystals of Heaven, but tho
vicious poor, they are moro to be
piticd. Their last light has gone out.
You excuse yourself from helping
them by saying they are SO bad they
brought this trouble on themselves.
! reply: Where I give ten prayers
for the innocent who arc suffering
will give 20 for tho guilty who arc
suffering.
Pass on through the alley. Open
the door. "Oh," you say, ut is
locked" No, 1t is not looked. 1t has
never been locked. No burglar would
be tempted to go in there to steal
anything. The door is never looked.
Only n broken chair stands against
tho door. Shove 1t back. GO in.
Strike n match. Now, look. Beastli-
moss and rags. Sec those glaring
eyeballs. Be careful now what you
say. DO not utter any insult, do not
utter any suspicion, If you value your
life. What Is that rcd mark on the
wall? It Is tho mark Of murdorer's
handl Look at those two eyes rising
up out of tho darkness and out from
tho straw in the corner, coming to-
ward you, and RS they come near you
your lights go out. Strike another
match. All, this Is babe, not like
those beautiful children presented
in baptism. This little ono neycr
smiled; it never will smile. A flower
flung on an awfully barren beach
0 Heavenly Shepherd, fold that little
ono in thy armsl
Strike another match. All, is It
possible that the scarred and bruised
face Of that young woman waa ever
looked into by maternal tenderness :?
Utter no scorn. Utter no harsh word.
No ray of hope has dawned OH that
brow for many 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 q
moclsery to kindle another light IN
such 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 tho night that criminals do
their worst work? It is the crimi-
nails watch At half-past eight
o'clock you will find them in the
drinking saloon, but toward 12
o'clock they go to their garrets, they
get out their tools, then they start
on tho street. Watching on either
side for the police, they 40 to their
work Of darkness. This is q burglar,
and the false key will soon touch tho
store lock-. This is an inoendiary,
and before morning thero will be a
light on the sky and cry of "Fire,
iire!" This Is an assassin, and TO-.
morrow morning thoro will be dead
body in ono OF the vacant lots. Dur
Ing the day these villains in our
cities lounge about, some asleep and
somo awake, but when the third
watch Of tho night arrives their eve
is keen, their brain cool, their arm
strong, their foot feet to fly or pur.
sue. they arc ready. Many OF these
poor creatures were brought up that
way. They were born in a thieves
garret. Their childish toy was a bur.
glars dark lantern. The first thing
they remember was their mother
bandaging the brow Of their father,
struck by the police club. They be-.
gan by robbing boys pockets, and
now they have como to dig the un-
derground passage to tho cellar Of
the bank and are preparing to blast
the gold vault. just so long as there
are neglected children Of the street.
just so long we will have these des.
peradoes. Some one, wishing to mako
good Christian point and to quote
q passage Of Scripture, expecting to
get Soriptural passage in answer.
said to one Of these poor lads, On st
out and wretched: "When your ia.
ther and mother forsake you, who
will take you up?" and the boy said,
".rho parlice!"
My friends, you see all around about
you the need that something radical be
done. You do not see the worst. In
tho midnight meetings in London o
great multitude has been saved We
want few hundred Christian men and