The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1904-12-22

1T corner room on the second floor
L-3 Mr.. Grubbleson could see the
salvation Army gill, who stood across
the street, holding up papier mache
turkey She was not, unfortunately,
the most beautiful creature he had
aver beheld. She was just plain
young woman, whose appearance was
| aot improved by the uniform she wore.
Mr. Grubblescns 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 di-
rectly in his line of vision a hundred
times day.
There she stood, with the snowfakes
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 quarter into the make-be-
lieve turkey which she. held up for
the purpose Of reminding people that
the poor would have appetites Oh
Christmas. Frequently he would for
get his work and sit counting the peo-
pie VINO 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
I, e..
were less fortunate than he. He sat
up straight in his chair and wondered
II the Lord might not have given hin,
greater prosperity than he enjoyed II
he had been properly charitable. IIe
was what most people would regard as
rich man, but he was not as wealthy
oy 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 II.
slip five-dollar bill into that turkey.
No one shall know how much I give,
but five dollars will make many a poo,
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 wbis-
per to him.
John Grubbleson," 1t said, "you are
trying to deceive yourself. You are
not thinking only of the good you may
Go for the poor. You are thinking ct
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
trying to bride God"
He put the money back into his
pocket
"It 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 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 fol
which he had been so anxiously wait
ing. His venture had proved a success.
and he was richer by many thousands
of dollars than he had been before.
He whirled around in his big easy
chair to look at the little woman across
the street. Fine flakes of snow were
being flung around her by the angry
wind, and he noticed that she had her
shoulders drawn up, as if to ward off
the cold blasts. There was the yellow
turkey, too, but few people stopped to
give for the poor.
Mr.. Grubbleson remembered a new
ten-dollar bill that he had in one of his
pockets, and he began feeling for it.
When he had found it he doubled it I'D
carefully and then turned once more
to his desk. AT noon he put on his
overcoat and went to the window to
see il the Salvation Army girl were
still at her post. Yes, there she was,
with the snow whirling about her and
the people hurrying past, apparently
oblivious Of her existence He took
out the bill that he had so carefully
folded and looked at it. Suddenly his
conscience began to whisper to him
again.
John Grubbleson," it said, "are you
giving this money because of your love
and. your sympathy for your fellow
man, or is 1t merely a trifle that you
are offering in return for the success
IT your selfish scheming? You are
still trying to deceive yourself. You
think God let your deal go through be-
cause you had promised to give in case
of your success II the Lord has seen
ft to let you succeed He has surely not
done so merely for the money you
think nf giving now -