CONVICT NUMBER 1307.
By Laura
JACK TOWELL Mt with hi
back to the wall of the cell,
occasionally glancing with
unseeing eyes at the few ob
jects In the narrow space. As his
gaze fell upon the grating which
served for a window, with Its few
Inches of the sky of liberty mocking
him through the bars, he sprang up
and took a quick step toward It, just
as the sweet strains of mr ic drifted In
from a band passing nenr the prison
walls. Then a bell rang somewhere
In the dlxtance.
Ob, those sounds from the great free
world without! How terrible they
seemed to the grief-stricken man! He
shuddered violently and dropped back
on to the cot.
"No, no! I must not ruin It nil now.
Oh, God, help me to .lire through the
next two years!" he exclaimed, -and
burying his face In bis bands, be
groaned aloud In the agony of despnlr.
Though be yearned for freedom with
a longing that was almost frenzy, still
the notion of escape did not often
tempt him; but to-day a man bad es
caped, and the breast of every prison
er had been filled with envy and long
ing. The year already spent behind those
walls seemed an eternity. Could he
live through two more years of such
misery? he asked himself. Yes, he
could and he would, for he had work
to perform when the time of his sen
tence should have expired. He must
go back to Oklahoma and prove bis In
nocence; must live down the disgrace
among the very people who had be
lieved him guilty, where no one
thought him Innocent.
Ab, yes! there was one who had be
lieved In blm, who had stood by him
through it all, and the fires of renewed
courage kindled In his eyes as be
thought of Nellie, his promised wife.
How brave she had been how staunch
and true! Even wb u the trial was
euded, and be bad not succeeded In
making the judge and Jury believe his
story, she had not wavered In her loy
alty'; but again assured him of ber
love, begging blm to shorten bis term
as much as possible by good behavior,
then to come borne be would find her
true, and together they would prove
somehow, that he had been wrongful
ly accused.
In the year of his Imprisonment Jack
bad been a model prisoner. At times,
In, the depths of Ms despair., he had
felt that he could not stand the mad
dening routine another moment, that
he must attempt escape or he would
surely die; but the thought of Nellie,
his sweetheart, and her confidence,
had strengthened him to successful
ly combat these hopeless feelings. At
tempt at flight, even If successful,
meant only the destruction of his fond
est hopes and those of the brave girl
who had risked so much because of
her love for blm.
To-ulgbt, sitting dejectedly In his
cell, Jack cursed the folly which had
caused his trouble. Many times he had
decided to "quit drinking," but was
never staunch In his resolution. Now
he meant It, for if he had not been on
a "spree" he would never have beeu
arrested for theft. He thought of the
farm, the stock, and the ueut little
house which she bad planned, and
which was soou to have been their
home. He groaned involuntarily.
When be had begun to "drink," his
less prosperous neighbors had smiled
in grjm satisfaction, nnd when the
trouble hnd come, the general verdict
had beon, "It serves him right." When
he Insisted that he bad bought the
horse and saddle, but that be did not
know the man who sold them to him,
they winked knowingly. The property
hud been stolen from the Catousvllle
postofflce, nnd was found In Jack's
possession. He wag 'icre in conse
quence. "Well," ho declared mentally, "Jt
docs serve me right, but I'll prove my
innocence to those people i; It takes
uio yeurs to do it!" .
A little before noon the next day bis
attention wag attracted to a line of
new arrivals, walking handcuffed to
gether In pahs, in charge of armed
guards. As they passed close to where
Jack stood, the look of hopeless misery
on the face of ouo of the men made
bis heart throb with pity. Perhaps
bo too was Innocent! Just then u inuu
looked up itud Jack gave a sudden
start. The face seemed very fumlllar.
Kuruly he hud Beeu that man before.
The Hue passed on into a building, but
somehow bo could not get the face of
the luau who woro the number -1307"
out of bis mind, and mauy times dur
ing the day ho asked himself, "Who is
he. and where have I seen hliuV"
When bo returned to nig cell that
nljiht. and the guard told him be was
to hare "company" for awhile, Jack
would have been almost surprised had
the uiun beeu other than "13'.)7." iu
the closer range of the narrow cell, he
was more strougly than ever tilled
with a perplexing seuse that be bud
somewhere seen this sullen, defiant
face, but where he could not remem
ber. In the days nnd weeks that followed,
durlug which time Job Strctter re
mained gloomy and remorse, repiilslug
enures, Jack vainly racked his
memory for some clue by which to cs-
lumisii ins Identity. Gradually, how
ever, tlio new comer begun to "thaw
out a little, and the two prisoners bo-
lum" sociable, even frleudlr. Jack
soon learned that Joe's home was In
imnana. and as be said he hud never
"ecu IU Wisconsin. whi.iv, Tn,.L- i,.i
always lived prior to bis going to Ok
lahoma, ho was finully forced to the
conclusion, that his fancy of having
seen Joe before was but a trick of his
"iiigiuuuon.
r i.., i ,. .
n V . "y aui'"' the winter, Joe
Ul escape; but as .lack .11.1 ...,t
titer Into any of the pluB. the subject
im ue ( ronm-rt ih .,
or the cell mates deepened m-n.iiH.iiv
. wi.vui.u Hiaiiuiujy
m I !'mJ? We"iitp. und when, one
" t lu tuo eany spring, the subject
uppermost In Joe's ...! -
Kjila mentioned. Jack told his friend
am reasons for uot desiring o make
Ellen Beale.
the attempt told blm something of
his life; bis bright prospects,' his fol
ly, his ruin.
As he related the story, not defend
ing himself in the least, of hla down
ward course, and finally of his arrest
and Inability to prove his innocence.
Joe sat pale nnd uneasy. Several
times he opened bis lips as if to speak,
then with feverish nervousness, he
would spring up and pace forth and
back across the cell. As Jack finished
the recital of bis sweetheart's fidelity
Joe suddenly stopped, and laying his
hand on the othcr'a shoulder, said im
pulsively: 'Jnck, I did not dream that Is, I
of course you nre lunocent! I have
known that all the time; but I did not
Imagine that It was I who could clear
you."
"You clear me?" exclaimed Jack, In
credulously. "What do you mean?"
But Joe had turned away and
thrown himself upon bis cot; then he
said, hesitatingly:
"I only mennt that I could help you
to escape, Jack, that's all," and de
spite his friend's efforts to continue
their conversation, he would say no
more.
In a short time Jack was fast asleep.
nnd dreaming of the time when his re
lease should come and his innocence
be proven.
Joe Streeter, however, spent the night
In fitful slumbers from which he
awoke with a start, sometimes half ris
ing with the evident Intention of
arousing Jack; then bis mood would
change, aud after some moments of
Indecision, he would again sink upon
his bed.
Hardened crimlnnl that he was he
kuew bis duty, but he was selfish
enough to fight against and at last
overcome the promptings of his con
science, as be well knew that bis
chances for escape alone were small.
If be could but persuade Jack to go
with him, why, he could then find
some means of proving his Innocence.
In fact Joe fully made up bis mind to
tell Jack all as soon as they were free.
so the "still small voice within" was
silenced.
After that night Joe kept constantly
urging Jack to accompany him In his
attempt at escape, and at last gained
his reluctant consent.
For some time Joe had been at work
in the harness shop of the prison, and
upon every opportunity he possessed
himself of thongs and bits of leather.
A large steel ring aud a small file were
also deftly concealed in his clothing
nnd conveyed to the cell. Then the full
details of the plan were unfolded to
Jack, who was amazed at the Ingenui
ty of his comrade.
It look some time for the ring to be
filed Into a hook, which was mode
very sharp. Then it was carefully
covered with pieces of leather wound
around In sneh a manner that only the
point was visible. After this was com
pleted, many wearisome nights were
spent, one of the men standing upon
the shoulders of the other, working
alternately to remove the bars from
the window.
At last this, too, was accomplished,
the narrow strips were cut from their
blunkets, which, strengthened by the
leather thongs, were braided Into a
stout rope to which the hook was se
curely fastened. Now came the most
tedious task of all, nnd many nights
were spent iu futile attempts to throw
the hook over the edge of the cornice
aud catch It firmly there. Huudreds
of times the hook fell back, and but
for Its leather covering, would have
struck the bricks with a riuglug sound.
Sometimes the hook cuught nnd held
slightly, and the hear.3 of both men
would beat fast with hope, only to
have their spirits drop to the depths
of despair the next moment, when the
hook loosened and fell.
But eveu lu this their work was re
warded, nud there came a time when
t lie hook caught aud held, the com
bined weight of both men iu the cell
falling to dislodge It. The two prison
ers stood for n moment gazing ut each
other, speechless with emotion. The
next Instant their bauds clasped, nnd
each promised the other to uotify his
friends lu case any accident befell blm.
Joe, promised to find some wuy to tell
Nellie of Jack's fate, but when Jack
was asked to tell Joe's mother where
she would Hnd tbf last stolen valuables
he drew buck Involuntarily, for lu
Hie close friendship existing between
them he bad not thought of Joe as a
criminal, only unfortunate. But to
suddenly realize that even Joe'B moth
er was implicated, and bad no doubt
encouraged her son was r. shock to the
honest but foolish said eosy-jfolng Jack
it was only it second, however, tbnt
he hesitated, then ho pledged bis
word.
Joe Insisted upon trying the hook
first, nnd as he pushed himself 'through
the window and swung slowly out In
to that terrlbh space. Jack held firm
ly lo hli clothing. He feit sick when
ho thought of the consequence If the
book should slip or the Improvised
rope break. He breathed more free
ly when he saw Joe, after only a slight
hesitation, start carefully to ascend
the rope. He soou reached the corn
ice, and in another moment was on the
roof. Adjusting the hook somewhat
he leaned over the edge of It nud sig
naled to Jack, and, he, too, made the
ascent In safety.
Crouching low for a few seconds
they waited breathlessly, but heurd no
sound. Thus fur they had beeu uiiob
served. Taklug the hook nud rope,
they crept cautiously along iu the
shadow of the cornice to the cortier of
the building, from which they lowered
themselves to the roof of auother, mid
from this they swung out and down
upon the wull, and then to the ground
and freedom.
Jack, who descended first, waited for
Joe, nud for a moment the two stood
In silence. Neither spoke. Jack felt
fairly burst iug with emotion. To be
outside of those walls free was more
than be could realize. It seemed too
good to be true. But suddenly the
booming peal of a bell and the sharp
clatter 'of feet aroused them, and they
started to run.
Then came a yell, loud and terrible,
changing quickly from rage to exulta
tion. A shot rang out then several
others, followed by the spiteful hum
of many bullets. Jack ran as he never
ran before. Joe was slightly In ad
vance, nnd Jack saw ..lm Tiesltate nnd
stumble, then with his hands tossed
high above his bead, ne staggered and
sank down.
In a ttash Jack was kneeling beside
him. Joe turned toward bin mutter
ing:
'Are you mad? do! For God's soke,
Jack, save yourself! Don't waste youi
own life!"
'No! I will not go. Are yon badly
hurt, Joe?" asked Jnck, as bis comrade
dropped back into Ills outstretched
arms.
They were almost linmedlntely sur
rounded by the guards, tint Jack lift
ed the wounded man upon his knee,
holding him close against blm wltb
one arm, while with his free band he
tore open the neck of Joe's shirt, upon
which a crimson stain now appeared.
As Joe sank back limply, Jack shook
him, crying:
"Don't give way, old fellow! Here,
Joe, don't die!"
But the head on his shoulder only
sank the closer.
Suddenly he opened bis eyes, and
seeing the guards, said between guspi
of pain and weakness:
"Jack, I'm done for. Don't think too
hard of me because I didn't tell you. 1
couldn't help it I knew you wouldn't
come. Forgive me If you can, I knew
all the time since that night that 1
was the man who sold you that horse
You are witnesses," be said fnlterlngly
to the gunrds. "Tell them governor
be Is Innocent. I stole the horse and
saddle and sold them to him for twen
ty dollars at Pawnee crossing in
Oklahoma. I never knew of the ar
rest. Jack, but when I enme here 1
thought you were the fellow didn't
know for sure till Uint night you told
me nbout Nellie. Forgive I'm done
for this time."
Then, arousing himself with almost
superhuman effort, be agalu stam
mered to the guards:
'See, I'm dying you are witnesses.
Jack didn't steal them I did Cntons
vllle, Oklahoma. Met Jack two days
after coming from Kaw Reservation.
Didn't know hlin didn't care jusl
wanted to get rid of stolen stuff. H
was drunk. Forgive me, Jack If you
He stormed sneaking, bis head sank.
and the body stiffened In Jack's arms,
waveney Magazine.
THE CHURCH "AD." TAKES.
Ohio MlnUter Puts It In Display Typ
una says i oiaHei convert!.
A decided Innovation In church cir
cles has been Introduced by the Rev.
Dr. K. E. YVbittaker, of Ashtabula,
Ohio, pastor of the Park Street Meth
dist Episcopal Church. He Is using
large display newspaper advertising
to announce his church services, and
testifies to the fact that two ten-lucb
advertisements resulted in doubling
bis average Sunday evening attend
ance nnd were Instrumental in mak
ing converts to religion. His adver
tisements are set double measure, "top
of column next to reading matter."
They are written In an attractive man
ner, and nre set in heavy, black-faced
type. Here Is a sample of one of
them:
"Wanted A few more saints, a few
more men, a few more Methodists, a
few more sinners, to become saints.
Meeting to-night at the First M. E.
Church. Subject: 'Fools nnd Theii
Companions.' "
The dodger cannot take the place of
a newspaper display advertisement,
the Rev. Whittuker says, and he is not
satisfied with the "Church Notices"
department. Dr. Wblttaker pays full
rates for bis advertising.
The Chemlntrr of Soil.
Undoubtedly, one of the most won
derful discoveries of modern chemis
try has to do with the soil. It bin
been ascertained that the most barren
lund can be made rich simply by add
ing to It certain mineral clement!
which cost but little. On this basis
It Is estimated that the United States
will be ablo eventually to maintain
500,000,000 . people more than one
third of the present population of the
world. It Is merely a question of sup
plying the reqnlslte quantities of ni
trogen, phosphoric acid and potash.
The lust '.wo are readily obtainable at
small expense, whereas the first may
be supplied cither by furnishing to tb
soil condensed nitrogen In the shnpe ol
slaughter waste or nitrate of soda, oi
by planting clover, beans or peas
which have an affinity for nitrogen
nnd ab orb It from the atmosphere.
It Is now known that nitrogen Is the
most important plaut food, and Inns
much us this element composes four
fifths of the atmosphere the question
Is merely to absorb it into the soli. II
has also como to be understood that
only two per cent, of the material oi
plants Is derived from the soil, the re
malnlng nlnety-clght per cent, being
drawn from the air and from water
it has been learned that certain spe J
cleg of bacteria absorb nitrogen, und
these may be propagated in moist ,
earth, and the earth thus treated
sprinkled over the land. Philadelphia
Saturday Evening Post.
Mai-lilne lo Lick I'ostHKe Stumps.
As a result of the persistent com
plaints of persons licklug postugt
stamps the French Minister of Posts
Telephones nud Telegrnph Instructed
the engineers attached to his depart
ment to design a slot stamping ma
chine. Two types nro now being ex j
perlmented with, lu one, nfter tin
coin Is inserted, the machine wets nn ,
affixes the stamp automatically If tin
letter Is properly placed. The othei
weighs the letter, shows the iimounl '
of postage required nnd linmeiliatelj
upon the Insertion of the price tin
stamp Is printed directly from lukec1 I
plates. Both machines nre speedy anf
reliable. Every French postofflce wll
be provided with several us goon ut
they can be manufactured.
An Kpltmpli.
In tho churchyard of Leigh, neni
Boltou, will be found a tombBtoui
bearing the following amazing sen
fence: "A virtuous woman Is us. ti
her husband." The explanation seenu
to bo that space prevented "a crown'
being cut lu full, aud the gtouemasoi
argued that a crown equals 6s. Notoi
aud Queries. '
THE MINISTRY OF TEARS.
Dr. Talmage Pud Forth the Misfortunes
. ol Life In Cheerful Manner.
II Our Trouble Are Borne la the Right Spirit
They Key Prove to Be Advantages
Ood the First Petoit.
CfflprrlKht I9M.1
NE Yonn Citt. A vast audience
crowded the Academy of Music in this
city to hear Dr. Talmnjre. Discoursing on
"The Ministry of Tears" he put forth the
misfortunes of life in ft cheerful light
showing that if they were borne in the
right spirit they might, prove to lie advan
tages His text was Rev. vii, 17, "And
God shall wipe away ail tears from their
eyes."
What a spectacle a few weeks ago when
the nations were in tears! Queen Vic
toria ascended from the highest throne on
earth to a throne in heaven. The prayer
more often offered than any prayer for the
last sixty-four years hsd been answered,
and God did save the Queen. All round
the world the bells were telling, and the
minute guns were booming at the obse
quies of the most honored woman of many
centuries. As near four years ago the
Knglish and American nations shook
hands in congratulation at the Queen's
jubilee, so in these times two nations
shook hands in mournful sympathy at the
Queen's departure. No people outside
Crest Britain so deeply felt that mighty
grief as our people. The cradles of many
of our ancestors were rocked in Grent Bri
tain. Thor.e ancestors plaved in childhood
on the banks of the Tweed, or the Thames
or the .Shannon. Take from our veins the
English blood, or the Welsh blood, or the
Irish blood, or the Scotch blood, and the
stream of our life would be a mere shal
low. There are over there hone of our
bone, and flesh of our flesh. It is our Wil
berforce, our Coleridge, our I)e Quincey,
our Robert Burns, our John Wesley, our
John Knox, our Thomas Chalmers, our
Walter Scott, our Bishop Charnock, our
Latimer, our Ridley, our Robert Emmet,
our Daniel O'Connell, our Hnvelock, our
Ruski n, our Gladstone, our good and great
and glorious Victoria.
The language in which we offered the
English nation our condolence is the same
langunee in which John Hunyan dreamed
and Milton sang and Shakespeare drama
tized and Richard Baxter praved and
George Whitefield thundered. The Prince
of Wales, now King, paid reverential visit
to Washington's tomb at Mount Vernon,
and Longfellow's statue adorns Westmins
ter Abbev, and Abraham Lincoln in
bronze looks down upon Scotland's capi
tal. It was natural that thee two na
tions be in tears. But I am not going to
speak of national tears, but of individual
tears and iliblo tears.
Riding across a Western prairie, wild
flowers no to the hub of the carriage
wheel and while a long distance from anv
shelter, there came a sudden shower, and
while the rain was falling in torrents the
sun was shining as brightlv as I ever saw
it shine, and I thought what a beautiful
spectacle is this! So the tears of the
Bible are not midnight storm, but rain on
pansied prairies in God's sweet and golden
sunlighf.
You remember that bottle which David
labeled as containing tears and Mary's
tears and Paul's tears and Christ's tears
and the harvest of joy that is to soring
from the sowing of tears. God mixes them;
God rounds them; God shows them where
to fall; God exhales them. A census is
taken of them, and there is ft record as to
the moment when they are born and as to
the place of their grave.
Tears of bad men are pot kept. Alex
ander in his sorrow had the hair clipped
from his horses and mules and made a
great ado about his grief, but in all the
vases of heaven there is not one of Alex
ander's tears. I speak of the tears of
God's children. Alas, nic, they are falling
all the time!
In summer you sometimes hear the
growling thunder, and you see there is a
storm miles away, but you know from the
drift of the clouds that it will not come
anywhere near you; so, though it may be
all bright around about you, there is a
shower of trouble somewhere all the time.
Tears, tears!
What is the use of them, anvhow? Why
not substitute laughter? Why not make
this a world where all the people are wel'
and eternal strangers to pains and aches?
What is the use ol an eastern storm when
we might have a perpetual nor' wester ? Why,
when a family is put together, not have
them all stay, or, if they must be trans
planted to make other homes, then have
them all live, the family record telling
story of marriages and births, but of no
deaths? Why not have tho harvests
chase each other without fatiguing toil?
Why the hard pillow, the hard crust, the
hard struggle? It is easy enough to ex
plain a smile or a success or a congratula
tion, but come now and bring all your dic
tionaries and all your philosophies and all
your religions nnd help me explain a tear.
A chemist will tell you that it is mndo
up of salt and lime and other component
parts, but he misses the chief ingredients
the acid of a soured life, the viperine
sting of a bitter memory, the fragments of
a broken heart. I will tell you what a tear
is. It is agony in solution. Hear, then,
while I discourse of the ministry of tears
or the practical uses of sorrow:
First, it is the design of trouble to keep
this world from being too attractive.
Something must be done to make us will
ing to quit this existence. If it were not
for trouble, this world would bo n good
enough heaven for us. You and I would
be willing to take a lease of this life for a
hundred million years if there wero no
trouble. The earth, cushioned and up
holstered and pillared and chandeliered at
such expense, no story of other worlds
could enchant us. We would say. "Let
well enough alone. If you want to die nnd
have your body disintegrated in the dust
and your soul go out on a colestial adven
ture, then you can go, but this world is
good enough for me. You might us well
go to a man who has just entered the
Louvre at Puris and tell him to hasten off
to the picture galleries of Venice or Flor
ence. "Why," he would sav. "what is the
use of my going there? There are Rem
bruitclts and Rubenses and Titians here
that I have not looked at yet." No man
wants to go out of this world or out of
am- house until he has a better house.
To cure this wish to stav here God must
somehow create a disgust for our surround
ings. How shall He do it? He cannot af
ford to eftuce His horizon, or to tear off ft
fiery panel from the sunset, or to subtract
an untlier from the water lily, or to banish
the pungent aroma from the mignonette,
or to drag the robes of tho morning iu
mire.
You cannot expect a Christopher Wren
to mar his St. Paul's cathedral, or a Mi
chael Angelo to dush out his own "Last
Judgment," or a Handel to discord his
"Israel iu Egypt," and you cannot expect
God to spoil the architecture and music of
His own world. How, then, are wo to be
mude willing to leave? Hera is where
trouble comes in.
After a man has had a good deal of
trouble he says: "Well, I am ready to go.
If tiiere is a house somewhere whose roof
does not leak, I would like to live there.
If there is an atmosphere somewhere that
does not distress the lungs, I would lik 9 to
breathe it. If there is a soeietv some
where where there is no tittle tattle, I
would like to live there. If there is a
home circle somewhere where I can find
my lost friends. I would like to go there."
lie used to read the first part of the llihle
chiefly. Why has he changed Genesis for
Revolution? Ah, he u.ed to be anxious
chiefly to know how this world was made
and all about its geological construction.
Now he is chiefly anxious to know how
the next world whs made, and how it looks
and who live there, and how ihev dress.
He reads Revelation ten times now where
he roads Genesis once. The old story, "In
the beginning God created the heavens
and the earth,' docs not tluiil him half
us the other story, "1 uw m.w leavt.u
and a new earth.
The old man's hand trembles as he turns
over this apocalyptical l.-ui, and lu 1ms
to t.ike out his hundkorchief to wine his
spectacles. The Look of Revelation is a
nrospertus now of the country into which
lie is soon to iiiiinigi-tue. the country in
which he has lots already laid out and
avenues opened and mansions built.
It is trouble, my friend, thai nmlces us
feel uur dependence upon God. We do
not know our Wu weakness or God's
strength until the last idauk break. It is
contemptible iu us that oulv when time
hold of God Hhy, do you know who the
L,oiU u? He u uot autocrat seated
tar up in a palace, from wnicn He emerges
once year, preceded by heralds swinging
sword, to clear the war. No; He is i
father, willing at our call to stand by as
in every crisis and predicament of life. I
tell you what some of you business men
make me think of. A man is unfortunate
in his business. He has to raise good
deal of money and raise it quicklv. He
borrows on word and note all he can bor
row. After a while he puts s mortgage on
Ins house; after a while he puts a second
mortgage or. his house. Then he puts a
hen on his furniture; then he makes over
his life insurance: then he assigns all his
property; then he goes to his father-in-law
and asks for help. Well,
haying failed everywhere, completely
failed, he gels down on his knees
and says: "O Lord, I have tried
everybody and everything: now help me
out of this financial trouble!" He makes
God the last resort instead of the first re
sort. A young man goes off from home to earn
his fortune. He goes with his mother's
consent and benediction. She has large
wealth, but he wants to make his own
fortune, lie goes far away, falls sick and
gets out of money. He sends for the hotel
keeper where he is staying, asking for le
nience, and the answer he gets is, "If you
do not pay lip Saturday night you'll be re
moved to the hospital." The young man
sends to a comrade in the same budding;
no help. He writes to a banker who was
ft friend of his deceased father; no relief.
Saturday night comes, and he is moved to
the hospital. Getting here, he is frenzied
with grief, and he borrows a sheet of
paper and a postage stamp, and he sits
down, and he writes home: "Dear mother,
I am sick unto death. Come." It is twen
ty minutes of 10 o'clock when she gets the
letter. At 10 o'clock the train starts. She
is five minutes from the depot. She gets
there in time to have five minutes to
spare. She wonders why the train that
can go forty miles an hour cannot go
eighty miles an hour. She rushes into the
hospital. She says: "My son, what does
all this mean? Why did you not send for
me? You sent to everybody but me. You
knew I would and could help you. Is this,
the reward I get for my kindness to vou
always? ' She bundles him up, takes him
home and gets him well very soon.
i, 1-.U1V, some oi you treat nod just as that
young man treated his mother. When you
get into a financial perplexity you call on
the banker, you call on the broker, vou
call on your creditors, you call on your
lawyer for legal counsel, you call upon
everybody, and when you cannot get anv
help then you go to God. You say, "(')
Lord, I come to Thee! Help me now out
of my perplexity." And the Lord comes,
though it is in the eleventh hour. He
says: "Why did you-not send for Me be
fore? As one whom his mother comfort
eth i so will I comfort you." It is to throw
us back upon God that we have this minis
try of tears.
Your troubles are educational. I go
into the office of a lapidary, an artificer in
precious stones, and I see him at work on
one precious stone for a few minutes, and
he puts it aside finished. I see him take
up another precious stone, and he works
on that all the afternoon, and I come in
the next day and still find him working on
it, and he is at work on it all the week.
I say to him, "Why did you put only
twenty minutes' work on that one precious
atone and put a whole week on this
other?" "Oh," he says, "that one upon
which I put only twenty minutes' work is
of but little worth, and I soon got through
with it. But this precious stone upon
which I have put such prolonged and care
ful work tis of vast value, and it is to flash
in a king's coronet." So God lets one man
go through life with only a little cutting
of misfortune, for he docs not amount to
much, he is a small soul and of compara
tively little value, but this other is of
great worth, and it is cut of pain, and cut
of bereavement, and cut of persecution,
and cut of all kinds of trouble, and
through many years, and I ask, ''Dear
Lord, why all this prolonged and severe
process?" and God says: '"i'his soul is of
infinite value, and it is to flash in a king's
coronet. He shall bo Mine in the day
when I make up My jewels."
You know, on a well-spread table the
food becomes more delicate ut the last. I
have fed you to-day with the bread of con
solation. Let the table now be cleared,
and let us set on the chalice of heaven.
Let the King's cupbearers come in. "Oh."
snys some critic in the audience, "the
Bible contradicts itself. It intimates again
and again that there are to be no tears
in heaven, and if there be no tears in heav
en how is it possible that God will wipe
ony awuy?" I answer, "Have you never
seen a child crying one moment and laugh
ing the next and while she was laughing
you saw the tears still on her face?" And
perhaps you stopped her in the very midst
of her resumed glee and wined off those
delayed tears. So I think after the heav
enly raptures have come upon us there
may be tho mark of some earthly grief,
nnd w hilt; these tears are glittering in the
light of the jasper sea God will wipe them
away. How well He can do that!
Friends, if we could get any apprecia
tion what God has in reserve for us, it
would make us so homesick we would be
unfit for our every-day work. Professor
leonard, formerly of Iowa University, put
in my hands a meteoric stone, a stone
thrown off from some other world to this.
How suggestive it was to me! And I have
to tell you the best Representations we
have of heaven are only aerolites flung off
from that world which rolls on, bearing
the multitude of the redeemed. We ana
lyze these aerolites and find them crystal
lizations of tears. No wonder, flung oft
from heaven! "God shall wipe away all
tears from their eyes."
Have you any appreciation of the good
and glorious times your friends are having
in heaven? How different it is when they
get news there of a Christian's death from
what it is here! It is the difference be
tween embarkation and coming into port.
Everything depends upon which side of
the river you stand when you hear of a
Christian's death. If you stand on this
side of the river, you mourn that they go;
if you stand on the other side of the river
you rejoice that they come.
Do you not this moment catch a glimpse
of the towers? Do you not hear a note of
the eternal harmony? Some of you may
remember the old Crystal Palace in this
city of New York. I came in from my
country home a verdant lad and heard in
that Crystal Palace the first great music
I had ever heard. Jullien gave a concert
there, and there were 3o;X) voices and 301)0
players upon instruments, and I was
mightily impressed with the fact that Jul
lien controlled the harmony with the mo
tion of his hand and foot, beating time
with the one and emphasizing with the
other. To nie it was overwhelming. But
ail that wus tame compared with the scene
and the sound when the ransomed shall
come from the east, and the west, and the
north, and the south, and sit down in the
kingdom of God, myriads above myriads,
galleries above galleries, and Christ will
rise, and all heaven will rise with Him,
and with His wounded hand and wounded
foot He will conduct that harmony. "Like
the voice of many waters, like the voice of
mighty thundciiiigs, worthy is the Lamb
that was slain to receive riches and honor
and giory uud power, world without end."
For Milady's Dinner.
Cne of the newest ideas for the wa
man who gives dinners Is to soivc
peaches or nectarines which bear tlw
names of her guests. Borne time bu
foro to invitations are oont out shf
visits the fruiterer's and gives hJm Uie
names of the guests whom ah? ex
pects to eutoitaSn. Thete are cople.1
separately on tissue paer and then
are carefully cut out and pasted on the
sunny side of the still unrlpa pea-.:h ot
nectarine,. Au the fruit ripens tnd
bluidios the name remains wrltteD
ucrot'B Its fair chock In white or deli
cate pink.
A IIinio-M:i;ln I.llirnry,
U. W. Pearco, bl yea. a of aire, a ro
tlred printer aud editor of Newport,
it. I., has what Is probably tho mcst
unique library In Rhode Island, if no:
In New Eugland. It Is composed
wholly of scrap books, numborlut;
about 100, all made within rocent
ycura. Dm lug all of that time ho has
purchased duplicate coplia of the
Utlca Saturday Globe each woek lu
order lo use matter from each ot the
pages.
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
International Lesson Comments For
March 17.
Subject: Jesat sad Pilate, Lake axllL, 13-26-
Ooldet Text, Lake Mill. 4Mcmory
Verses, 20-24Commentai7 eo
the Day's Lesion.
Introduction. We left Jesus condemned
by an irregular meeting of the Sanbedrin,
hastily called together during the night,
it the palace of the high priest. The Han
hedrin reassembled at daybreak (Matt. 27:
1; Mark 15: 1; Luke 71: 6671), at their
proper place of meeting in the council
chamber near the temple gate. A formal
vote was taken and Jesus was taken to
the Roman court before Pilate for the ap
proval of the sentence.
13. "And Pilate." Ilia capital was at
Cesarea, but it was his custom to go to
Jerusalem at the times of the great festi
vals for the purpose of securing order.
Writers speak of "his corruption, his acts
of insolence, his habit of insulting the peo
ple, his cruelty, his continual murders of
people untried and uncondemned. The
Jews naturally expected that he would
willingly put Jesus to death without spe
cial inquiry into His guilt. Pilate greatly
hated the Jews, but he was afraid of them
lest they should report him to the em
peror at Rome; which they did six years
later, and he was deposed. "Called to
gether." Pilate summons the rulers and
the people and makes another strong ap
peal to them in order to get their consent
to release Christ. Instead of calling them
together he should have dispersed them
as a riotous and seditious assembly.
14. "As one that perverteth." As one
that has taught doctrines injurious to your
religion, and also to the civil peace and the
Roman Government. "Having examined."
At the first trial he had heard all that
could be brought against Him. "No
fault." They had failed to prove ft single
charge.
15. "Nor yet Herod." Christ had trav
eled extensively in Galilee and yet Herod
brings no charge thut He had ever at
tempted to raise an insurrection among
the Galileans. "He sent Him back unto
us" (R. V.) This involved a distinct ac
quittal of our Lord from every political
charge brought against Him. Had He in
any way been guilty of (1) perverting the
people, (2) forbidding to pay tribute, or
(3) claiming to be a king, it would Lave
been Herod's duty, and still more to his
interest, to punish Him. His dismissal of
the case was ft deliberate avowal of His
innocence. "Is done unto Him." "Noth
ing worthy of death hath been done by
Him." R. V. '
16. "Chastise Him." John says that Ti
Into took Jesus and scourged Him, but
this was not done till little later. The
evangelists "make it clear that the scourg
ing was inflicted as a separate punishment,
in the hope that it would suffice, and not
merely as the usual accompaniment of cru
cifixion." The scourge of leather thongs
was loaded with lead or armed with spikes
and bones, which lacerated the back, chest
and face till the victim sometimes fell
down before the judge a bleeding mass of
torn flesh. Thus "He was wounded for
our transgressions, He was bruised for our
iniquities, the chastisement of our peace
was upon Him, and by Hie stripes we art!
healed." "And release Him." Pilate
hoped that when they saw Jesus scourged
they would be satisfied, but not so; they
were clamoring for His blood, and nothing
short of death on ft cross would satisfy
them.
17. "Must release one." This verse is
omitted in the Revised Version. But see
the parallel accounts. This custom was in
harmony with the nature of the feast and,
however it originated, was so completely
established that Pilate was obliged to at
tend to it.
18. "Thev cried out all InantW in
.) The chief priest moved the people
(Mark 13: 11); they were like a pack of
bloodthirsty wolves. "Barabbas." An in
surrectionist, a robber and a murderer.
He was actually guilty of much worse
crimes than they had charged against
Jesus.
10. "Insurrection made in the city" (R.
V.) ' He had a short time before this evi
dently been a ringleader in an outbreak in
Jerusalem against the Roman Govern
ment. 20. "Willing to release Jesus." It was
probably at this time, while the people
were clamoring for His death so loudly
that tho messenger came from Pilate's
wile (Matt. 27: 19), urging the release of
Jesus, and stating thut she had just suf
fered many things in a dream because of
Him.
21. "Crucify, crucify Him" (R. V.) Let
Him die the most ignominious death pos
sible. 22. "What evil hath He done?" How
many and what various persons bear testi
mony to the innocence of the Holy One
Pilate, Herod, Pilate's wife, Judas Isca
riot, the thief on the cross, and the centu
rion at the crucifixion. "And let Him go."
Pilate is laboring hard to release Him; he
could have ended this whole matter with
one word. It was at this juncture that
Pilate asked, What shall I do then with
Jesus, which is called Christ?
2.3. "Instant." Insistent, urgent. "Pre
vailed." The reason why He finally yield
ed seems to have been the one given in
John 10: 12, If thou let this man go, thou
art not Caesar's friend; whosoever maketh
himself a king, seaketb against Caesar.
24. "Pilate gave sentence." Before Pi
late pronounced the sentence he took
water and washed his hands publicly, thus
expressing in acts what he uttered in
words, "I am innocent of tho blood of this
just Person; see ye to it." Mitt. 27: 24.
Pilate again ascends the judgment seat,
which was set up in a raised place in the
open square, and delivers his final decree.
Jestis is now mocked the third time, about
8 o'clock l-'riday morning, in the court of
Pilate's palace. Matt. 27 : 20-30; Mark 15:
lj-19; John IB: 1-3. When Jesus is brought
out belore them Pilate makes one last ef
for to release Him. John 10: 4-15. Now
it is that he permits Jesus to be scourged
hoping thut will satisfy them, but the cry
is still, "Crucify Him," and He is taken
back into the court and His own rlr,tl,
uro put upon Him.
2. "Laid hold." Compelled. "Simon
o. t yrene (R. V.) Cyri ne was a city sit
uated in a province of the same name
r,. ' ,'Ky,a on tlie Mediterranean Sea.
I here was a colony of .lews in Cvrcne.
and they had a synagogue in Jerui-ulem!
Acts 0: 9. "CoiiiniL. out nf th
They were tnkimr .l.-mu o f .....
and they met this ,,, ..n,,,- r.y'
,, ,, ........ a.iu. il aii.'r
.Jestis. He nsaisted .Ihii !, ...
ua exhausted Klm(,n bore the hinder
part., Jesus the fore part.
The Bull and the Honnat.
FiiHhlon has decreed the wenring ot
Bold roses, with green foliage, In la
dies' hats. An incident which took
plui e at the Dublin Cuttle Show sug
gests that the new mode possesses
disadvantages hitherto unsuspected.
K lady armed with a drawing-block
and pencil, says the Freeman's Jour
nal, was sketching one of the big,
black polled bulls, and backed away to
set a good view of him, until she heed
Icsuly brought herself within range of
a similar beast on the opposite side.
Hull No, 2 being thirsty and bored,
took note of tho gleaming rose and
succulent-looking leaves worn In the
ludy's headgear, and. made a snatch at
then, lie obtained more thuu he
haraulned for no less than the whole
hat and then the astonishing specU
cle was witnessed of on Intrepid wom
an attacking a b.nte Ilka a blutk buf
falo with a R pencil. '
In one of IVan Rwirt's lrtt?:s he Ri
I'ltles to the fact that, lu his diy, tin
shops cf the po:fuuia.$ lu London wer
loungiux places for yotini; nohl mei;
aud other fiUhtonablo idler.
EPW0RTH LEAGUE MEETING TOPICS.
Marci 17-"Christ Oar Hl(k Priest." Hek
rB.. 24-U.
The Epistle to the Hebrew is one of
the most careful and elaborate pieces
of argumentation in the whole Bible,
and one of the most remarkable produc
tions in all literature. In chapter iii.
1-6 and iv. 14, y. 11, the author endeav
ors to show that Christianity is the final
religion, and thus that it supersedes
Judaism. He supports this by the fact
that Jesus is greater than Moses, Joshua
nnd the founder of the Jewish system
by as much as the architect who con
ceives the idea and plan of a building
is superior to the mere mechanics wh
follow his directions in constructing it;
and by the fact that Jesus more than
met the conditions of priesthood which
he names in iv. 14-v, 10, as follows: The
Hinh Priest must be called not of men.
but of God, must offer sacrifice for him
self as well as for his people; must i
mild-spirited toward the ignorant and
wandering; must be taken. from men ami
must be appointed of Cod to offer gifts
and sacrifices for sins.
As the Jewish high priest kept the
idea of holiness and atonement for sin
before the people, so his Sonship, his
mediation in which he showed the char-
i.eter of God to man perfectly in terms
ot human understanding, and brought
man back to God in terms of Godlike
character, constitutes his high-priestly
right and proclaims him higher than the
Jewish priest, as his presentation of God
to the people was by a method suffi
cient for all time. The ancient priest of
Israel, himself morally stained, must
offer a brute beast physically faultless,
a mere shadowy emblem of holiness;
Jesus, the High Priest of humanity, of
fered himselt, an exact embodiment of
lovinR obedience to divine will, of per
fect holiness, of self-effacing devotion
to the well-being of man; and just be
cause the offering was the very ideal of
pcricct sacrifice it need not be repeated
it was once for all.
Christianity is not ritual and cere
mony, but spirit and life. See the pas
sage in John vi. 60-65, in which Jesus
himself explains this. Christianity is a
lite, a spirit of search after truth, a per
fect consecration to truth in which the
soul pants as the heart pants for the
water brook, to know the truth, to do
the truth, and to be the truth; and hence
it includes everything which helps !o
bring man to his broadest and deepest
self. v
Jesus, our chief leader, showed us that
our highest development may go on
even through a life attended by sorrows.
ov incvitaoic suttenng and misfortune.
tie answered the soul s need bv inter
preting God to man, by restoring us the
picture of our trv.e destiny, and by show
ing us now suttenng and sacrifice may
be turned to elorv and orofit. He un
derwent all that man undergoes, even
unto death itself, yet came to a great
triumph which was gloriously complet
ed by his resurrection and immortality.
Thus he begets that character which
renders God propitious to us and ren
ders us eternally approved before God.
CHRISTIAN ENftEAYOR TOPICS.
March 17 - "Christ
Oar Bill
Priest."
tick TlL. 24-28.
Scripture Verses. As our High
Priest, Christ has redeemed us by his
blood, (1) From sin and death. Col. ii.
13; 14. '5; (2) From the power of Sa
tan, Heb. ii. 14. 15, 17; (3) Reconciled
us with God; Eph. ii. 16; (4) Purchas
ed and delivered us out of our state of
tin and wrath. Eph. ii. 13.
Lesson Thoughts.
"The high priest alone could enter
the holy of holies. 'No man hath seen
God at any time.' "
"The high priest, while pure himself,
must bear before God his people's sins.
"He hath made him to b sin for us, who
knew no sin.' "
Selections.
When Aaron entered the Most Hoiy
Flacc, he was bound to carry the names
of the tribes of Israel upon his shoulders
nnd upon his breast, on his shouldcis
in token that he bore the burden of their
wickedness and infirmities; upon hi
breast in token of bis love and care for
theru. Such a High Priest is our Advo
cate. He died to make satisfaction.
He lives to make intercession. We are
on his shoulders, to have our burdens
borne for us. We are near his heart,
that he may both die and live for us.
Suppose a king's son should get out
of a besieged prison, and leave his wife
and children behind, whom he loves is
his own soul; would the prince, when he
arrived at his father's palace, please and
delight himself with the splendor of the
court, and forget his family in distress?
Nor will Christ, though gone up from
the world and ascended into his glorv.
forget bis children for a moment that
are left behind him.
"A child," saith Ambrose, "that :s
willing to present his father with a bo
quct, goes into the garden, and gathers
llowcrs and weeds together; but coming
to his mother, she picks out the weed,
and binds the flowers, and so it is pre
sented to the Father." Thus, when we
have put up our prayers. Christ as our
interceding High Priest conies, an:l
picks away the weeds, the sin of our
prayers, and presents nothing but fl-iw-crs
to his Father, which are a sweet
smelling savor.
RAM'S HORN BLASTS.
HE groat question
iT-W7 I s not, are ;
rAj- JL dy to die.
VS. yn rfl you ready
you rea-
but are)
you ready to live
Y 1 , J f-Y
again?
Men are ever rea
dy to amend tha
gospel and tben
put the amendment
first.
Giving love by
the way Is the way
to pelting love.
If you do not fle
from tho devil yuu
will be fleeced.
Tho gilt on the ginger bread does the
hungry little good. t,
Only be ran secure success who la
willing to face failure
The dauce Is as much the propaganda
of hell as the gospel Is that of heaven.
Vou cannot expect to feel at home In
the church while you etuy out on tho
stoop.
The skeptic hits ut the New Testa
ment miracles with a view of hurting
IU morals.
Many preachers yield to n reversed
tomptutlou; they tura.the bread lu'.o
stones.
There Is no promise that the church
which Is a poor beggur will rest iu
Abraham's bosom.
There Is a tremendous chasm be
tween (he poetry we r.pplau.l an:t t'au
prose we upply.
The ttretite t contradiction is tbe
church thut pretends to pruy to Cud
whjle It preys 011 the well I.
itiun v!y