THE WINNING OF
MARGARET MERVIN
By CUFFORD HOWARD
PAUL AT ANTIOCH
IN PISIDIA
Saaaay ScW Um ft M7 9, IMS
SpacdaDy Amnced for This Paper
(.Copyright, by J. B. Lippincott Co.)
. F1t$erald carried two notes in his'
pocket. One was from an acquaint
iao. a young lawyer of the city, ask
him to call upon him on a matter of
IH-rsonal business. Id response to this
tvunest he was walking briskly to
wards the lawyer's office. What it
was t'oitou wanted to see him about
iw did not know. As a matter of fact,
he did not care. His mind was too
fully mgaged with the emotions in
spired by the contents of the other
lo;e.
This was a dainty epistle from Mar
garet Mervin. the girl who had be
witched his heart and turned his head
after their first day's acquaintance
ship at the seashore, five months be
fore. As he hurried along his brain
was awhivl with troubled and exciting
thoHshts, for the missive he had re
ceived from her to-day was enough to
jset the equanimity of any lover:
l!v vr- dear Friond: Tour avowal has
tout-lira me most dovply. But what is a
tut of ht-lptess femininity to do when
h-r heurt is large enouich for only one?
Js it not better to remain friends with
llh Then let me always be
Your sincere friend.
MAiWAKET.
Fitsserald was angry and humiliated;
angry, because some other man had
eviileutly come across the pathway of
his heart's aspiration: and humiliated,
because she had turned him off so
airity; and this. too. after inflating his
hopes by a ready acceptance of the
many toKeus of adoration he had be
stowed uj:on her. iucluUng a weekly
trip to Philadelphia thalhe might once
in seven days hold her haud in his for
a monw ut and spend a few brief hours
In her -iichai!ting presence.
He was still ruminating when he ar
rived at the lawyer's ofllce. He opened
the door hastily atid walked in. Colton
was alone. Stooping over his desk in
the ceuter of the room, he did not at
ouce look up.
"How are you, Collou?"' inquired
FitxseraUl. tucking his cane under his
arm and jirepariug to draw off his
r loves. "I've dropited in in answer
to your note. What can I do for you?"
Piii-hing back his chair, Colton rose
and acknowledged the presence of his
caller wiih a curt nod. "I thank you
This Was to
Be a Fight, Pure and
Simple.
for beiuj; so prompt," he said. Then
stepping over to the door he turned
the lock and thrust the key into his
pocket.
"Now." he continued, turning to Fita-
gerald. "you shall not leave this room
until we have come to an understand
In-"
"Wall anil what dn mil niMn"
Mtxjteraiu stracR a matcn and pro-
reeded to light a cigarette.
"Simply this I shall speak plainly
aad to the point: It has come to my
knowledge that yon are endeavoring
to win the affections of the woman
who who that is to say. the one to
whose affections I consider I have cer
tain riicht as an admirer as her
.avowed suitor, to speak candidly. You
are Interfering with what I deem to be
my just prerogatives, my prior rights,
and I Insist that you withdraw at once
and for all time. Otherwise I demand
satisfaction, Do I make myself clear?"
"I cant say that you do, answered
Klttgetald. directing a puff of smoke
towards the ceiling. "So far as I am
able 10 make out. you are barking up
the wrong tree. If you think 1 am in
terfering with your love affairs, you
are mightily mistaken. I have enough
to do to attend to my own. And it
this is all you have brought me here
for, I think It is now in order for you
to apologia and to open that door.
tnea you mean to say that you
have relinquished your interest In
Miss Mervin TT
"Miss Mervin! What has she to do
with this?
"Kverythlng."
"Now, see here. Colton. what do you
mean?
"I have already told you: It is be
cause of you for fear of hurting your
sensibilities that she" hesitates to fa
vor ro with her acceptance.
"Why, hang It. man! what in the
name of common sense are, you talk
ing about r"
"Dont I make myself clear?
"No! Do you mean that you hare
been paying your addresses to Miss
Mer.in?-
"tes."
"Miss Margaret Mervin?"
"Yes." -
"Of Philadelphia?'
"Yes; Miss Margaret Mervin of Phil
adelphia. There's no misunderstand
ing on that score."
"How long have you known her?"
"I don't know that that's any of your
business; but the fact is, I met her ia
the Catskills last August."
"The devil! Then it's you who aro
at the bottom of this! You are the
man who has come between her and
me! I met her a whole month before
yon did. and you sit there and talk
to me of your prerogatives and prior
rights! Why, confound it all. If it were
not for you she would consent to mar
ry me! and you demand that I shall
withdraw in your favor! Well, I'll
be"
"Then you will decide the matter as
I have suggested?"
"What?"
"I say, then you are willing to fight,
to determine which of us shall retire?
The case is a simple one: Each of us
stands in the other's way. With both
in the field she will have neither of us.
One of us has got to withdraw. Do you
catch my meaning now?"
"Yes; and. by thunder, I accept your
challenge! It shall be a fight, and a
fight to the finish; and, what's more,
we'll pull it off right here and now!"
"Precisely what I have arranged for.
We can settle the matter in my back
office without attracting attention. I
have had the room cleared for the
purpose."
Both men were well built and ath
letic. Each was accounted a good
sparrer.
Fitzgerald followed his adversary
into the adjoiniug room. , Each drew
off his coat and vest and neckwear
with studied deliberation and -placed
them carefully on a chair.
Colton tossed upon the window-seat
two or three pairs of light-weight
gloves. "Take your choice." he said.
Fitigerald quickly fitted a pair to
his hands; Colton followed suit; and
a moment later the two men faced
each other in the attitude of battle.
their arms bared and their chests ex
panded with deep breathing.
There was no handshake. All pre
liminary conventionalities were
aived. This was to be a fight, pure
and simple. Scarcely had each nodded
his readiness ere the contest was on,
and in vigorous earnest.
For fully IS minutes the struggle
continued. Then a loud knock at the
door brought the performance to a
sudden standstill. Both men were wet
with perspiration and panting hard.
The interruption from without
aroused the combatants to a sudden
realization of the noise they had been
making, and each involuntarily glared
at the other and remained quiet for a
moment. It was an intimation to the
one on the outside to go away.
It proved to be only the postman,
who. receiving no response after a
short wait, discharged his errand by
dropping a number of letters through
the opening in the door.
The momentary truce had made both
men aware of their exhausted condi
tion. A few minutes' respite was eag
erly craved by each of them to regain
his breath. It was with a feeling of
thankful relief, therefore, that Fitzger
ald saw Colton stoop and pick up one
of the letters from the floor.
To conceal any evidence of a desire
to gain time by so doing, Colton en
deavored by his manner to have it
seem that his action was merely an in
stinctive response to habit. In reality
he was more nearly exhausted than he
cared to admit, and he felt it essential
to resort to some subterfuge to delay
the renewal of hostilities. With ap
parent absent-mindeduess he mechan
ically tore open the envelope he held
in his hand and passed his eyes va
cantly over the contents.
Then, suddenly, without uttering a
sound, he fell against the wall and
sank slowly to the floor, where he re
mained motionless, his head drooping
upon his chest.
Fitzgerald smiled grimly. He knew
he had landed two blows over the
heart, and he was not surprised. Min
gled triumph and satisfaction added
rosier glow to his burning cheeks.
With his handkerchief he calmly wiped
the perspiration from his face and
neck and sauntered over to one of the
windows.
As he did so his eye lighted on the
card that Colton had taken from the
envelope. He picked it up with a hur
ried, impulsive movement, and holding
it to the light he gazed upon it as one
entranced. Afer a moment of breath
less tension he sank limply upon the
chair in the corner.
Colton raised his head and looked
up. The two men stared at each other
for the space of a full minute and then
smiled foolishly. Actuated by a com
mon Impulse, they repeated together,
in feeble duet, the words they had
both read on the card;
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mervin announce
the marriage of their daughter, Mar
garet, to Mr. John Harry Smith. Decem
ber tenth.
The two men rose and shook hands.
"Get on your clothes and we'll ge
over to McBride's and have a drink.'
said Colton.
"I'm with you," answered Fitigerald.
LESSON TEXT. Acts 13:13-52. Memory
verses 33. 29.
GOLDEN TEXT. "The word of the
Lord was published throughout all the
region." Acts 13:49.
TIME. Immediately after the last les
son: probably (according to Prof. Ram
say), in the summer of A. D. 48 or 47.
PLACE. Perga the capital of Pam
phylia, on the southern coast of Asia
Minor, and Antioch. the capital of Pisidia,
southern Galatia, about 100 miles north.
Suggestion and Practical Thought.
Hitherto (see Acts 13:7, etc.) It had
been "Barnabas and Saul;" now it is
"Paul and Barnabas" (vs. 43, 4G), or
"Paul and his company," including
Barnabas, John Mark, and perhaps
others. Paul's ability as a leader has
been proved at Cyprus, and was after
wards unquestioned.
V. 18. "John (Mark) departing from
them returned to Jerusalem." - his
home. 1. Perhaps he did not like to
see Paul superseding his cousin
Barnabas. 2. Perhaps his mother was
sick. 3. Perhaps, as one brought up
strictly in Jerusalem, he objected to
Paul's free intercourse with the Gen
tiles. 4. Perhaps he dreaded the per
ils of travel in the wild, bandit-infested
region that lav before them. 5. Per
haps he had been weakened by the
fever and felt unable to go on. Paul
was not satisfied with the reason,
whatever it was (Acts 15:37-40), and
separated from Barnabas when, later,
he insisted on taking Mark along. But
Mark was ready for the second mis
sionary journey, and was afterward re
stored to Paul's good opinion (see In
ductive Study 2). "Xo man ever be
came great or good except through
many and great mistakes." Glad
stone. "The only people who make no
mistakes are dead people. I saw a
man last week who has not made a
mistake for 4,000 years. He is a mum
my in the Egyptian department of the
British museum." H. L. Wayland.
V. 24. "They went into the syna
gogue on the Sabbath day," as was
their custom. Thus they wisely made
their first appeal to the Jews.
The Sermon as a Whole. "The task
before Paul was difficult. He had to
win the confidence and hold the atten
tion of an audience to which he was
quite unknown. He had to keep the
ground of Israel's peculiar history and
hope, and yet to show that at the holy
city itself the Messiah had been re
jected and crucified. But St Paul was
the very man for an emergency."
Donald Fraser, D. D.
"They keynote of Paul's sole mes
sage, repeated on a hundred occasions,
and with infinite variations of empha
sis, is found in St. Luke's acTcount of
his visit to Athens, in the words, 'he
preached Jesus and the resurrection."
This first of his sermons of which we
possess any portion may perhaps be
regarded as a type of the Pauline ser
mon." Rev. George Francis Greene.
It was (1) tactful, taking his hearers
on their own ground (2) humble, leav
ing himself out and exalting Christ:
(3) courageous and frank, not hesitat
ing to state the truth though it would
offend preconceived views: (4) Bibli
cal, bound up with the Scripture
throughou; f" practical, coming to a
personal aj . lication. ending, as Ly
man Beecner said every section
should end, with a "snapper."
Forgiveness, through Christ- That
truth, as always in Paul's preaching,
was the climax of this sermon. "For
giveness," R. V, remission "of sins,"
is, literally, the putting or sending
them away. It includes the removal
of the penalty for sin, though not im
mediately all the consequences of sin.
It includes the cleansing of the heart
from sin and restoration to God's
favor. These are wondeful and price
less gifts, and Christ offers them to
us for the asking.
V. 45. "Envy (jealousy), when the
Jews saw the multitudes" (of Gen
tiles). The Jewish leaders were angry
(1) because others and strangers did
what they could not do themselves;
(2) because they differed from Paul's
teaching, and especially his applica
tion of the Messianic hopes to the
condemned and crucified Jesus; (3)
because they themselves felt con
demned by such warnings as those in
vs. 40. 41; (4) because, though they
would be pleased if the Gentiles would
become Jewish proselytes by conform
ity to circumcision and other require
ments, they objected strenuously to
their admission on easier terms, such
as Paul proposed.
Missionary Expulsions. This was the
first of many similar expulsions suf
fered by Paul, and those were only the
beginnings of such experiences en
dured by missionaries in all lands.
Thus Judson and his comrades were
driven from Calcutta. Thus Milne
was driven from Canton, and com
pelled to begin missionary labors for
China from the Malay Peninsula. Thus
in 1835 all the missionaries were
driven from Japan for two centuries.
Thus John G. Paton. after a thousand
perils, was driven from the Island of
Tanna. But in every case Christianity
has returned, all the stronger for its
experience of persecution.
What Is My Attitude Toward Truth?
This question is of fundamental im
portance. The lesson illustrates
four ways of answering it: (1) John
Mark's way. following the truth while
the road is easy, but deserting it when
it becomes disagreeable and danger
ous; (2) Paul's way, following the
truth at all hazards, eagerly and joy
ously, wherever It leads; (3) the way
of the Antioch Jewish leaders, oppos
ing the truth when it offends their
pride and self-esteem and prejudices;
(4) the way of the Gentile converts.
accepting the truth readily and hum
bly, and publishing it abroad.
ay TnuG art lay Tino
The Merry Month of May and of course you want that
new spring suit now. Been putting it off not the suit,
but purchasing it because the season was backward?
Well, spring has sprung, hasn't it? Sure! So come in
and buy that nobby spring suit right now. The "now
price at this store is the "bargain price" for spring suits at
other stores along about the middle of summer. You get
the bargain price now also the suit.
This for Union Lion
We know what you want good, serviceable clothing
up to date in style, cut, color, fit with the label of the
United Garment Workers therein. We've got 'em.
The label costs you nothing, and it helps your brother
worker. Our labeled clothing is as fine a lot of garments'
as you would want to buy "now" bargain prices, too.
flnrriGG You Uan. to; Pay
By that we mean we have union -made garments at
prices ranging from $1 2.50 per suit up. Worth more
money, too. Others are asking more and will come
along in a couple of months with "bargain-sale prices"
that will be about what our regular prices are now.
! DfliGr Union-Dado qqe9s
We've got other goods than clothing that bear the "little joker." Linen
collars, for instance. Only clothing store in town that carries them in
stock. And shoes! Best makes, and with union stamp on 'em. And
hats! Say, our line of union-made hats is a "peach." When you ask
for union-made goods at this store, our gentlemanly clerks do not try to
poke off "something just as good" on you. You get what you ask for.
We want the trade of union men to the extent that we are anxious to
supply their demands. And we can outfit the union man from head to
foot hat, collar, shirt suit, shoes. Give this fact due consideration.
On
The
Corner
PEDEK &- )DlQN
CORNER TENTH AND O STREETS
On
The
Square
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF
LABOR.
A Few of Its Declarations Upon Which
It Appeals to All Working People
To Organize, Unite, Federate, and
Cement the Bonds of Fraternity.
L The Abolition ot all Forms of In
voluntary Servitude, except as a pun
ishment for crime.
2. Free Schools, Free Text-Books.
and Compulsory education.
3. Unrelenting Protest Against the
Issuance and Abuse of Injunction Pro
cess in Labor Disputes.
4. A workday of not more than
Eight Hours in the twenty-four hour
day.
5. A strict recognition of not over
Eight Hours per day on all Federal
State or Municipal Work and at not
less than the prevailing Per Diem
Wage Rate of the class of employ
ment in the vicinity where the work
Is performed.
6. Release from employment One
7. The Abolition of the Contract
System on Public Work.
8. The Municipal Ownership of Pub
lic Utilities.
9. The Abolition of the Sweat Shop
System.
10. Sanitary Inspection of Factory,
Workshop. Mine, and Home.
11. Liability of Employers, for In
Jury to body or loss of life.
21. The Nationalization of Tele
graph and Telephone.
13. The passage of Anti-Child Labor
Laws in States where they do not ex
1st and rigid defense of them where
they have been enacted into law.
14. Woman Suffrage coequal with
Man Suffrage.
15. The Initiative and Referendum
and the Imperative Mandate and Right
of Reeal.
16. Suitable and Plentiful Play
grounds for Children in an cities.
17. Continued agitation for the Pub
lic Bath System in all cities.
IS. Qualifications in permits to build
Day in Seven.
of all cities and towns that there shall
be Bathrooms and Bathroom Attach
ments in all houses or compartment
used for habitation.
19. Y. e favor a system of finance
whereby money shall be issned exclu
sively by the Government, with such
regulations and restrictions as wCl
protect it from manipulation by the
banking interests for their own pri
vate gains.
'The above is a partial statement of
he demands which organized labor,
in the interest of the workers aye,
of all the people of our country
makes Ppon modern society.
Higher wages, shorter workday,
tetter labor conditions, better Iiomes,
better snd safer workshops, factories,
mills, and mines. In a word, a better,
higher, and nobler life.
Conscious uf the justice, wisdom an 1
ncbliity of our cause, the American
Federation of Labor appeals to all
n;en and women of labor to Join with
us in the great movement for its
achievement.
More than two million wage-earners
who have reaped the advantages of
organisation and federation appeal to
their brothers and sisters of toil to
participate ia the glorious movement
with its attendant benefits.
There are affiliated to the Ameri
can Federation of Labor lis Interna
tional Trades Unions with their 27.-
000 Local Union 3; 26 State Federa
tions; 537 City Central Bodies sal
650 Local Trade and Federal Labor
Unions having no Internationals.
We hsve nearly 1,00 volunteer aad
special organisers as wen aa tie offi
cers of the mons and of the Amer
ican Federation of Labor itself always
willing and aaiioos to aid their fellow
workmen to irganize aad la every
other way betlr their conditions.
For inform. lo all are Invited to
write to the Americas Federation oC
Labor headquarters at Washington.
D. C.
10
WHAT THE LABEL MEANS TO
UNIONISM.
( The label is the life of unionism.
If these manufacturers, who ma
think that thev can wine out the
ets without a fight, they are wrong.
To fight for the labels is to Beit for
the basis oi unionism.
A label is a guaranty. It is a grade
to prove that the ware oa which it is
found is ot union manafactare.
The label is the very opposite of
the boycott. The boycott says. "Don't
buy." The label says. "Bay. and sup
port this union.
We can't print our boycott lists aay
more. It would even be wrong. I sup
pose, to display the- old list.
But no one can stop me or anybody
else from telling his friend that this
or that article of manufacture is un
fair. I'm going to use my speech ia this
way. Just as I please.
We must fight for oar sixty-foer
union labels to the last ditch. .