Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-12-15
@rbb4esgnfs
!&>onAc NMc e
.W5921s8f9.KfszR@

X ROM his desk in the big, light
1T corner room on the second floor
A Mr.. Grubbleson could see the
Salvation Army girl who stood across
the street, holding up papier mache
turkey She was not, unfortunately
the mos; beautiful creature he had
ever beheld. She was just plain
young woman, whose appearance was
not improved by the uniform she wore.
Mr.. Grubbleson's gaze fell upon her
every time he swung around in his big
easy chair. Not that he looked for her,
but there seemed to be some peculiar
power at work which placed her d.
rectly in his line of vision hundred
times day.
There she Stood with the snowf1akes
whirling around her. She was on duty
when he reached his Office in the morn
ing and she was there still when he
went away in the evening. Mr. Grub
bleson developed a curiosity concern
ing the amount of her collections. He
wondered how many people stopped in
the course of day to drop nickel or
dime or a quarter into the make-be-
ieve turkey which she held up for
the purpose of reminding people that
the poor would have appetites on
Christmas Frequently he would for
get his work and sit counting the peo-
pie who stopped to contribute, wonder
ing as he saw them drop their money
into the turkey how much they gave.
One day it occurred to him that he
had never done anything for those who
were less fortunate than he. He sat
up straight in his chair and wondered
if the Lord might not have given him
greater prosperity than he enjoyed If
he had been properly charitable. He
was what most people would regard as
rich man. but he was not as wealthy
by any means as he wished to be, AS
he sat there in his luxurious office, gaz-
ing across at the brave little soldier
with her turkey, he said to himself:
when | go out to lunch to-day I'll
slip a five-dollar bill into that turkey.
No one shall know how much | give,
but five dollars will make many a poor
person happy on Christmas, and though
they will never guess that | am their
benefactor, the Lord will see."
When he put on his overcoat at noon,
he took crisp bill from his wallet and
carefully doubled it up. Suddenly,
however, his conscience began to whis-
per to him.
John Grubbleson," it said, you are
trying to deceive yourself. You are
not thinking only of the good you may
do for the poor. You are thinking of
the big deal you have on. You hope
that by being charitable now the Lord
will see fit to let this matter in which
you are so deeply interested go
through and bring you the profits You
are so anxious for. You are merely
.rying to bride God"
He put the money back into his
pocket.
at won't do" he thought I'm
guilty. There's no use trying to hide
the fact from myself. I'll wait till
after this deal has gone through.
Then | will be able to contribute with
out a selfish desire to have the Lord
give me profits in return"
So he passed the Salvation girl on
the corner without helping TO fill her
turkey. But day after day as he looked
across the street he saw her there, and
day after day he said to himself that
he would do something splendid for
the poor as soon as his deal was out
of the way SO that he might contribute
with a clear conscience
AT last he received the word for
which he had been 50 anxiously wait
Ing His venture ND proved a success,
and he was richer BY mar" thousands