The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-02-20

thought he would ask him to go home
with him that evening.
Walker came at half-past six. David
wondered at the delay, for up to this
time he had found the young man to
be very punctual; but when Walker
was fairly in the office it did not take
him long to see that sonnet thing was
wrong. The flushed look upon his cheek
told David the whole sad story.
For moment David did not know
what to say. Now he knew why the
young man had fallen to his present
condition. What could he do? Could
he carry out his promise to help Walk
er further? One thought troubled him
what should he do about taking him
to his home, as he had planned? The
idea seemed repulsiSe to him at first;
but the more he thought of it the
surer he became that he ought to go
on just as he had planned.
Walker sat at the window silently
watching David as he pulled down the
top of his desk and prepared to go
out.
Come, l am ready"
"Ready! You won't turn me over to
the police? l know how am. / went
out this morning feeling so happy be-
cause | had found something to dol
did not mean to do anything wrong
again; but ] went past place where
some fellows like myself were loung-
ing, and-you know how it was. Twas
tempted never to come back again;
but l seemed drawn to it,
81 had no thought of turning YOU over
to the police, Edward" David said. I'm
glad you came back"
Yes, it was true. Much as David
hated rum, and as hard as it was for
him to think of this mans fall, he was
glad he had not gone beyond his
reach. The Lord would tell him what
to do next.
Glad! You glad! God bless you
for saying i'll"
do Iwant you to go home with me ?"
David said, when they stood on the
pavement. 81 promised my mother to
bring you up tonight"
81 can't do that" Edward exclaimed.
stopping short on the walk. "I'll go
anywhere with you but there! ] have
a mother myself, somewhere, and I
wouldn't want her to see me in this
way. Come, let me go back to the
office"
The thought of going home with
David seemed almost to sober young
Walker. A crisis had come into his
life, and it must be met. If he went
back now, all would be lost.
1--WE will walk up together. I know
you will like mother when, you see
her" David said, gently. you won't
refuse me this favor?"
I'D do anything for you but thisl"
For some time they stood there ST.
lent. The battle was raging fiercely.
I'll go with you," Edward exclaimed
at last. 81 know you think me a cow
ard, but am worse than that"
That evening at the home of David
Gregg and his mother came back to
edward Walker in after years like a
sweet vision from the better world.
There was music and singing, in
which all joined. The Bible was
brought out, and David read a chap
ter. Prayer, earnest and heartfelt, fol-
lowed, and when the evening was gone
and David Showed his guest to his room,
Edward said:
isn't there a passage in the Bible
like this: L was a stranger, and We
took me in; / was sick, and We visited
me" Just such poor, sin-sick stran-
ger as l am, and l have been received
into your home and hearts as if l were
king. While we were singing, these
words and many more like them, which
my mother used to read to me, came
back to my mind. Now I am myself
again, and tell you that, the Lord help
ing me, no one will ever see me yield
again to the temptation of strong
drink"
And with the Lord as his helper,
Edward Walker remained ever true to
his promise.-E. L. Vincent, in America
MESSENGER