The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-01-13
THE ATHER INVISIBLE
Af Story I, 81 Chicago.
BY Stuart Reid.

~ Story 81 Chicago. T
ess s Il BY Stuart Reid. I'm e~.>
Piercing winds swept the streets
OF Chicago. a cutting sleet, driven
Into the faces OF edestrians. sent
them hurrying to their homes and
the warmth OF the genial fire. ,,.t<
- Kindly hearts prayed for home
less wanderers abroad on Z such a
night, and prayers in their behalf
assembled to the Father Invisible.
:, In mission room, on Halsted
street, young man was addressing
a class of street arabs, majority
OF them paying but slight attention
to his teachings. They had been at
tracted by the warmth, and appre-
ciated the physical comfort more than
they did his interest in their souls.
mot even a sparrow falleth to
the ground but He knoweth," he said.
His earnest tones gave evidence of
q great zeal in his Masters cause,
and the expression of his face told
OF q great faith in the Father in
visible He told the arabs of Fa-
theirs love greatly exceeding that of
all earthly parents, and of how He
had sent His Son on earth to suffer
and die for sinners like them.
Then he called Him the Redeemer
of mankind and the friend of little
children. "He is looking down on
you now," he said, land will see
you when you leave this room. He
IS with you at all times; is glad when
you do right, and grieves when you
DO wrong Then he added, HE
knoweth all things, and careth for
us always"
One of the little arabs had been
paying attention, and as the wonder
full story was .unfolded, gazed at the
teacher in establishment. His little
pinched face and prematurely with
cred frame gave evidence of close
acquaintance with hunger and mis-
cry. His garments were in tatters,
and his shoes, many sizes too large,
were kept from falling to pieces by
portions Of old rope.
When the words, "He knoweth all
things and careth for us always"
we're delivered in all sincerity by the
teacher, the boy gasped, and then
broke loose in volley of denuncia-
ton and unbelief. "Ah! wot are yes
tryin' tn trow down our necks?" he
exclaimed. DOS dis guy know me?
Dos dis high guy know dat dis kid
snoozed in noospaper alley last
night? Dos he see dat big stiff, Cop
Mulligan, wen he jolts me an de oder
kids wild de boot, and dos he know
dat dis guy hasn't chewed ter day?
did dis wise guy, wot knows all
tings, git de tip dat Maggie, wat
woiks in de tin can jint, wus goin'
tn git her finn cut off wild de chin
ery?' If e did, woy didn't he bust
the 'chinery fore it busted her finn :?
eyer said dis guy, wot yer gases
and muders. OATS de wurst con,
dat is. Wen me fader an muder was
Twin dis kid he'd something ter eat
and er jint ter snooze in. Me fader
an muder wos good ter me, dey wos
"But wot dos dis high guy, dat yer
chins erbout, do fer us? Muffin!
We lays in alleys, and if we gets
stuck on our papers we gifts muffin ter
chew. An dis kind guy wot yez are
nutty erbout let's dat big stiff Multi
gan, de cop, boost de kids out ov dere
warm doses and Civ dem de boot II
dey sasses i'm. Wot du yer tink we
are. Dis pipe ov yers is full ov
DOPE"
The whole class was now all at
tention, and the little fellows backed
up the statements Of their fellow
sufferer and declared that the teach
er was "nutty.' Cries of Oats
right, Chimmy; der bloke got out ov
der bug house; der guys tryin' ter
Civ us der CON- came from every
quarter, and although the teacher
tried to quiet them they refused to
be silenced. Great suffering had
been the lot of his listeners, and they
could not be persuaded that the
teacher was not having fun at their
expense.
The teacher received shock that
was never forgotten. He gazed in
horror at his scholars; then his lips
moved in silent prayer. The Father
invisible was implored to give him
an answer to satisfy the children.
No response came and the class re-
NAMED in disorder until the mission
was dismissed.
When the boys had left the room,
the young teacher related his ex-
periences to the superintendent. He
was an old man, had been in charge
of the mission for years, and the
teacher was assured this old disciple
of the Nazarene would be able to
advise, comfort, and bring to him the
message which the invisible Father
had been pleased to hold back. He
was disappointed. The superintend-
ent shook his head and murmured,
Truly His ways are beyond our I'M
derstanding"
The fury Of the storm had in
creased since the opening of the
service. and the teacher, on his way
home, had not only to contend. with
the raging elements, butt with a
storm that ragged in his soul. Poor
little chaps" he murmured; then he
began to realize that it was hard
to explain some of the ways of the
Father invisible. The storms, with
in and without, ragged mercilessly.
He reached home and was soon
free from the fury of the storm that