Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-31
CHAPTER v.
Whv Tim Was Excited.

mony, and that obiging individual had
conducted him to pew not far from the
front.
Here Tim settled back with a sigh. of
complete satisfaction. Splendid ornamental
ton, beautiful ladies, dazzling costumes-it
was almost as interesting as the nightly
spectacle from the gallery at Wallacks! In
one sense it seemed even more alluring; at
the theater Tim remained perched near the
ceiling remote from the fashionable por-
ton of the audience, from whom he was
separated by the memorable decree of fate
or fortune! In the church. on the con-
trary, he found himself veritable part of
the bon-ton. lolling back on cushioned
seat the soft luxury of which contrasted
forcibly with the uncompromising hardness
of the wooden benches in the palace OF
amusement.
For few moments Tim closed his
eyes with a thrill of sensuous pleasure,
while through his mind floated the old
couplet:
Shall be waited to the skies
On iowery beds of easef"
Then after brief enjoyment of bodily
qualification. he again looked around him.
At first the extraordinary amount of orig
inality allowed in hats impressed him to
the exclusion of other ideas, but gradually
he became aware that amid the scene OF
vainglory faces familiar were set-Tennie
Cla1in who might be short on Stocks,
but was always long spirits, with
rising market for floating banjoes ana
phantom-gutars; fair Jennie June who
sometimes ventured-albeit timidly-on the
street; and-yes-there sat Uncle Samuel
Brewster in a pew just in front of him, i'm
proving the passing hour not by studying
the worldly spectacle in the church, but by
reading from the Good Book which he held
upon his knee.
when Uncle Sam'I quotes the Scriptures,
look out for David and his Sling some one
had said of the old man.
Now. however, he was only immersed in
the Book. If Avarice sat in his heart six
days of the week, Religion ever wrestled
with his soul on the seventh day-and some
times on other special occasions. Uncle
Sam'ls face at that moment betrayed I'M
wonted piety and sanctitude.
Now to him that worketh is the reward
not reckoned of grace, but of debt
For by grace are We saved
The old man closed the Book and clasped
his hands. BY grace-by grace" he nun
INJURED.
Again he opened the sacred volume, but
his finger had slipped from the leaves and
his eyes fell on a different chapter. "Tal-
shekel'' caught his eye; the gold Of
Sheba! Now Avarice. a misshapen Cali
ban, jostled rudely with humility and rev.
erence in Uncle SAINTS breast; not only
jostled. but grew and grew in misshapen
uginess and deformity.
THE gold of Sheba!" Uncle Saml fell to
wondering what 1t was like; how it was
fashioned; how much there was of it. Il
lusive indefniteness of the Holy Book! A
shekel weighed he knew, just 3s4 barley
corns. But-how much did a barleycorn
weigh?
From consideration of the barleycorn to
the conspiracy against Richard Strong,
Matched in the church, represented but one
of those processes of association of ideas by
which many human inspirations-for better
or worse-are evolved. Three hundred and
eighty-four barleycorns made about a hand
full. thought Uncle Sam'l; in imagination he
held them in one hand and the shekel in
the other, then fell in his minds eye to
examining the coin. A pot of mama on
one side-Uncle Sam'l had read all the
Good Book could tell him about gold and
silver, the kings weight" and the weight
of the tabernacle" the other side.
Aarons rod!
Why Aaron's rod, pondered Uncle SamI
A rod was something to smite with; to use
upon your enemy. Gold, then, was 1t also a
lash7 Uncle Sam'l knew 1t was. Had he
not often felt the castigation Of 1t? He
began figuring how much 1t had cost him
at different times, when some one had
caught him in the pillory on the street;
how many talents and shekels would it
make: how many grains of barleycorn?
One occasion arose in his mind-when he
had set himself against Richard Strong.
and when, like giant, resistiess, that
steadfastly to his end.
What a scourging that had been! He
felt the stings of It yet In Uncle SamFs
hand the imaginary coin he held grew and
changed; Aaron's rod became a serpent.
the personifcation of all that Is wise ana
willy. The serpent crawled up to his Shout
der and Missed in his ear-hissed and whis-
pered-and it's voice was dulcet and melli-
fluous. The listener, with the Book on his
knee, a rapt. IL not holy, expression on his
face, seemed to see 10000 talents and 10000
Aarons rods all suddenly turned into SER
pents, before which Richard Strong was
fleeing.
Uncle Sam'rs worn and wrinkled face
cleaned and glowed with unhallowed joy.
A field of serpents let loose on his enemy
what a retribution!
Uncle Saml," said a stammering voice
by his side. .'y-y-you are very de-v-v-out
this morning?
1t was the witty Travers. the courtly
jester of the street, who thus rudely awak-
ened the old man from his avenging dream.
II suppose you are r-r-reading where II
says to the p-p-plundering money lenders:
Thou shalt not have d-d-divers weights in
DiTravers," said Uncle Sam'l. deep and
cunning purpose shining from his watery
eyes, do you remember how Strong gave
me a drubbing once? Well. I've got rod
in pickle for him. He could not get Aaron
out of his mind. I've got rod in pickle
for him." he repeated. Strong is going
away. 1t will cost him more than railroad
fares and hotel bills. 1t Will cost him
few shares in some of his railroads. You
had better get on the right side of the mar
ket l have got it all planned out"
In spite of the place in which he found
himself Travers could hardly restrain his
laughter.
you hoary old s-s-sinnerr he replied.
$50 that's w-w-what you got out of the
Holy Book. It m-m-may be an inspiration
but-not Of the L,-L-Lord!'
"a honeymoon" chuckled Uncle Samuei.
'4s luxury few of us can afford Ana
he closed the book and put 1t back on the
rack.
Neither Of the speakers had noticed Tim
Taplin behind them: If they had noticed
him 1t is doubtful II they would have re-
membered who he was Tim was but one
of that army of small workers whose name
is legion. But he had eyes to see, ears 10
hear WITH and moderate capacity OF IN
telligence which. when not pushed to 100
high pressure. responded fairly to the oc-
casion. 1t is undeniable that in the present
instance the pressure was great; little
more horse power seemed demanded than
the engine of understanding was capable
of, but Tim did his best
He began to realize that Uncle Sam'l, a
tough. why old prize fighter, was about
to enter the arena again; that he was look
ing for retaliation and Richard Strong.
Tim made this out after a fevered contest
In his own mind with the pros and cons.
The clerk, also. remembered the "drub-
IL III lzol IA