The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1904-12-16

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A Mr.. Grubbleson could see tn
Salvation Army girl, who stood acros
the street, holding up a papier mach
turkey. She was not. unfortunately
the most beautiful creature he ha
sver beheid. She was Just a plat
, young woman. whose appearance wa
NOR irnnrovAd nv the Uniform she wore
} "a. uruoblexon's gaze fell upon he
every time he swung around in his BIZ
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 d hundred
times day
4 There she stood, with the snowfiskes
whirling around her. She was m duty
when he reached his office in the morn
ing AID 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
a dime or a quarter into the make-be-
lieve turkey which she held up for
the purpose OF reminding people that
the poor would have appetites Cd
/ 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 1t occurred to him that he
had never done anything for those who
pUn 30 81
up straight in his chair and wondered
II the Lord might not have given him
greater prosperity than he enjoyed II
he had been properly charitable. He
was what most people would regard as
a 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 five-dollar bill into that turkey
No one shall know how much / give.
but five dollars will make many 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 1t 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
1T won't do" he thought. "I'm :
,uilty. There's no use trying to hide !.
he fact from myself I'll wait till
lfter this deal has gone through.
Then will be able to contribute with
nut a selfish desire to have the Lord
i've me profits in return"
So he passed the Salvation girl on
ne corner without helping to fill her
turkey. But day after day as he looked
cross the street he saw her there and
ay after day he said to himself that p
9 would do something splendid for S
he poor as soon as his deal was out II
the wav, SO that he might contribute u
18th clear conscience. a
At last he received the word for d
hich he had been so anxiously wait 6
lg. His venture had proved a success. il
nd he was richer by many thousands I,
dollars than he had been before. p,
e whirled around in his big easy
lair to look at the little woman across al
le street. Fine flakes of snow were h
ing flung around her by the angry W
ind, and he noticed that she had her tr
oulders drawn up, as If to ward Off er
e cold blasts. There was the yellow tn
rkey. too, but few people stopped to
We for the poor.
Mr.. Grubbleson remembered a new I'll
n-dollar bill that he had in one of his
ckets, and he began feeling for It. i
hen he had found it he doubled 1t up IN
refully and then turned once more
his desk At noon he put on his
ercoat and went to the window to
} II the salvation Army girl were ~,
II at her post. Yes, there she was.
tn the snow whirling about her and
} people hurrying past, apparently
livious Of her existence He took
the bill that he had so carefully I
ded and looked at It, Suddenly his I,
,science began to whisper to him A
lin. A
John Grubbleson," 1t said, "are you we
ing this money because of your love [
! your sympathy for your fellow ne,
n, or is 1t merely tri1e that you /
offering in return for the success ooi
your selfish scheming? You are
! irving to deceive yourself. You we
nix God let your deal go. through be- tim
sc you had promised to give in case per
your success II the Lord has seen the
70 let you succeed He has surely not the
% so merely for the money you or