Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-02-16
lie Couldn't Deny 1t.
INew York Sun.l

New YORK SuuJ
The gilded palace Oh Broadway was
crowded with those whose circum-
stances peritted to partake of The
holiday cheer, when rather battered
tramp ambled in. Standing beside y
prospecting looking man a moment, he
eyed him critically and spoke:
stranger excuse me, will you turn
you head little further to the right,
only the fraction of an inch, stranger,
just a little? That'l do. Just as l
thought | knew | was not mistaken"
Here no pandhandlin,' interrupted
the barkeep. Come now, get cut,
none of that business.
Not at all, not at all" replied the
ragged visitor. You do me great
injustice. l merely wished u better
look at this gentleman's face, in Il bet
ter light, for / have studied human
nature in my travels, and l hatter my
self that can instantly discern the
character Of those whom l meet, simply
by looking at their countenances. AS
1 entered this room | saw this gentle
man standing there, and formed an
opinion that he was of q benevolent
nature. l merely wished to coE1rm
my Impression
The subject blushed and the seedy
individual continued:
1T became at once apparent to me
that yours was an unusual personal
ity, that kindness and goodness were
inherited traits in a character that was
in itself above rep1oach. Am ! not
right? | leave it to the gentleman him
self-who knows best. Is such net the
.case?"
'Well--I-I-wouldn
That's it-modest and unassuming.
Unwilling to admit virtues that are
so apparent to all, like d true man.
Am l not right"
We'll, III admit that"
Surely you will-for it's the truth!"
cried the speaker in triumph. 1T
would be worse than folly to deny 1T.
Why, I'll wager u five dollar note that
every night you sit up and wonder
whether there is any good deed that
you might have done during the day
and if there is you cannot forgive your
self. Confess uow-do 1 not speak
the truth?"
The gentleman was flustered. He
grew redder and finally blurted out:
Il do try toto
.Not another word. OF course you
do" cried the student jubilantly My
friend YOU are man among men.
man any one would be proud TIC shake
bv the hand. But changing his tone,
"haye YOU done any good deed today
OIL confess that l cannot recall
any" stammered the other, as all the
mean things he had done passed before
him in a rush.
.Then. my friend said the speaker,
impressively, NOW is your chance.
Here is the golden opportunity. the
moment. In men you sec
one who. though blessed by thoro
of human nature, finds him.
self on the verge OF starvation, while
the cries of his hungry Wife ard babes
ring i'm his ears. Will you moi relieve
the distress? Only a quarter, no more,
that is all I ask 1t will drive the wolf
from the door. Thanks, may God bless
Won for YOUR kindness. ! knew | was
not mistaken in you, and the ragged
person dropped the coin in his pocke'
solennly wiping Il tear away with ms
sleeve.
Two minutes later the charitable
person was wondering, as he walked
up Broadway, how he came to make
such a fool of himself. while 10 of the
IS cents had found its way to te>e
till of a cross street saloon, and gen
erous hooker of red eye was warming
the seedy person, who was making
vigorous attack on the free lunch coun-