The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-25

tress, who is furnishing with the desire
to talk out his troubles with some fell
low man. He begins an incoherent
story, and as he proceeds his courage
so far fails him that he rambles on
further and further from the point
AT last the pastor draws him up short
with: yes. But who's the grip" This
is the single thread which crystallizes
in an instant all the bitter solution, and
out comes the whole story of affection
gone wrong, of single refusal and of
consequent despair. well" he
soliloquizes, II once knew such a man
in just such a predicament" "And did
he commit suicide?" '"WeII. no. ~F'or
twenty years that woman has been that
mans wife,
The next is woman, one of the par
1sh workers, who has a long quarrel
to recount with some other worker He
hears the story through and promises
to make investigation. knowing very
we'll, however, that six of the one
means half a dozen OF the other. Last
or all IS young chap who was once
at the young mems service, and has
called to ask for reference to his
moral character. He promises to write
such a (non- committal) note and mail
1t.
And it is over. He must keep such
an hour several days each week; other
wise his wife at other hours could not
be called his own
At o'clock he gathered UP his coat
and hat and started off to an appoint
ment. For the meeting he finds HIM
self on time, but all alone, and sits
down to regret the hours of time
throughout his life that he has wasted
merely being prompt at his engage
ments and in waiting for the other
man.
At 4:30 o'clock he came out on the
street, thumbed his address book, look
ed at his watch and congratulated him
self that he still had before him two
hours for the making of calls.
In the first home a husband has been
restored to his wife from the brink
Of the grave, and he must share her
joy and gratitude. In the second a
child, the pet Of the family, has died
and he must go with the parents into
the Valley of Baca- In the third a
young couple whom he married not a
month ago must tell him all their joy
and he must rejoice with them. In
the fourth a man has been reduced
suddenly from affluence to poverty
and he must persuade him not to curse
God and die. In the fifth he finds
hopeless invalid so cheerful and so
happy that it puts himself to shame
In the sixth a mother waits to con-
suit with him about a son whose wild
dread Thus he has had to adjust him
self to six different situations inside
Of two hours, and to cast himself with
utter abandon into each of the strong
est moods Of lifetime.
On reaching home hetakes a book
from the drawer of his desk, and in it
enters facts regarding those six fam
lies for reference. He must keep
such a book, for his memory is not
supernatural, as some suppose, any
more than is his knowledge or his
virtue.
But he must keep it under lock and
key and is compelled in common
decency to destroy it when his ministry
is ended, or to have it burned unopened
after he Is dead.
Then to dress for dinner at the club,
as his invitation reads, "to meet Prof.
Somebody" While he was dressing two
strangers called, and were shown into
the parlcr to be married. After he had
read the license, performed the service
and dismissed the sexton and cook,
who served as witnesses, the bride
groom shifted uneasily and asked,
How much is it?" ooh, the clergy
never make any fixed charge" he an
swered. mo? Well, we are obliged