The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-03-14
THE KNOCK
 ATlHE DOOR

The pcsslnl SC was sitting alone in hls chambcii A cold yellow moon looked In ulin him from across the dark roofs of ,se city outlined in som. Der silhouette against the star lit sky. A slckly smlh lowered over his pale vlsagc, and bs lips were set as in the suppression Q an inward curse. His hands lay folled penslvely across his thin legs. an, he looked out over the shadowy hopstops with a dull sugges ton of hatre in his bloodshot eyes.
 Suddenly tere came low tapping at the door Dllnd him. He arose with a muttered l,Wse at thus having his thoughts Inf'rnpted and approached the door lazil.
 What do ou wahtfp he demanded In sharp wee.
 put tncrcp pas no reply. He opened the door cqiOusly, and only cold gust of mldiyht air entered the dark apartment. Ie glanced out into the silent hallwa and saw again the same familiar darn ness that he had seen when he entccd his room. Confused. startled. he. cew his hand thoughtful ly across hi brow. then closed the door careful and locked 1t. A mo ment later n seated himself In the chair by the Qen easement and stared out through the nocturnal shadows. It was quite cold. and q few patches of snow wen gleamlng brightly on many of the lousetops, but the pessl' mist was uncnsclous Of the cold.
 Why do lliyeT he asked himself And the och, of his own voice came back to his CTS from beyond the hall way.
 "There is n object In every l.ir. the voice sal 10 him "Wc all have n mission to fun"
 "Yes." be answered. the voice, with something of0 scpulchral tone In his own. and te object of mine Is to the init of mans endurance. the capacity f human beings for pain Some day VII reach thc limit. Some day my capa " win be exceeded"
 While he wls speaking there came 10 his ears the sund of human voice In the alley belor his window. It seemed like low gfian. ending In a sharp. cry as of an Infant. h. stantly his eoomy meditations were llspellcd. anl he leaned forward through the window in the hope Of lgaln hearing the strange sound. Again the ldg groan was borne io llm from oE Of the darkness. but when De lool,ll down in the direction rom which s came he could sec only deep wall oi darkness and midnight hadows Suddenly:
 God please help mel"
 lt wos thc voice of a child lying at he base orrhe building among the alf dozen ose barrels In the alleyway. le arose and went down upon the treet. A moment later be passed down he alley along the row of ash barrels. wing beside one, vs.r5.,i ..,,:,,. ss.., ,i ,,',. ,,ti,..- f1e than SIX years or ....N. .Hs ssssis wv tai frozen, and. judging rom the plnchcd face. it had not nsted food for many hours or days. II vas clad only in dirty cloth of tat, CTS. and the childish lips were parted n n repeated cry. God. please help ner' He lifted the child boy In his ong. bony arms and bore it Into the lousc and up the long flight of stairs Q his chamber There he undressed h md revived b. He procured food nnd ,ustenancc 0id placed it tcnderly 10 iis own soft he'd. Then hc took from ils pocket a rrll of grccubacks and llaced .t carefully in the ragged pocket .f the chrd'S cl. thrs Why he dld su lr wcs not ahlc to say. built was nn npu.sc which hr could no; resist. IL gid to himself,
 "rl,s L, anc.Acr of carth's poor cren ares vho Ia; been dcpyud.ne on u' ord Christi
 A.l be r.sumgd uis saat hy thc wiH. lv
 Tsric, as h, ga; thcrc be heard th' .ystrr!ous knock at th' door; thric. T., arose and looked out into the hall ..- ard thrice turned again to his
 ai. hewllJcr,l aad mystIlied: thricc nd ,h. mi. Int a,r entered in a co.d gst through the chamber door. nna
 f.,r hc hal answered ,he low iap my Go discover only the midnight 'aruos. Eu, at last his head fell for
 .d on his breast. and he slept soft.
 then when his breathing had be' como heavier and hardcr ;he door which he had securely locked. opened slowly. and tle white ylsaEc cf a grin 1lng slsull looked in upon lin. 4 mo neut lrtcr the gleamlng. phosphorcS cent skeleton entered the dark cham her and moved nimbly to his side. IL placed It's bony hand over the sleep