The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1905-07-07
AIMS AND THE MAN

| lie Itlle Olu DufTel OfSuu Wulneu
Iwny monOtonously, its squeaky drone
all but drowned in the roar of traffic
in the street. Its three tunes followed
one another in ceaseless succession.
The jerky strains of After the BALI
were supplanted by The Last Rose of
Summer" and this in turn gave way TO
lead, Kindly Light" rendition
which was unique in uneven breaks
and phthisicky wheezes due to compli-
cations i'm the internal mechanism Of
the dilapidated affair.
Huddled on the bricks OF the side
walk, his back resting against an iron
fence, an old man with n rusty gray
beard patiently ground the crank. In
the little tin cup beside the organ were
three pennies, and suspended from the
old mans neck was Il tin sign with
the time worn announcement, "I Am
Blind"
AS Francesca West and young Hol-
lander came down the street the organ
was in the throes of Lead, Kindly
Light" and the spasmodic snarls 1t
sent out seemed somewhat In the ma
ture of Il protest. Francesca caught
the young mans arm, and they halted
before the organ.
"Oh." she said under her breath.
''what q horrible old manv' And, fish
ing quarter from her purse, she
dropped it into the tin cup.
The old man touched his hat, grunt-
ed stereotyped Thanks, num-" and
the hymn squcaked along its uneven
way. Hollander watched the proceed
ing with grim smile.
THE old humbug." he commented. as
they continued their way down the
street.
"Why do you say thatT' Francesca
asked
WELL" said Hollander, perhaps you
noticed he sufiiXed his thanks with a
mum instead a n sir 1 was watch
ing closely and saw the old codger
covcrtly open the eye nearest the cup.
Rest assured he saw the quarter and
its donor as we'll as l did"
Anyway" she said. she earns the
pittance he gets. Imagine sitting there
all the morning grinding that organ
and listening TO its drone, all for three
pennies"
Don't let the pennies deceive you"
Hollander protested. ''IIe puts the
nickels and dimes in his pockets. 1t
would hurt business to have the tin
cup look too prosperous. BY this time
your quarter is safely salted with the
rest and. the three pennies make their
pathetic appeal to other tender hearts"
F'rancesca's brow wrinkled in disap-
prevail
"I'd hate TO look at the world through
such green goggles Of cynicisn," she
said. Il always give something to
every bcSCar in my path"
"Allow me to take exception to that
statement, said the young man. Some
of the beggars' pleas YOU don't deign
to notice
"Indecdr said the girl with slight
lifting OF her pretty eyebrows. when
have You noticed such oversight on
my part
There is one begcar in particular"
said HoIander, "an honest beggar too,
whom you utterly ignore. He needs
your aims far more than your pseudo
blind organ grinders"
"Whcrc is this neglected beggar?"
she asked. when have l seen him."
"IIe has logged your steps for the
last five years" he said gravely. "He
has sat at your feet and held out his
little tin cup for aims, but you have
been blind to his presence and deaf
to his plaints.'
Francesca smiled maliciously.
ais he ragged and dirty?" she asked.
would | know he was a beggar Just
to see him."
You would know he was a beggar
just TO hear him." he returned.
us 1t money he bess" she inquired
sweetly.
no" be said, "its not money he
wants. He has enough OF that him
self. He begs for interest and sym
patty and love-"
"And suppose dropped some love
ex-that is, sympathy, L mean-in his
cup, what would he do? Would he
grind me tune on decrepit barred or
GAM
He'd give yon lifelong devotion In
return" he said earnestly.
perhaps he's as big Il humbug as the
blind man." she unused. Perhaps he's
picked the metaphorical dimes and
nicSels out OF his cup and slowed them
in his pockets, and only lets me see the
three pathetic pennies"
Francesca ne said in hurt surprise.
She laughed rather uneasily.
- said perhaps, she reminded him.
81 See" he said, somewhat Modified.
There was silence between them for
n moment.
Hes an honest beggar," the young
man said.
Hes most persistent one" she
laughed.
You say you give aims to every rag
ged mendicant who crosses your path.
You wouldn't pass HIM by. would you?"
he asked.