The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1921-11-05
NO TIME FOR SUICIDE.

A man, on the way to end his mis-
cry by jumping in the murky waters
of the river. saw poorly-clad boy
faint from hunger in the street, says
the Citizen. The man had few dol
lars left in his pocket, and he paused
to take the furnishing lad into a near
by lunch room, where he bought him
meal. The boy, after his hunger was
| appeased, furtively slipped roll in
his pocket; and, when questioned, said
it was for his starving father who lay
sick abed on the top floor of dilapi-
dated tenement.
Any time later in the night would
do for the intending suicide to drown
himself. He might spend his remain
Ing time and dollars in an errand of
charity. A lunch basket was filled,
and he accompanied the boy to the
sick mans bedside There he saw
that medical attendance was instantly
necessary He sought and found a
doctor in the neighborhood. But the
doctor said that a nurse through the
night was imperative. Medicine must
be administered at intervals. Who
would minister to a pauper? The
compassion of the moral wreck was
stirred by the suffering of the ply
steal wreck. The appointment with
suicide might be deferred until the
next day. He would do this service.
But it would not change his purpose.
He had sunk to the lowest depth in
icn of "a
was gone and friends were gone, and
the pity of relatives had turned into
contempt and scorning. He had his
chances and he had his new starts
and better resolves. Disgrace had
been piled on failure. He had now
lost confidence in himself. But he
would watch this one night by the
bedside of a sick man. 1t is when
men are utterly down that their hearts
are sometimes won by good impulses.
And the doctor, coming in the
morning, thanked him warmly for his
work. 1t had been faithfully done.
Would he not respond to another and
urgent mercy in an adjoining tene-
ment? The local charity society had
begged the doctor to find somebody
to assist as night nurse for small
pox patient. 1t was a desperate case.
But what cared this man, so soon to
cast away his life, for such an ad.
venture of danger? Yes, he would
serve. A day or so later would do
quite as we'll for his plunge into oh.
J livion. He could as easily abort
the germs of disease as he could stifie
existence.
He did serve, and he served well
and bravely. The local charity Off.
Gals came in person to express their
thanks. 1t was new experience for
this man to have anybody thank him
for anything. He, a ne'er-dO-well
and a failure, was touched, however
remotely, by the joy of service. He
was glad that this last week on earth
had been thus usefully spent. Now
he could go on his way. But these
new chance associates were not will
ing to let him go. 1t was a time
of crying importantly upon the char
iey of all good people. And here was
man who could dare and suffer
They besought him to go to another
pitiful case. His better promptings
were now more in possession of him
And in caring for and serving others
he was beginning to forget self. He
would wait another week, and take
this additional assignment. And yet
another case was awaiting him when
this was finished.
So he postponed his suicide for
twenty years and then died natural
death And when he died, whole
city paid tribute to him. He had
become head of the rescue mission
superintendent of the poor depart
ment, trusted advisor of all the char
liable organizations of the metrop
oils, almoner of the rich; but better
than that-friend of the poor; never
losing the humility of spirit in which
the better years of his life started
and so able to lift others up from like
depths of despair to a recovered ca
reer
There are thousands of men who
give up before they have really sound
ed the plummet of failure; who desert
life because they have lost few
skirmishes with fortune; who fail to
find what is worth while because they
have not tested out the sordid ambi
tions that are as hurdles in the good
race forward; who have not realized
that the reproof of chance is usually
the proof Of man.