The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-08-04

at quarter past seven an we'll have our at quarter
TO nine. And we'll do than that he added
hastily. lest l should decide before l had heard all
that he had to offer. Wen all come to your sho-
you part of the proceeds tonight help church.
What did you do. bishop asked.
WELL" answered the old man. Il prom2s lied
two propositions and rejected the thru
Il said that wouldn't take any OF i.eir money.
From the looks of things they needed al. my
friends in Arapahoe so generous that the church
IN that particular section lacked nothes The church
xou n ,a, osen So
promptly because l intercepted appealing
glance p''eously appealing glance l might say, from
came to after the two managers had retired to
discuss their arrangements and elasped my hand i'm
pulsvey.
"'Ohr she said. I am so glad you going
have church. haven't been to church for years. il
have treated us so much like re-respectabe people.
that ! wanted to go to your services so much to-
Il am very glad replied. tina. 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 the prospect OF \
double treat or as they phrased it, two shows in one
the news throughout the settlement. The place
smaller in those days than it is now, and it not
difficult to advise everyone.
Il had. of course, lot of sermons with IN
my head that is; you know the first thing you learn
in the West is to shoot without rest SO they say
land had previously selected theme for the evening"
but something. did not know what. unless it were
and chose that text of Scripture Neither do
condemn thee: 60 and sin no more And | deter
mined to preach upon forgiveness, exemplified 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
although it is usually the last thing he wishes
to bestow. There has been much discussion about
that chapter" said the bishop land it is believed you
know to be an Interpolation but whether it is not.
l, for one. am convinced that it represents
incident. and bless the nterpolator. whoever he may
There something in the girl, Miss Sylvester,
to call her by her stage name. which kept recurring
Not that she looked bad, only troubled Beneath her
indifferent hardness, her forced pleasantly there
was undercurrent of agony. such only comes
from great sorrow, and too often in womans case,
the sorrow is based upon-wel at any rate thought
hard the sermon. and when the services came
off think l never preached better in my life.
THE thoughts were very old, as the story itself
is old, but pointed out in way which told me
ness and how Jesus Himself in touch with the gross
est of alteration, forgave it.
he nToe h an 70
60 without his supper, he had been SO busy arrang
ing for the performance The most interested listener
in the congregation crowded into the saloon church
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. something's without volition you direct your
arguments to one or two in the congregation and my
appeals and exhortatons seemed to be aimed straight
at those two young persons
had promised. and the whole congregation did like
re :e
suppose. ordinarily she would be considered in
different actress, yet when she confessed the past in
which rs she had been more snnsd ssans, than SHINING
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 such agony, such
heartrending appeal to her lover for mercy, in the
womans voice that it did not seem possible that he
O he
rang with applause, and there in many a
cough cowboys when the girl died. still begging
Il thinking sadly over the whole situation. and
The face and voice of the girl fairly haunted My
reverie was broken by tap on the door. When
opened it Mr. Montague came in. He very much
perturbed and without any preminaries burst out
"He told me in the most direct fashion that he
wildly loved Miss Sylvester; that he had 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 lawyer-had
followed her and had finally been engaged in the
His intentions 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. college man. learned in
the law. and had no fear but that he could support
her comfortably. Latterly he had heard rumors He
had received anonymous letter. and though he be-
leved her as sweet and pure woman as eyer lived
yet stories Of so circumstantia character had beer
brought him. with little sorroborative evidences
that he did not know what to do. He was in state
of perfect despair.
asked
"'No. he replied
"'Or shown her the letterss'
"'No, couldn't. They'd insult any honest woman
Now, bishop he continued, I've come to you fo
advice. heard like that you preache,
this evening 1t in my mind all through thu
play. Did you notice the earnestness with which
Miss Sylvester played her part, We have acted il
that piece number of times, and never before ha
she impressed me she did then. II almost a
If she really pleading for forgiveness. low
her than life itself. and yet there are som
things-suppose it's true: Can forgive her: VIVA
shall I do"
"We interrupted just here by the sound o
footsteps in the hall. Outside the door heard Ii