Exeter Advocate, 1905-05-04, Page 3•
HIS LAST WORDS UN EARTH
The Son of God Said : h(I Was Thirsty
and Ye Gave Me Drink."
Jesus knotting that all things were
note accomplished, that the strife
tun' might be f .11 iled, suit'', 1
thirst. -St, John, xix., `d8.
These are the last words of the
Son of Man before His death to ruan-
kind. '1 hey ate uttered for a put' -
pose by one dying in full possession
of Itis fucultie . All uttered from
the cross before seems to discourage
human espiratlons; this unites thin
pith the feeblest e•ry of human Ileele
No , tie no weak, bo feeble, so ut-
terly a waif in the gutter that ho
cunuot Join in this cry; aye, a dog
can whine it! The lonely Ono of
Calvary never for a moment forgets
His mission. Every little ono may
understand His lust word. The very
mod et His suffering [loch rings out
as His message fur the centuries.
Thea sante a hand that created a tongue
to cleave to the jaws by thirst has
turned it into the sweetest message
ever read by true hearts and sincere
lives.
1f one look for a sign of the divine
nature of this Man 1 t hint go hack
and stark how caretelly lie has pre-
pared for this Ilio last will and tes-
tament before the cress has forced it
from His lips. He has set forth the
final judgment when Ile in ills glory
1,is to return to earth, not desolate
and alone, but with
ALh 1'111; HOLY ANGELS
and the crowd of earth around Iiim.
The whale scene is now reversed and
the desolate One has the companion-
ship of heaven and the fakirs of t'eli-
,gion tremble in the sOlit le of fears.
His lest words on earth were heard
by a poor mercenary of the Roman
Emperor, hired to stand at the cross
until the end. This poor soldier had
taken a sponge and dipped it in his
vessel of wine and touched it to tho
lira of the crucified One. Poor fel-
low, he little knew how in coming
celttoles Wren would envy hint this
single act of a completely human
heart.
This mere impulse of a sweet hu -
nein nature had marked the brink of
n gulf between God and man, and on
the other side, separated by centur-
ies, stands the One n leo had thirsted.
Across the gulf comes the long de-
ferred
o-ferred answer of the Son of Cod,
"t tats thirsty and y e gate 100
drink." 11etwo-'11 the Montan soldier
and the Son of Mau is the crowd in
tiro. gulf (we are in it), crying, "When
were you thirsty and when did we
give you drink's" And then the ten -
ger and fettered answer comes, "Inas-
nmuch as ye did it unto ono of the
least of these my brethren, ye did It
unto me,"
As you woold love me had I taken
your little child, lost and desolate,
thirsting and hungry. and given it
DRINK AND FOOD AND CARE.
eo now the Son of Cod declares that
as ye hate done it unto one of the
least of these yo have done it unto
Iiim. flow supremely simple -you
would do the sumo to me as God
would do unto , 0.i.
But pause a bit. What does ('twist
mean by tho "least"? Least is a
relative word. You may despise a
man fur his poverty and I may ad-
mire hint for his genius; ho may be
your least, while to me he is great.
We fill tho picture ottho judg-
ment before Christ with some poor
tramp to whom we have shown some
cheap bit of kindness while we have
overlooked the real import of the
words. Perhaps our "least" rode by
us in a carriage, wearing royal
robot. being least to us because of
our animosity, envy or hatred; be-
canso he had done us injury. had
taken from us the world's praise we
thought to be our right, while we at
great expense had assuaged his
thirst, for all leen have their hours
of deep solitude and anguish of spirit
and any ono of us may act the part
of the Ironman soldier.
. . . . . . . . . . .
.t..
6
1 Oil 11( [lie
♦j j
"Half a minute -just turn round! I
thought so; cup o' cocoa and a can-
dle, goin' up free and gratis to tee
man who hasn't paid his bare rent.
That':; done it!" Steve Parkin.
laboriously casting up his weekly
accounts with a stump of pencil.
rose as impressively as chronic t,ot:t
wiped permit. "Of course, you've
Lund out whether 'Geoarey Arnold'
is the name lie's known by outside.
or whether he's got some secret
sharin' my top -back room at three
bob a week? 1uit, you needn't rack
-about for some excuse to shield him.
Don't 1 know you're in love with the
feller's white face and wild evt':a?
Von wouldn't 1 o a woman if ton
weren't!" ilo smacked the table.
"You'd do any mortal thing to help
hint so long as he didn't find it out.
Nice thing for me, I mast say; my
only girl pultn' herself between the
tnnn Ann some crash that's on the
road here! Ain't all the neighbors
aski11' who washes and patches his
lineal ns careful an if it tens old
china? Ain't the other lodgers feel -
in' a draught? Ain't try own eyes
seen you listunin' on thein stairs
and snlugglin' up bits o' your own
meals 10 him on the quiet? I'll
watch it, from now! In lovo!-with
.a feller that p'r'ops line got (ho
shedder o' the rope roiled his neck!"
"A 11.'!" Mattle's own face ltd
Leen white enough as she stood at
bay at the foot of that eternal tread-
mill, the stnirease. It flamed sud-
denly red. i•'or once she emitted to
forget that she faced her oe n fa-
ther. "blow dare they hint, 01' you
repent, 811.11 n things!" she said,
shakily. "it's unt rue -wicked. -No;
I refuge to play spy on a gentleman!
Yes, I call him that; it's w'r'itten on
his flee, If you care to look. B.
cue,ee he slays in hie roots so much.
writ intie hard. and happens to be be-
hindhnnd with his rent---"
"fluid hard! Wrltin' what?" iso
interreipled, keenly. "Dummy livers
thnt'lI come hone here to roost, eh?
What about that?"
White scorn almost bea(►tferd Mat -
(10'5 worn face for the moment.
"You know better. it'q some
}sent hook -or will he. ile's .sensi-
tive; in) you enpert him to come on
the emirs and tnlk ebfgmt a hook?
One thing 1 know; he'll he famous
some day or other, ring he's paying
the price of it now in that room -
perhaps with hie health and happi-
ness. Yon Won't --you Won't go and
do something that )might haunt me
for ever afterwards!" she buret out,
alnloet wildly. ''1 tiny he'll pay rig,
wh111ever it costs Iiim. 1'11 answer
that far!"
'You will? Twin! Gets more inter-
` ratin' every minnit. Not a bad Nett
if ism into this at once." Steve
wan not counted n hard num. but
the gout kept hien jvrt•ish and per-
verse. He was apt to need remind-
ing that his frail. dark -eyed slip of a
mothertecs girl did every day the
work of t eco robust Women. Here's
tiny tea stone-cold along of him!
You're goin' up ain't you? 'Very
well; you jest Inform lir. Geoffrey
Arnol.l that 1 particularly wont that
room empty next week. Yon won't''"
-ns her lig* quivered and sot. "Then
that proven all the talk. Out ho
sinew 1'11 beg his pardon when he's
(semen amt rnnles Intek to pay what
N enter. Go on; I've got nothin'
more to soy to you. You're a Wo -
than -in love!"
Love! The word tang in her ears
ns she went mechanically up tho
long atuir. Ilow dared they say ite
When had there been anything In her
face to set them hinting It? Love
hint! -a born gentleman! •
Sho had been going to tap and
haft, knowing by now that the
lonely, striving man behind that
door listened for her smiling word as
the one gleam of fight and stinlult(s
in his tense life front day to ('ay.
Very faintly she understood what it
/meant to fight for a place at the
foot of the literary ladder; but there
was something in Arnold's white,
determined fare and deadly patience
which had caused her many a Vague
pang and lunging. But -to call that
love! No, she would not face hits
tc-night; he Was so quick to read n
face and to understand what was
going on below stairs; and the pain-
ful uncertainty of his position was
acutely realized. Softly clown she
placed the tray. gave a confused tap.
and was scuttling off on tiptoe.
"Vise Perkins -Mat tlet" lie had
stumbled across from his table, al-
most as if he had heard the not,
1••
choke out there. Itefore she k11 • v
it the door tuns flung open.
Parkins!" So strange it had sound-
ed on his lips at first.; no one eine
ever dren:ned of calling her that.
He looked at her closely. "1 told
yo'► not to trouble. You nre worn
out. I could have waited till morn-
inst. What is it?" 'I he voice went
down to an npprehensite whisrer. lie
had reached out Ilia hand and drawn
It back quickly. "'fell age it -if he
has said anything. But I know it,
and you aro worried on my account!
Oh, !leaven, If I had ono friend to
turn to to -night! If 1 knew what to
an! 'Poll hint -tell hint I'm writing
night rind day: It must soon bo fin-
ished. and then I can pay you for
all -for all, except the wonderful
kindness you have shown tae. Look
-see for yourself; nil that pile is
Written and re tidy. '!'ell him 1 had
the publisher's commission to Write
it, if 1 could; only it took Inc
months to 'get up' my sul.ject. The
best work of hey life in there; 1 don't
fear a bit; I shall get nmy cheque be-
fore long. You trust tae, I know. If
only he----"
"No; he can't believe it," Mettle
said. steadying her voice. "ile
doesn't understand anything but
Wages paid on Saturday for work
dune; anti never would. ile thinks
there must he something; amiss be-
cause
o-cause you me not like other men
we've had, aril never !want your
room cleaned, and lock the door, alai
never seem to want fresh air. and--"
Perhaps it was he.anse she was
over -Bred, ns he suggested. There
could be no other reason why she
suddenly closed her lips light
ngninst ri rush of sobs.
"Drn't, Mattie!" It tens the first
time he hnd pert that note into his
voice, and surely the last time that
he would allow such nn Itnputee to
overpower him. Ile hnd drnwn her
close. he had put his arms corsulct-
veiy around her. "Don't -don't cry
for mc. But i know. I can go; I'd
sooner do that than slake words be-
tween
o-twceen you down there. Ali. i'rn not
blind, Mettle; I know far more thnn
you meant me to, and i thank you
for it!" lie put itis lips quite close
to her hot cheek to whisper: "Why.
if it had not been for thin --my pov-
erty, and what he would thinks -long
ago I would have dared to tel you
something -what 1 think of you. how
I listen for your step, how my heart
jumps, how you have made me love
Voll' "
Then he was standing alone In the
dark bit of a 1 assage. She hon
given n little cru, struggled many,
and slipped back down the stiffs
Tier head was whirling, her heart
beating as it had never beaten yet
the street out-ido, and it sounded
A piano -organ had begun playing in
to her like a melody from another
troth!. 11t•r father's words conveyed
no real ineuning, doggedly deliberate
as they were.
"Understand? 1fere's Thursday; I
give hint till Saturdtiy to pay up
everythin'. 'Then out he goes in a
heap on that pavement, and all his
book trash along of hime-if I have
to pay a man to (10 it. and chance
a summons. 1'11 back toy story
egainot. his in any pollee -court. Sat-
urday. mind!"
In love! -with that lath -and -plaster
fellow up there! All that interven-
ing day Stove Parkins brooded upon
the mystery and watched his chance
to discover soti-ecthing that warrant-
ed d•(•fsive action. It did not conte
till late in the evening, when Mattie
made her hasty toilet and scurried
out to do the "shopping." Steve
had a vaguely brilliant plan of Ills
own. With 11tany it queer grimace of
pain he hobbled out into the "gar -
diet" at rho rear and whistled cau-
tiously to attract the man next door
a house decorator by trade. There
was some muifled talk, varied by
sundry stares up at that bright, t
a
I}
back
window. '!'hen stealthily a
lung Badder was lifted over rho wall
and swung into position. It proved
too sh,•mt by a yard; twenty precious
mantles were spent in making the
three feet good. '!'hen, doggedly ob-
livious of his gout, Steve made a
laborious way np the rungs till ho
got level with that window. It was
a giddy height, and the ratan at the
font looked unpleasantly small and
indistinct; but Steve was muttering:
"Now or never! Now or never -to
save that gel!"
Setting his teeth he tore away
some sooty creeper -stems that over-
hung the coping, held his breath, and
was peering in.
There was a blind, but it had nev-
er been encouraged to act as ono.
Stevo could see all he desired; at
least, he could see the door, and the
unconscious figure bent over that
lamp -lit table in the corner. Doing
what? Writing some book -here?
Bosh and twaddle! Men who wrote
books lived in swell houses and kept
servants in flash liveries, and had a
cheque-book in every drawer of the
escritoire -at Icaat. according to the
few high -like etorie3 in paper covers
that Steve Pavki,s had analyzed.
Not only that; every now and
again the stooping man had a stare
round the walls, or strained a hand
to his forehead and seemed to be
listening 111 dread of the step of
some Neelesis and his face by this
light was grey-white as with months
of concentrated suspense.
"Von schemin' vagabond, I'll put
you away!"
Steve said to himself.
"Honest then don't walk about their
room all day and do their work in
the nights; that jabber about want-
ing silence rind writing better at
night was so much lief per being
thrown in people's eyes. Look at
hint -jest look! 1•'orgi•t' bank -notes
by the hundred, and daren't go out
to pass 'ern off!" lie stared on, half
in fnseination and awe. "I can see
myself run in for harborin' anti abet -
tin' -and n stretcher brought round
'cause 1 can't walk to the station.
Will I? Out you go, my lord; a bit
o' daylight'11 do .Vett a world o'
good!
And here, with dramatic sudden-
ness, tho queerest thing happened.
Steve hail heard the muffled bang of
the postman's knock far below. It
recalled hint to a sense of the situa-
t n. ile shot. A husky whisper of
It a t hing down the ladder, took a last
tindictit'o glance, and drew In his
breath. That figure in there had
swayed up and reached the door in
ono leap, it. seemed. Now it was
open, and there stood Mettle, hold-
ing out a letter. She looked quite
cabs; there was even a faint snmile,
an of secret sympathy, on her face.
Ile saw her lips move In a word,
and then the door closed upon her.
"Shameless young hussy," he gasp-
ed. "Dou't believe you've been out
o' the house at
face for comet hitt'
Gco:lrev Arnold
man thrilled by
something he had
lope. quite eusily the watcher could
sec it was a postal order. Over
and over the shaking fingers turned
it: the staring eyes looked all round
the roots and lack at the slip of
notepaper that had accompanied it.
Ile took two strides toward the win-
dow. If he lived a hundred years
longer, Steve Parkins would not for-
get thatstrangely-suspicious cry -
alrnost a broken shoat, in,I"cd.
"Ten shillings -'front a frioiid' 1
More than the Three We k,i rent I
owe for the room.. Who knows? Who
has done this for hie-whcru do you
find such a 'friend'?"
In the ensuing silence Steve Par -
kiwi had a sudden misglving ns to
his close proximity to that top -back
roost and its occupant. Ile clutched
the ladder sides and groped unstead-
ily /tows. There Was gwcat on his
forehend ns he toeeched tlrut ground.
"'i'hought you 1185 gold' to snake a
night of it." the next -floor Innn
grumbled. "Caught hitn at it, have
you?"
"I-1 dunno," Stele gasped. "'fell
you when -when I've figurer) it out
for myn''lf. Lt'ave it to 1111'."
ft wits about dusk, Saturday crcn-
ingr, when that hesitating tap cause
at the kitchen door and a voice ask-
ed for Mr. Perkins. Mettle gate a
little start, glanced at her father's
face, and saw that his fnger was
pointing nraningly. tier lips
blanching. sho obeyed - trowel
through into the dirk, damp little
scullery beyond, Steve Parkins
clenred his throat for action.
"Yes, you can tome in, if you're
not too proud, and don't mind fac-
ia' nr_!"
"it's only that f'm really sorry
to have kept you Waiting., Mr. Par-
kins," Arnold Aaid. 111. pato face
flushed a little as he !laced a email
stack of shillings on the table.
"Nine! T --I've hnd an unexpected
morsel of luck, and now i only trust
I shall soon be able to make you
all. Washed her
! Ili, what',"
stood there like a
miracle, staring at
torn from the (nye-
benne little recompense for your for-
bearance. This cleats me for the
prevent, and --and I hope we're good
friends again."
"011, you do!" catno Steve's reply,
after the strained pause. "You do.
du you? Well, I'm goin' to try and
live from now without. your friend-
ship, Mr. Arnold. I'll trouble you
to give up that rooni o' :nine to-tkty
week-'att►rday, at two o'clock. (:h,
never mind why or wherefore. It'll
lee it Lig load off my mind when
you've gut a room somewhere a go;,d
way ret -that's all. I don't like
yer, and don't want yer. Good-
night!"
As if stunned, he stood a minute;
then the door had opened and he
was groping up the long stair. And
then the inner door swung Luck, and
!Tattle stood there, the dry sob
struggling in her throat, the strange
Tight. in her (lurk eyes. No time to
speak if she wished. Steve Parkins
had pointed to tho table, and whis-
pered hoarsely: -
''There it is! When you dreamed
of a romance affair here, you made
yer life's mistake. 'They never 00)10
off in'real life, and it's generally the
woman has to pay the price of the
nlan'e caper. Se c? Drop that look
and take up your money -one shillin'
short o' the ten you sent hint by
post. And if you have given him
your heart unawares, like a fool,
make up your remind you've lost that
too!"
"Fire!"
One awful word rang out in the
stillness of the night -that next Fri-
day night. Geoffrey Arnold sprang
up from his bed in the lonely top -
back room, and heard it again.
"Fire!" What was all that dull
noise? Was that smoke curling Into
his own room? "hire!" It ratted
to be shouted now by a hundred
hoarse throats, and a growing bung.
and patter of feetcanto up from the
street in 1he front.
I►ived, like a man st ill dreaming.
he slipped on part of his clothes and
stepped out on to the landing.
Heavens, yes! A whirl of donee
smoke rind acrid fume took his
breath; there was a crackle and a
faint, sinister glow front the black
pit of distance helots stairs. He
groped for the three stairs down to
the next landing, inotinct taking him
straight along to the window over-
looking the street. And there-!
lie stood, spell-bot:fief with horror
such an he had never been able to
convey in his writing, gazing down
at a heaving, fro :it c1'(!wri of
Inco . And then of a sudden the
shoals 10110(1 up in waves of sound.
He had been seen. lie was the
last alive in a doomed house!
"Look! Up there -a man! .Tamp
-Jump for your life!" And then the
deep -throated roar of some men who
were struggling to rear a ladder
brought from next door.
It strayed towards }lien. A moan
from below tell why he hesitated, -
it was short by inches. A little
higher it was reared in their grasp,
and then, far Pectin realizing; the
danger, ho leaped out, clutched ; at
the rungs, (lung on blindly, and ',nety
n0thinge more until, scorched by
flanges illckering from lower windows,
He foetid himself standing in the
shcot, the crowd pressing about
hien. Ile )gust be in that bed asleep
still! 1t had all n ghastly unreality
-even that ►.son of returningiconsci-
ousness front the lips of a girl who
had lain back white and still . In
someone's arms. IIe caught the cold
h n nils.
"flat t le -Mat t le! Thank ileaven-
tlhat's all 1 ask!'' And it had hard-
ly )eft his lips when that nameless
surge of recollection swept hitn. Ile
stumbled back, deadly white. Those
npareet would never forget the sun-
ken whisper. "My book! My book-
nmy one hope in life!"
Iie stood for just nn instant of
wild, whirling hesitation; and In that
instant n woman's Nngers had felt
convulsively for his, and the weak
cry thrilled through hint.
"Gaofli 'y' He's :hero --fatter!
Shut in that room -he WW1 111 -
couldn't move. Sats him!"
"Save -my book!" he Breathed un-
conscie,usly again, in an agony that
had no name.
ile put back the clinging hands; he
was fighting forward, oblivious to
all but the rescue of his precious
manuscript -deaf to the faint, im-
ploring moan that came again.
"Oh, Rave him! You lot'cel mo -
you'll sate him first!"
Only afterwards ho realised that
ernms were flung 001 to hold hire
back, that he struggled through like
a madman to reach the hoase door,
and gained it just ns that distant
roar 101d that the engines were
thundering up. Three minutes )might
bring the help; Int in those same
three minutes his book -no, her fa-
ther's :del -might be lost. 'I he
thassngo Wets wrapped in n shoot of
Fame. He snatched tip a coat; he
threw it over his head 8nd rushed to-
ward the stair -the stair that lent
up to his precious book. itis hands
were burned, but he reached it, and
Was staggering up through the thick
smoke. It could be done! 'L he lire
hurl roared up from thus,' roams on
the left, and the staircase was as
yet passable fur a than who had nil
at stake. Now ha had gained the
first landing, gasping, almost eight -
less. lie coind do it! -viva if he
had to lent Scum that high window
a second time. And then
through the rolling hale and curling
crimson tongues there seemed to
come to his earn that whisper from
the white-faced girl who had done.
80 nitwit -perhaps morn than he
would ever know -to snake his stren-
uouq life bearable here, to snake the
pnth to success less rugged.
"Save him! You loved Inc -- save
him!"
One delirious soh rose in his throat.
Ile swerved round and groped back
down the stair, her name on his lips
--"Mattle! Love for love!" Now
he was facing the bar of flame nglnin.
ito. climbed the ',electrode, hung for
an inetnnf, nn,l then dropped.
'rho rest, It seemed to hint, oceu-
pled just one flash of time. lie
knew the rouut-opposite tho kitchen.
Tin there, unable to move, lay the
man who had become his enemy. who
had sought to poison 1Nat1ie's mind
against him. ltho was turning hint
from the house to•itorrow like a
criminal. But the door was burst
open now. Parchea, cracking lips
uttered Ilio hoarse cry: "Mr. Par-
kins! Ithero-where?'Just in
tirne. Just as those- daises burst
through the dry partition, he caught
up an unconscious figure huddled on
the floor there -a figure nearly twice
his own weight. Now he had drag -
gee a coverlet over both their heads,
and now, stumbling and staggering,
all but, blind, breathing to himself in
that incredulous agony -"My book!
My life's work -gone'" -he turned
to breast the crimson bar of death
that. lay between hila foul the
street.
!'hero was the dull roaring front
the crowd, the singing noises in his
head, the '.nap of some mental wire,
and then -oblivion. ()hl it lon that
seemed to bo death itnclf-till, ono
day, he struggled back to sense and
found those two wau'nl arms clinging
about his neck, and a woman upon
her !moo. praying for his life.
• • • • • •
But it is a happy man whom to-
day the world knows as Geoffrey Ar-
nold, and who can look back without
regret to the night when ho gave
his precious hook for a life that had
small claim to the sacrifice. That
book might have brought hint the
success at a hound he is still strug-
gling to build up -yet success is not
the greatest thing in Life. It can
buy everything, perhaps, save the
perfect Happiness which one man, at
least, Itas found in the love and gra-
titude of a dear, dark -eyed wife. -
London Tit -Bits.
PERSONAL POINTERS.
Interesting Gossip About Some
Prominent People.
1n one respect at least Prince Fd -
ward does not take after his father.
Ile is fond of making little speeches
when opportunities present them-
selves. The Prince of Wales, on rho
other hand, dislikes nothing more
than having to deliver a speech.
Queen %Vilhclnmina's crown, which is
very gorgeous, is made of dull gold,
with only the edges polished. A circle
of sapphires and emeralds encloses a
crimson cap, tied toints
of l.ho imperial archesirosixteen 'aro mounpted
with large single pearis.
The Crown of Roumania has a uni-
que place in the history of mon-
archies as the only crown which has
been refused successively by father
and son. When, within the memory
of the present generation. Roumania
became a kingdom, Prince Leopold,
the elder brother of King Charles,
was deciarcd official heir. but the
Prince surrendered his rights to his
sol, Prince William. For . eight
years the son was heir to the throne,
and then, in 1885, the Prince, tread-
ing its his father's steps, gave up his
rights in favor of his brother, and
the brother, Prince Ferdinand, is
heir to King Charles.
Tho Duke of Norfolk, who is fifty-
seven, has held that distinguished
title since be was thirteen. Much
of his income is derived from ground -
rents in Sheffield. This property
was worth little enough when Jud-
ith, niece of William the Conqueror,
brought it as part of her dowry to
a Saxon earl, from whom the (tow-
ards had it. At. the end of the sev-
enteenth century it yield' d $10,000 a
year. The population of Sheffield
was then only 4,000, and rho in-
come has risen lit;e the flambee of
inhabitants. To -day the Duke's
Sheffield rentals realize ):oro than
$500,000 a year.
When General Paden -Powell, in his
younger days, was Military Secre-
tary
ero-taty at Malta, his love of fun must
have been trying to his serious chief.
On one occasion, at a Governnu•nt
House function, lie was tient to ask
a young lady to repeat a skirt dance
which hnd met with much apprecia-
tion. The fair dancer, who was
somewhat affected, j rotcstcd hint
she positively cotddn't, and that if
she (lid she would be completely
"blown." 11.-1'. returned to the
Governer looking rather sheepish,
and hea`.tt0.) as if there was molter
thing h: del not like to say. "Well?"
asked the great 01811. "Sho won't,"
replied the other. ''Won't! Why?''
"Don't know," replied 11.-1'.; 'hut
she sold she'd be glowed If she did!"
'01is8, the fatuous bans conductor,
dislikes being snared by society lion -
hinters. (in one occasion he was
invite,1 by a certain lady to supper.
and lie afterwards learned that she
had issued invitations to her friends
"to meet Mr, John Philip Semen."
As he then remembered that he had
an engagement for the same evening
which lie huti overlooked, he wrote
to the Indy declining, with apolo-
gies. She wrote back, explaining'
what she had :lone. counting on his
pressure, and ending her note, "Ilut
I still !mite for the p!ensure of your
company." To this she received the
following unexpected reply. ' 1 havo
given your kind )message to my com-
pany, but i regret that only tufty of
thein will Le able to accept your in-
vitation. the rest hating appoint-
ments elsewhere."
Sir ltetivers Huller Is evidently
bleseed with a strong spirit of con-
tradiction, over anti above his Wel:-
known courage And tenacity. It Was
during the last. Nile campaign, end
while on hoard n river steamer de-
scending soma dangerous water In
one of the higher cntnracts, that he
entered late n discussion with Lord
Charles lleresford respecting the pro-
per channel that ought to 1 e navl-
gntcd. Each most obstinately de-
fended him own course, but eventual-
ly that which Sir ]tethers s, strenu-
ously ret'ouuuended was used. With
the result that the steamer got
through without accident. "Pott see
i wan right," exrlaimtd Sir 1ttdvers,
triumphantly; "mine Was the voter
channel." "That Ware rhino too,"
cI')ly replied Lord ('herles. "I
only recommended the other because
1 knew you would go against what-
ever 1 Bald.'•
'THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON,
MAY 7.
Lesson VI. The Vine and the
Branchea. Golden Text,
John 15.8,
LESSON WOltD STUDIES.
Nott' -These Word Studies aro bag
ed on the text of the Revised Ver-'
siun
The Lesson Setting. -The washing
of the disciples' -feet (seo last lesson)
was followed by a declaration on the
part of .)esus that ono of the dis-
ciples would betray him. The trail-
er, Judas, after being pointed out
left the company (Mark 1.1. 18-21),
whereupon Jesas proceeded with the
institution of what has since been
culled the holy eucharist, or our;
Lord's Supper (Mark 14. 22-26).i
Then came Peter's avowal of loyalty:
and the Master's warning to Peter
(Matt. 26. 31-35), and his exhorta-
tion to the disciples to no longer.
go forth "without purse and wal
le.," but rather to gird themselves,
for a more strenuous warfare (Luke
22. 35-38). This conversation with
1'eter and the others developed Otto
a longer farewell elI discourse delivered
el
by .Jesus. '!'his discourse was begun
in the upper chamber "after supper,"
and was continued en route to thea
secluded retreat of Gethsemane. on
the side of Olivet (John 13. 31; 11.
81; Mark 14. 2(3), It includes all
that is recorded in John 14. 15, and
16, and was followed by the inter-
cessory prayer of Jesus (John 17).
Our lesson to -day treats a portion of
this very important. and memorable
discourse of Jesus.
Verse 1. I am -The formula for eh -
solute, timeless existence. This
sense of °tel•nal divine existence is
clearly brought out in several pas-
sages in John. Titus in 8. 58 Jesus
says, "Before Al,rahnm was (canto
into existence) I ata." The Phrase
carries a hint of the essential nature
of .Rous. Whatever he is, that he is
essentially and unchangeably. '!'his
sense of the verb is not lost oven in
figurative language, but points in
such cases to the profound and abid-
ing truth expressed by the figure of
speech employed.
Tho True Vino -True as opposed to
"spurious," and hence answering( to
the perfect ideal of what n vino
511011)(1 be. But esus is the vino
only in relation irsienew,Sisciples, who
are the branches, the figure of speech
having no application apart froth
the parable as a whole.
Husbandman -From the earth, and
/ work.Hence,whotill
t( Iht e, the ono s
the soil, including, however, the
sense of ownership.
2. Branch -A tender, flexible twig;
I vine -sprout.
a e>t, Illi
n
specially
'I'aketh it away -Cuts it off, as an
experienced dresser of the vino
would. Tho fruitless branch must
not be permitted to (Irate sustenance
from the vine for selfish purposes.
Cieanset)1-In vine -growing coun-
tries the fruit -bearing branches of
every vine are carefully watched and
guarded, especially against the rav-
ages of Intruding insects. Sometimes
it is necessary to spray and other -g
wise thoroughly cleanse each branch;
to insure an abundant harvest.
8. Already ye -who have given pro.
mise Of fruitage -are clean.
Because of the word-liy reason of:
the word, that is, because the word,
has cleansing power.
Which 1 have spoken unto you -
Not any ono word or discourse of
.!esus is to be thought of, but rather
his entire revelation of himself to
his disciples.
4. Except it abide in the vine -Ex-
cept it remain in vital living con-
tact with tho vino -itself a living
part of that vine.
5. Apart from tne-If the vital in-
terrelation between tho vine proper
and the separate branches be dis-
turbed and broken the latter can,
of course, produce no fruit, being
severed from the source of its lito
and power.
0. ('ant forth -After having been
cut off by the husbandman.
They gather them -It is custom-
ary to gather such branches and cost
them into tho fire, and they aro
burned.
7. My Words abide in you -indicat-
ing the tiny in which Christ himself
abides in his disciples, that 18, by
means of the indwelling of his words
and his truth in them. blis word•
has not only cleansing power (verso
:i), but life-sustaining power as
well.
Ask -Tho 1ntperat1ve 11100(1. hence,
n11 exhortation or command.
Whatsoever ye will -Since your
will, fashioned by my word of truth
indwelling in you, must needs be in
harmony with toy will and that of
the father.
8. Glorilled-iesolt.ed, honored.
Fruit -The frets borne by the dis-
ciple of Christ are the Christian vir-
tues and graces. "the fruits of rho
Spirut" (comp, (gal. 5. 2'' 1111(1 also
the influences for good exerted upon
his fellow men.Disciples-Learners or pupils.
11. As the rather hath loved -That
is, from eternity, with a constant,
infinite affection.
Abide ye -Implying;, here ns in tho
preceding versos, the possibility of
choosing a contrary course of ac.
tion.
10. My commandments -All thnt I'
hnvo' taught you h essential and ne-,
cessary in order to enter the king-
dom of heaven. (;onlpnre Matt. 5,
22, 28, 8.1, 89 for stone specific coins,
Mand idents of Jesus.
Kept my Ienther'e commnndinents-o.
Doing his will perfectly.
11. 'These things -Concerning our
intimate relation to each other as
Master and disciples.
My jay -Tho joy that I have and
which I give.
12. That yn'love one another
For since love worketh no evil to
One's neighbor -is unselfish -love 18
indeed the fulfilling of the law, and
at oneo the greatest commmnn(i►nent
and tho sum of all commandments. e
Qtit.P Miland pogseasr8 the most in-
teresting flora. and the most wooer
nus and valuable gild fruits in 'AO
world,