The Poorhouse Waif and His Divine Teacher: A True StoryByrum, Isabel C. (Isabel Coston)
Religion
The Poorhouse Waif and His Divine Teacher: A True Story
Byrum, Isabel C. (Isabel Coston)
Christian life -- Fiction; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Fiction
After a time Edwin felt that he would like for at least a while to try city
life. Finding a man that was engaged in peddling spring-water, he agreed to
work for him for a share of the income. The business did not prove to be a
profitable one for Edwin, but by very careful management he was able to
make both ends meet. But when he had met his necessary expenses, he had
nothing left that he could use for the work of the Lord.
This soon became a great trial to Edwin, and when one Sunday there was a
call (in the new church he was attending in the city) for a liberal amount
of money, he felt that he must subscribe twenty-five dollars even though he
did not know how he could ever pay it. He believed that in some way or
other he would be able to raise the money even though the time allowed for
paying it was only one month. "God will help me in this thing as he has
helped me through all my other difficulties," he said as he set out on
Monday morning in his covered wagon to dispose of his bottled water.
At first the sales were as they had been on other days, but along in the
afternoon they began to increase, and when night came and he had time to
figure up the amount of the water sold, he found that there was over and
above all his expenses five dollars extra to his credit. For four
successive days this increase of sales continued, until he had four
five-dollar bills laid aside.
On Friday morning Edwin started with a glad heart; for he thought, "If only
I succeed today as well as I have been doing all week, by this evening I
shall have the amount I subscribed." He expressed his gratitude in
thanksgiving and praise to God. To his great disappointment, that day the
extra amount of water was not sold, and on Saturday and Sunday he did not
peddle. Climbing into his covered wagon filled with bottles, he started out
for his boarding-place; but he was not in the least discouraged, for he was
sure that the remainder of the money would be raised in some unexpected
manner before the month was up.
Scarcely had Edwin dismissed the matter from his mind when he came to an
electric-car crossing. It was a dangerous place, for a few feet above the
crossing the track was completely hidden from view by a large ledge of rock
and a sudden curve. At this place Edwin always listened carefully for a
signal. Hearing nothing and knowing that the car had been due fully ten
minutes before, he was soon driving upon the track without any thought of
danger, as he had so often done before. His surprize was therefore complete
when, just as the back wheels of the wagon were dropping heavily over the
last rail, there was a sudden breeze and whiz came the car around the
curve. No warning whatever had been given, and a second later Edwin found
himself among the legs and hoofs of the faithful animal that he had been
driving.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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