The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-05-29
The Stranger
From Sarasota Sun

FROM SdIdSOld GUN
Here is a sketch we clipped from
one of our exchanges some time ago
which we consider a masterpiece
to one of the st. Peters
burg newspapers, we believe, after
the discovery of a suicide. 1t has
so much human heart, divine in
spiration, and beauty of diction we
cannot discard it although week
after week we have failed to find
room for it. We have read it many
time. Try it once dear reader.
At dawn they found him, with
eager welcome, still clutching in
his stiffened fingers the messenger
of death. The dew of the night was
upon him as if in kindness, to battle
fevered tortured brow. From the
pulseless temple, now stained a
crimson red, a tender hand, some
time, brushed the baby curls and
love had smoothed it with moth
ter's skill, and as it lay there under
open sky and waving palms a aint
smile fingered upon his cold dead
| lips. If that old mother lives. ii
would be sweet to think-and who
can telI?-that in the final moment
and despair, there came memory
of that wrinkled mother and hel
love that fixed a smile in death.
Who is he? OF those who have
looked upon his cold dead face, NJ
one knows; but he was a man OF like
loves and hates, of like frailities ant
virtues, of like joys and sorrows, al
others of his kind; and who can tel
or comprehend the agony of tina
night that rang down the curtain
of the final tragedy of life?
| Twas not the torment Of hunge
for bread. nor the lack of a BET
wherein to lay his weary frame
his purse was filled with plenty
What tempest swept no tongue cal
tell.
Perhaps he had not learned tn
secret of the soul to vault above tn
torturous twistings of human fran
bent under pain and earthly grief
lperhaps it may have been the Cank
ering memory blighted love. Per
haps neglect of men, like you an
me, to show the milk of human kline
Mesa word, nod, friend
,howdydo-not Much, but Just en-
lough to cause burden such as hi
today by day, grow heavier till h
who would be kind was shunne
and earth became for him, a barre
place.
Perhaps neglect of men like 20
and me, who fill our pews and sin
Gods praises on holy days and ia
at other times to point mems sou
by deeds of kindly love to Him wi
heals a soul and lifts it's though
= above an i'll shapen, aching fran
5 had made him doubt there was
e God. And yet, perhaps-we cam
S tell-he may have wrestled there
prayer; blind, aeonizing pray'
'twix hope and fear, till reas
broke and left the hand unguid
by a mind. Perhaps-we cam
: tell-the Eye that looks down de
in every soul and knows the hidd
:, ways of life and death-perhaps tt
He in mercy and in love has soo1
:. ed this weary soul and given rest
- We must not Judge; we do
80 know. We only know hum
heart has hushed it's beat; and,
tits right to pray for this poor 10
), ly, unknown weary man when he
dead, Father, hear our prayer; a
- if a mother, wife, or child is left
mourn his end, where'er they
- show kindness and compassion.
= To us who live give coura
:. strength and purpose that form
=. day, by kindly words and low
:. deeds, it may be ours to lift the
did, hungry soul from out its sh
- ows, paint and grief, to light
- love and peace.