River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1915-10-28
CHAPTER XV-Continued.

CHAPTER XV-Continued.
The Wideset sanitary policeman
paused in his survey long enough to
wag thick forefnger at the outraged
householder.
Don't start anything" he advised.
There's some tough mugs in this
block, but you go down to the places
I've been, and you'll find that they're
all clean"
With these few simple remarks, he
turned his back indifferently to Mr..
Rogers, and, catching hold Of the car
pet in the corner with his flngers,
he lifted it up by the roots.
There's no use buckin the govern
ment," Mr.. Rogers decided, after
critical study Of the sanitary police
mans back, which was extremely i'm
pressive. IT'S a government of the
rich for the rich. Has poor man
got any show? I'm a capable station
airy engineer. All / ask is a chance
to work-at my trade" This by an
afterthought. IF you'll give me two
dollars to tide me over"
Rev. Smith Boyd stepped out Of the
way of the sanitary policeman, and
then stepped out of the door
"And you call yourself a minister Of
the Gospel" Mr.. Rogers yelled after
him.
That was sample of the mornings
work, and Rev. Smith Boyd felt more
and more, as he neared luncheon time,
that he merited some consideration, if
only for the weight of the cross he
bore. There were worse incidents
than the abuse Of men like Rogers;
there we're the hideous sick to see,
and the genuinely distressed to com
fort. and depthless misery to relieve;
and any day in Vedder court was a
terrific drain, both upon his sympa-
thies and his personal pocket
He felt that this was an exception
ally long day.
Home in a hurry at twelve-thirty. A
scrub, a complete change of every
thing and a general feeling that he
should have been sterilized and baked
as well. Luncheon with the mother
who saw what a long day this was.
then a far different type of calls; in
a sedate black car this time, up along
the avenue, and in and out of the
clean side streets, where there was
little danger of having a tire pune
tured by a Wanton knife, as so often
happened in Vedder court.
AWAY to VeJder court again. dis
missing his car at the door of Temple
mission, and walking inside, out of
range of the leers of those senile old
buildings, but not out of the range of
the peculiar spirit Of Vedder court,
which manifested itself most clearly
to the olfactory sense.
The organ was playing when he en-
tered and the benches were half filed
by battered old human remnants. who
pretended conversion in order to pick
up the crumbs which fell from the
table Of Market Square church. Child
ing himself for WEAKNESS of the spirit.
and comforting himself with the
thought that one greater than he had
faltered on the way TO Golgotha. he
sat on the little platform, with a hymn
booE in his hand, and, when the prel-
ude was finished, he devoted his won.
derful voice to the blasphemy.
The organist, volunteer. a little
old man who kept a shoemaker's shop
around the corner, and who PLAYED
sincerely in the name Of helpfulness
was pure of heart.
The men with the rough-hewn conn.
tenance, unfortunately not here TODAY.
was also sincere in an entirely I'M
spiritual way; but, with these excep-
tions, and himself, of course, the rec
tor knew positively that there was not
another uncalloused creature IN the
room. not one who could be reached
by argument, sympathy or fear! They
were past redemption, every last man
and woman; and, at the conclusion Of
the hymn, he rose to cast his pearls
before swine, without heart and with
out interest; for no man is interested
in anything which cannot possibly be
accomplished
With a feeling of mockery, yet up
held by the thought that he was hold
ing out the way and the light, not
only seven times but seventy times
seven times, to whatever shred or
crumb of divinity might lie unsuspect-
ed in Theses sterile breasts, he strove
earnestly tn arouse enthusiasm in him.