The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1920-03-26

of underwear and found to his iov that
his falls wages was still between the
lining and the cover of his suitcase
This money however he determined
not to use unless he absolutely had
to do it, which now seemed eminent
lie had only twelve cents left.
Not knowing what else 20 do he
wandered about the town and finally
decided to call on the preacher. This
was an act of atavism, for generations
his ancestors had been priest ridden.
The preacher is powerful factor in
orthodox Calvinistic life. Those who
lave read "The Doctor of the Old
School" and "Under the Bonnie Brier
Bush" " by Ian McClaren will under.
stand some of the spiritual workings
of a powerful church organization on on
unlettered minds. Also how even the
educated will retain the mental charac.
terlstics through out all the days of
their life. AS Kerwood says in his
stories of the Northland in describing
the characteristics of the wolf Swift
Lighting, "was the Ghost of Skaoan
the great Dane which ran in the woif's
veins and drew him irrestistably 70
the light in the white mans cabin.
So it might have been said of Jack
the radical and the thinker that Il
was the Ghost of Calvin, of Knox and
Cotton Mather down to the blood of
his own father and mother which drew
him toward the church. Mentally he
knew that the church symbolizei tbe
cross and was therefore alien TO tbc
Christ; but it wcs this heredity which
compelled him to 30 to the preachers
house, His early training in this plaved
but an insignificant part.
1t would be difficult just to describe
his emotion A man coming from q moor
region and settling in fat pasture
often feels longing to 90 back to
his native heath. Many foreigners who
are successful in accumulating a little
wealth in the land of their soiourn
return to their peasant life in their
nome land. So the boy after feeling
1or several months in rich mental
pasture now felt strange urge to visit
preacher and to hear som, of tbo
old familiar Jargon. Tt was n phase
OF the hcmhg instinct that asserted
itself. 1t was a mental throw bac,,
When he arrived at the parsop .
mouse he felt q wonderful mingling of
emotions. 1t was a conglomerate of
herldatery reverence and mental aver.
SION. He was firmly convinced that
what this man and his institution stood
1or was nothing but deception and
fraud, and yet, there was a certain
mysticism that threw a kind of halo
around the man of the cloth. AS the
boy phrased it in later years, "I felt
iike kneeling at his feet and punching
iim IN the jaw" all at the same
time. '"''o
Ihe preacher received him in his
study and looked righteously horrifiod
when the boy told him that bc had
Just been released from Jail and that
ne could not get in again. That the
Judge had gone back on his promise
TO return him to his cell. He told the
preacher all that had happened, also
why 1t had happened and asked him
To- INA hlm shelter for the night, or to
ma the proper officials to return
him to his mates.
1t is needless to say that the mar.
son could not understand bis monta1
attitude. He proceeded to lecture the
BOY on his unbelicf. He urged him 20
go home. To get out of town anv
"here so that he would be out of the
way But help, no he could not do Il
ile could not afford to associate with
Jail birds. He had to consider his
standing in the community. His was
a spiritual work apart from the world.
lie was sorry for the boy but could do
N Nv
Jack didn't argue points with him
very much. He was only impressed
with the truth of his friends pbilo.
sophy. Collins had made the remark
once that there was more christianity
at the water front than on knob biil
mat there was more human charity
Behind the red lights of shame than
oehlnd the colored lights of the church.
that there was more brotherhood in
the Junglcs than in the consistory. This
tact was now impressed upon the bows
mind, so he decided to try his luck in
the other Part of town. He simply was
resolved TO test out the theory of his
friends.
Leaving the parson IS house he slow.
~ walked down the hill toward the
man part OF town. He passed a few
people on their way home as II was
now late in the day but no one seemed
TO notice him. When he reached Main
street he met the first familiar face, Il
was Olive Anderson on her way home
She looked him square in the face and
stopped, Jack could not find words
with which to break the silence which
dld ont last but few seconds, vet
which appeared as an eternity to him.
/ was the girl who spoke first saving, "it
was a hard job to get you out boy,
but | did it. simply did not give
,hem any rest until they turned you
loose.p
Now Jack found his tongue, at had
almost said that IL was very kind of
YOU hut now that I am out how am
to get in againY''
Why should you want to get in
again?"
For several reasons. First nv
friends are still in, and don't want
to leave them. I was as guilty as they
and they are as innocent rs /. In
the second place, they took all my
money and with only twelve cents in
my pocket to face this bitter night
nut doors is no pleasant prospect.
Frankly ia rather be in jail. Still do
not misunderstood me, l fully appre.
c'ate your efforts. You did noble
work. 1t is indeed such as yours our
iaitl IN the basic goodness Of human
kind is anchored" 4"