The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-09-07
CAST BREAD UPON WATERS.
Former Assistant Doorkeeper of Sen
. ate Relates a Sermon.
INashingt0n Post.l


When the bOaTders at a certain es-
adjustment i'm this city were gathered
at the dinner table last Sunday the con-
verSatiou tended mainly to the sub
jects Of the sermons that the church.
goers of the house had listened to dur
ing the forenoon and the texts upon
which the various disCOUrses had been
based.
This led to a general talk upon texts
the bOarders had remembered in their
time.
An old gentleman, who in his younger
days had been one Of the assistant
doorkeepers of the United States SEN
ate, remarked that while he had never
heard sermon preached from that
verse in Ecclesiastes which reads, cast
thy bread upon the waters, for thou
shalt find it after many days" it was,
he said. a passage of the Scriptures
that owing TO a certain circumstance
had always impressed him with much
favor, and he related an incident of
autebeIIum days in illustration thereof.
1T was in the year 1858. and I was
at my post, which was ON the senate
floor of the capitol, when I was ap-
preached by a very old man. He told
me that he was over so years of age.
and he certainly did look worn and
weary I got up from my chair and
told him to take a seat.
He was here as he told me on bust
ness Of great importance to himself
and its contamination would benefit
him greatly, but he could find none who
was interested and ne was discouraged Z.
/ The old man said he was from New
! England and he thought if he could
get few minutes talk with a con-
gresham from that section he could
have his affairs adjusted.
Just them said the former deputy
do0rkeeper, Senator Hale came out of
the Senate and passed across the hall
into the office of the secretary Of the
Senate. Who is that gentleman? the
old man said 10 me, and I told him
that it was Senator Hale Of Maine.
Oh he said. if L could only talk with
him few moments I know / could in
terest him i'm my affair
snow, / had q friendly acquaintance
with Mr. Hale, and / told the old gen
tleman. who was still occupying my
chair, that I thought I could get him
an interview, at which he seemed al
most about to collapse with mingled
JOY and trepidation.
so, when the senator came back
from the secretaTy's Office I said to him
that the old gentleman i'm my chair
have short talk with him. Mr. Hale
willingly listened to him. and. to my
surprise led the old fellow to the mar
BILE room, and 7 saw no more of either
of them ON that day.
Next day, however. the old man
came To me at my door and over
Whelmed me with thanks.
He said that the senator listened
patiently to him, and even went to the
trouble Of going to the department in
which his case had been pigeonholed
and secured an adjustment without any
delay. He told me that he could not
think Of going home without calling on
me and letting me know how much
happiness The little part / had taken in
the matter brought him, and tears OF
gladness were i'm his old eyes while he
talked to me"
That's all interesting enough" said
the young bUarder, who never goes to
church, but where does the casting
bread on the waters play a part in your
yarn?'
The former dOorkeeper smiled 1T
has returned to me over and over
again." he said. 1T comes to me in
the knowledge that / once made an aged
man very happy, and the memory of it
ever fingers with me-"