Los Angeles herald., 1907-03-24

last had started on his climb, he stopped at the
"second floor rear" door and came as near TO
Whatever he heard or discovered after vigil OF,
perhaps, two minutes, Bender direfully shook his
head and continued on to the top floor.
During his three months in the Army Bender
had carefully absorbed and practsed the dogmas
Of that remarkable body. Scarcely any Of the
small daily tasks we're performed by him without
holding communion" And so as soon his
cubby-hole was reached, he again resorted to com
munion in this travail of his soul"
These "communions" we're not perfunctory mat
ters, but events accompanied by much detail.
First he went to the sink" in the hall to cleanse
his hands then he brushed his hair and spread
newspaper the floor before his cot After this
mise scene had been arranged. he again went
to the "snl" and once more washed his hands
Back in the room, he locked the door and sank TO
his knees on the newspaper beside the bed. with
folded hands and unified eyes he remained so for
a moment before communing with Him. his God,
the God Of Bender.
"Please excuse me, God, for coming to You again
with my troubles, but, honest, can't help 1t. And
It amt only my troubles | want to talk to You
about, but I want to thank You, too, for what You
done for about getting that job at the restaur-
ant It's no use o talking, ! needed II, and You
bet, it came in awful handy. But l don't
know what to do about them two funny people on
the second floor They're my neghbors and got
to do something for them because it is my duty,
but don't know how or what and l got to put 1t
up to You and I hope You'll help me- II You
would only give little more nerve SOS could
speak to that fellow about coming over to the
Army night with me- think it would be all
right. He's been, sinner all right, for Captain
faces and his face don't look right to me at ALL |
guess that's about all l can tell You just now and
Il hope You'll send inspiration SOS can
rescue that fellow from his wickedness And now
l thank You for Your goodness to me and ask Your
blessing and strength SOS I won't fall by the way
side And-and, long, Father Amen
And, truly, that prayer heard.
They celebrating Hot Time Evening" at
the Salvation Army thai that nigh night m and s Bender na d 9b
was sadly disturbed by the strange couple on the
second floor rear. The only thing he knew about
them from observation and through Mrs Spillane
was that they poorly situated.
Had he known all about them he might have
deemed their fate commonplace but the mystery
surrounding them and the odd appearance of the
man had strange fascination for Bender. He had
thought about them and how to help them all day
and at the Hot Time" he found application to
them in every song, every speech, every testimony
uttered.
1t was after the song, Were All Going Home
to Heaven" sung to the air of 1--WE Won't Go Home
Till Morning" that Benders psychological moment
to him.
Throughout the evening pale ascetic man, in
officers uniform, had sat brooding on the platform.
After the last chorus of We're All Going Home
to Heaven" the commanding officer of the post
stepped to the edge of the platform to make the
following announcement:
Comrades and friends AS you all know, we
have with tonight Colonel Harvey Timberall,
Colonel Timberall has been fighting glorious bat
ties out in the wicked digger-towns of Nevada and
Colorado and Montana, and he is going to tell you
how to fight the battle on to victory. And now
let us give three cheers for Colonel Harvey Tim
beral!"
The cheers were given and much noise was
made while the Colonel made his way to the CEN
ter of the platform.
How his speech ranked according to Salvation
Army criterions cannot be stated, but to the aver
age listener it a weird compound of twisted
theological doctrines and bombastic rhetoric. But
and that was the pointnthe audience liked t+a 1T,
interrupted the orator by tumultuous applause
after some particularly appealing sentiment
Benders attention was rapt that almost the
anti was mpmnriZpd when
the speaker came to the practical hints, telling
his congregation how they too, every one Of them,
could go out into the world and do much for
their fellow as he had done, then Bender knew
and felt that the sermon had been preached solely
for his benefit.
a.. And there, behold there He stood upon the
mountain facing the multitude, proving beyond
peradventure that He was the saviour of the lowly
birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man
hath not where to lay his head And what did he
do? Did he remain facing the multitude? No!
He went right down among them and gave them
the message of the Master. And these are the
commands of the Great White Lord: Be not
have entertained angels unawares And He also
said: Greater love hath no man than this, that a
lay down his life for his friends, E"
That was the whole thing in a nutshell, those
were the commands of the Great White Lord, and
Bender beeded them.
Devotional hysteria ran high that evening, and
it midnight before Bender crept up the stoop,
on which the man from the second floor rear, was
taking his siesta. Ordinarily Bender's nerve would
nave Ialieu MIN, puC Ihe HhnueHce Oh tne HOT
Time still potent and he determined to begin
his mission at once.
I'VE had poorly good time over at the Army
tonight"
The man looked up without speaking.
Eyes, You see, belong to the Salvation
Army" Bender bravely kept on, and, not getting
answer, asked: "You don't belong to the Army?"
mo scarcely" was the harsh reply.
81 think you ought to-" declared Bender fer
vently 1T made a man O. me- all right and you
"What do you mean?" exclaimed the man an,
grily.
"oh, nothing, only it makes much hap.
pier and--well it does lot O. things"
"It can't make me mine happy and I'm more
interested in getting food than happiness" growled
the stranger
"The Armyll give you food"