Middletown transcript., 1916-01-01
9fTI Id
9yGEORGE RANDOLPH CHFSTTR
and LILLIAN CHESTER w.
45:::s!% S5:.$s:.. ILLUSTRATED &~clRHoDEs
CORPORATION

| Ny al SuuOuI, Sy mpdLuy OF I6drt 116y
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 these sterile breasts, he strove
earnestly to arouse enthusiasm in him.
self so that he might stir these dead
ghosts, even in some minute and re.
mote degree.
Suddenly harsh and raucous voice
interrupted him. It was the voice of
Mr.. Rogers, and that gentleman, who
had apparently secured somewhere
the two dollars to tide him over, was
now embarked on the tide. He had
taken just enough drinks to make him
ugly, if that process were possible.
and he had developed a particularly
strong resentment of the latest injus-
tice which had been perpetrated on
him. That injustice consisted of Rev.
Smith Boyd's refusal to lend him
money till week from next Satur-
day night; and he had come to expose
the rector's shallow hypocrisy. This
he proceeded to do, in language quite
| unsuited to the chapel of Temple mis-
sion and to the ears of the ladies
then present, most of whom grinned.
The proceedings which followed
were but brief. Rev. Smith Boyd re-
quested the intruder to stop. The in
truder had rights, and he stood on
them! Rev. Smith Boyd ordered him
to stop; but the intruder had free
and Independent spirit, which forbade
him to accept orders from any man!
Rev. Smith Boyd, in the interests of
discipline, without which the dignity
and effectiveness of the cause could
not be upheld, and pleased that this
was so, ordered him out of the room.
Mr.. Rogers, with a flood of abuse
which displayed some versatility, in
vited Rev. Smith Boyd to put him out !;
and Rev. Smith Boyd did so. 1t was
not much of struggle, though Mr..
| Rogers tore two benches loose on his
way, and, at the narrow door through
which it is difficult to thrust even a
weak man, because there are so many
arms and legs attached to the human
torso, he was compelled to practically
pitch him, headlong, across the side
walk and over the curb and into the
gutter! The victim of injustice arose
| slowly, and turned to come back, but
he paused to take a good look at the
stalwart young perpetrator, and re-
membered that he was thirsty.
Rev. Smith Boyd found himself
standing in the middle of the sidewalk,
with fists clenched and his blood surg
ing. The atmosphere before his eyes
seemed to be warm, as if it were red
dened slightly. He was tingling from
head to foot with a passion which he
had repressed and throttled and
smothered since the days of his boy
hood He had striven, with a
strength which was the secret of his
compelling voice, to drive out of him
all earthly dross, to found himself on
the great example which was without
the cravings Of the body; he had
sought to make himself spiritual; but,
all at once, this conflict had reused in
him a raging something, which swept
up from the very soles of his feet to
his twirling brain, and called him
man!
For a quivering moment he stood
there, alive with all the virility which
was the richer because of his long re-
preston. He knew many things now,
many things which ripened him in an
instant, and gave him the heart to
touch and the mind to understand and
! the soul to flame. He knew himself.
he knew life, he knew, yes, and that
was the wonderful miracle of the flood
which poured in on him, he knew love!
He reached suddenly for his watch.
Six-ten. He could make it, Still i'm
PEELED by this new creature which had
sprung up in him, he started; but at
| the curb he stopped. He had been in
! such a whirl of emotion that he had
not realized the absence of his hat.
He strobe into the mission door, and
the rays of the declining sun, strug-
Cling dimly through the dingy glass,
fell on the scattered little assem-
blage-as If it had been sent to touch
them in mercy and compassion-on
the weak and the poor and the pite-
ously crippled of soul; and a great
wave of shame came to him; shame
and thankfulness, too!
He walked slowly up to the plat
~~~I~~~~~-~~~-~-~J~1