Norwich bulletin., 1913-11-11

down on the paVements, and at night l when Mather came home to his little l room on the second floor he found 1t a veritable oven. Sleep in that place was out of the question. He turned out the single gas jet and went down to the street. On the stoop were noisy, ehattering groups. waiting vainIy for a breeze from the water There was much banter between the occupants of neighboring stoops and much high pitched laughter. The steps of his own lodging house, like the rest, bore Its quota, but he felt no inclination to join them. Instead he walked out to the avenue and turned aimlessly down town.
 He had proceeded but a short dis tance when the strtdent notes of & cor net and trombone and the pulsating boom of 8 bass drum fell on his ears. Above the din sounded shrill voices, quavering hymn He had never yet attended a Street-corner service of the Salvation Army, and it struck him that this would be an excellent opportunity to do so He quickened his steps and soon came upon them, men and women alike kneeling on the dirty pavements, while raucous-voiced lieutenant of fered a prayer A fiartng gasolene torch on a nearby fruit stand lighted the scene uncannily and threw into f.fckering relief the faces of varied types crowded about the kneeling fig ures.
 Mather was country born and bred Years of life on the farm had given him big frame and a pair of should CTS that many an athlete might have envied. It was an easy matter for him to elbow his way through the crowd to the inner edge of the circle, where he stood quietly watching the little drama before him with mild curiosity and even milder amusement
 The prayer finished. the little band arose and the men replaced their caps. The lieutenant announced a hymn the cornet sQuealed, the trombone prayed the drum boomed valiantly, and the quavering yoics rose once more on the hot night air.
 At the conclusion of the hymn the lieutenant announced that they would listen to few words from Sister Ruth. A slight, girlish figure stepped to the center of the circle from somewhere in the shadow. The light of the gaso- lene torch fell full upon her face-a face of wonderfully purity and sweet pess. There was a beauty in the level brows, the long, dark lashes of the eyes, and the full, red lips, that that bonnet of the corps could not hide and there was a supple grace of figure that the plain blue dress did not wholly conceal
 She began to speak in a voice full of earnest appeal. What she was saying Mather did not know, for he paid no heed to her words. He was not an i'm questionable young man, indeed, by his friends he was adjadged unusually hard-headed and abundantly possessed of that quality generally termed horse sense" But there was something that appealed to him strongly in that face beneath the regulation poke bonnet. He did not take his eyes from her while she was speaking; and when she had finished and stepped back into the shadow he was aware of a strange feeling, half of sadness, half of buoy ancy. He elbowed his way out and walked honeward strangely perturbed and strangely elated
 The following night and every night after that Mather attended the street corner meetings If Sister Ruth spoke or prayed or sang he was supremeiy happy; if others filled her place he was aware of a. feeling of disappointment. Being unskilled in the analysis of emo tion, he did not recognize the trend of 1t all. He only knew that he wanted to be near her to see her face. to listen to her voice.
 One night as the women of the corps were passing the tambourines for the collection, he beheld Sister Ruth com ing in his direction through the crowd. She was smfting and nodding grate- fully as the nickels and dimes fell JfngIing into the tambourtne. Stand ing beside Mather were three young fellows, evidently the worse for liquor. AS Sister Ruth approached them one of the three lifted his foot and kicked the tambourine smartly
 Little h-higher, Gertie. I c'n kick higher n th-that." he hiccoughed, fla miliarly.
 NEo4bo-'s ba15 fa11 ap the feIIoU'S coat collar with a grip of iron.
 Apologize for that! Hear me7 Apologize!" he said in a voice shaking with anger.
 'sEh? What?' said the other. He looked up at Mather Mather lowered over, something very sinister in his eyes.
 T 'pologize," said the captive hasti- ly
 Mather felt a light touch on his arm He turned to find Sister Ruth standing beside him.
 Don't hurt him. please don't" she begged.
 Mather smiled grimly.
 It's just as you say said he. T'll kill him, if you say so."
 Let him go. please" she said, and Mather pushed the man away.
 Thank you" she said. Her eyes
  hestitated a moment. Thank you," she said again and was gone. That night Mather walked home on air.
 Mather climbed the dingy stairs to the little hall at the corps barracks. It was Sunday evening. Outside the rain was falling dismally and the gutters ran rivers of mud. He sat down quite alone on one of the rear settees. A handful of people nearer the platform were the only others in the bare, cheerless, place.
 There were hymns and prayers and testimony quite as usual and during it all Mather sat back in the shadows feasting his eyes on the outlines of a pretty face beneath a, poke bonnet at one side of the platform.
 Presently during the singing of q hymn Mather saw her coming down the aisle toward him. and his heart stood stiIl. She stopped beside him. and her face flushed.
 Were you looking for-for saliva ton ?" she fa1tered
 'sNo." said he, quietly. T was look