Los Angeles herald., 1908-12-27
@TFy9@1<@@ Bz Cyrus Townsend B1u0zzH9

mean our show--a little late. Say you have yourn
at quarter past seven, we'll have ourn at quarter
to nine. And well do than that, he added
hastily, lest should decide before had heard all
that he had to offer. Well all come to your sho-
services l mean-if you come to ours, and Wen give
you part Of the proceeds tonight to help the church.
What did you do, bishop" l asked.
WELL" answered the old man, Il promptly accepted
two propositions and rejected the third
81 said that | wouldn't take any of their money.
From the looks of things they needed it all, and my
friends in Arapahoe generous that the church
in that particular section lacked nothing he church
in Arapahoe has always been more or less unique
YOU see think that one reason | decided so
promptly because intercepted an appealing
glance pteously appealing glance might say from
Miss Sylvester when she heard the proposition She
to after the two managers had retired to
discuss their arrangements and clasped my hand inn
pulsvey.
"'OhP she said, 4 am so glad you are going to
have church. l haven't been to church for years. it
seems to me, and you have been SO kind to us and
night risf wanted 10 60 '0D' '''''''' % 'HD'D
II am very glad,' I replied, that you to have
about this time the train pulled into the station,
and the townspeople, informed of the change in the
hour of services and delighted at the prospect of
double treat they phrased IT, two shows in one
evenin' Immediately busted themselves in spreading
the news throughout the settlement. The place
smaller in those days than it is now, and 1t was not
difficult to advise everyone.
81 had of course lot of sermons with in
my head that is; you know the first thing you learn
the West to shoot without rest, so they say
which is their euphemism for preaching without notes
and had previously selected theme for the evening,
but something, ] did not know what, unless it were
Providence, turned my thoughts in another direction
and | chose that text of Scripture. Neither do
condemn thee: go, and sin no more And | deter
mined to preach upon forgiveness as exemplihed in
that exquisite incident cited by st. John, as the very
first lesson in Christian practise
"You see, the first thing man expects is forgive
ness although it is usually the last thing he wishes
to bestow. There has been much discussion about
that chapter said the bishop and it IS believed, you
know. to be Interpolation, but whether it is or not,
l. for one, am convinced that it represents a true
incident and bless the interpoator, whoever he may
have been.
There was something in the girl, Miss Sylvester.
to call her by her stage name which kept recurring
to me when l thought the points of the sermon
Not that she looked bad, only troubled Beneath her
indifferent hardness, her forced pleasantly there
was an undercurrent of agony, such only comes
from great sorrow and too often in woman's case
the is based uponwell, at any rate, thought
hard the sermon, and when the services came
off l think | preached better in my life.
"The thoughts very old, as the story itself
is old, but pointed out i'll a way which told me
afterward was very convincing the duty OF forgive
and how Jesus HIMSELF in touch with the gross
est sort of alteration, torgave it.
"The theatrical people all there, although to
keep his promise the manager had been compelled to
go without his supper, he had been busy arrang
ing for the performance The most interested listener
in the congregation crowded into the saloon-church
was the young woman. On the other side of the room
from her Mr.. Montague followed the with
scarcely less eagerness. You know, when you are
preaching sometimes without volition you direct your
arguments to one or two IN the congregation and my
appeals and eXhortaons seemed to be aimed straight
at those two young persons.
well, after the services l went to the play
had promised, and the whole congregation did like
wise. for the manager had kept his promise faithfully
AS I remember, it was rather poor play, but very
respectable 9ta e',...... -. .a:u 49,. -. .,o,
/ suppose ordinarily she would be considered in
different actress yet when she confessed the past in
which she had been snned against than SHINING
and the hero of the play, depicted by Mr. Montague
gave her up, her acting was marvellous surprise
So real and natural did it that almost felt that
they were not playing parts but speaking the truth
there on that stage There was such agony, such
heartrending appeal to her lover for mercy, in the
1vomans voice that it did not seem possible that he
could reject her on the stage The Opera House
rang with applause, and there tears in many
rough cowboys eyes when the girl died, still begging
7Or forgiveness.
81 was thinking sadly over the whole situation, and
Abe face and voice of the girl fairly haunted me. My
reverie was broken by tap on the door. When |
opened it Mr.. Montague came in. He very much
perturbed and without any prelminaries burst out
that he had come to very important matter
"He told in the most direct fashion that he
wildly loved Miss Sylvester; that he had seen her
play in the little town in which he lived few months
before; that he had been infatuated with her that
he had given up his business-he was a lawyer-had
followed her and had finally been engaged in the COM
pany
His intentions were of the most honorable char
acter. He wanted to marry her and take her away
from the life she was leading. He had some little
property of his own, a college man, learned in
the law, and had no fear but that he could support
her comfortably Latterly he had heard He
had received anonymous letter. and though he be-
1eved her as sweet and pure woman ever lived,
yet stories of so circumstantia character had been
brought to him. with little corroborative evidences,
that he did not know what to do. He was in state
of perfect despair.
-"Have you spoken to her of these stories,' I
asked.
Ono he replied
"'Or shown her the letters?
"'No, couldn't. They'd insult any honest woman.
Now, bishop, he continued, I've come to you for
advice. l heard sermon like that you preached
this evening. 1t was in my mind all through the
play Did you notice the earnestness with which
Miss Sylvester played her part? We have acted in
that piece nhmber of times, and never before has
she impressed me as she did then Il was almost as
her more than life itself, and yet there are some
things-suppose it's true3 Can forgive herr What
shall I doP
1--WE were interrupted just here by the sound of
footsteps in the hail. Outside the door ! heard the
~ wm wwY