The daily Alaskan., 1905-09-29
AIMS AND THE MAN
rconvr,vht 1sO5 by r. c. McCiure.l

Inc yerhy suulhS VI Hh'Si Wv ~
were supplanted by 1.-THE Last Rose of
Summer" and this in turn gave way to
Lead, Kindly Light" a rendition
which was unique in uneven breaks
and phthisicky wheezes due to compll-
cations in the internal mechanism OF
the dllapidated affair.
Huddled ON the bricks of the side
walk, his back resting against an iron
fence, an old man with a 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 tin sign with
the time worn announcement Il 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 a protest. Francesca caught
the young mans arm, and they halted
before the organ.
"Oh," she said under her breath,
what horrible old man" And, fish
ing a quarter from her purse, she
dropped 1t into the tin cup.
The old man touched his hat, grunt-
ed stereotyped Thanks, mum" and
the hymn sQueaked along its uneven
way. Hollander watched the proceed
ing with a grim smile.
''The old humbug!" he commented as
they continued their way down the
street
why do you say thatT" Francesca
asked.
We'll" said Hollander, perhaps you
noticed he suffixed his thanks with a
mum instead of n sir l was watch
ing closely and saw the old codger
covertly open the eye nearest the cup.
Rest assured he saw the quarter and
Its donor as we'll as l did"
Anyway" she said, "he 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. HE 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 sailed with the
rest. and the three pennies make their
pathetic appeal to other tender hearts"
Francesca's brow wrlnkled in disap-
proval.
ard hate to look at the world through
such green goggles of cynlclsm," she
said. 81 always give something to
every beggar 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"
Indeed! said the girl with a slight
lifting of her pretty eyebrows. when
have you noticed such oversight on
my part?"
There Is one beggar in particular"
said Hollander, IAN honest beggar, too,
whom you utterly ignore. He needs
your aims far more than your pseudo
blind organ grinders"
where is this neglected beggar"
she asked. when have l seen himT
"He 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 plants"
Francesca smiled maliciously.
as he ragged and dirty?" she asked.
Would l know he was a beggar just
to see hlmT
you would know he was beggar
just to hear him." he returned.
els it money he begs?" she inquired
sweetly.
NO" he said, 'it's 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
er-that is, sympathy, l mean-in his
cup, what would he do? Would he
grind me tune on a decrepit barrel Or
ganY
He'd give you lifelong devotion In
return" he said earnestly.
Perhaps he's as big humbug as the
blind man." she unused. perhaps he's
picked the metaphorical dimes and
nickels out of his cup and slowed them
In his pockets, and only lets me see the
three pathetic pennies"
francesca he said in hurt surprise.
She laughed rather uneasily.
81 said perhaps" she reminded him.
81 see," he said, somewhat Modified.
There was silence between them for
a moment.
Hes an honest beggar," the young
man said.
Hes a 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 your"
he asked.
"If 1 thought he really needed
aims she began.
HE doesI 1 assure you he doesg" he
said eagerly.
''Then, just to stop his begging" said