The Minneapolis journal., 1902-11-14
DICKY D0NNELLY's REDEMPTION
BY WILLIAM H. OSBORNE

meeting was in full blast. It was the
grandest rally Of the year.
Willoughby G. Schenck, the banker, phil
anthropist and mission worker, harangued
the crowd and he knew how. There was
no doubt about his ability in that respect.
He himself had worked up out OF The
slums and he knew. He had a large au-
dlence and queer one, but he made an
impression. Hardened old sinners who
! hadn't thought of home and their boy
hood days for years sat with tears run
ming down their faces. Toughs whose
faces never showed one softening line sat
with bowed heads and quivering lips. He
was only fairly launched when a young
man in beastly state Of intoxication en-
tered the room. This young man glanced
wildly around upon the crowd and at the
speaker, then lurched heavily up the aisle
and sank into a front seat.
1t was Dickey, Donnelly, drunk. The
forty rod had taken effect. Dicky felt
himself that it had gone to his head just
a little. Drunk as he was, though, he sat
up straight, but swaying from side to side,
and tried to listen. The six or eight
bankers whom he saw finally dwindled
down to one, and this one, who had seen
Dickey enter and seat himself poured
forth his whole soul, not upon the old
men, not upon the toughs. but upon Dicky.
In Dicky Donnelly he saw himself as he
once might have been.
ORDINARILY Dicky, who was a good church
member, in good standing, would have
been unaffected, but now the bankers
words of gentleness and sympathy and
sorrow so mingled themselves with the
fumes in Dicky's brain that Dicky felt
them very, very much, and his tears be-
gan to fall, or at least they seemed to
do so.
And when the banker had ceased Dicky
staggered to his feet and looked once more
around upon the crowd.
Gents he said in husky voice, II
don't knu|' as there's a bigger bum In
this here room than me. I don't know
as there's a man; here as has gone the
pace as I has myself. Gents, look at me.
born an bred in good home, with every
advantage, an here I am tonight. There
amt a bit of 'wickedness that 1 amt gull
ty Of, there amt His voice trembled,
and he stopped for an instant. L tell
you, my fren's,'' he continued, 'it was
a blessed thing that I stumbled into this
here place to hear the words that this
here man. he indicated the speaker, has
said to me tonight. He's good man,
an maybe he's went through just what
did, an he amt afraid to tell you an
me to brace up"
Dicky raised his hand solemnly. my
fren's,' he went on, you know where
on the corner. An I say to you tonight
that from this time forth I'll never drink
another drop, shelp me. s'long's 1ive!'
| ("Fact is I couldn't" he said to himself.
mot that stuff, anyway
That's right, SIR exclaimed Dicky.
turning to the banker "It's you has saved
me. On I'm goin' to stop, an go to work
an lead a new. life sir, if you'll only help
me to-"
"Tn help you, my boy returned the
banker fervently. '1'n help you to help
yourself
The banker wiped his eyes. sobs were
heard all over the place. man at a
desk hurried1y wrote out a pledge, and
lDicky stepped up and signed it. And
because he did, many others followed his
example.
And at the close Of the meeting, as
Dtcky and the banker strode down the
aisle and out the door, the congregation
broke out into parting hymn OF praise
Some years later two men sat in a
fashionable restaurant uptown. They
were respectively the cashier and the re-
ceiving teller of the private banking house
of wilolughby G. schenck & Co.
| The receiving teller was clean-iook-
ing young fellow of pleasing appearance.
His name was Richard Donnely. ~ y
Now, Dicky,' began the cashier, first
Of all, what are you going to have to
drink?"
.sDicky shook his head. ''1 never
drink" he replied, "as you know. The
fact is," he continued, Il never drank
but once in my life. and that was because
it was a business necessity.
"a business necessity? inquired the
cashier, with surprise.
| Dtcky nodded. "A business necessity"
he repeated. In fact, did it just to ges
job, that's all"
'What you givin' us?" replied the other.
What job was it, anyway. that you drank
to get?''
Dicky laughed 'It was job" he re-
piled, ''in the banking house Of Willough-
by G. Schenck & Co. And I hope I will
never have to get another in the same
way But at that time it was the only
thing to do
Bottle of apollinaris. waiter" said thu
| "a shier.