When night at last closed in on the city, he found himself in a
down-town section where a policeman impressed upon him that it would
be too late to find me, and directed him to a low saloon above which
he might lodge for the night. Naturally, when he entered, he was
recognized at once as a simple foreigner and moreover as one newly from
prison. It is known that men from prison have some little money with
them, so he was at once offered drinks. Though he was in many things
ignorant he had gained one or two firm ideas as a League member and to
these he would adhere stubbornly. He promptly refused to drink saying
with a finger on the little white badge, "Me no drink. Me belong Mrs.
Booth!" Had he been able to express himself clearly, and had his poor
ignorant mind fully grasped the teachings of our League, the higher
motive and loyalty to the Great Captain of our salvation would have
been his strength, but what he was has to be remembered and to him
a human friend, meant hope and escape from despair and forlornness.
Finding that he would not drink at the bar they escorted him to the
room he was to share with three other men. They were drinking and
card playing, and there again he was offered drink and a cigar. He
reiterated the positive declaration which formed his few words of
explanation, "Me no drink! me no smoke. Me belong Mrs. Booth!" and I
fancy the denizens of the saloon were better informed than the police
as to what lay behind the words. Well for him he resisted that drink,
for had he taken it there was little chance of his waking to find his
money safe. Realizing the danger of robbery, he sat up all night that
he might not fall asleep. In the morning he had gained a little worldly
wisdom and, as he asked, slipped a silver piece in the policeman's
hands and lo! in a few minutes he was at our office door, for that
officer knew just where to find us. When we talked with him later
before sending him to Hope Hall, he handed all his money over to me to
bank and as he counted it out the bills were all ones, ones, ones,
whether fives, tens or twenties, and I had to explain their value.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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