Amador ledger., 1905-04-07
My Cynical Friend
TOriginal.1


maintained that they are good because
1t is their interest to be good
did not meet Hinckley for several
years after our leaving college, and
then, curiously enough, it was at q
meeting of the Salvation Army.
"Why, Hinckley," exclaimed, "who-
ever would have thought to run across
you in place like this! Surely you
must have got rid of your cynicism.
If you don't find disinterested good
among these people you'll not find it
anywhere"
mot at ALL" Hinckley replied. "These
people have living to make the same
as you and I. This is their way of do
ing it."
But what brings you here?'
wait awhile and I'll show you.''
Pulling out his watch he glanced at ii
and drew me to seats where we could
converse in q low tone without being
overheard. Like all we'll organized
shows" he went on, "these Salvation
lists save the best till the last. There's
a lassie to appear in a few minutes /
want you to see.''
Presently Captain Ida Sherwood
came upon the platform and began to
speak. 1t seemed to me that if 1 had
not seen her-had only listened to her
VOICE. would have been convinced of
her love for her worke But that heav-
enly face contrasting with the poke
bonnet which surrounded it, her ex-
preston and her accounts of her work
In rescuing the lost-it seemed to me
that the Saviour in woman's form had
come back to earth.
Il am glad" l whispered to Hinck-
ley, "that you have found one who is
capable Of breaking down that mis-
anthropy of yours"
"She hasn't broken down what you
call my misanthropy," he replied, "but
she is capable Of breaking my heart"
When the meeting broke up we went
off for a little supper together, and
Hinckley told me that Captain Ida
Sherwood would soon have an oppor-
tunity to show her preference for her
work to him, for he intended to pro
pose to take her to a comfortable home
and make a good wife and mother of
her.
"But suppose" I said, "she declines
to marry you unless permitted to fol
low the life she has chosen?"
"She won't do that" he replied. "She
loves me-"
The next time 1 saw Hinckley he
was bitter against the Salvationists.
"The whole thing is a fraud,' he said.
''There is but one among them who is
not making all they can out of it; she
Is sincere"
Captain Ida Sherwood?"
eyes"
"Why do you except her?'
Because she loves me as love her,
and she won't leave her work because
she loves it better than either me or
herself"
Him." 1 replied musingly. "Well,
having found one sincere person
among them, perhaps in time you will
find others. But if you love her and
wish to possess her why don't you per
NIT her to go on with her work after
marriage?"
"She says that q marriage between
a Salvationist and one absorbed in get
ting rich would be no marriage at ALL
met Hinckley on the street not long
after this, and 1 scarcely knew him.
He was walking abstractedly, with his
eyes staring vacantly before him, and
did not see me till tapped him on the
shoulder
'Why, Hinckley," exclaimed,
whats happened?"
Nothing"
"Nothingt'
"Jim, I'm wearing out" he said, his
reserve suddenly breaking down.
Business mattersf'
mo. I'm getting rich. Everything l
touch turns to gold. It's in the heart"
'The Salvation lassie?"
eyes"
"Can't you strike compromise"
"a woman doesn't know what the
word means"
Cant help your"
He shook his head moi1rnfuIly, broke
away from me and went on.
One night passed the Salvation Ar
my headquarters and, seeing a great
crowd entering, went in with the
throng. 1 had no sooner entered than
I saw there on the stage the cap
tain, and beside her in q flaming red
shirt stood my old friend Hinckley. l
was rubbing my eyes to make sure that
1t was he when a Salvation officer ad-
vanced and announced that Recruit
Henry Hinckley and Captain Ida Sher-
wood would solemniEe the bonds of
matrimony. waited for the service to
be over, then left as quickly as possible
I did not care to meet Hlnckley or to
have him know that 1 had witnessed
his humiliation.
When I saw Hlnckley again there
was great change in him. He had be-
come one Of the principal commanders
in the Salvation Army and was wholly
epgrossed In his work. called on him
at his Office In the headquarters build.
ing and instead Of looking humiliated
he looked triumphant. He insisted on
my going home with him to dinner
where found his wife much occupied
by their first child, who was by nc
means neglected for the good of suffer
ing humanity.
There, Jim," said Hinckley, "is the
woman who broke down my system Of
philosophy. By proving to me that there
was something to love beyond our
selves she changed me from money
maker to one who delights to build VI
that which is far nobler than fortunes