The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-10-23
II Prayers For All III
NOW | LAY NE"
Mothers, World Over, Teach
Baby Lips to Lisp Same Plea.
Simple Words Are the Univer-
sal Prayer of Mankind.
A DERELICT'S SUPPLICATION
so God, Take Care of Bill; He
Was D Good Fellow"
Pointed Words Not Irreverent
at Graveside of "Partner."

A number of Topeka men were ex-
changing experiences.
What was the most pathetic pray
er you ever heard off" asked one.
NOW when it comes to prayers, you
are getting down under mans vest"
objected one of them.
But the man who first turned the
conversation in that direction had a
story to tell.
1T was down in Mexico" he be-
gan. I'm a Mexican dance hall. A
gringo derelict drifted in and seated
himself at a table where liquors were
served. By glanceS, senorita was
invited to seat opposite him. But
the gringO was not wanting more
liquors. Remorse was crowding fast
upon the heels of retreating intoxica-
ton.
mo, he did not care to dance He
wanted to talk and his thoughts were
morbid.
"Do you expect to go to Heaven ?"
81 hope to- replied the dance hall
beads.
She's praying Illuminated the
man of too many drinks. "A pathetic
little prayer it is, too. 1 guess every
person prays when she gets in a tight
place. 1 have in spirit, if not in
words
ssBy this time he had lost interest
in the girl and was addressing his re-
marks TO a companion.
Most Pathetic Prayer.
The most pathetic prayer l ever
heard, was the little bedtime prayer
that almost every child is taught to
say. 1t wasn't the prayer, but those
praying, that made the circumstances
pathetic.
we had been wrecked. Three
of us were drifting on raft in the
Gulf of Mexico. For three days we
had broiled in the tropical sun and for
~ ,,ir ha ChiU0rad wit n
cold. The most of what few clothes
we had, we had used to make flag
with which we hoped to attract the
attention OF some chance vessel. we
were without food or water, and our
tongues were swollen. Each of us in
in turn had struggled with the other
two when we had become desperate
and would have drunk a-water or
plunged off the raft to end the tor
ture.
when darkness had come after
the third day, we saw the lights or a
ship We had just one sky-rocket
and three matches. Our lives de-
pended upon stopping that ship. None
of us could hold out much longer MY
two companions were rough, ungodly
seamen who had not heard a prayer
nor kissed the lips of a pure woman
since childhood
we got the rocket and fixed the
fuse for the match to be applied. One
of the men struck one of the three
precious matches. 1t Sputtered ano
went out The same man tried the
second match with the same result.
/ LET me try the last spoke up my
| other companion. L used to be 9
brakeman, and 1 could strike a matcf
| and light a cigarette while on top o.
| a moving freight car"
1.-The other handed over the match:
"'Just a minute, he said. This i:
our last match. Don't you thlnl
somebody should pray?'
"I would if 1 knew how, said tn
man with the match. Then botf
| looked at me.
ct has been so long since prayed
1 have forgotten how I confessed.
Then the man who had suggested
praying spoke up timidly.
"I know a prayer, but it amt go
nothin' to do with what we want t.
say
I'VE told him to go ahead, and ou
hearts were with him.
9. Now I lay me down to sleep, h
began. If I should die before I wake