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,,dave ,,ranney  ,or1 ,thirty ,years on 
the ,bowery  ,an ,autobiography         
,introduction by ,rev4 ,a4 ,f4          
,schauffler1 ,d4 ,d4  #aiaj             
,illustration3 ,cover of ,dave ,ranney  
,this story of my life is dedicated to  
,,dr4 ,a4 ,f4 ,,schauffler  ,who stuck  
by me through thick and thin            
,honest endeavor is ne'er thrown away2  
,god gathers the failures day by day1   
,and weaves them into ,his perfect plan 
,in ways that are not for us to scan4   
--,lucy ,whittemore ,myrick1 #ahgf4     
,,introduction   ,the autobiography     
which this book contains is that of a   
man who through the wonderful dealings  
of ,providence has had a most remarkable

 experience4 ,i have known the writer   
for about seventeen years1 and always   
most favorably4 ,for a number of years  
past he has been ,bowery ,missionary for
 the ,new ,york ,city ,mission and      
,tract ,society1 and has shown himself  
faithful1 capable and conscientious4    
,his story simply illustrates how the   
gospel of the grace of ,god can go down 
as far as man can fall1 and can uplift1 
purify1 and beautify that which was     
degraded and well nigh unto cursing4    
,as a testimony as to what ,god can     
work1 and how ,he can transform a man   
from being a curse to himself and to the
 world into being a blessing1 the story 
is certainly fascinating1 and ought to  
encourage any who have lost hope to turn
 to ,him who alone is able to save4 ,it 
ought also to encourage all workers for 
the downfallen to realize that ,god is  
able to save unto the uttermost all who 
come to ,him through ,jesus ,christ1 the
 all-sufficient ,saviour4  ,with        
confidence ,i recommend this book to    

those who are interested in the rescue  
of the fallen1 knowing that they will   
praise ,god for what has been wrought   
and will trust ,him for future wonderful
 redemptions4  ,a4 ,f4 ,,schauffler4    
,new ,york ,city4     ,,contents        
,,introduction     ,i4 ,,boyhood ,,days 
,,ii4 ,,first ,,steps ,,in ,,crime      
,,iii4 ,,into ,,the ,,depths   ,,iv4    
,,saved ,,by ,,grace    ,v4 ,,on ,,the  
,,up ,,grade   ,,vi4 ,,promoted  ,,vii4 
,,the ,,mission ,,in ,,chinatown ,,viii4
 ,,bowery ,,work   ,,ix4 ,,prodigal     
,,sons         ,let me live in a house  
by the side of the road1     ,where the 
race of men go by4     ,men that are    
good and men that are bad1 as good and  
as bad as ,i4     ,i would not sit in   
the scorner's seat1     ,nor hurl the   
cynic's ban4     ,let me live in a house
 by the side of the road     ,and be a  
friend to man4     ,,chapter ,i         
,,boyhood ,,days   ,i have often been   
asked the question1 ,why don't you write
 a book8 ,and ,i have said1 ,what is the

 use8 ,what good will it do8 ,i have    
thought about it time and time again1   
and have come to the conclusion to write
 a story of my life1 the good and the   
bad1 and if the story will be a help1   
and check some one that's just going    
wrong1 set him thinking1 and point him  
on the right road1 praise ,god6  ,i was 
born in ,hudson ,city1 ,n4 ,j41 over    
forty years ago1 when there were not as 
many houses in that town as there are   
now4 ,i was born in old ,dutch ,row1 now
 called ,beacon ,avenue1 in a two-story 
frame house4 ,in those days there was an
 ,irish ,row and a ,dutch ,row4 ,the    
,irish lived by themselves1 and the     
,dutch by themselves4  ,quite frequently
 the boys of the two colonies would have
 a battle royal1 and there would be     
things doing4 ,sometimes the ,dutch     
would win out1 sometimes the ,irish1 and
 many's the time there was a cut head   
and other bruises4 ,sometimes a prisoner
 would be taken1 and then we would play 
,indian with him1 and do everything with

 him except burn him4 ,we were all boys 
born in ,america1 but if we lived in    
,dutch ,row1 why1 we had to be ,dutch2  
but if1 on the other hand1 we happened  
to live in ,irish ,row1 we had to be    
,irish4 ,i remember moving one time to  
,irish ,row1 and ,i wondered what would 
happen when ,i went to play with the old
 crowd4 ,they said1 ,go and stay with   
the ,irish4 ,i did not know what to do4 
,i would not fight my old comrades1 so  
,i was neutral and fought with neither4 
,we had a good many ring battles in     
those days1 and many's the fight we had 
without gloves1 and many's the black eye
 ,i got1 and also gave a few4 ,i believe
 nothing does a boy or girl so much good
 as lots of play in the open air4 ,i    
never had a serious sickness in my life 
except the measles1 and that was easy1  
for ,i was up before the doctor said ,i 
ought to get out of bed4 ,those were    
happy days1 and little did ,i think then
 that ,i would become the hard man ,i   
turned out to be4  ,i had a good        

,christian mother1 one who loved her boy
 and thought there was nothing too good 
for him1 and ,i could always jolly her  
into getting me anything ,i wanted4 ,god
 bless the mothers6 ,how true the saying
 is1 ,a boy's best friend is his mother4
 ,my father ,i won't say so much about4 
,he was a rough man who loved his cups1 
and died1 as you might say1 a young man 
through his own waywardness4 ,i did love
 my mother1 and would give anything now 
to have her here with me as ,i am       
writing this story4 ,she has gone to    
heaven1 and ,i was the means of sending 
her to an early grave through my        
wrong-doings4 ,she did not live to see  
her boy saved4 ,many's the time ,i would
 promise her to lead a different life1  
and ,i meant it too1 but after all ,i   
could not give up my evil ways4   ,,the 
,,first ,,taste ,,for ,,drink  ,i       
remember when ,i first acquired the     
taste for drink4 ,my grandfather lived  
with us1 and he liked his mixed ale and 
would send me for a pint two or three   

times a day4 ,in those days the beer was
 weighed so many pounds to the quart4   
,every time ,i went for the beer ,i used
 to take a swallow before ,i came back1 
and sometimes two1 and after a while ,i 
really began to enjoy it4 ,do you know1 
,i was laying the foundation right there
 and then for being what ,i turned out  
to be--a drunkard4 ,i remember one      
time--yes1 lots of times--that ,i was   
under the influence of the vile stuff   
when ,i was not more than ten years of  
age4  ,i received a public school       
education4 ,my school-days were grand   
good days4 ,i had all the sport that    
comes to any boy going to school4 ,i    
would rather play ball than go home to  
dinner4 ,in those days the game was     
different from what it is at the present
 time4 ,i was up in all athletic sports 
when ,i was a boy4 ,i could jump three  
quick jumps and go twenty-eight and a   
half feet2 that was considered great for
 a schoolboy4  ,there was one game ,i   
really did enjoy2 the name of it was    

,how many miles8 ,it is played something
 like this3 ,you choose sides1 and it   
doesn't matter how many there are on a  
side4 ,of course each side would be     
eager to get the quickest and fastest   
runner on their side4 ,how ,i did like  
that game6 ,we then tossed to see who   
would be the outs and who would chase   
the outs1 and many's the mile we boys   
would run4 ,we would be late for school 
and would be kept in after three        
o'clock2 that would break my heart1 but 
,i would forget all about it the next   
day and do the same thing again4  ,our  
teacher1 ,j4 ,w4 ,wakeman--,god bless   
him6--is living yet1 and ,i hope he will
 live a good many years more4 ,a boy    
doesn't always like his teacher1 and ,i 
was no exception2 ,i did not like him   
very much4 ,he gave me more whippings   
than any other boy in the school4 ,all  
the learning ,i received was1 you might 
say1 pounded into me4 ,he used to say to
 me1 ,david1 why don't you be good and  
study your lessons8 ,there is the making

 of a man in you1 but if you don't study
 you will be fit for nothing else than  
the pick and shovel4 ,how those words   
rang in my ears many a time in after    
years when they came true1 when ,i had  
to use the pick and shovel6 ,i am not   
saying anything against that sort of    
labor2 it has its place4 ,we must fill  
in somewhere1 in some groove1 but that  
was not mine4  ,how ,i did enjoy in     
after years1 when ,i was roaming over   
the world1 thinking of my old           
schoolmates6 ,i could name over a dozen 
who were filling positions of trust in  
their own city2 lawyers1 surrogates1    
judges1 and some in business for        
themselves1 making a name and doing     
something1 while ,i was no earthly use  
to myself or to any one else4 ,some     
people say1 ,such is life2 as you make  
your bed so you must lie4 ,how true it  
was in my case6 ,i made my bed and had  
to lie on it1 but ,i can truthfully say 
,i did not enjoy it4  ,there are many   
men that are down and out now who had a 

chance to be splendid men4 ,they are now
 on the ,bowery carrying the            
banner--which means walking the streets 
without a place to call home--without   
food or shelter1 but they could1 if they
 looked back to their early life1 see   
that they were making their beds then1  
or as the ,bible reads1 sowing the seed4
 ,listen1 young people1 and take heed4  
,don't believe the saying1 ,a fellow    
must sow his wild oats4 ,the truth is   
just this3 as you sow so shall you reap4
 ,i was sowing when ,i was drinking out 
of the pail of beer1 and ,i surely did  
reap the drunkard's portion--misery4    
,a ,,truant  ,i was a great hand at     
playing hookey--that is1 staying away   
from school and not telling your        
parents4 ,i would start for school in   
the morning1 but instead of going would 
meet a couple of boys and we would hide 
our books until closing-time4 ,if any   
boy was sent to my home with a note1 ,i 
would see that boy and tell him if he   
went he knew what he would get4 ,he knew

 it meant a good punching1 and he would 
not go4 ,i would write a note so that   
the boy could take it back to the       
teacher saying that ,i was sick and     
would be at school when ,i got better4  
,i remember how ,i was found out one    
time4 ,we met as usual--the             
hookey-players1 ,i mean--and started    
down to the ,hackensack ,river to have a
 good day4 ,little did ,i know what     
would happen before the day was over4   
,one of the boys with us went out beyond
 his depth and was drowned4 ,i can still
 hear his cries and see his face as he  
sank for the last lime4 ,we all could   
swim a little1 and we tried our best to 
save him1 but his time had come4  ,that 
wound up his hookey-playing1 and you    
would think it would make me stop too2  
but no1 ,i went right along sowing the  
seed1 and planting it good and deep for 
the ,devil4  ,i recollect the first time
 ,i went away from home4 ,it happened   
this way3 ,the teacher got tired of     
receiving notes saying ,i was sick1 and 

she determined to see for herself--for  
,i had a lady for teacher in that       
class--what the trouble was4  ,one      
afternoon whom should ,i see coming in  
the gate but my teacher1 and now ,i was 
in a fix for fair4 ,i knew if she saw   
mother it was all up with me1 so ,i ran 
and met her and told her mother was out 
and would not be back until late4 ,she  
asked me how ,i was getting on4 ,i said 
,i was better and would be at school in 
the morning4 ,she said1 ,i am glad of   
that4  ,when she turned to go ,i could  
have flung my cap in the air and        
shouted4 ,i thought ,i had fooled her   
and could go on playing hookey1 but you 
know the old adage1 ,there's many a     
slip4 ,just at this time my mother      
looked out of the window and asked who  
was there and what she wanted4 ,well1   
mother came down1 and things were made  
straight as far as she and the teacher  
were concerned2 but ,i was in for it2 ,i
 knew that by the way mother looked at  
me4 ,the jig was up1 ,i was found out1  

and ,i knew things would happen2 and ,i 
did not want to be around when mother   
said1 ,you just wait6 ,i knew what that 
meant1 so ,i determined to go out into  
the world and make my own way4  ,i was a
 little over thirteen years of age1 and 
you know a boy does not know much at    
that age1 but ,i thought ,i did4 ,i went
 over the fence with mother after me4   
,if dad had been home ,i guess he could 
have caught me1 that is if he had been  
sober4 ,mother could not run very fast1 
so ,i got clear of the whip for that    
time at least4 ,i got a good distance   
from the house and then ,i sat down to  
think4 ,i knew if ,i went home a        
whipping was waiting for me1 and that ,i
 could do without4  ,there was a boy    
just a little older than myself1 ,mike  
----1#a that was on the bum1 as we used 
to say4 ,the boys would give him some of
 the lunch they had brought to school1  
and ,i thought ,i would join forces with
 and be his pal4 ,i saw ,mike and told  
him all about the licking1 and ,mike    

said1 ,don't go home2 you are a fool if 
you do4 ,we went around1 and ,i was     
getting hungry1 when we thought of a    
plan by which we could get something to 
eat4 ,mother ran a book in a grocery    
store1 and ,mike said1 ,go to the store 
and get a few things1 and say you don't 
have the book but will bring it when you
 come again4 ,i went to the store and   
got a ham1 a pound of butter1 two loaves
 of bread and one box of sardines4      
,footnote #a3 ,where proper names are   
left blank they refer to real persons or
 places4  ,some people will ask how ,i  
can remember so many years back4 ,i     
remember my first night away from home  
as though it was yesterday1 and ,i'll   
never forget it as long as ,i live4     
,after ,i got the things the grocer     
said1 ,where is the book8 ,i told him   
mother had mislaid it1 and he said1     
,bring it the next time4 ,we built a    
fire and cooked the ham and had lots to 
eat4  ,up to this time it had all been  
smooth sailing2 it was warm and we had a

 good time in general4 ,we had a swim   
with some other boys1 and after telling 
them not to say that they saw me1 we    
left them4 ,i asked ,mike where we were 
going to sleep1 and he said1 ,i'll show 
you when it's time4  ,after a while     
,mike said1 ,i guess we had better go to
 bed4 ,off we started across the lots   
until we came to a big haystack1 and    
,mike stooped down and began to pull hay
 out of the stack and work his way      
inside4 ,remember ,i was green at the   
business2 ,i had never been away from   
home before2 and ,mike1 though only a   
little older1 was used to this kind of  
life4 ,well1 ,i pulled out hay enough1  
as ,i thought1 and crawled in1 but there
 was no sleep for me4 ,i kept thinking  
and thinking4 ,i would call ,mike and   
ask him if he was asleep1 and he would  
say1 ,oh1 shut up and let a fellow      
sleep6  ,i am no coward1 never was1 but 
,i was scared that night for fair4      
,about midnight ,i must have dozed off  
to sleep when something seemed to be    

pushing at my feet4 ,i was wide awake   
now1 and shook ,mike1 but he only turned
 over and seemed to sleep all the       
sounder4 ,i could hear the grunting and 
pushing outside all the time4 ,my head  
was under and my feet covered with the  
hay1 when something took hold of my foot
 and began to chew4 ,my hair stood on   
end1 and ,i gave a yell that would have 
awakened ,the ,seven ,sleepers4 ,it woke
 ,mike1 and the last ,i heard of him    
that night he was laughing as though he 
would split his sides1 and all he could 
shout was1 ,pigs1 pigs6 as ,i went      
flying toward home4 ,i got there as soon
 as my feet would carry me4 ,i found the
 house up and mother and sister crying1 
while father was trying to make them    
stop4 ,when ,i shook the door it opened 
and ,i was home again1 and ,i was mighty
 glad4  ,the reason for the crying was  
that when it got late and the folks     
began to look for me1 one of the boys   
said that the last time he saw me ,i was
 swimming with ,mike ----4 ,when ,i did 

not come home they thought surely ,i was
 drowned1 but ,i was born for a         
different fate4 ,sometimes in my years  
of roaming afterwards ,i wished ,i had  
been drowned as they thought4 ,they were
 so glad to see me again that there was 
no whipping1 and ,i went to school next 
morning promising to be a better boy4   
,a ,,baseball ,,game  ,i was fast       
becoming initiated in the ways of the   
,devil4 ,there was nothing that ,i would
 not do4 ,i remember one time when      
mother thought ,i was going to school   
but found out ,i was on the hook4 ,she  
decided to punish me1 and that night    
after ,i had gone to sleep she came into
 my room and took all my clothes except 
my shirt4 ,i certainly was in a fix4 ,i 
had to catch for my team and ,i would   
not miss that game of ball for anything 
in the world2 ,i simply had to go4 ,in  
looking around the room ,i found a skirt
 belonging to my sister that ,i thought 
would answer my purpose4 ,i had my shirt
 on and ,i put the skirt on over my     

head4 ,then ,i ripped the skirt up the  
center and tied it around each leg with 
a piece of cord--anything for that      
game6--and there ,i was with a pair of  
trousers manufactured out of a girl's   
skirt4 ,but ,i had to catch that game of
 ball that day at any cost4 ,getting to 
the ground was easy4 ,i opened the      
window and let myself down as far as ,i 
could and then dropped4 ,i arrived all  
right1 a little shaken up1 but what is  
that to a boy who has a ball game in his
 head6  ,i got to the game all right and
 some of the boys fixed me up4 ,i don't 
remember which side won that game1 but  
when it was finished ,i went home and   
met mother1 and the interview was not a 
pleasant one1 though she did not give me
 a whipping4  ,i used to read novels1   
any number of them1 in those days--all  
about ,indians1 pirates1 and all those  
blood-and-thunder tales--lies4 ,you can 
not get any good out of them1 and they  
do corrupt your mind4 ,i would advise   
the young people who read these lines1  

and older folks also1 if this is your   
style of reading1 to stop right where   
you are4 ,get some good books--there are
 plenty of them--and don't fill your    
mind with stuff that only unfits you for
 the real life of the years to come4    
,illustration3 ,a ,,noon ,,shop         
,,meeting ,,addressed ,,by ,,mr4        
,,ranney4     ,,chapter ,,ii  ,,first   
,,steps ,,in ,,crime   ,i was getting   
tired of school and wanted to go to     
work4 ,i had a good ,christian man for  
my ,sunday-school teacher1 ,mr4 ,m41 a  
fairly rich man1 and ,i did think a good
 deal of him4 ,i liked to go to         
,sunday-school and was often the first  
in my class4 ,the teacher would put up a
 prize for the one that was there first4
 ,sometimes it would be a baseball bat1 
skates1 book1 or knife4 ,i would let    
myself out then and would be first and  
get the prize4  ,i asked ,mr4 ,m4 to get
 me work in an office4 ,after a few     
weeks he called and told my mother he   
had got me a job in ,jersey ,city1 in   

the office of a civil engineer1 at #c a 
week4 ,i was a happy boy as ,i started  
in on my first day's work4 ,it was easy2
 all ,i had to do was to open up and    
dust the office at #h ,a4 ,m41 and close
 at #e ,p4 ,m4 ,i used to run errands   
and draw a little4 ,but after a few     
weeks the newness of work wore off and  
,i wished ,i was back at school again1  
where ,i could play hookey and have fun 
with the other fellows4   ,,the ,,first 
,,thefts  ,i had lots of time on my     
hands1 and you know the saying1 ,satan  
finds some mischief still for idle hands
 to do4 ,he certainly found plenty for  
me4 ,the boss was a great smoker and    
bought his cigars by the box4 ,he asked 
me if ,i smoked1 and ,i said no1 for ,i 
had not begun to smoke as yet4 ,well1 he
 left the box of cigars around1 always  
open1 so ,i thought ,i would try one1   
and ,i took a couple out of the box4    
,see how the ,devil works with a fellow4
 ,he seemed to say1 ,now if you take    
them from the top he will miss them1 so 

he showed me how to take them from the  
bottom4 ,i took out the cigars that were
 on top1 and when ,i got to the bottom  
of the box ,i crossed a couple and took 
the cigars1 and you could not tell that 
any had been taken out4 ,that was the   
beginning of my stealing4 ,the cigars   
were not missed1 and ,i thought how easy
 it was1 but this beginning proved to be
 just a stepping-stone to what followed4
  ,i did not smoke the cigars then1 but 
waited until ,i got home4 ,after supper 
,i went out and met ,mike ----1 and gave
 him one of them1 and ,i started in to  
smoke my first cigar4 ,mike could smoke 
and not get sick1 but there never was a 
sicker boy than ,i was4 ,i thought ,i   
was going to die then and there and ,i  
said1 ,no more cigars for me4 ,i        
recovered1 however1 and as usual forgot 
my good resolutions4 ,that turned out to
 be the beginning of my smoking habit1  
and ,i was a good judge of a cigar when 
,i was but fourteen years of age4 ,i    
went on stealing them until the boss    

tumbled that some one was taking them   
and locked them up for safe keeping4 ,i 
never smoked a cigarette in all my life4
 ,i know it takes away a young fellow's 
brains and ,i really class cigarettes   
next to drink and would warn boys never 
to smoke them4  ,i had been in the      
office now about three months4 ,at the  
end of each month ,i received a check   
for #ab4 ,it seemed a fortune to me and 
,i hated to give it in at the house4    
,the third month ,i received the check  
as usual1 made out to bearer4 ,well1 ,i 
went home and gave the check to mother1 
and she said ,i was a good boy and gave 
me fifty cents to spend4  ,i watched my 
mother and saw her put the check in an  
unused pitcher in the closet on the top 
shelf4 ,it seemed as though some one was
 beside me all the time telling me to   
take it and have a good time4 ,it       
belonged to me and no one else had a    
right to it1 ,satan seemed to say4 ,and 
what a good time ,i could have with it6 
,they would never suspect me of taking  

it1 and ,i could have it cashed and no  
one would ever know4  ,so ,i got up in  
the middle of the night and started     
right there and then to be a burglar4 ,i
 went on tiptoe as softly as ,i could1  
and was right in the middle of the      
kitchen floor when ,i stumbled over a   
little stool and it made a noise4 ,it   
was not much of a noise1 but to me it   
seemed like the shot out of a cannon4 ,i
 thought it would wake up the whole     
house1 but nobody but mother woke1 and  
she said1 ,who's there8 ,i said nothing1
 only stood still and waited for her to 
fall asleep again4 ,as ,i stood there a 
voice--and surely it was the voice of   
,god--seemed to say1 ,go back to bed and
 leave the check alone4 ,it is not      
yours3 it belongs to your mother4 ,she  
is feeding and keeping you1 and you are 
doing wrong4 ,i think if the ,devil had 
not butted in ,i would have gone to bed1
 but he said1 ,now you are here no one  
sees you1 and what a good time you can  
have with that check6 ,that settled all 

good thoughts and ,i went up to the     
closet1 put my hand in the pitcher1 took
 the check and went back to bed4 ,that  
was my first burglary4  ,did ,i sleep8  
,well1 ,i guess not6 ,i rolled and      
tossed all the balance of the night4 ,i 
knew ,i had done wrong4 ,but you see the
 ,devil was there1 and ,i really think  
he owned me from the time ,i stole the  
cigars--that little beginning4  ,i got  
up the next morning1 ate my breakfast   
and went to work4 ,i still had the      
check1 and all ,i had to do was to go to
 the bank and get it cashed4 ,but ,i was
 afraid1 and how ,i wished that the     
check was safe in the old pitcher4 ,i   
worried all that day1 and ,i think if ,i
 had gotten a chance that night after ,i
 got home1 ,i would have put the check  
back4 ,but the old ,devil was there     
saying1 ,you fool1 keep it6 ,it is not  
missed1 and even if it is no one will   
accuse you of stealing your own money4  
,i tell you1 the ,devil had me hand and 
foot1 and there seemed to be no getting 

away4 ,oh6 if ,i could have had some    
person to tell me plainly what to do at 
this time1 it might have been the       
turning-point in my life6 ,anyway1 the  
check didn't get back to the pitcher4 ,i
 had it and the ,devil had me4  ,next   
day ,i disguised myself somewhat4 ,i    
made my face dirty and put on a cap4 ,i 
had been wearing a hat before1 so ,i    
thought the teller at the bank would not
 know me4 ,i had been there often with  
checks for my boss4 ,well1 the teller   
just looked at the check1 gave me a     
glance1 and passed out the #ab4 ,it did 
not take me long to get out of the bank4
 ,i knew ,i had done wrong1 and ,i felt 
it1 and would have given anything if ,i 
could have undone it2 but it was too    
late1 and my old companion1 the ,devil1 
said1 ,what a nice time you can have1   
and wasn't it easy6  ,when ,i went home 
the first question was1 ,did you see    
your check8 ,my dear mother asked me    
that1 never thinking that her boy had   
taken it4 ,oh6 if ,i had had the courage

 to tell her then and there1 how much   
misery and trouble it would have saved  
me in after life6 ,but ,i was a moral   
coward1 and ,i said1 ,no1 mother2 where 
did you put it8 ,i had her guessing     
whether she really put it in the pitcher
 or not4  ,there was a regular hunt for 
that check1 and ,i hunted as much as any
 one1 but it could not be found4 ,mother
 did not know much about banks in those 
days1 but some one told her about a week
 after that she ought to go to the bank 
and stop payment on the check4 ,that    
sounded good to mother1 and she said1   
,dave1 you and ,i will go to the bank   
and stop payment on that check4 ,i was  
in it for fair this time4 ,the only     
chance ,i had was in the teller not     
recognizing me4  ,we went to the bank1  
and mother told the teller about the    
lost--stolen--check1 and for him to see 
that it wasn't paid4 ,he said1 ,all     
right1 madam1 ,i'll not pay it if it is 
not already paid4 ,he looked over the   
books and brought back the lost check4  

,i had stood in the background all this 
time4 ,then my mother asked him whom he 
paid it to4 ,he said it was hard for him
 to recall just then1 ,but ,i think ,i  
paid it to a boy1 he said4 ,yes1 it was 
a boy1 for ,i recollect that he had as  
dirty a face and hands as ever ,i saw4  
,mother pulled me up in front of him and
 told him to look at me and see if ,i   
was the boy4 ,he looked at me for a     
minute or so--it seemed to me like an   
hour--then said1 ,no1 that is not the   
boy that cashed the check1 nothing like 
him4 ,i am sure ,i should know that boy4
 ,in after years1 when ,i was lined up  
in front of detectives for              
identification for some crime1          
identified or not1 ,i always thought of 
a dirty face being a good disguise4  ,on
 the way home from the bank mother asked
 me all sorts of questions about boys ,i
 knew2 if they had dirty faces and so   
on1 but ,i did not know any such boys1  
so the check business died out4 ,she    
little thought that her own boy was the 

thief1 and she blamed my cousin1 who was
 boarding with us at the time4  ,my     
grandfather was still with us1 and he   
had quite a sum of money saved4 ,he     
wanted some money1 and he and ,i went to
 the bank and he drew out fifty dollars 
in gold4 ,there was a premium on gold at
 that time1 and he received two         
twenty-dollar gold-pieces and one ten4  
,well1 that night he lost one of the    
twenty-dollar gold-pieces and never     
found it4 ,there was a hot time the next
 morning1 for he was sure he had it when
 he went to bed4 ,my father was blamed  
for that1 so you see the innocent suffer
 for the guilty4  ,i had quite a time   
with the money while it lasted1 went out
 to the old ,bowery ,theatre1 and had a 
good time in general4 ,i little thought 
then that in after years ,i would be    
sitting on the old ,bowery steps1 down  
and out1 without a cent in my pocket and
 without a friend in the world4         
,,losing ,a ,,position  ,i was a boy of 
fourteen at this time1 working in a     

civil engineer's office for three       
dollars per week1 but ,i knew1 young as 
,i was1 that as a profession engineering
 was not for me4 ,i knew that to take it
 up ,i needed a good education1 and that
 ,i did not have4 ,i didn't like the    
trade1 anyway1 and didn't care whether  
,i worked or not4 ,that is the reason ,i
 lost my job4  ,one afternoon my        
employer sent me up ,newark ,avenue for 
a suit of clothes that had been made to 
order4 ,he told me to get them and bring
 them back as soon as ,i could4 ,i must 
say right here that my employer was a   
good man1 and he took quite a liking to 
me4 ,many a time he told me he would    
make a great engineer out of me4 ,i     
often look back and ask myself the      
question1 ,did ,i miss my vocation8 ,and
 then there comes a voice1 which ,i     
recognize as ,god's1 saying1 ,you had to
 go through all this in order to help   
others with the same temptations and the
 same sins1 and ,i say1 ,amen4  ,after  
getting the clothes ,i went back to the 

building where ,i worked--,no4 #i       
,exchange ,place1 ,jersey ,city--and    
found the door locked4 ,i waited around 
for a while1 for ,i thought my employer 
wanted his clothes or he would not have 
sent me for them4 ,finally ,i got tired 
of waiting1 and after trying the door   
once more and finding it still locked1  
,i said to myself1 ,i'll just put these 
clothes in the furniture store next door
 and ,i'll get them to-morrow morning4  
,i left them and told the man ,i would  
call for them in the morning1 and       
started for home4  ,i was in bed        
dreaming of ,indians and other things1  
when mother wakened me1 shouting1       
,where's the man's clothes8 ,i couldn't 
make out at first what all the racket   
was about4 ,then ,i heard men's voices  
talking in the yard1 and recognized ,mr4
 ,m41 my ,sunday-school teacher1 and my 
employer1 the man that was going to make
 a great engineer out of me4 ,i went out
 on the porch and told him what ,i had  
done with the clothes1 and he nearly    

collapsed4 ,he was very angry1 and drove
 off1 saying1 ,you come to the office   
and get what's due you in the morning4  
,i went the next morning1 got my money1 
and bade him good-by4 ,that was the last
 of my becoming one of the great        
engineers of the day4  ,i was glad1 and 
,i went back to school determined to    
study real hard1 and ,i did remain in   
school for a year4 ,then the old craze  
for work came on me again4 ,father had  
died in the meantime1 and mother was    
left to do the best she could1 and ,i   
got a job with the determination to be a
 help to her4   ,,at ,,work ,,again  ,i 
got a position as office boy at #dj     
,broadway1 then one of ,new ,york's     
largest buildings4 ,the man ,i worked   
for was a commission merchant1 a        
,hebrew1 and one of the finest men ,i   
ever met in my life4 ,he took me into   
his private office and we had a long    
talk1 a sort of fatherly talk1 as he had
 sons and daughters of his own4 ,i loved
 that man4 ,i had been brought up among 

the ,dutch and ,irish1 and had never    
associated with the ,jews1 and ,i       
supposed from what ,i had heard that    
they were put on earth for us to get the
 best of1 fire stones at1 and treat as  
meanly as we could4 ,that was my idea of
 a ,jew--my boy idea4 ,yet here was a   
man1 a ,jew1 one of the whitest men ,i  
ever met1 who by his life changed       
completely my opinion of the ,jews1 and 
,i put them down from that day as being 
pretty good people4  ,my mother did some
 work for his wife1 and when he heard   
that ,i wanted to go to work he told her
 to send me over to his place of        
business1 and that is how ,i got my     
second position in this big world4  ,i  
went to work with the determination to  
make a man of myself1 and mother said3  
,now1 ,dave1 be a good boy1 and one of  
these days you will be a big merchant   
and ,i shall be proud of you4 ,that was 
what ,i might have been if ,i had had   
the grace of ,god to make my life true4 
,i am acquainted with some men to-day   

that started about the same time ,i did4
 ,they were boys that looked ahead1     
studied and went up step by step1 and   
are to-day some of the best-known       
bankers in ,america4  ,they say ,hell is
 paved with good intentions1 and ,i     
believe it is4 ,we start out in life    
with the best intentions1 but before we 
know it we are up against some          
temptation1 and unless we have ,god with
 us we are sure to fall1 and when we    
fall1 why1 it's the hardest thing in the
 world to get back where we tumbled     
from4 ,i only wish ,i had taken the     
,saviour as my helper years ago4 ,oh6   
what a change ,he did make in my life   
after ,i did accept ,him1 seventeen     
years ago6  ,i started in to work at    
four dollars a week1 and1 as ,i said1 ,i
 intended to be a great merchant4 ,i    
meant well1 if that was any consolation4
 ,my duties were to go to the postoffice
 and bring the mail1 copy the letters1  
and run errands1 and ,i was happy4  ,i  
was out one day on an errand1 when whom 

should ,i meet but my old friend ,mike  
----1 my chum of the pig incident4 ,he  
said1 ,hello1 ,dave1 where are you      
working8 ,he had a job in a factory in  
,maiden ,lane1 at the same wages ,i was 
getting4 ,i hadn't seen much of ,mike   
lately1 and to tell the truth ,i didn't 
care so much about meeting him4 ,i am   
not superstitious by any means1 but ,i  
really thought he was my ,jonah4 ,we    
talked a while1 and we promised to meet 
and go home together4 ,like a foolish   
boy1 ,i met him that night and many a   
time after4   ,,touch ,,not1 ,,taste    
,,not  ,mike was just learning to play  
pool1 and one evening we had to go in   
and play a game4 ,that night ,i had the 
first glass of beer ,i ever took in a   
saloon4 ,mike was getting to be quite a 
tippler1 and he said1 ,let's have a     
drink4 ,i said ,i didn't want any1 and  
,i didn't4 ,but he said--,i really think
 the ,devil was using ,mike to make me  
drink--,oh1 be a man6 ,one glass won't  
hurt you2 it will do you good4 ,and he  

talked to me about mother's             
apron-strings1 and finally ,i took my   
first drink outside of what ,i drank    
when grandfather used to send me for    
beer4  ,do you know1 as ,i stood there  
before the bar1 with that beer in my    
hand1 ,i heard a voice just as plain as 
,i ever heard anything1 saying1 ,don't  
take that stuff2 it's no good1 and will 
bring you to shame and misery4 ,it will 
spoil your future1 and you will never   
become the great merchant you started   
out to be4 ,put it down and don't drink 
it4 ,that was twenty-five years ago1 and
 many a time ,i have heard that voice   
since4 ,how ,i wish now that ,i had     
listened to that voice and never taken  
that first drink6 ,it is not the second 
or the one hundred and second drink that
 makes a man a drunkard1 but the first4 
,i started to put the glass down1 and   
with that ,mike began to laugh1 and his 
laugh brought the other fellows around4 
,of course ,mike told them ,i was a     
milk-and-water boy4 ,i could not stand  

it to be laughed at1 so ,i put the glass
 of beer to my lips1 swallowed it1 and  
never made a face about it4 ,then the   
fellows said1 ,you're all right6 ,you   
are initiated now and you're a man6  ,i 
didn't feel very much like a man4 ,i    
felt as though ,i was some fellow       
without a single spark of manhood in my 
whole make-up4 ,i thought of mother2    
what would she say if she knew ,i had   
broken my promise to her8 ,i had        
promised her when father died never to  
take a drink in all my life4 ,i knelt at
 her dear side1 with her hands upon my  
head1 and she prayed that ,god would    
bless her boy and keep him from drink4  
,i had honestly intended to keep that   
promise1 but you see how the ,devil     
popped in and once more made me do what 
,i knew was wrong--drink that first     
cursed glass of beer4  ,i went home1    
walking all the way1 and trying to get  
the smell out of my mouth4 ,i could not 
face my dear mother1 so ,i went to my   
room without supper4 ,i thought that all

 she had to do was to look in my face   
and she would know that ,i had broken my
 promise1 and ,i was ashamed4 ,she came 
up later and asked me what was the      
matter1 and ,i said ,i had a headache4  
,if ,i had had the courage to tell her  
then1 things might have been different6 
,she brought me a cup of tea and bade me
 good-night4  ,the next night the ,devil
 steered me into the same saloon4 ,i    
drank again and again1 till finally ,i  
could drink as much as any man1 and it  
would take a good deal to knock me out4 
,i was still working for the merchant on
 ,broadway1 and my prospects were of the
 brightest4 ,they all liked me and gave 
me a raise in salary1 so ,i was now     
getting five dollars a week4 ,but1 you  
see1 ,i was spending money on pool and  
drink1 and five dollars didn't go so    
very far1 so ,i began to steal4 ,i had  
charge of the stamps--the firm used a   
great many---and ,i had the mailing of  
all the letters4 ,i would take out fifty
 cents from the money and balance the   

account by letters mailed4 ,i began in a
 small way1 and the ,devil in me said1  
,how easy6 ,you're all right4 ,so ,i    
went on until ,i was stealing on an     
average of #a4ej per day4 ,i still kept 
on drinking and playing cards4 ,i had by
 this time blossomed out as quite a     
poker player and could do as many tricks
 as the best of them4 ,i used to stay   
out quite late1 and would tell mother   
that ,i was kept at the office1 and     
little did she think that her only son  
was a gambler6  ,the ,bible says1 ,be   
sure your sin will find you out1 and it 
proved true in my case4 ,one night ,i   
was out gambling1 and had had quite some
 luck4 ,the fellows got to drinking1 and
 in fact ,i got drunk1 and when ,i      
started for home ,i could hardly walk4  
,i fell down several times1 when who    
should come along but mother and sister1
 and when they saw me staggering along  
they were astonished4 ,i heard my mother
 say1 ,oh6 my ,god1 my boy1 my only son1
 oh6 what happened to you8 ,mother knew 

without asking what the matter was4 ,she
 had often seen father reeling home     
under the influence of drink4 ,but here 
was something she could not understand4 
,here was her only son beastly drunk1   
and she cried bitter tears4 ,she took   
hold of one arm and my sister the other1
 and we finally reached home4 ,i was    
getting pretty well sobered up by this  
time1 and knew ,i was in for a lecture4 
,my mother hadn't whipped me of late1   
but ,i dreaded her talk1 and then ,i    
wished ,i had never met ,mike ----4     
,mother didn't say anything until we got
 home4 ,she put me to bed1 brushed my   
clothes1 and told me to go to sleep4    
,about two o'clock ,i woke up4 ,there   
was mother kneeling by my bedside1      
praying ,god to save her boy and keep   
him from following in his father's      
footsteps4 ,i lay there and listened and
 said amen to everything she asked ,god 
to do4 ,finally ,i could stand it no    
longer2 ,i jumped out of bed and knelt  
beside my mother and asked ,god to      

forgive me4 ,i threw my arms around     
mother's neck and asked her to forgive  
her boy1 which she did4 ,i determined   
right then and there to do better and   
never to drink any more4  ,i really     
meant to start all over again1 but ,i   
didn't take ,jesus with me--in fact1 ,i 
think the ,devil owned me for fair4 ,i  
was pretty good for about a month1 kept 
away from ,mike and the other fellows1  
and mother was delighted4 ,but this did 
not continue long2 ,i met ,mike again1  
and fell into the same groove1 and was  
even worse than before4  ,barnum was    
running his circus in ,new ,york then1  
and ,mike and ,i decided to see the show
 and took a day off to go4 ,i had not   
got leave of absence from work1 so on   
our way home we planned what we could   
tell our bosses when we went to work the
 next morning4  ,when my employer came  
in that morning ,i told him ,i was sick 
the day before and not able to get out  
of bed4 ,he just stood there and looked 
at me1 and said1 ,what a liar you are6  

,you were seen at the circus yesterday6 
,now1 why didn't you tell me the truth1 
and ,i would have overlooked it8 ,i     
can't have any one in my employ that ,i 
can't trust4 ,so ,i had to look for     
another job4 ,i was sorry1 but it was my
 own fault4 ,there ,i was1 without a job
 and without a recommendation4 ,what was
 ,i going to do8 ,surely the way of the 
transgressor is hard4  ,i tell the men  
in the ,mission night after night that  
,i would rather deal with a thief than a
 liar1 because you can protect yourself 
against a thief1 but a liar--what can't 
a liar do8 ,if ,i had only told the     
truth to my employer that day1 why1 as  
mother said afterwards1 he would have   
given me a lecture1 and it would have   
been all over4   ,,deeper ,,in ,,the    
,,mire  ,now what was ,i to tell my     
mother8 ,you see1 if you tell one lie   
you are bound to tell others1 and after 
you have lied once1 how easy it is6 ,my 
side partner1 the ,devil1 was there by  
my side to help me1 and he said1 ,don't 

tell your mother4 ,so ,i said nothing1  
and took my carfare and lunch money     
every day1 went out as if ,i were going 
to work1 and hoped that something would 
turn up4 ,that's the way with the       
sinners2 they are always hoping and     
never doing4 ,so it was with me1 always 
hoping1 and the ,devil always saying1   
,don't worry2 it will be all right4  ,i 
used to dread going home at night and   
meeting my mother1 and when she would   
say1 ,how have you got on to-day8 ,i was
 always ready with another lie1 telling 
her ,i was doing finely1 that the boss  
said he was going to give me a raise    
soon4 ,he had--he had raised me right   
out of the place6  ,i was getting deeper
 and deeper into difficulty and could   
not see my way out4 ,oh6 if ,i had only 
told my mother the truth1 how different 
my life might have been6 ,saturday night
 was coming1 and ,i did not have any    
money to bring home1 and ,i did not know
 what to do4 ,i thought of everything1  
but could not see my way out1 when the  

thought came to me1 ,steal6 ,my sister  
was saving up some money to buy a suit1 
and ,i knew where she kept it and       
determined to get it4 ,that night ,i    
entered her room and took all the money 
she had saved4 ,no one saw me but ,god1 
but the ,devil was there with me1 and   
said1 ,isn't it easy8 ,don't be a       
coward6 ,god doesn't care4 ,i knew right
 down in my heart that ,he did care1 and
 in after years when ,i was wandering   
all over the ,states ,i found out how   
much ,he really cared1 and ,i said1     
,praise ,his name6  ,illustration3 ,a   
,,back ,,yard ,,on ,,the ,,bowery4      
,illustration3 ,,one ,,of ,,ranney',s   
,,former ,,haunts4     ,,chapter ,,iii  
,,into ,,the ,,depths   ,after ,i had   
taken this money from my sister ,i knew 
that ,i was suspected4 ,i was accused of
 taking it1 but ,i was getting hardened2
 ,i had lost my job through lying2 ,i   
was getting tired of home2 ,i didn't    
care very much how things went4  ,about 
this time my elder sister was married   

and moved to ,new ,york4 ,her husband   
was a mechanic and made good money4 ,he 
liked me1 and when the theft was        
discovered ,i went and put up with him1 
staying there until ,i made money enough
 to leave1 then ,i got out4 ,all this   
time ,i was going from bad to worse1 my 
associates being thieves and crooks and 
gamblers4  ,i shall never forget the    
first time ,i was arrested4 ,i was with 
a hardened crook1 and we had made a haul
 of some hundred dollars4 ,but as luck  
would have it we were caught and sent   
away for nine months on a technicality4 
,if we had received our just dues the   
lowest term would have been five years  
each4 ,i thought my time in prison would
 never come to an end1 but it did at    
last1 and ,i was free4 ,but where was ,i
 to go8 ,my mother had moved to ,new    
,york to be near my sister1 so ,i went  
and called on them4 ,mother asked me    
where ,i had been4 ,i made some kind of 
an excuse1 but ,i could see by mother's 
eye that she did not take much stock in 

it4  ,i remained at home1 and finally   
got work in a fruit house on ,washington
 ,street1 at eight dollars a week4 ,i   
was quite steady for a while1 and mother
 still had hopes of her boy4 ,but       
through the same old company and drink  
,i lost that job4   ,,marriage  ,about  
this time ,i ran across a girl who ,i   
thought would make a good wife1 and we  
were married4 ,i was then in the        
crockery business in a small way1 and if
 ,i had stuck to business ,i should be  
worth something now4 ,i'll never forget 
the day of the wedding4 ,the saying is1 
,happy is the bride the sun shines on1  
but there was no sunshine that day4 ,it 
rained1 it simply poured4 ,mother tried 
to get the girl to throw me over2 she   
told her ,i would never make her a good 
husband2 and ,i guess ,mary was sorry   
afterward that she did not take her     
advice4  ,the night of the wedding we   
had quite a blowout1 and ,i was as drunk
 as ,i could be4 ,i'd ring in right here
 a bit of advice to my girl readers3    

,don't ever try to convert a man--,i    
mean one who drinks--by marrying him1   
for in ninety-nine cases out of a       
hundred you won't succeed4 ,in my case  
,i was young and did not care how the   
wind blew4 ,i stayed out nights and     
neglected my home1 but ,i must say1 bad 
as ,i was1 ,i never hit my wife4 ,i     
think any man that raises his hand to   
hit a woman is worse than a cur1 and    
that he will certainly be punished in   
some way for it4  ,things went from bad 
to worse1 and one day ,i came home to   
the store and there was no wife4 ,she   
had gone4 ,married and deserted in two  
months6 ,i felt sore1 and all ,i thought
 about was to get even with my wife4 ,i 
sold out the business1 got a couple     
hundred dollars together1 and started   
after her4 ,i found out that she had    
gone to ,oswego1 and ,i sent her a      
telegram and was met at the station by  
her brother4 ,it did not take me long to
 get next to him4 ,in a very short time 
,i had him thinking there was no one    

like ,ranney4 ,mary and ,i made up and  
,i promised never to drink again1 and we
 started for ,new ,york4 ,my promises   
were easily broken1 for before we got to
 ,syracuse both her brother and ,i were 
pretty drunk4  ,after reaching ,new     
,york we went to mother's house and     
stayed there until we got rooms1 which  
we did in a few days4 ,mary's brother   
got work in a lumberyard4 ,i hunted as  
usual for a job1 praying ,i wouldn't get
 it4 ,i went hustling lumber and worked 
two days1 leaving because it took the   
skin off my hands4 ,finally ,i could not
 pay the rent1 was dispossessed1 and    
then went to live in ,hell's ,kitchen1  
in ,thirty-ninth ,street1 where my son  
was born4 ,our friends thought the baby 
would bring ,mary and me closer         
together1 as it sometimes does4 ,but    
what did ,i care for a baby6  ,i got    
work on ,jake ,sharp's ,twenty-third    
,street cars1 and ,mary would bring me  
my dinner and do everything she could   
for me4 ,but when drink is the idol--and

 it was mine--what does one care for    
love8 ,nothing4 ,i certainly led ,mary a
 hard life4 ,at last ,i came home one   
night and she and the kid were gone4    
,the baby was then two months old1 and  
,i never saw him again until he was a   
boy of nine4 ,i was not sorry at their  
going4 ,i wasn't any good in those days4
 ,i imagined ,i was done dirty1 as they 
say1 but ,i knew the girl couldn't do   
anything else for herself and baby4 ,i  
sold out the little furniture the rooms 
contained1 got a few dollars1 and jumped
 the town4   ,,wanderings  ,i started   
out with every one's hand against me and
 mine against every one's4 ,i struck    
,marathon1 ,n4 ,y41 and had quite a time
 there4 ,i worked in ,dumphy's tannery1 
got a few weeks' pay and a few other    
articles1 and jumped out for fear of    
being arrested4 ,i reached ,syracuse and
 struck a job in ,mc,chesney's          
lumberyard1 at #a4ce per day4  ,i stayed
 in ,syracuse quite a while and learned 
a little of the lumber business4 ,i had 

quite a few adventures while there4 ,i  
had struck up an acquaintance with a    
,new ,york boy1 and one evening after   
work we were sitting on the grass in    
front of one of the hotels1 and seeing  
the patrol wagon passing1 ,i made the   
remark1 ,some poor bum is going to get a
 ride1 when it pulled up in front of us 
and we were told to get in4 ,i tried to 
argue the point with the captain1 but it
 was of no use4 ,we were taken to the   
station1 and the others were sent below 
while ,i was kept up for examination4   
,they put me through a light third      
degree1 measuring me and noting the     
color of hair and eyes1 size of feet1   
etc4  ,finally they stopped measuring   
and asking questions1 and ,i waited4 ,i 
saw my friend come up and go out of the 
door2 he did not take time to bid me    
good-by4 ,i asked the captain if he was 
through with me1 and he did not know    
what to say4 ,he apologized1 and        
explained that ,i had been arrested     
because ,i looked like a man that had   

escaped from ,auburn4  ,i felt rather   
sorry for the captain1 not because ,i   
was not the escaped prisoner1 but       
because he was so nervous4 ,i could not 
leave him without a jolly1 so ,i said1  
,captain1 if you'll come up to the      
corner ,i'll treat1 patting my pocket in
 which ,i had a few pennies4 ,he thanked
 me and said1 ,no4 ,i met the captain   
every night taking his men as far as    
,salina ,street1 and we always saluted  
one another4  ,my new pal couldn't be   
got up on ,main ,street to the          
postoffice again for anything1 and as   
soon as he earned money enough he took  
the train for little old ,new ,york4    
,i've met him on the ,bowery since ,i   
became a missionary there1 and we did   
smile about that ride in the hurry-up   
wagon in ,syracuse4  ,finally ,i came   
back to ,new ,york1 after being away    
quite a time1 got work in a carpet      
factory1 and was quite steady for a     
while4  ,my poor dear mother was sick1  
sometimes up and oftentimes in bed4 ,i  

can still see her and hear her say1     
,david1 my poor boy1 ,i do wish you     
would stop your drinking4 ,i've prayed  
for you1 and will pray until ,i die4    
,oh1 ,dave6 ,i'd die so happy if my only
 son would stop and be a man6 ,but that 
cursed appetite1 what a hold it had on  
me6 ,it seemed as if ,i couldn't stop if
 ,i had been given all the money in the 
world4  ,i did love my mother dearly2 ,i
 didn't care for any one in the world   
but her4 ,still1 one of the meanest acts
 ,i ever did was to my mother4 ,and such
 a good mother she was2 there are not   
many like her6  ,she was in bed and had 
only a few weeks to live4 ,one day she  
called me to her bedside and said1      
,dave1 ,i am going to leave you1 never  
to see you again on this earth1 but oh6 
how ,i wish you were going to meet me on
 the other side4 ,now1 ,dave1 won't you 
promise me you will8 ,i said1 ,yes1     
mother1 sure ,i will4 ,and she made me  
promise then and there that when she was
 dead1 and waiting burial1 ,i would not 

get drunk1 at least while her body was  
in the house4 ,i went down on my knees  
and promised her that ,i'd meet her in  
heaven4  ,she died1 and the undertaker  
had been gone but a short time when ,i  
began drinking1 and the day of the      
funeral ,i was pretty drunk4 ,that was  
one of the meanest things ,i ever did4  
,but ,i am sure that sometimes my dear  
mother looks over the portals of heaven1
 and sees her boy--a man now1 a         
,christian--and forgives me4 ,and some  
day1 when my time comes1 ,i am going to 
join her there4  ,i went from bad to    
worse1 wandering all over1 not caring   
what happened4 ,i took a great many     
chances4 ,sometimes ,i had plenty of    
money1 and at other times ,i wouldn't   
have a nickel ,i could jingle against a 
tombstone4 ,i boated on the ,ohio and   
,mississippi to ,new ,orleans1 then up  
on the ,lakes4 ,i was always wandering1 
but never at rest1 sometimes in prison1 
and sometimes miles away from human     
habitation1 often remorseful1 always    

wondering what the end would be4  ,i    
recollect1 after being eighty-two days  
on the river to ,new ,orleans1 being    
paid off with over #abe4 ,i left the    
steamer at ,pittsburg1 and the first    
thing ,i did was to go and get a jug of 
beer4 ,before ,i got anywhere near drunk
 ,i was before ,judge ,white1 and was   
fined #h4dj1 and discharged4 ,i wasn't  
free half an hour before ,i was arrested
 again1 brought before ,judge ,white1   
and again fined #h4dj4 ,after being free
 for about fifteen minutes1 ,i was again
 brought before ,judge ,white1 who      
looked at me this time and said1 ,can't 
you keep sober8 ,i said1 ,your ,honor1  
,i haven't had a drink since the first  
time4 ,and ,i hadn't4 ,but he said1     
,five days1 and ,i was shut up for that 
time1 and ,i was in hell there five days
 if ever a man was4  ,out of jail1 ,i   
drifted with the tide4 ,i was arrested  
for a trick that1 if ,i had got my just 
dues1 would have put me in prison for   
ten years1 but ,i got off with three    

years1 and came out after doing two     
years and nine months4  ,when a person  
is cooped up he has lots of time to     
think4 ,it's think1 think1 think1 and   
hope4 ,many's the time ,i said1 ,oh1 if 
,i only get out and still have my       
health1 what a change there will be6    
,and ,i meant it4  ,isn't it queer how  
people will say1 ,i can't stop drinking1
 but when they're in jail they have to6 
,the prison is a sanitarium for         
drunkards4 ,they don't drink while on a 
visit there4 ,then why not stop it while
 one has a free foot8 ,i thought of all 
these things while ,i was locked up1 and
 ,i decided that when ,i was free ,i    
would hunt up my wife and baby and be a 
man4  ,prison at best isn't a pleasant  
place1 but you can get the best in it if
 you behave4 ,there's no coaxing you to 
be good4 ,they won't say1 ,if you don't 
behave ,i'll send you home4 ,it isn't   
like school4 ,you have to behave or it's
 worse for you1 for they certainly put  
you through some pretty tough things4   

,many's the time ,i got on my knees and 
told ,god all about it4 ,if a man is    
crossing the street1 sees a car coming1 
and is sure it will hit him1 the first  
thing he says is1 ,oh1 ,god1 save me6   
,the car misses him by a foot1 and he   
forgets how much he owes4 ,he simply    
says1 ,thank you1 ,god2 when ,i'm in    
danger ,i'll call on ,you again4 ,it was
 so with me4 ,out in the world again1 ,i
 forgot all about all the promises ,i   
made in prison4  ,illustration3 ,a      
,,bowery ,,lodging-,,house4             
,,chapter ,,iv  ,,saved ,,by ,,grace    
,twelve years later1 after a life spent 
on the road and in prison1 ,i found     
myself on the ,bowery1 in the fall of   
#ahib1 without a friend1 down and out4  
,after spending my last dollar in ----'s
 saloon1 ,i was sitting down in the back
 room of that place1 wondering if ,i    
dared ask ---- for a drink1 when in he  
walked4 ,he looked at me1 and said1     
,now1 ,danny1 ,i think you had better   
get a move on6 ,get out and hustle4 ,you

 are broke1 and you know ,i am not      
running this place for fun4  ,i took it 
kind of hard1 but looked at him and     
said1 ,all right4 ,i got up from the    
chair where ,i'd been sitting and walked
 out1 not caring what ,i did1 but bound 
to get some money4 ,now1 ---- was a good
 fellow in his way2 they all are if you 
have the price2 but saloon-keepers are  
not running their places for the benefit
 of others1 and when a man's money's    
gone they don't want him around4 ,i had 
spent all ,i had1 about twenty dollars1 
and now ,i was turned out1 and it served
 me right4  ,now there's something in   
rum that fascinates1 something we can't 
understand4 ,i wanted whiskey1 and was  
ready to do anything to get it4 ,the    
appetite in me was fierce4 ,no one knows
 the terrible pangs1 the great longing1 
but one who has been up against it4 ,and
 nothing can satisfy the awful craving  
but whiskey4   ,,the ,,turning-,,point  
,many's the time ,i've stood on the     
,bowery and cursed ,god and the day ,i  

was born1 and wished that ,i was dead4  
,but here ,i was6 ,nobody cared for me1 
and why should they1 for ,i did not care
 for myself4 ,i did not even think ,god 
cared much or ,he would have done       
something4 ,i imagined the ,devil       
thought he had me for keeps1 and so he  
did not exert himself very much either4 
,i was out of the saloon1 on the street1
 and little as ,i imagined such a thing 
would ever happen1 ,i never entered     
----'s saloon again4 ,all unknown to me 
the turning-point in my life had come4  
,sizing up the situation1 ,i knew ,i    
must have a drink1 but how was ,i to get
 it8 ,up to this time ,i'd done         
everything on the calendar except       
murder1 and ,i don't know how ,i missed 
that4 ,i've seen men killed1 have been  
in a few shoot-ups myself1 and bear some
 scars1 but ,i know at this writing that
 ,god and a mother's prayers saved me   
from this awful crime4  ,among the many 
accomplishments suited to the life ,i   
was leading was that of a strong-arm    

man1 and ,i determined to put it into   
use now1 for ,i was desperate4  ,the    
rule in this dastardly work is always to
 select a man smaller and weaker than   
one's self4 ,as ,i looked about ,i saw a
 man coming up the ,bowery who seemed to
 answer to the requirements1 and ,i said
 to myself1 ,this is my man6 ,i walked  
up to him and touched him on the        
shoulder1 but as he straightened up ,i  
saw that he was as big as myself1 and ,i
 hesitated4 ,i would have taken the     
chances even then1 but he started back  
and asked what ,i wanted4 ,i said ,i was
 hungry1 thinking that he would put his 
hand in his pocket1 and then1 having    
only one hand1 ,i could put the strangle
 hold on him4 ,but he was equal to the  
situation4 ,he told me afterward that ,i
 looked dangerous4  ,i asked him if he  
was ever hungry4 ,he said1 ,many's the  
time4 ,i told him ,i was starving4 ,come
 with me1 said he1 and we went over to  
,chatham ,square1 to a place called     
,beefsteak ,john's4  ,we went in and sat

 down1 and he said1 ,now order what you 
want4 ,on the ,bowery in those days you 
could get a pretty good meal for fifteen
 cents--all you wanted to eat4 ,the     
waiter was there to take my order4 ,i   
knew him and winked to him to go away1  
and he went4 ,he thought ,i was going to
 work the young fellow for his money4   
,the young fellow said1 ,why don't you  
call for something8 ,i thought you were 
starving4  ,now here ,i was up against  
it4 ,i'd panned this man for something  
to eat1 and he was willing to pay for   
anything ,i wanted1 and for the life of 
me ,i could not swallow any food4 ,when 
a man is drinking he doesn't care to eat
 at a table4 ,give him a square meal1   
and he doesn't enjoy it4 ,i know men    
to-day who spend every dollar they earn 
for drink1 and eat nothing but free     
lunches1 handed out with their drinks4  
,that was what was the matter with me4  
,all ,i wanted was drink4 ,the young man
 had called my bluff1 and ,i had nothing
 to show but lies4 ,i sat there         

wondering how ,i was going to get out of
 this hole4 ,i was looking at the man   
and he at me1 when the little good that 
was in me cropped out1 and looking him  
square in the eye ,i said1 ,young       
fellow1 ,i've lied to you4 ,i could not 
eat the first mouthful4 ,i told him ,i'd
 gone up to him thinking he would dig   
down in his pocket and give me a little 
change4 ,i did not mention the fact that
 ,i intended to put him up in the air   
and rob him4 ,then ,i sat back in my    
chair and waited for the come-back4     
,finally he said1 ,have some coffee and 
sinkers--rolls4 ,but ,i could not go    
even that6  ,we got to talking1 and he  
asked me where ,i was living4 ,i smiled 
at the idea of my living6 ,i wasn't even
 existing6 ,i told him ,i lived any     
place where ,i hung up my hat3 that ,i  
didn't put up at the ,astor ,house very 
often2 sometimes at the ,delevan1 or the
 ,windsor1 or in fact1 any of the hotels
 on the ,bowery were good enough for    
me--that is1 if ,i had the price1       

fifteen cents4 ,you can get a bed in a  
lodging-house for ten cents1 or if you  
have only seven cents you can get a     
flop4 ,you can sit in some joint all    
night if you have a nickel1 but if you  
haven't you can do the next best thing  
in line1 and that is carry the banner4  
,think of walking the streets all night 
and being obliged to keep moving6  ,the 
man took a fifty-cent piece out of his  
pocket1 held it in his hand1 and asked  
me if ,i would meet him at the ,broome  
,street ,tabernacle the next morning at 
ten-thirty4 ,now ,i wanted that         
half-dollar1 ,i wanted it badly6 ,it    
meant ten drinks to me at five per4 ,i  
would have promised to meet the ,devil  
in hell for drink1 and fearing the young
 man might put the money in his pocket  
again1 ,i said ,i'd be there4 ,he gave  
me the half-dollar1 we shook hands1 and 
,i never expected to see that man again4
  ,i didn't go back to ----'s1 but to   
---- ,bowery--another place that has put
 more men on the down-grade than any    

place ,i know4 ,it's out of business    
now1 and as ,i pass there every day ,i  
pray that all the saloons may go4 ,i    
drank the half-dollar up in quick time1 
for with the ,bowery element it's divy  
even with drinks4   ,,broome ,,street   
,,tabernacle  ,morning came1 and ,i     
wondered what ,i should do for the day4 
,how ,i loved to stand and smell the    
liquor1 even when not drinking6 ,but now
 ,i hate it6 ,oh1 what a change when    
,christ comes into a man's heart6 ,i had
 stood there all night in that saloon   
and didn't feel a bit tired4 ,i went out
 to do some one else1 when ,i thought of
 the fellow of last night4 ,i thought ,i
 had sized him up and that he was easy1 
so ,i started for the meeting-place1 the
 ,tabernacle4 ,i went there to see if ,i
 could work him for a dollar1 or perhaps
 two4  ,i got to the church and looked  
for a side door and found a bell which  
,i rang4 ,i did not have to wait long   
before the young fellow himself opened  
the door4 ,out went his hand1 and he    

gave me such a shake that one would have
 thought he had known me all my life4   
,there's a lot in a handshake6 ,i'm glad
 to see you6 he said4 ,i knew you would 
keep your promise4 ,i knew you would    
come4  ,that took me back a little4     
,here was a man ,i had never seen till  
the night before taking me at my word4  
,i wondered who he was4 ,we went into   
the church4 ,he was talking to make me  
feel at home4 ,finally he looked me over
 from head to feet and said1 ,are those 
the best clothes you have8 ,i said1     
,these are the best and only clothes ,i 
have4 ,i had my trunk on my back1 and   
the whole kit1 shoes and all1 wasn't    
worth fifty cents4 ,the way of the      
drunkard is hard4 ,i had helped put     
diamonds on the saloon-keeper and rags  
on myself1 but if there are any diamonds
 now ,i'll put them on my own little    
wife and not the saloon-keeper's4 ,the  
young man said1 ,i've a nice suit that  
will fit you4 ,will you let me give it  
to you8  ,here was a situation that     

puzzled me4 ,i was an old offender1 had 
been up many times and was well known to
 the police4 ,my record was bad1 and    
whenever there was a robbery or hold-up 
the police would round up all the       
ex-convicts and line us up at           
headquarters for identification4 ,give a
 dog a bad name and it sticks4 ,i was   
suspicious2 a man that has done time    
always is2 and when the young man said  
he had clothes for me1 ,i put him down  
as one of the stool pigeons working in  
with the police4 ,since ,i'd graduated  
to the ,bowery doing crooked work ,i    
imagined every one was against me4 ,it  
was a case of doing others or they would
 do me4 ,and ,i wondered why this man   
took such an interest in me4 ,the more  
,i thought the more puzzled ,i got4  ,i 
looked about me4 ,i was in a church2 why
 should he do me any harm8 ,then ,i     
thought that if ,i put on the clothes he
 might slip an ,ingersoll watch into the
 pocket1 let me get on the street1 and  
then shout ,stop1 thief6 ,i'd be        

arrested and then it would be away up   
the river for a good long bit4 ,however1
 ,i'm a pretty good judge of human      
nature1 and ,i thought ,i'd take a      
chance4 ,it was a fine suit2 and ,i     
could just see myself putting it in     
pawn1 so ,i said ,i'd take it4 ,but     
there's many a slip 'twixt the cup and  
lip1 and there was a strange slip in my 
case4  ,the young fellow said1 ,don't   
you think you had better have a bath8   
,well1 ,i did need a bath for fair4 ,a  
man sleeping in one bed one night and a 
different one the next1 walking the     
streets and sitting around on park      
benches1 gets things on him1 and they   
are grandparents in a couple of nights4 
,of course ,i needed a bath6 ,i was a   
walking menagerie6 ,he gave me some     
money1 and ,i went out and had a bath   
and came back with the change4 ,he      
showed me where ,i could change my      
clothes1 and there was a whole outfit   
laid out for me1 underwear and all4  ,i 
thought the man was crazy4 ,i could not 

understand4 ,at last ,i got into the    
clothes1 and ,i felt fine4 ,i got a look
 at myself in the glass1 and ,i looked  
like a full-fledged ,bowery politician4 
,i said as ,i looked1 ,is this me or    
some other fellow8 ,i weighed one       
hundred and ninety pounds and was five  
feet ten inches tall4  ,i went into the 
young man's study and sat down4 ,i did  
not know what was coming next1 perhaps  
money4 ,i was ready for anything1 for ,i
 took him for a millionaire's son4  ,up 
to this time he had said nothing to me  
about ,god4 ,finally he opened up and   
asked my name4 ,i told him ,dave        
,ranney1 but ,i had a few others to use 
in a pinch4 ,and ,i told him the truth2 
kindness had won4  ,he said1 ,dave1 why 
are you leading such a life8 ,don't you 
know you were cut out for a far better  
one8 ,i was no fool2 ,i knew all about  
that4 ,i had learned it in              
,sunday-school1 and how often mother had
 told me the same thing4 ,i knew ,i was 
put into the world to get the best1 and 

glorify ,god2 and ,i was getting the    
worst1 and it was all my own fault4     
,here ,i was4 ,i felt that no one wanted
 anything to do with me1 no one would   
trust me1 because ,i was a jail-bird4   
,but ,i have found out since there are  
people that are willing to help a man if
 they see he is on the level4  ,why1 ,i 
said1 a man that has no backing has no  
show in 'little old ,new ,york4' ,you   
even have to have a pull to get a job   
shoveling snow1 and then you have to buy
 your own shovel6 ,what does any one    
care8 ,the politicians have all they    
want and are only looking for more      
graft4 ,they need you just twice a year 
to register and vote4 ,i know ,i'm      
crooked1 and it's my own fault1 ,i      
admit1 but who's going to give me a     
chance8 ,oh1 for a chance6  ,the young  
fellow listened1 then said1 ,dave1      
there's ,one that will help4  ,i did not
 catch on to his meaning1 but said ,i   
was glad and thanked him for what he had
 done4 ,i thought he meant himself4 ,not

 ,i1 he said2 ,i mean ,god4 ,why don't  
you give ,him a chance8 ,talk about men 
giving you a chance--why1 ,god is       
waiting for a chance to help you6  ,just
 then my old friend the ,devil came in2 
he always does when he thinks he is     
going to lose a convert2 and he said in 
his own fine way1 ,oh1 what rot6 ,why   
didn't ,god help you before this8 ,don't
 bother about it2 you have a nice suit2 
get out of this place and sell the duds 
and have a good time4 ,i'll help you4   
,i'll be your friend4 ,he's sly1 but ,i 
put him behind me that time4  ,it was   
easy enough for this man to talk about  
,god giving me a chance1 but he didn't  
know me--a hard1 wicked sinner1 who if  
half the crimes ,i had committed were   
known ,i'd be put in prison for life4   
,would ,god help such a one8 ,i knew ,i 
was clean and had a good suit of clothes
 on1 but1 oh6 how ,i wished ,god would  
give me another chance6 ,but ,i felt as 
if ,he had no use for me4  ,the man put 
his hand on my shoulder and said1 ,i    

want to be your friend2 will you let me8
 ,i said ,i'd be proud of such a friend4
 ,now1 ,dave1 he said1 there's ,one     
better than ,i who will stick to you    
closer than a brother2 will you let ,him
 be your friend8 ,i said ,i would1      
though ,i doubted if ,he wanted any part
 of me1 but ,i was going to make a try2 
and the young man and myself knelt down 
in the ,tabernacle1 corner of ,broome   
,street and ,centre ,market ,place1 on  
the #afth of ,september1 #ahib1 and ,i  
asked ,god to have mercy on me1 cut the 
drink out of my life1 and make a man of 
me1 if such a thing could be done1 for  
,christ's sake4 ,i kept praying that    
over and over again1 the man still      
kneeling with me1 when all of a sudden  
,i heard a voice say1 ,i will1 ,dave2   
only trust ,me and have faith4 ,i heard 
those words just as sure as ,i am       
living1 and writing this book4 ,none but
 a ,christian can understand this voice2
 others would say we are crazy who say  
such things2 but it's true3 only have   

faith1 and all things are yours4 ,i've  
proved it6   ,a ,,new ,,man ,,in        
,,christ ,,jesus  ,i rose from my knees 
a changed man4 ,i can't explain it1 but 
,i felt as ,i hadn't felt in            
years--lighter1 happier1 with a peace   
that was great in my heart4 ,i thought  
of mother and only wished she could see 
me then1 but she did all right4  ,what  
will your friends say8 there was the old
 ,devil saying4 ,get out of this place1 
and don't be a fool2 be a man4  ,i stood
 there listening to the tempter1 when   
the young fellow said1 ,dave1 what are  
you going to do now that you have taken 
,jesus8  ,i said1 ,i've knelt here and  
asked ,god for ,christ's sake to make me
 a sober man1 and ,i fully believe that 
,he will4 ,drink has brought me down1   
and ,i'll die before ,i'll take another 
drink4 ,and at this writing ,i'm over   
seventeen years off the stuff4  ,i asked
 the young fellow what his name was1 and
 found that he was ,alexander ,irvine1  
lodging-house missionary to the ,bowery 

under the ,new ,york ,city ,mission of  
which ,dr4 ,schauffler is the head4 ,we 
shook hands1 and before we parted we    
made a compact that we would be pals4   
,isn't it wonderful what ,god can do8 ,i
 don't believe there's a man or woman1  
no matter how wicked1 no matter what sin
 they've done1 but ,god can and will    
save1 the only conditions being3 ,come1 
believe1 and trust4 ,for ,god so loved  
the world that ,he gave ,his            
only-begotten ,son1 that whosoever      
believeth in ,him should not perish1 but
 have everlasting life4--,john #c3af4   
,but you have to have some sand of your 
own4  ,illustration3 ,,reading-,,room   
,,in ,a ,,lodging-,,house4     ,,chapter
 ,v  ,,on ,,the ,,up ,,grade   ,mr4     
,irvine paid for my lodging and meals   
for a week at #aje ,bowery4 ,i thought  
he was great2 ,i'd never run up against 
anything like him4 ,he said1 ,we must   
get you a job of some kind1 and that    
quick4 ,will you work8 ,well1 what do   
you think of that6 ,would ,i work8 ,it  

struck me as funny4 ,work and ,i had    
fallen out long ago4 ,i could lie down  
beside work and watch the other fellow  
do it4 ,i had reached the point where1  
like a good many others1 ,i felt the    
world owed me a living1 and ,i was bound
 to get it4 ,i had toiled hard and      
faithfully for the ,devil1 and taken a  
great many chances1 and ,i never thought
 of that as work4 ,and ,i got the wages 
the ,devil always pays--cuts1 shot1     
prison3 ,i was paid good and plenty4    
,here ,i was up against another         
proposition--work--and ,i hated it6     
,irvine said1 ,you must have something  
to occupy your mind and time1 for you   
know the ,devil finds mischief for      
idlers4 ,i said ,i'd tackle anything2   
,i'd work all right4 ,a few days later  
he told me he had a job for me4 ,good1  
,i said4 ,i wondered what kind of work  
it was4 ,i knew it was not a position of
 great trust1 not a cashier in a bank2  
that would have to come later on4 ,well1
 the job was tending a furnace--get up  

steam at #e ,a4 ,m41 do the chores1 and 
make myself generally useful2 wages     
#ab4jj per month and my breakfast6  ,i  
did not like this for a starter1 and ,i 
told ,mr4 ,irvine so1 and he had to do  
some tall talking4 ,he finally got angry
 and said1 ,ranney1 you started out to  
let ,god help you4 ,well1 you know ,god 
helps the man that helps himself4 ,that 
was so4 ,i had asked ,god to help me1   
and here ,i was at the start refusing to
 give ,him a chance4 ,that clinched it1 
and ,i took the first honest job ,i had 
had in a good many years4 ,i thank ,god 
,i did take it1 for it was a            
stepping-stone4   ,,fishing ,,for ,a    
,,dinner  ,i started in working and was 
getting on fine1 but ,i always felt ,i  
wasn't getting money enough4 ,i tried in
 my leisure time for another job1 but in
 all the places ,i was asked the same   
question3 ,where did you work last8 ,i  
could not tell them1 ,in prison and on  
the road1 and that queered me4 ,so ,i   
stuck to the furnace1 was always on     

time1 and was pretty well liked by the  
people4 ,i had been there about two     
weeks1 and seen the cook every day and  
smelled the steak1 etc41 about noontime 
and at supper1 but the cook never asked 
me if ,i had a mouth on me4 ,she was a  
good-natured outspoken ,irish woman with
 a good big heart1 and ,i thought about 
this time that ,i'd jolly her a little  
and get my dinner4 ,one day ,i came up  
from the cellar carrying a hod of coal  
in each hand1 and going into the kitchen
 ,i tried in every way to attract her   
attention1 but she was busy broiling a  
steak and never looked around4 ,finally 
,i got tired and said1 ,cook1 where will
 ,i put this coal8 ,well1 well1 ,i'll   
never forget that moment in years6 ,she 
turned and looked at me and began1 ,i   
want you to understand my name is ,mrs4 
,cunningham4 ,i'm none of your cooks1   
and if you dare call me cook again while
 you're in this house ,i'll have you    
sacked--discharged6 ,i thought ,i had   
been hit with a steam car4 ,i did not   

answer her back1 and she kept right on3 
,i'm a lady1 and ,i'll be treated as    
such or ,i'll know why6 ,i never saw a  
person so mad in all my life1 and ,i    
couldn't understand why4 ,there she was 
cooking1 and yet she was no cook6 ,i    
thought to myself1 ,i guess she doesn't 
like her job4 ,i didn't blame her1      
because ,i didn't like mine either4  ,my
 heart went down into my boots4 ,here ,i
 had made a play for a dinner and got   
left4 ,about a week after this ,i was   
doing a little job in the laundry when  
,i ran across the cook1 and she said1   
,young man1 would you like a little bite
 to eat8 ,i answered quickly1 ,yes1     
thank you1 ,mrs4 ,cunningham1 just as   
sweet as anything4 ,no more cook for    
mine4 ,i'll never call people by their  
occupation again as long as ,i live4    
,i'd had my lesson2 but ,i had won out  
on my dinner too4 ,a short time after   
she asked me if ,i could read1 and would
 ,i read the news to her while she was  
peeling potatoes4 ,i answered very      

sweetly1 ,yes1 ,mrs4 ,cunningham1 and ,i
 got my supper4  ,i would see ,irvine   
once in a while1 and ,i was always ready
 to give up my job1 but he would say1   
,stay six months1 get a recommend1 and  
then you can get something better4 ,just
 let ,god take care of you1 and you'll  
come out away on top of the heap4 ,god  
is going to use you in ,his work4 ,just 
keep on trusting and don't get          
discouraged4 ,he always had a word of   
cheer1 and ,i thank ,god that ,i did    
trust1 and things came out better than  
,i even thought4  ,you readers who are  
just starting out in the ,christian     
life1 just let ,god have ,his way4      
,don't think you know it all4 ,go right 
ahead1 have a little sand1 and trust    
,him4 ,he will never leave you1 and you 
will have the best in this life and in  
the life to come4 ,it's an everlasting  
joy1 and isn't it worth working for1    
boys8   ,,prayers ,,in ,a               
,,lodging-,,house  ,i remember1 when ,i 
knelt down in #aje ,bowery beside my cot

 to ask ,god's blessing and guidance1   
how a laugh used to go around the       
dormitory4 ,there were about seventy    
beds in the place1 and it was something 
unusual to see a man on his knees       
praying4 ,but when ,i started out to be 
a man ,i meant business1 and ,i said ,i 
would say my prayers every night4 ,i    
don't think ,god can think much of a man
 who says his prayers lying on his back1
 unless he's sick4 ,i believe ,god      
expects us to get on our knees1 for if a
 thing is worth getting it's worth      
thanks4 ,i didn't mind the laugh so     
much1 but ,i did some3 it was sort of   
cutting4 ,i'm no coward physically1 and 
can handle myself fairly well at the    
present time1 but when it came to       
getting on my knees ,i was a rank       
coward4  ,a lodging-house is a queer    
affair4 ,men of all nations sleep       
there--some drunk1 some dreaming aloud1 
others snoring4 ,the cots are about two 
feet apart--just room for you to pass   
between them4 ,it takes a lot of grit   

and plenty of ,god's grace to live a    
,christian life in a lodging-house4 ,i  
go in them every day now to look after  
the other fellow3 if he is sick or wants
 to go to the hospital ,i'll see to     
that2 but ,i never can forget the time  
when ,i was one of those1 inmates4  ,one
 night ,i had just got on my knees when 
boots1 shoes1 and pillows came sailing  
at me2 one boot hit me1 and it did hurt 
for fair4 ,then a whiskey flask hit me1 
and that hurt4 ,i was boiling with rage4
 ,i got up1 but ,i didn't say anything2 
no one would have answered me if ,i had2
 they were all asleep1 by the way4 ,we  
call such business hazing1 but it's mean
 and dirty4  ,i went to work as usual   
the next day1 and thought and planned   
all day how to catch one of those       
fellows4 ,i figured out the following   
plan3 ,i did not go to bed that night   
until quite late2 the gas was turned    
down low1 and ,i made noise enough for  
them to hear me4 ,when ,i was ready for 
bed ,i knelt down and turned my head as 

quick as a flash to catch the throwers1 
for ,i knew they would throw again4     
,just as ,i turned ,i caught the fellow 
in the act of throwing a bottle4 ,it    
seemed as though the ,devil had got me  
for fair again1 for ,i made a rush for  
that fellow1 got him by the throat1     
pulled him out of bed and jumped on him1
 and ,i think if it hadn't been for the 
watchman ,i would have killed him2 but  
he said1 ,dan1 for ,god's sake don't    
kill him6 ,i let up1 and1 standing upon 
that dormitory floor1 beds all around1  
every one awake1 about #aa ,p4 ,m41 ,i  
gave my first testimony1 which was      
something like this3 ,men1 ,i've quit   
drinking--been off the stuff about two  
weeks1 a thing ,i have not done in years
 unless locked up4 ,i've knelt and asked
 ,god to keep me sober and have thanked 
,him for ,his kindness to me4 ,now if   
you men don't let me alone in the future
 ,i'll lick you or you will me4  ,i went
 to my cot and knelt down1 but ,i was so
 stirred up ,i couldn't pray4 ,i        

wondered if there was going to be any   
more throwing1 but that night finished  
it4 ,i went up in the opinion of those  
men one hundred per cent4 ,i lived there
 until the place burned down1 and was   
one of the fortunate ones that got out  
alive when so many lost their lives1 and
 ,i always said my prayers and was      
respected by the men4 ,i was making lots
 of friends and attending               
,sunday-school1 prayer-meeting1 and     
mission services4   ,,the ,,story ,,of  
,,an ,,overcoat  ,one ,thanksgiving-time
 ,i was hired to carry dinners to the   
poor families by the ,new ,york ,city   
,mission4 ,mrs4 ,lucy ,bainbridge was   
the superintendent4 ,god bless her1 for 
she was and is one good woman6 ,i didn't
 have any overcoat and it was cold2 but 
,i didn't mind1 as ,i was moving about  
carrying the dinners4 ,this was about   
two months after ,i had decided to      
follow ,christ1 and ,i still had the    
furnace job when ,i met ,mrs4           
,bainbridge4  ,she knew me by sight and 

asked me how ,i was getting on1 and     
where was my overcoat8 ,i told her ,i   
was getting along all right1 but ,i had 
no overcoat4 ,she said1 ,that's too bad6
 ,come with me and we will see if       
there's one in the ,dorcas ,room--a     
place where clothes are kept that good  
people send in for the poor who haven't 
so much4 ,there were quite a few coats  
there1 any one of which would have      
suited me1 but they didn't please ,mrs4 
,bainbridge4 ,she said1 ,david1 come    
into the office4 ,she gave me a letter  
to ,rogers1 ,peet  ,co41 and told me to 
take it down there and wait for an      
answer4  ,i went down and gave the      
letter to a clerk1 and it was great to  
see him eye me up4 ,i didn't know then  
how the letter read1 but have since     
learned that the contents were as       
follows3 ,give this man about the best  
overcoat you have in the store4 ,no     
wonder he looked me over6  ,we began    
trying on coats1 found one that suited  
us1 and he said1 ,you might as well wear

 it home4 ,not on your natural6 ,i said4
 ,put it in paper or a box4 ,i didn't   
think that coat was for me1 for it was  
fifty dollars if a cent4 ,picture me    
with twelve dollars per month and three 
meals1 and a fifty-dollar overcoat6  ,i 
went back to ,mrs4 ,bainbridge1 and she 
told me to try the coat on1 which ,i    
did4 ,then she said1 ,david1 that coat  
is for you1 but listen1 ,david2 that    
coat is mine4 ,now ,i wouldn't go into a
 saloon1 and ,i want you to promise me  
that you will never enter a saloon while
 you wear it4 ,i promised1 and that coat
 never went into a saloon1 and ,i wore  
it for five years4 ,then ,i sent it to  
old ,ireland1 to my wife's father1 and  
perhaps he is still wearing it4 ,i often
 see ,mrs4 ,bainbridge1 and she is      
always the same kind friend1 ,god bless 
her6 ,i have entry to the ,dorcas ,room 
when ,i need anything to help a man that
 ,i'm trying to put on his feet1 and    
that's often4   ,,delivering ,,telephone
 ,,books  ,it was coming spring and ,i  

was no longer needed at the furnace4 ,i 
left with a recommendation for six      
months and a standing invitation from   
the cook for my meals1 and she never    
went back on me4 ,i don't know where she
 is now1 but if she reads this book ,i  
want her to know that ,i appreciated all
 she did for me when ,i started this new
 life and ,i am sure she will be        
delighted to know that she helped a     
little4  ,i got another job delivering  
telephone books4 ,when you see a poor   
seedy-looking man delivering these      
books1 give him a kind word1 for there's
 many a good man at that job to-day     
hoping for something better4 ,this job  
was a hard one and you had to hustle to 
make a dollar a day1 but ,i did not mind
 the hustling3 ,i was strong1 the drink 
had gone out of me1 and ,i felt good4 ,i
 was anxious to get a job as porter in  
some wholesale house1 and delivering    
these books gave me a good chance to    
ask1 and ask ,i did in nearly every     
store where ,i delivered a book4 ,i     

always got the same reply1 ,no one      
wanted4 ,i stayed at this about three   
months1 and was getting discouraged4 ,it
 looked as though ,i'd never get a      
steady position4  ,i had only a few more
 days of work1 and was just finishing my
 deliveries one afternoon4 ,i had       
,twenty-second ,street and ,north ,river
 as my last delivery1 which took me into
 the lumber district and into the office
 of ,john ,mc,c----4 ,i asked the young 
man in charge of the office if they     
wanted a young fellow to work4 ,he asked
 me what ,i could do1 and ,i said1      
,anything4 ,now it's an old saying1 ,a  
man that can do everything can't do much
 of anything4  ,we went down into the   
yard and he asked me the different      
qualities of lumber and their names4    
,i'll never forget the first question he
 asked me1 which was1 ,what's the name  
of that piece of timber8 ,i said1 ,oak1 
and ,i was right4 ,after testing me on  
the other piles he asked me if ,i could 
measure1 and could ,i tally8 ,i told him

 ,i could1 and he said1 ,i'll give you  
#i4jj4 ,is that enough8 ,i said that    
would do for a starter1 and he told me  
to be on hand at seven o'clock in the   
morning4  ,i delivered the few books ,i 
had left1 drew my money1 got a shave1   
bought a leather apron1 and went to bed4
 ,i was up and at ,john ,mc,c----'s yard
 at #f3cj4  ,he was ,police             
,commissioner then1 and one of the      
whitest men ,i ever ran up against4  ,i 
started in at my third job since ,i had 
been converted4 ,i was at home in the   
lumber yard1 as ,i had learned the      
business ,while roughing it in          
,tonawanda1 ,troy1 ,syracuse1 ,buffalo1 
and on the ,lakes4 ,and when a man      
learns anything1 if he isn't a fool he  
can always work at it again4 ,here ,i   
was at a business few could tell me much
 about4   ,,testifying ,,in ,a ,,lumber 
,,yard  ,the lumber-handlers as a rule  
are a free and easy set1 nearly all     
drinking men4 ,it's warm work1 and when 
a man is piling all day1 pulling up     

plank after plank1 he thinks a pint of  
beer does him good4 ,they rush the      
can--first the piler1 then the stager1  
and then the ground man1 then the piler 
again1 and so on4 ,i've counted as many 
as twenty pints in one day among one    
gang4 ,i soon got the run of the yard   
and made friends with all the men2 but  
if ever ,i was up against temptation it 
was there in that yard1 where ,i worked 
a long time4 ,they would ask me to have 
a drink1 but ,i told them time and time 
again that ,i did not care about it2 ,i 
was off the stuff4  ,often when ,i was  
sweating after pushing down a load of   
lumber from the pile and keeping tally  
at the same time1 the ,devil would      
whisper to me1 ,oh1 have a glass of     
beer2 it won't hurt you2 it will do you 
good1 and ,i was tempted to join with   
the men and drink4 ,i had to keep       
praying hard and fast1 for ,i was sorely
 tempted4 ,but1 thank ,god1 ,i've yet to
 take my first drink since #ahib6  ,god 
was always near me1 and ,he often said1 

,tell the men all about it1 how you have
 asked ,me to help you1 and they won't  
ask you to drink any more4 ,i wondered  
what the men would say if ,i told them4 
,i was a little timid about doing it4 ,i
 had testified once or twice in a       
meeting1 but that was easy compared with
 this4 ,but after a while ,i got up     
courage and told the men why ,i did not 
drink4 ,i said1 ,i have been a hard man 
and loved drink so much that it         
separated me from family and friends1   
put me in prison1 and took my manhood   
away4 ,one year ago ,i took ,jesus as my
 helper and asked ,him to take away this
 love for drink1 and ,he did4 ,i would  
rather lose my right arm than go back   
again1 and with ,god's help ,i'll win   
out and never drink again4 ,i often     
talked with them about it1 told them it 
was a good way to live1 and to think it 
over4 ,i found out in a little while    
that the men thought better of me1 and  
respected me more than before4 ,i have  
heard some of them say1 ,i wish ,i could

 give up the drink1 and some did1 and   
are living good lives without the cursed
 stuff4  ,i've met some of these men on 
the ,bowery1 down and out1 and ,i've    
stood by them and tried to point them in
 the right direction4 ,there's one man1 
a fine noble fellow1 who used to work   
with me in my lumber days1 who is on the
 ,bowery at the present time1 unable to 
give up the drink4 ,he is always glad to
 see me and says1 ,god bless you1 ,dan1 
and keep you away from the stuff4 ,i    
wish ,i could6 ,i tell him to ask ,god  
and have faith1 and then ,i slip him a  
meal ticket and give him a ,god bless   
you6  ,illustration3 ,,mr4 ,,ranney     
,,and ,,one ,,of ,,his ,,boys4 ,,dave   
,,ranney1 ,,alias ,,danny ,,reilly4     
,,chapter ,,vi  ,,promoted   ,i had     
never lost sight of my friend ,irvine4  
,we used to see each other often and    
have a good chat about things in        
general4 ,he said he was going to take  
charge of the ,sea and ,land ,church and
 wanted me to come and be the sexton4   

,it would give me #cj4jj per month1     
rooms1 coal and gas4 ,he thought it     
would be a good thing for me to become  
reunited to my wife ,mary1 and ,i       
thought so too1 but she had to give her 
consent4 ,we had been separated for a   
number of years1 and though ,i had been 
calling on her for over a year she never
 took any stock in my conversion4 ,here 
,i was fifteen months a redeemed man1   
trying to get my wife to live with me   
again4 ,i prayed often1 but ,i never    
thought she would consent4   ,,church   
,,of ,,sea ,,and ,,land  ,i was married 
young1 and she was only a girl1 and     
though she loved me she could not forget
 the misery and hardships she went      
through4 ,i never hit her in my life1   
but ,i wouldn't support her3 ,i'd rather
 support the rumseller and his family1  
all for that cursed drink4 ,and ,i      
didn't blame her for being afraid to    
chance it again4 ,a burnt child dreads  
the fire4 ,i had made her life very     
hard1 and she was afraid4 ,she was glad 

to know that ,i had given up drink1 but 
doubted my remaining sober4 ,finally she
 agreed to live with me again if ,i     
remained sober for three years4 ,i was  
put on probation--the ,methodist way4   
,now ,i had been on the level for       
fifteen months1 and ,i had twenty-one   
months more to go4 ,she was             
strong-minded and would stick to her    
word1 so ,i did not see how ,i could    
take the job as sexton4  ,i told ,mr4   
,irvine that was the way things stood   
and for him to get some one else4 ,he   
said1 ,pretty slim chances1 but we will 
pray about it4 ,he and ,i went up to    
,sixty-seventh ,street1 where ,mrs4     
,ranney was working as laundress1 and   
after a little talk we came to the      
point4 ,i was a go-ahead man1 and tried 
every way to get her to promise to come 
down1 but she wouldn't say yes4 ,i'll   
never forget that night in the laundry  
if ,i live a hundred years2 she took no 
stock in me at all4 ,i was giving it up 
as a bad job2 she wouldn't come1 and    

that settled it4 ,we got up to go when  
,mr4 ,irvine asked if she would object  
to a word of prayer4 ,she said1 ,no1 and
 we had a little prayer-meeting right   
there4 ,we bade ,mrs4 ,ranney good-night
 and left4  ,the next night she came    
down and we showed her all over the     
church4 ,the sexton who had been living 
there hadn't kept the living apartments 
clean1 and she did not like them very   
much1 but when she went away she said1  
,if ,i only could be sure you would keep
 sober ,i would go with you1 but ,i     
can't depend on you4 ,fifteen months    
isn't long enough2 you will have to go  
three years4 ,i don't think ,i'll come4 
,i said1 ,that settles it6 ,but listen3 
whether you come or not1 ,i am not going
 back to the old life4 ,the next day ,i 
received a telegram from ,mary saying1  
,,come ,,up ,,for ,,my ,,things4  ,i    
jumped on a single truck1 drove up to   
,sixty-seventh ,street1 and got all my  
wife's things1 trunks1 band-boxes and   
everything1 and it did not take me long 

to get down to the church4 ,mary was    
already there1 and ,i took charge of the
 ,church of the ,sea and ,land at       
,market and ,henry ,streets1 where ,i   
remained as sexton for ten years4 ,i    
would not take #aj1jjj for the character
 ,i received from the trustees when ,i  
resigned4 ,i always look back with      
pleasure to those good old days at the  
church1 the many friends we made1 and   
the many blessings ,i received while    
there4  ,it did not take us long to get 
the run of the place4 ,we sent for our  
boy1 who was in ,ireland with his       
mother's folks4 ,when he came ,i didn't 
know him1 as ,i hadn't seen him since he
 was a little baby4 ,what a surprise it 
was when at my sister's house1 after    
supper1 she went into the front room1   
leaving me alone in the kitchen1 when a 
manly little fellow came in and looked  
me over and said1 ,hello1 father1 ,i'm  
your son ,willie4 ,how are you8  ,i     
looked at him1 but couldn't say a word1 
for ,i had almost forgotten that ,i had 

a son4 ,i opened my arms and the boy    
came with a rush1 threw his arms around 
my neck1 and said1 ,i love you1 dad4  ,i
 want to say here that this boy has     
never given me any trouble and we have  
been companions ever since that night4  
,he married a good ,christian girl and  
is in his own home to-day4  ,i heard a  
little laugh1 and there were my sister  
and ,mary taking it all in4 ,i could see
 then that it was a put-up job1 this    
getting me to go up to my sister's      
house4  ,time passed and we were doing  
finely4 ,one day we heard the boy       
playing the piano1 and we got him a     
teacher4 ,in a short time he was able to
 play for the smaller classes1 the      
juniors4 ,then my friend ,mrs4          
,bainbridge got him a better teacher4   
,he improved rapidly1 and now he is     
organist in the ,fifty-seventh ,street  
,presbyterian ,church4  ,i tell you it  
pays to be a ,christian and on the      
level4 ,if ,i hadn't done anything else 
but give that boy a musical education1  

it would have paid4 ,i'm proud of him4  
,,my ,,first ,,sermon  ,i remember the  
first meeting ,i ever led4 ,it came     
about like this3 ,i had been sexton of  
,sea and ,land ,church about four years1
 was growing in grace and getting on    
finely4 ,one ,wednesday night the       
minister asked me if ,i would lead the  
prayer-meeting the following week1 as he
 was going away4 ,i told him ,i did not 
know how to lead a meeting and ,i was   
afraid to undertake it1 as ,i couldn't  
preach a sermon4 ,oh1 that's all right1 
he said4 ,i'll write out something1 and 
all you will have to do is to study it a
 little1 read it over once or twice1    
then get up and read it off4 ,i told him
 ,i'd try4 ,i'd do the best ,i could4   
,so he wrote about ten sheets of        
foolscap paper1 all about sinners4 ,i   
remember there was a story about a man  
going over the falls in a boat1 and lots
 of other interesting things as ,i      
thought4 ,i took the paper home and     
studied as hard as ,i could to get it   

into my head4  ,the night came on which 
,i was to take the meeting--that        
eventful night in my life4 ,i got on the
 platform1 took the papers out of my    
pocket1 and opened the big ,bible at the
 chapter ,i was going to read1 and laid 
out the talk just as ,i thought a       
minister might do4 ,i read the chapter1 
then we had a song1 then it was up to   
me4  ,do you know ,i made the greatest  
mistake of my life that night6 ,i went  
on that platform trusting in my own     
strength and not asking ,god's help4 ,i 
got a swelled head and imagined ,i was  
the real thing4 ,but ,god in ,his own   
way showed me where ,i was standing and 
brought me up with a short turn4  ,i    
began reading the article written1 and  
was getting on well1 as ,i thought1     
taking all the credit myself and not    
giving ,god any4 ,i read three pages all
 right1 when some one opened the window4
 ,it was a ,march night1 very windy1 and
 when the window was opened something   
happened1 and ,i thank ,god that it did4

  ,the wind came directly toward me and 
took the sermon ,i was preaching and    
scattered it all over the room4 ,i      
didn't know what to say or do4 ,i forgot
 everything that was written on the     
papers1 and ,i knew if ,i tried to get  
them back ,i would make a fool of       
myself4  ,there was a smile on every    
face in the congregation4 ,there ,i     
stood1 wishing the floor would open and 
let me through4 ,i certainly was in a   
box6  ,just at this moment ,god spoke to
 me and said1 ,david1 ,i did that1 and  
,i did it for your own good4 ,now listen
 to me4 ,you were not cut out for a     
minister4 ,just get up and tell these   
people how ,god for ,christ's sake saved
 you1 and ,i'll be with you4  ,i        
listened to the voice1 bowed my head in 
prayer1 and it seemed as though the     
,lord put the words in my mouth4 ,i told
 that roomful of people of my past life 
and how ,god saved and had blessed me   
for four years4 ,we had a grand meeting 
and a number were saved that night1 and1

 above all1 ,i received one of the      
greatest blessings of my life4  ,on his 
return the minister said1 ,i hear you   
had a great meeting4 ,how did the       
reading go6 ,i told him what had        
happened1 and he was astonished1 but saw
 ,god's hand in it1 and said so4  ,from 
that night on ,i never wrote up anything
 to read to my audience1 and ,i have    
spoken all over within a circle of fifty
 miles of ,new ,york1 and even farther  
away1 including ,boston1 ,philadelphia1 
,albany1 and ,troy4 ,i tell the ,bowery 
boys ,i'm what is called an             
extemporaneous talker4 ,i don't know the
 first word ,i'm going to say when ,i   
get on my feet1 but ,god never leaves   
me3 ,i just open my mouth and ,he fills 
it4 ,praise ,his name6  ,it was a lesson
 to me and ,i have never forgotten it4  
,,the ,,testimony ,,of ,a ,,gambler     
,while ,i was sexton of the old ,sea and
 ,land ,church ,i met among other men   
one who came to be a great friend4 ,we  
called ourselves pals and loved each    

other dearly1 and yet ,i have never been
 able to bring him to ,christ4 ,when ,i 
told him ,i was writing the story of my 
life he said he wanted to add a few     
lines to tell1 he said1 what ,i could   
not4 ,this is what he wrote3  ',lead1   
,kindly ,light1' was the song2 ,i'll    
never forget it4 ,i heard it on the     
,bowery fifteen years ago4 ,i was       
passing a ,mission1 and hearing it ,i   
went in--,i don't know why to this day4 
,after the singing some one prayed1 and 
,i started to go out when the leader of 
the meeting called for testimonies for  
,christ4 ,i waited and listened1 and ,i 
heard a voice that made me sit down     
again4 ,i shall never forget the man    
that was speaking4 ,what he said sounded
 like the truth4 ,it was the greatest   
sermon ,i ever listened to4 ,he was     
telling how much ,god had done for him1 
saved him from drink and made a         
,christian man of him4 ,i knew it was   
the truth4 ,i went home that night to   
wife and children1 and told my wife     

where ,i had been4 ,she laughed and     
said1 ',dan1 you are getting daffy4'    
,from that night on ,i have been a      
better husband and father4  ,i left home
 one night about six o'clock and went   
down ,cherry ,street to a saloon where  
the gang hang out4 ,i had been telling  
the boys about the things ,i had heard  
at the ,mission4 ,a young man said1     
',sullivan1 there was a young preacher  
down at my house and asked me to come to
 a young people's meeting at the ,sea   
and ,land ,church4 ,i promised ,i would 
go1 but ,i haven't got the courage4' ,in
 a moment ,i got churchy4 ,i had never  
been in a church in ,new ,york4 ,i said1
 ',come on1' and we went to that        
meeting4 ,i am glad ,i did4 ,that night 
,i met my friend ,ranney4 ,as ,i was    
passing out of the meeting he greeted   
me--he was the sexton--with a handshake 
and a ',good-night1 old pal2 come       
again6' ,there is something in a        
handshake1 and as we shook ,i felt ,i   
had made another friend4 ,i'll never    

forget that night4 ,we became fast      
friends4 ,there is no one that knows    
,ranney better than ,sullivan4 ,i have  
watched him in his climb to the top step
 by step to be in the grand position he 
fills1 that of ,lodging ,house          
,missionary to the ,bowery under the    
,new ,york ,city ,mission and ,tract    
,society4  ,one day we were going up the
 ,bowery and passing a ,mission went in4
 ,we heard the testimonies1 and ,i      
turned to ,ranney and said1 ',are you a 
,christian8' ,he said1 ',i am4' ,i said1
 ',get up1 then1 and tell the men what  
,god has done for you4' ,now here ,i was
 a gambler telling this man to          
acknowledge ,god1 and ,i did not do it  
myself6 ,ranney rose and turned all     
colors4 ,he finally settled down to that
 style of talking which he alone        
possesses4 ,he told his story for the   
first time4 ,i have heard him hundreds  
of times since1 but to me that night    
fifteen years ago was the greatest talk 
he ever gave1 telling how ,god saved him

 from a crooked and drunken life4 ,it   
had the ring6 ,i loved him from that    
night on4 ,when he got through ,i said1 
',dave1 ,god met you face to face       
to-night4 ,you will be a different man  
from now on4 ,god spoke to-night1 not   
you4 ,it was the best talk ,i ever      
heard4 ,it took you a long time to      
start1 but nothing can stop you now4    
,one word of advice1 pal1 ,i'll give    
you3 ,don't get stuck on yourself4 ,god 
will use you when ,he won't others among
 your own kind4 ,he will make a preacher
 of you to men of your own stamp4' ,and 
,ranney is to-day what ,i said and      
thought he would be4  ,you would think  
that a man who had been the pal of      
,ranney for three years would never say 
an unkind word to one that he loved1 but
 that is what ,i did4 ,we had a         
misunderstanding1 and ,i said things to 
,dave ,ranney that he never will forget4
 ,i called him every name on the        
calendar4 ,he was speechless and ,i     
thought afraid of me4 ,he never said a  

word4 ,i left him standing there as if  
petrified--his friend and pal talking to
 him like that1 his pal that sang with  
him1 and joked with him6  ,i went home  
and swore that never again would ,i have
 anything to do with a ,christian4 ,i   
had forgotten for the moment all the    
little kindnesses he had done and how   
after ,i had been on a drunk he had been
 at my bedside1 how he had spoken words 
of cheer and comfort and said1 ',dan1   
old man1 cheer up4 ,some day you are    
going to cut out drink'2 and ,i want to 
say right now that ,i have not drank in 
over twelve years4 ,i'd forgotten all   
that4 ,i only thought of how ,i might   
hang the best fellow on this earth4 ,i  
came to myself ten minutes after ,i left
 him1 but the work had been done1 and ,i
 made up my mind ,i'd never see or speak
 to him again4 ,i'd go back to my old   
life of gambling and cheating1 and ,i   
did4  ,five months passed4 ,i had not   
seen ,ranney in all that time4 ,i was   
playing poker one night1 the #afth of   

,september1 #ahii1 with no more thought 
of ,dave than if he had never lived4 ,it
 was in the old ---- ---- ,hotel on     
,water ,street1 a little before eight in
 the evening4 ,my partner and ,i were   
having a pretty easy time stealing the  
other men's money--some call it         
cheating--when my thoughts turned to my 
old ,christian pal ,ranney4 ,it was the 
eighth anniversary of his conversion4   
,quick as a flash ,i jumped to my feet  
and said1 ',boys1 ,i'll be back in an   
hour4 ,i've got to go6' ,my partner     
thought ,i had been caught cheating and 
was going to cash his chips4 ,i said1   
',i'll be back in a little while4'  ,i  
ran all the way up to the ,bowery to the
 place where ,ranney was holding his    
meeting4 ,the ,mission was packed4      
,there were a lot of big-guns on the    
platform4 ,no one saw me that knew me4  
,ranney was asking for those testimonies
 that would help the other fellow4 ,i   
got on my feet and faced him4 ,he turned
 pale4 ,he thought ,i was going to set  

him out then and there4 ,he looked me   
straight in the eye and began to come   
slowly toward me1 and when ,i had       
finished we had one another by the hand4
 ,this is part of what ,i said that     
night3  ',i make no pretense at being a 
,christian4 ,i am a gambler4 ,but the   
man standing there--,dave ,ranney--was  
once my chum and pal4 ,we had a little  
misunderstanding some five months ago1  
and ,i am here to-night to ask his      
forgiveness4 ,forgive me1 ,dave4 ,i just
 left a card-game to come up to your    
anniversary and help make you happy4 ,i 
know you don't believe ,i meant what ,i 
said4 ,i love you more to-night than any
 time since ,i first met you4 ,why1 men1
 ,i would lay down my life that ,ranney 
is one of the best and whitest          
,christians in ,new ,york to-night4 ,it 
ain't the big things that a man does    
that show his real character4 ,no1 it's 
the little things4 ,i have watched      
,ranney1 been with him2 his sorrows are 
my sorrows1 his joys my joys4 ,i can't  

say any more to-night4'  ,dave begged me
 to stay4 ,mr4 ,seymour came down to    
speak to me1 but ,i'd done what ,i came 
to do1 and ,i had got out quick--from   
,heaven to ,hell1 from my ,christian pal
 to my pal in crime at the card-table4  
,i've never been converted4 ,if ,i was  
,i'd go like my pal ,ranney out in the  
world and tell how ,god saved me1 and   
not let the ministers do all the        
talking4 ,at present all ,i can say is1 
',god bless my pal6 and some of these   
days perhaps ,i'll be with him on the   
platform telling what ,god did for me4  
,god speed the day6'   ,,tried ,,in     
,,the ,,fire  ,i had been sexton for    
over five years1 and had been greatly   
blessed1 when my wife became ill4       
,things did not always run smoothly1 for
 there are ups and downs even in a      
sexton's life1 and ,i had mine4 ,when   
,mary and ,i took up again ,i determined
 to do all in my power to make amends   
for my former treatment of her1 to make 
life as pleasant for her as ,i could1   

and ,i did4 ,when she was first taken   
sick ,i sent her and the boy over to    
,ireland to visit her parents1 thinking 
the change would do her good4 ,she was  
better for a little while1 but on the   
#adth of ,march1 #aijb1 she died4 ,my   
boy and ,i were at her bedside and      
promised to meet her on the other side1 
and with the help of ,god we are going  
to keep our word4  ,you know there are  
always knockers1 and ,i knew quite a    
few4 ,in every church and society there 
they are with their little hatchets     
ready to trim and knock any one that    
goes ahead of them4 ,some of these      
people said of me1 ,oh1 ,ranney is under
 ,christian influences4 ,he is sexton4  
,he is afraid4 ,wait until he runs up   
against a lot of trouble1 then he will  
go back to the ,bowery again and drink  
worse than ever4 ,i do think some of    
those people would have liked to see it 
happen4 ,i've seen one of them in a     
sanitarium to be treated for drink who  
was my worst knocker1 and ,i told him ,i

 would pray for him4 ,i'm not talking of
 the good ,christian people4 ,they don't
 know how to knock1 and ,i thank ,god   
for all such4 ,i had a thousand friends 
for every knocker1 and they were ready  
to help me with kind words1 money1 or in
 any other way when ,i was in trouble4  
,just as an illustration of this take   
the act of the poor fellows of the      
,midnight ,mission in ,chinatown when my
 wife died4 ,they wanted to show their  
sympathy and their love1 and a          
delegation of them came in a body and   
placed a wreath on ,mary's coffin4 ,i   
learned afterwards how they all chipped 
in for the collection--some a few cents1
 some a nickel4 ,don't think for a      
moment that the ,bowery down-and-out has
 no heart1 for it isn't so4 ,many a     
tough-looking fellow with a jumper      
instead of a shirt has one of the truest
 hearts that beats4 ,i only wish ,i     
could help them more than ,i do4  ,when 
,god took ,mary away ,i thought it was  
hard1 and ,i was sore and ready to do   

anything1 ,i didn't care what4 ,there   
was a lady1 ,miss ,brown1 a trained     
nurse1 who had been with ,mary all      
through her illness1 whose cheering     
words did me a wonderful lot of good4   
,one thing she said was1 ,trust4 ,god   
bless her6   ,a ,,testing ,,time  ,my   
old friend the ,devil was in evidence   
during this hard time in all his pomp   
and glory4 ,i could hear him say1 ,you  
see how ,god treats you6 ,he don't care 
much or ,he wouldn't have taken ,mary   
away4 ,what did ,he do it for8 ,why1 ,he
 don't know you even a little bit4      
,come1 ,dan1 ,i'll be your friend2      
didn't we always have a good time       
together on the ,bowery8 ,go get a      
'ball'2 it'll do you good and make you  
forget your troubles4 ,you have a good  
excuse even if any one sees you4 ,i was 
tempted1 but ,i said1 ,not this time1   
you old ,devil3 get behind my back6     
,people said1 ,keep your eye on ,ranney2
 he's up against it2 now he will start  
to drink and go down and out4  ,i'm     

going to tell you how ,god came and     
helped me in my hour of need4 ,it was   
the day of the funeral1 the #agth of    
,march1 #aijb4 ,the people who were     
helping had gone home to get ready to   
attend the service1 and my boy and ,i   
were left all alone with the dead4 ,we  
were feeling pretty bad4 ,my boy had    
lost the best friend he ever had or     
would have in this world4 ,some fathers 
are all right and love their children1  
but it isn't like a mother's love4 ,no  
wonder he was weeping and feeling badly4
  ,we were walking about the room saying
 nothing1 just thinking1 and wondering  
what would happen next4 ,we happened to 
meet just at the head of the casket     
7,god's doing71 and stood there as      
though held by some unseen power1 when  
my boy opens up like this3 ,pop1 you    
don't want me to smoke any cigarettes1  
do you8 ,i looked at him1 astonished at 
such a question at this time1 but ,i    
said1 ,no1 ,willie1 ,i don't want you to
 smoke and hope you never will4 ,then he

 said1 ,father1 you don't want me to    
drink1 do you8 ,i wondered at these     
questions1 and looked at him with tears 
in my eyes4 ,i said1 ,no1 ,bill1 my poor
 boy1 ,i would rather see you dead and  
in your coffin beside your poor mother1 
and know you were going to be buried    
to-day1 than to know you would ever     
drink or be like your father was4 ,bill1
 don't you ever take the first glass of 
beer or whiskey6 ,ask ,god to keep you  
from it4  ,i wondered what was coming   
next1 but ,i didn't have to wait long4  
,the boy said1 ,the people are watching 
you and say you won't come back from the
 grave without having a drink1 and that 
you won't be sober a week from now4     
,pop1 trust in the ,god that saved you  
ten years ago1 won't you8 ,you know we  
promised to meet mother4 ,fool these    
people and let them see that you are the
 man and father ,i love4  ,i            
straightened up1 looked at the lad1 and 
out went my hand4 ,we shook hands and ,i
 said1 ,son1 with the help of ,god ,i'll

 never drink again4 ,and there at the   
head of the coffin we knelt and asked   
,god to help us and make us men such as 
,he would have us be2 we asked it in the
 name and for the sake of the ,christ   
who died for us4  ,that was ,march #ag1 
#aijb1 and we have kept the faith up to 
the present time4  ,i'll never forget   
that prayer4 ,don't you think it pays to
 be on the level with ,god8 ,if you ask 
,him to help you ,he will4 ,just trust  
,him and have a little backbone1 and you
 will win out every time4 ,i know now   
that this experience was ,god teaching  
me a lesson and drawing me closer to    
,him4  ,things went differently now2 ,i 
could not run the church very well      
alone1 so after a few months ,i handed  
in my resignation4 ,the trustees wanted 
me to stay1 but ,i couldn't2 sad        
memories would come up1 and ,i simply   
had to go4 ,i left the old church where 
,i had spent so many happy days with a  
record of ten years that money could not
 buy4 ,i go there once in a while even  

now4  ,illustration3 ,,the ,,church ,,of
 ,,sea ,,and ,,land4  ,illustration3    
,,midnight ,,mission1 ,,chinatown4      
,,chapter ,,vii  ,,the ,,mission ,,in   
,,chinatown   ,about two years previous 
to my wife's death a man1 ,mr4 ,h4      
,gould1 called on me and asked me if ,i 
was the ,ranney that was converted on   
the ,bowery4 ,i said1 ,yes1 ,i was saved
 about ten years ago4 ,he said1 ,i've a 
proposal to make4 ,i hear you are a     
natural-born leader of men1 and ,i think
 you look it4 ,i'm one of the trustees  
of the ,midnight ,mission in ,chinatown4
 ,it's a hard place1 but will you come  
and take charge of it8 ,i can't keep any
 one there longer than a few weeks2 they
 get drunk or are licked or done up some
 way4 ,i want some one with backbone2   
will you take it8 ,i thanked him4 ,he   
had said enough to make any one refuse a
 job like that1 but ,i knew all the ins 
and outs of that quarter1 and ,i thought
 ,i'd like the work4 ,i asked ,god's    
guidance1 and ,i spoke with ,mr4        

,dennison1 the pastor of the ,church of 
,sea and ,land1 and he said it was      
wonderful the way ,god was leading me4  
,go and see what it's like1 he said4    
,try it4 ,you can run the church also1  
but if you see you can't get along1 give
 it up4  ,my wife and boy were planning 
to go on a visit to ,ireland to see if  
it would improve her health1 and when ,i
 told her of ,mr4 ,gould's proposal she 
did not want me to go3 she was afraid   
,i'd get killed4 ,but ,i said it would  
help to pass the time away until she    
came back4 ,so in #aijj ,i took charge  
of the ,chinatown ,midnight ,mission1   
remained there six years1 and left to be
 a lodging-house missionary4  ,i well   
remember the first night4 ,there sat    
some of the old gang4 ,they gave me the 
glad hand1 and asked me if ,i was going 
to be the bouncer2 if so1 ,i could count
 on them4 ,i said4 ,yes1 ,i'm to be the 
'main guy1' bouncer1 etc4 ,they were    
pleased1 and gave me credit of always   
being on the level4 ,i made lots of     

friends while there4   ,,leading ,a     
,,meeting  ,i never had to use force to 
keep order but once while in that       
,mission4 ,i had been in charge two     
months or so when ,i got notice that the
 leader would not be there that night1  
so it was up to me to lead the meeting4 
,i'll never forget that night4 ,there   
are some things a person can't forget1  
and that was one of them4  ,it was      
snowing and very cold outside1 and the  
,mission was packed with men and a few  
women4 ,these poor creatures had no     
place to go1 no home2 they were         
outcasts1 there through various sins1   
but mostly through love of rum4 ,i hoped
 some visitor would come in and ,i would
 get him to lead1 but no one came1 and  
it was up to me to give the boys a talk4
 ,i had never forgotten my first sermon 
at the church1 so1 asking ,god to help  
me1 ,i went on the platform4 ,i read the
 story of the ,prodigal ,son4 ,that was 
easy2 the hard part was to come later   
on4 ,i asked if some one would play the 

piano1 and a young fellow came up that  
looked as though he hadn't had a meal or
 slept in a bed in a month1 but when he 
touched the keys ,i knew he was a       
master4 ,i found out later that he was a
 prodigal1 had left home1 spent all1 and
 was on the ,bowery living on the husks4
  ,we began by singing a hymn1 after    
which ,i got up and began to talk to the
 men4 ,i gave my testimony1 how ,god had
 saved me from a life of crookedness and
 crime1 and that ,i was no better than  
the worst man on the ,bowery1 except by 
the grace of ,god4 ,there was one big   
fellow sitting in the front row who was 
trying to guy me4 ,while ,i was talking 
he would make all sorts of remarks1 such
 as1 ,oh1 what do you know about it8 ,go
 away back and sit down1 etc4 ,i asked  
him to keep still or he would have to   
get out4 ,i went on trying to talk1 but 
that man would always answer back with  
some foolish remark4 ,he was trying to  
stop the meeting--so he told me         
afterwards4  ,there ,i was4 ,i could not

 go on if he did1 and ,i told him that  
when ,i got through ,i would give him a 
chance to talk4 ,now there were over    
four hundred men looking at me1         
wondering what ,i would do4 ,some of my 
old pals shouted1 ,put him out1 ,danny6 
and the meeting was in an uproar4 ,i    
knew if ,i did not run that meeting1 or 
if ,i showed the white feather1 ,i was  
done as a leader or anything else       
connected with that place4 ,i said to   
him1 ,my friend1 if you don't keep still
 ,i'll make an example of you4 ,i could 
have called the police and had him      
locked up1 but ,i didn't want any one to
 go behind bars and know that ,i had him
 put there4 ,i had been there and that  
was enough4 ,i've never had one of these
 poor men arrested in my life4 ,i used  
kindness4  ,i began to talk again1 and  
he started in again1 but before he got  
many words out of his mouth ,i gave him 
a swinging upper cut which landed on the
 point of his jaw1 lifting him about two
 feet1 and down he went on his back4 ,my

 old pals came up to help1 but ,i said1 
,sit down1 men2 ,i can handle two like  
that fellow4 ,i called out a hymn2 then 
,i told him to get up1 and if he thought
 he could behave himself he might sit   
down1 if not1 he could get out4 ,well1  
he sat down and was as good as could be4
  ,that was the making of me4 ,the men  
all saw it4 ,they knew that ,i was one  
of them1 they saw that ,i could handle  
myself1 and ,i never had any trouble    
after that4 ,and the man ,i hit is      
to-day one of my best friends4  ,i told 
the men that the ,devil sent in one of  
his angels once in a while1 the same as 
to-night1 to disturb the meeting-place  
of ,god4 ,i said1 ,you men would be a   
marker for ,god if you would only take a
 stand for ,god and cut out your sins4  
,i never in my palmy days disturbed a   
meeting1 drunk or sober4 ,i always      
respected ,god's house4 ,if ,i didn't   
like it ,i went out1 and ,i think1      
fellows1 that's one of the reasons ,he  
picked me up when ,i was away down in   

sin and made me what ,i am to-night4 ,he
 will do the same for any one here2 why 
not give ,him a chance8   ,,something   
,,new  ,this was something new for the  
men4 ,here was a man that they knew1 no 
stranger1 but one of themselves eight   
years before4 ,he had been in prison    
with them1 drunk with them1 stolen with 
them1 and in fact had done everything   
that they did1 and now here he was      
telling his old pals how they could be  
better men1 how ,god would help them if 
they would only give ,him a chance4     
,god was with me that night4 ,it didn't 
seem to be ,ranney at all4 ,i asked who 
wanted to get this religion1 who wanted 
me to pray for them1 and about          
seventy-five hands went up4 ,a number of
 men came forward and took a stand for  
,jesus4 ,it was early in the morning    
when the meeting closed4 ,it was cold   
and snowing outside4  ,it is a hard     
matter to get these men to declare      
themselves1 for they are afraid of the  
laugh1 but ,i told them not to mind     

that2 that my pals gave me the laugh    
when ,i started out4 ,if we are honest  
and have sand and help ourselves after  
asking ,god's help1 ,i told them1 we    
will take no notice of a grin or a      
sneer4 ,my companions wagged their heads
 when ,i started out in the new life in 
,september1 #ahib4 ,they said1 ',oh1    
we'll give ,danny a couple of weeks4    
,he's trying to work the missionary2    
he'll be back again6' ,don't you men see
 ,i'm still trusting8 and there isn't a 
man in the ,mission right now that can  
say ,i'm not on the level1 that ,i've   
drank whiskey or beer or done an unmanly
 act since ,i gave my life into ,his    
keeping4 ,why8 ,because ,i'm trusting1  
not in man or woman1 but ,i'm honestly  
trusting in ,god4  ,i was satisfied that
 among the whole roomful of men there   
were not half a dozen that had a bed to 
sleep on that night4 ,i didn't have the 
money to put them to bed1 but ,i        
departed from the rules1 and calling    
them to order1 said1 ,boys1 how many of 

you would like to be my guest for the   
night8 ,you ought to have seen them look
 at me6 ,never such a thing had been    
known4 ,it set them to thinking4 ,the   
saloon-keeper wouldn't do it2 what did  
he care for them8 ,i said1 ,boys1 ,i'm  
not doing this2 ,i don't want you to    
think so4 ,it's ,god through me4        
,many's the night after that ,i kept the
 ,mission open and let the poor fellows 
sleep there1 on the chairs and on the   
floor1 and they appreciated it4 ,i was  
winning them through kindness4 ,when ,i 
was ready to go home to my nice warm    
bed1 ,i'd read them a little riot act   
telling them there were always a few    
among a lot of men that would spoil a   
good thing1 ending up1 ,be good1 boys1  
and have a good sleep4 ,good-night1 and 
they would say so heartily1 ,good-night1
 ,danny6 ,god bless you and keep you6   
,letting the men stay didn't cost me a  
cent1 and there was a big fire to keep  
them warm and it meant much to them1    
poor fellows4 ,i had the ,board of      

,health get after me quite a few times1 
but ,i'd explain things to them1 and    
they would go away saying1 ,you're all  
right4 ,big hard men said1 ,if people   
who want to do good would only get a    
place to house the poor unfortunates1   
there would be less crime and misery4 ,i
 knew that was true1 and ,i'm praying   
for the day when we can have just such a
 place1 and ,god is going to give it in 
,his own good time4  ,i had won the     
boys1 and ,i stayed in that ,mission    
over six years and saw lots of men and  
women saved and living good lives4 ,many
 times well-dressed men will come into  
my place and say1 ,mr4 ,ranney1 don't   
you know me8 and when ,i can't place    
them they will tell me how ,i was the   
means of saving their lives by letting  
them stay in out of the cold1 and giving
 them a cup of coffee and a piece of    
bread in the morning4 ,i could count    
them by the hundreds4 ,praise ,his name6
   ,a ,,poor ,,outcast  ,one night just 
as the doors opened1 there came into the

 ,mission a woman who evidently had seen
 better days4 ,she was one of the poor  
unfortunates of ,chinatown4 ,she asked  
if she might sit down1 as she was very  
tired and did not feel well4 ,go in1    
,anna1 ,i said1 and she went in and took
 a seat4 ,when ,i passed her way she    
said1 ,mr4 ,ranney1 will you please give
 me a drink of water8  ,now this woman  
had caused me lots of trouble4 ,she     
would get drunk and carry on1 but when  
sober she would be good and feel sorry4 
,i gave her a cup of water and she said1
 ,thank you1 ,dan1 and may ,god bless   
you6 ,an hour after that ,i gave her    
another cup1 and she thanked me again1  
saying1 ,god bless you for your         
patience6 ,the next time ,i looked at   
her she had her head on the seat in     
front and ,i thought she was sleeping4  
,now ,i never wake any sleepers4 ,i feel
 that an hour's sleep will do them good1
 for when the ,mission closes and they  
go out they have no place to sleep4     
,they have to find a truck or a hallway 

or walk up and down the ,bowery all     
night4 ,i've been there1 and it takes   
one that has been through the mill to   
sympathize with the down-and-outs4 ,so  
,i did not disturb this woman4  ,the    
meeting was over and the people were all
 out1 when ,i noticed ,anna still in the
 same position4 ,i went over and called 
her1 and receiving no answer shook her a
 little1 but she never moved4 ,i bent   
over and raised her head2 a pair of     
sightless eyes seemed to look at me1 and
 ,i knew she was dead4 ,i never had such
 a start in my life4 ,two hours before  
alive--now dead6 ,i learned that she was
 from a town in ,connecticut1 of good   
parents1 who took her to her last       
resting-place in the family plot--a     
wayward girl who ran away from home4    
,her ,god bless you1 ,dan6 still rings  
in my ears and her dead face ,i'll never
 forget4  ,here was a case that1 so far 
as ,i knew1 did not come under the      
influence of ,god's ,spirit1 and ,i     
could only say1 ,god have mercy on her  

poor soul6 but there have been scores of
 other women whom ,i have been able to  
reach and help by the grace of ,god4 ,i 
shall never forget the white slave4     
,,rescued ,,from ,a ,,dive  ,when ,i had
 charge of the ,chinatown ,mission a    
party of three came down to see the     
sights and do a little slumming in the  
district1 and they asked me to show them
 around4 ,now there wasn't a hole or    
joint in ,chinatown or on the ,bowery   
that ,i didn't know1 but ,i didn't as a 
rule take women to such places4 ,i don't
 like the idea of their looking at other
 people's misery1 and there's nothing   
but woe and want to be seen when you go 
slumming4 ,lots of it is brought on by  
the people themselves1 but still they   
are human and do not like to be looked  
at4  ,however1 this night was an        
exception1 and away we went to see the  
sights4 ,i took them to the ,joss       
,house--the temple where the ,chinese   
pray to ,confucius--and other places    
down on ,cherry ,hill4 ,but they wanted 

to see something hard1 so ,i took them  
to a place that ,i thought was hard     
enough4 ,if you were a stranger and went
 into this place and displayed a roll of
 the green you would be done up4  ,we   
went into one of the worst places on the
 ,bowery1 the women being as anxious to 
go as the rest4 ,the waiter piloted us  
to a small round table1 and we sat down 
and called for some soda4 ,i'd been     
there before to bring out a man or a    
woman or a girl as the case might be1   
and was pretty well known as ,sky-,pilot
 ,dan4  ,the party with me were         
astonished and wondered how such things 
as they saw could exist in a city like  
,new ,york4 ,there were all classes in  
the place1 sailors1 men1 women1 and     
girls1 who had lost all self-respect and
 thought of nothing but the drink and   
the dance4  ,while sitting there the    
lady's attention was drawn to a girl at 
the next table who sat there looking at 
the lady1 with the tears streaming down 
her cheeks4 ,the lady said1 ,mr4        

,ranney1 what is the matter with that   
girl8 ,ask her to join us4 ,i got       
another chair and asked the girl to come
 over and sit beside the lady1 who asked
 her how she came to be there1 and why  
she was crying4  ,at that the girl began
 to cry harder and sobbed as though her 
heart would break4 ,after she became a  
little more quiet she said1 ,you look   
like my mother1 and ,i'll never see her 
again6 ,oh1 ,i wish ,i was dead6 ,we    
asked her why she didn't go home to her 
mother4 ,she cried out1 ,i can't6 ,they 
won't let me6 ,and if ,i could get away 
how could ,i get to ,cincinnati1 ,ohio1 
where my mother lives8  ,we got her     
story from the girl1 and this is how it 
ran3 ,she got into conversation with a  
well-dressed woman in ,cincinnati one   
day who said that she could get her a   
position as stenographer and typewriter 
at a fine salary4 ,after telling her    
mother about it1 she and the woman      
started for ,new ,york1 the woman paying
 the fare4 ,the woman gave her an       

address of a party1 but when the poor   
girl got there1 there was no job for a  
typewriter2 it was a very different     
position4 ,the young girl had been lured
 from home on false promises1 and here  
she was a white slave through no fault  
of her own4  ,a difficult situation     
confronted us4 ,the girl was in trouble 
and needed help1 and what were we going 
to do about it8 ,she was as pretty a    
girl as ,i ever saw1 with large black   
eyes1 a regular ,southern type of       
beauty1 and just beginning the downward 
career4 ,that means1 as the girls on the
 ,bowery put it1 first the ,tenderloin1 
then the white lights and lots of       
so-called pleasure1 until her beauty    
begins to fade1 which usually takes     
about a year4 ,second1 ,fourteenth      
,street1 a little lower down the grade4 
,third1 the ,bowery1 still lower1 where 
they get nothing but blows and kicks4   
,the fourth and last step1 some joint   
like this1 the back room of a saloon1   
down and out1 all respect gone1 nothing 

to live for2 some mother's girl picked  
up some morning frozen stiff2 the       
patrol1 the morgue1 and then ,potter's  
,field4 ,some mother away in a country  
town is waiting for her girl who never  
comes back4  ,god help the mothers who  
read this1 for it's true4 ,look to your 
girls and don't trust the first strange 
woman who comes into your house1 for she
 may be a wolf in sheep's clothing4 ,she
 wants your daughter's fresh young      
beauty1 that's her trade1 and the ,devil
 pays good and plenty4  ,i asked the    
girl whether she had any friends near1  
and she said she had an aunt living on  
,chestnut ,street1 ,philadelphia1 that  
she thought might take her4 ,then       
looking around the room she said1 ,but  
he won't let me go anyhow4 ,i followed  
her look1 and there standing with his   
back to the wall was a man ,i knew4     
,here was this young girl made to slave 
and earn a living for this cur6 ,there's
 lots of it done in ,new                
,york--well-dressed men doing no work1  

living on the earnings of young girls4  
,we got the address of the aunt in      
,philadelphia1 and ,i went out and sent 
a message over the wire1 asking if she  
would receive ,annie if she came to     
,philadelphia4 ,i received an answer in 
forty-two minutes saying1 ,yes1 send her
 on4 ,i'll meet her at the station4  ,i 
hurried back1 thanking ,god for the     
answer1 and found them sitting at the   
same table4 ,annie was looking better   
than when we first met her4 ,i said1    
,it's all right2 her aunt will take care
 of her2 now all we have to do is to get
 her to the ferry and buy her ticket4   
,there was a tap on my shoulder1 and    
looking around ,i saw the man she had   
pointed out1 and he said1 ,you want to  
keep your hands off that girl1 ,dan1 or 
there's going to be trouble4 ,now ,i    
knew this kind of man2 ,i knew he would 
do me if he got a chance1 and he was a  
big fellow at that2 but ,i thought ,i   
could hold my own with him or any of his
 class4 ,i didn't mind what he said2 all

 ,i was thinking about was getting the  
girl to ,cortlandt ,street ,ferry4      
,when we got on our feet to make a start
 he came over and said1 ,she don't go   
out of this place2 if she does there's  
going to be trouble4 ,i said1 ,well1 if 
you're looking for trouble you will get 
all that's coming to you1 and you'll get
 it good and plenty4 ,and ,i started    
toward the door4 ,he came after me1     
asking me what ,i was going to do4 ,i   
said1 ,i'm not going to bother with you1
 ,i'm merely going to get a couple of   
',bulls'--policemen--and they will give 
you all the trouble you want4 ,but that 
girl goes with me4  ,he weakened4 ,he   
knew his record was bad and he did not  
want to go up to #cjj ,mulberry ,street 
7,police ,headquarters71 so he said1    
,all right1 ,danny1 take her1 but you   
are doing me dirty4  ,we got down to the
 ferry all right1 and the lady and ,i   
went to ,philadelphia and placed ,annie 
in her aunt's house and bid her good-by4
  ,frequently ,i get a letter from      

,cincinnati from ,annie4 ,she is home   
with her mother1 and a team of oxen     
couldn't pull her away from home again4 
,she writes1 ,god bless and keep you1   
,dan6 ,i thank ,god for the night you   
found me on the ,bowery6   ,,tell ,,her 
,,the ,,latch-,,string ,,is ,,out  ,i   
was in a ,baptist church one ,sunday    
night speaking before a large audience  
and had in the course of my talk told   
the above story4 ,the meeting had been a
 grand one4 ,i felt that ,god had been  
with us all the way through4 ,i noticed 
one man in particular in the audience   
while ,i was telling this story4 ,tears 
were running down his cheeks and he was 
greatly agitated4 ,i was shaking hands  
all around after the meeting was over   
when this man came and said1 ,mr4       
,ranney1 can ,i have a little talk with 
you8 ,i said1 ,yes4 ,wait till ,i get   
the pastor1 he said1 and in a few       
minutes the minister joined us in the   
vestry4 ,the man could not speak4 ,i saw
 there was something on his heart and   

mind1 and wondered what it could be4    
,i've had lots of men come and tell me  
all about themselves1 how they were     
going to give up stealing1 drinking1 and
 all other sins1 but here was something 
different1 so ,i waited4 ,he tried to   
speak1 but could only sob4 ,finally he  
cried out with a choking sob1 ,sister6  
,the minister's hand went out to his    
shoulder1 mine also1 and we tried to    
comfort him2 ,i never saw a man in such 
agony4 ,after a little he told this     
story3  ,mr4 ,ranney1 ,i am sure ,god   
sent you here to-night4 ,i had a lovely 
sister2 she may be living yet2 ,i don't 
know4 ,seventeen years ago she went out 
to take a music lesson1 and we have     
never laid eyes on her since1 and have  
never had the first line from her4 ,oh1 
if ,i only knew where she is6 ,she was  
one of the sweetest girls you ever saw1 
just like the girl you spoke about      
to-night4 ,she was enticed away from    
home by a man old enough to be her      
father1 who left his own family to      

starve4 ,i've hunted for them all over4 
,i've never passed a poor girl on the   
street without giving a helping hand1   
always thinking of my own sweet sister1 
who might perhaps be in worse           
circumstances4 ,mr4 ,ranney1 will you   
promise me whenever you tell that       
story--which ,i hope will be very       
often--just to mention that girl who    
left a ,new ,jersey town some years ago8
 ,say that mother is waiting for her    
daughter with arms open4 ,say the       
latch-string is out and there's a       
welcome4 ,perhaps--who can tell8--you   
may be the means of sending that        
daughter back to home and mother6  ,he  
gave me his name and address1 the girl's
 name also1 and ,i promised what he     
wanted4 ,would to ,god this book might  
be the means of uniting these separated 
ones and sending the gray-haired mother 
home to heaven rejoicing6 ,oh1 how many 
a mother's girl is in bondage to-night  
for the want of a helping hand and some 
kind friend to give advice6             

,illustration3 ,,reading ,,room1        
,,squirrel ,,inn4  ,illustration3       
,,men',s ,,club ,,at ,,church ,,of ,,sea
 ,,and ,,land4      ,,chapter ,,viii    
,,bowery ,,work   ,god moves in a       
mysterious way to work out ,his ends1   
and ,i can testify that ,his dealings   
with me have been wonderful indeed1--far
 beyond anything that ,i have ever      
merited4 ,during all the years since my 
conversion ,i had always kept in touch  
with ,dr4 ,a4 ,f4 ,schauffler1          
,superintendent of the ,city ,mission   
and ,tract ,society1 visiting him at his
 office once in a while1 and he was     
always glad to see me4 ,he would ask me 
about my work and we would have a little
 talk together4   ,,lodging-,,house     
,,missionary  ,one day ,i said1 ,dr4    
,schauffler1 do you know ,i'm a protege 
of the ,new ,york ,city ,mission8 ,he   
said1 ,i know it1 and we have kept our  
eyes on you for the last ten years1 and 
have decided to make you ,lodging-,house
 ,missionary to the ,bowery1 if you     

accept4  ,praise ,god6 ,wasn't it       
wonderful1 after thirteen years of      
,god's grace in my life1 to get such an 
appointment6 ,lodging-,house            
,missionary--,i couldn't understand it6 
,it struck me as being queer in this    
way2 the man who under ,god was the     
means of my salvation1 who was a        
missionary when ,i was converted1 had   
resigned a few years after to become a  
minister1 and now here was ,ranney1 the 
ex-crook and drunk1 being asked to take 
the same position6  ,we don't understand
 ,god's ways and purposes2 they are too 
wonderful for us2 but here ,i am on the 
,bowery1 my old stamping-ground1 telling
 the story of ,jesus and ,his love4 ,and
 ,i don't believe there's a man in this 
big world that has a greater story to   
tell of ,god's love and mercies than ,i 
have4 ,i'm writing this seventeen years 
after being saved1 and ,i'll still say  
it's a grand thing to be a ,christian4  
,i would not go back to the old life for
 anything in the world4  ,part of my    

work has been in ,mariners' ,temple1    
corner of ,oliver and ,henry ,streets1  
,chatham ,square1 ,new ,york ,city1     
right on the spot where ,i did          
everything on the calendar but murder4  
,there ,i could see the men every night1
 for we had a meeting all the year      
round1 and every day from #a to #b ,p4  
,m4 ,we invited all those who were in   
trouble to come1 and if we could help   
them we gladly did so4 ,if they wanted  
to go to the hospital we placed them    
there and would do whatever we could for
 them1 always telling them of ,jesus the
 ,mighty to save4   ,,from ,,nothing    
,,to #ejjj ,a ,,year  ,i remember and   
love a man who was my partner in the    
,tuesday night meetings in the          
,mariners' ,temple1 when we fed the poor
 fellows during the winter--a fine      
,christian gentleman4 ,you would never  
think to look at him he was once such a 
drunkard6 ,he told me his story4 ,he had
 spent months hanging out in the back   
room of a saloon on ,park ,row1 only    

going out once in a while to beg a      
little food4 ,he had sold everything he 
could sell and he was a case to look at4
 ,he must have been1 or the proprietor  
would never have said1 ,say1 you are a  
disgrace to this place6 ,get out and    
don't come in here again6 ,the poor     
fellow went out4 ,he was down and out   
sure enough6 ,he thought he would end it
 all1 and he bent his steps toward the  
,east ,river1 intending to jump in1 but 
was chased from the dock by the         
watchman4  ,he passed a ,mission1 heard 
the singing1 and went in4 ,he heard men 
that were once drunkards get up and     
testify to the power of ,god to save a  
man4 ,he knew a few of the men and      
thought1 ,if ,god can save them ,he     
surely can me6 ,what a lot there is in  
testimony for the other fellow6  ,he    
went out that night and slept in a      
hallway4 ,he waited until the ,mission  
opened1 and going in1 heard the same    
thing again4 ,when the invitation was   
given he went forward and was gloriously

 saved4 ,he did not walk the street that
 night nor has he since4 ,he went to    
work at his trade--he was a printer--and
 he and his dear wife1 who had always   
prayed for her husband1 were united and 
are now working together in the         
,master's vineyard4  ,this was over     
three years ago4 ,today this man has a  
position at a salary of #ejjj a year6   
,three years ago ordered out of a ,park 
,row saloon as a disgrace6 ,doesn't it  
pay to be a ,christian and be on the    
level6 ,i could go right on and tell of 
hundreds that have come up and are on   
top now4 ,god never leaves nor forsakes 
us if we do our part4  ,the ,bowery boys
 are queer propositions4 ,you can't push
 or drive them2 they will resent it and 
give you back as good4 ,but if1 on the  
other hand1 you use a little tact spiced
 with a little kindness1 you will win   
out with the ,bowery boy every time4    
,it was a kind word and a kind act that 
were the means of saving me1 and ,i     
never tire of giving the same4   ,a     

,,missionary ,,in ,,court  ,i remember a
 few years ago a fellow was arrested for
 holding up a man on ,chatham ,square4  
,now this fellow was an ex-convict and  
had a very bad record1 but he came to   
our meeting one night to see the        
pictures of ,christ1 and was so touched 
by them that he came again and finally  
raised his hand for prayers1 and when   
the invitation was given went up to the 
mercy seat and was saved4 ,at the time  
he was arrested he had been a grand     
,christian for two years4  ,he used to  
pump the organ4 ,on this ,sunday night  
when he was arrested ,i had gone over to
 the ,chinatown ,mission with him4 ,when
 he left to go to his lodging-house it  
was #aj3cj1 and he was arrested right   
after leaving the meeting on the charge 
of robbing a man on the ,bowery at #i3cj
 ,p4,m4  ,when he was arrested he sent  
for me and told me why he was arrested4 
,now ,i knew he had not robbed any one  
while he was with me4  ,the day of his  
trial came on4 ,judge ,crane was the    

judge--a good clean man4 ,after the man 
had sworn that ,j---- was the man who   
robbed him ,i was asked to go on the    
stand and tell what ,i knew4 ,i told him
 ,i was a missionary to the ,bowery1 and
 that ,j----1 the man arrested1 was not 
the man who did the robbing1 for he was 
with me at the time the robbery took    
place4  ,judge ,crane asked my name4 ,i 
told him and gave him a brief history of
 my past life4 ,he was amazed4 ,then ,i 
spoke a few words to the jury4 ,the case
 was then given to the jury1 and after  
twenty minutes they came in with a      
verdict of not guilty4  ,my dear        
readers1 suppose ,reilly 7,ranney71 the 
crook of sixteen years before1 had been 
on that witness-stand4 ,the ,judge would
 have asked my name and when ,i'd said1 
,reilly1 the crook1 they would have sent
 both of us off to prison for life4 ,but
 the past has been blotted out through  
,jesus1 and it was the word of the      
redeemed crook that set ,j---- free4    
,there are lots of cases ,i could write 

about where men are arrested and send   
for me4 ,i go to the ,tombs to see them1
 and as ,i go up the big stone steps    
where the visitors go in1 the big barred
 gate opens1 and the warden touches his 
hat and says1 ,how do you do1 ,mr4      
,ranney1 and ,i go in4 ,there's always a
 queer feeling comes over me when that  
gate is shut behind me4 ,i realize that 
,i am coming out in an hour or so1 but  
there was a time when ,i was shoved     
through the old gate1 and didn't know   
when ,i would come out4   ,a ,,count    
,,disguised ,,as ,a ,,tramp  ,one night 
in ,mariners' ,temple1 on ,chatham      
,square1 ,i was leading a meeting for   
men2 it was near closing time and the   
invitation had been given4 ,there were  
three men at the front on their knees   
calling on ,god to help them4  ,i look  
back to that night as one ,i never can  
forget4 ,one of the men who came up     
front had no coat2 it had been stolen   
from him in some saloon while he was in 
a drunken sleep1 so he told me4 ,after  

prayer had been offered and we got on   
our feet we asked the men to give their 
testimony4 ,in fact1 ,i think it is a   
good thing for them to testify1 as it   
helps them when they have declared      
themselves before the others4 ,they each
 gave a short testimony in which they   
said that they intended to lead a better
 life1 with ,god's help4  ,the man      
without a coat said he had but himself  
to blame for his condition1 and1 if ,god
 would help him1 he was going to be a   
better man4  ,i saw to it that the man  
had a lodging and something to eat1 when
 out from the audience stepped a        
fine-looking man with a coat in his hand
 and told the man to put it on4 ,i      
looked at the man in astonishment4 ,he  
was about five-feet-ten1 of fine        
appearance1 a little in need of a shave 
and a little water1 but the man sticking
 out of him all over4  ,it is not the   
clothes that make the man1 for here was 
a man who hadn't anything in the way of 
clothes1 but you could tell by looking  

at him that he was a gentleman4 ,i just 
stood and looked at him as he helped the
 other fellow on with the coat4 ,i      
thought it one of the grandest acts ,i  
ever saw4 ,he was following ,christ's   
command about the man having two coats  
giving his brother one4 ,i saw the man  
had on an overcoat1 but1 even so1 it was
 a grand act1 and ,i told him so4  ,i   
did not see him again for some time1    
when one night1 about a week after the  
coat affair1 ,i saw him sitting among   
the men at the ,doyer ,street ,midnight 
,mission1 of which ,i had charge4 ,i    
went over where he was sitting and while
 shaking hands with him said1 ,say1 that
 was the grandest act you ever did when 
you gave that man your coat4 ,what did  
you do it for8 ,you don't seem to have  
any too much of this world's goods4 ,how
 did it happen8 ,are you a ,christian8  
,who are you8 ,he looked at me a moment 
and said1 ,mr4 ,ranney1 if ,i can go    
into your office ,i'll tell you all     
about it4  ,we went into the office1 and

 he said1 ,how did you find me out8     
,well1 the question was a queer one to  
me4 ,how did ,i find him out8 ,i didn't 
know what he meant1 but ,i didn't tell  
him so2 ,i just smiled4  ,well1 he said 
he was a ,french ,count 7which was      
true71 over here writing a book about   
the charitable institutions in the      
,united ,states4 ,he had been in        
,chicago1 ,san ,francisco1 and in fact1 
all over the ,states1 for points for his
 book4 ,he told me what he had and      
hadn't done4 ,he had worked in          
wood-yards for charity organizations2   
had given himself up and gone to the    
,island2 stood in bread-lines2 in fact1 
he had done everything the tramp does   
when he is down and out4  ,i took quite 
a fancy to him4 ,he took me up to his   
room in ,eighteenth ,street1 showed me  
his credentials1 and we became quite    
chummy4 ,we used to do the slums act1   
and ,i would put on an old suit of      
clothes so ,i wouldn't be known4 ,we    
would stand in the bread-line just like 

the rest of them and get our roll and   
coffee4 ,it reminded me of my old life1 
and sometimes ,i would imagine ,i was   
down and out again1 but it's different  
when you have a little change in your   
pocket4 ,a dollar makes a big           
difference1 and you can never appreciate
 the feelings of a poor down and out if 
you never were there yourself4  ,we had 
been going around together for about    
three or four weeks when one day he     
showed me a cable dispatch from ,paris  
telling him he was wanted and to come at
 once4 ,we had had a nice time together 
and ,i was sorry he was going4  ,he     
asked me for one of my pictures to put  
in his book1 which ,i gave him4 ,then he
 wanted to know what he could do for me4
 ,i thought a moment1 then said1 ,give  
the poor fellows a feed ,sunday night4  
,i was the ,sunday night leader and ,i  
wanted him on the platform4 ,he said1   
,all right4 ,be at the ,mission ,sunday 
afternoon4  ,about #e ,p4 ,m4 there     
drove up to the ,mission door a carriage

 with a man in it who said1 ,is this #ag
 ,dover ,street1 and is your name ,mr4  
,ranney8 ,i said1 ,yes4 ,he had four    
large hampers filled with sandwiches1   
which we carried into the ,mission4 ,he 
said he was the ,count's valet and the  
,count wished him to make tea for the   
men4 ,i said1 ,all right4 ,i thought it 
would be a change for the men1 although 
coffee would have been all right4  ,the 
tea was made and everything was ready   
for the feed4 ,i wanted the papers to   
know about it1 so ,i sent my assistant  
to the office and told the reporters    
that a real ,french ,count was going to 
give a feed that night4 ,they were on   
hand and the next day the papers all had
 an account of it4  ,as soon as the     
doors opened the men came in and the    
place was jammed to the limit4 ,the     
meeting was opened with prayer1 then the
 sandwiches and tea were passed around4 
,the ,count1 wearing a dress-suit1 was  
sitting on the platform4 ,i introduced  
him as the man of the hour who had given

 the lay-out to the boys4 ,they thanked 
him with three cheers4  ,i asked the men
 to look him over and see if they had   
ever seen him before4 ,now the ,bowery  
men are sharp1 and over seventy-five    
hands went up4 ,they had seen him       
somewhere1 in ,mission bread-lines and  
different places4  ,the ,count spoke for
 about five minutes and then sat down4  
,he sailed on the following ,tuesday and
 ,i never met him again4 ,he may be in  
,london for all ,i know1 studying up    
something else4 ,but ,i'm sure he       
enjoyed himself when feeding the men4   
,and ,i have often thought1 no matter   
who or what he was1 he had his heart in 
the right spot4 ,god wants men of his   
stamp1 for ,he can use them for ,his    
honor and glory4   ,a ,,musician ,,won  
,,to ,,christ  ,there isn't a week      
passes in my work that there are not    
some specially interesting happenings4  
,one ,wednesday night about six months  
ago we were having our usual ,wednesday 
night meeting4 ,i found ,i did not have 

any one to play the piano2 my player had
 not yet come4 ,i did not worry over    
that1 however1 as sometimes we had to go
 on and have a meeting without music4 ,i
 generally asked if any one could play1 
and ,i did so this night4 ,presently a  
man came up the aisle4 ,i asked1 ,can   
you play8 ,he said1 ,a little4 ,what    
number shall ,i play8 ,i said1 ,i guess 
we will sing my favorite hymn1 ',when   
the ,roll ,is ,called up ,yonder1 ,i'll 
,be ,there4' ,he found the hymn and when
 he began to play ,i saw that he was a  
real musician4 ,he made that old piano  
fairly talk4 ,ah1 said ,i1 here is      
another 'volunteer organist4' ,i had    
seen the man and talked with him lots of
 times before1 but always took him for a
 common drunkard4 ,you can't tell what  
an old coat covers4  ,after the meeting 
,i had a little talk with him and asked 
him why he was in such a condition4 ,oh1
 he answered1 it's the old1 old story1  
,mr4 ,ranney--the drink habit4 ,i know  
what you are going to say3 why don't ,i 

cut it out8 ,well1 ,i can't4 ,i have    
tried time and again4 ,i'll go on       
drinking until ,i die4 ,i told him to   
stop trying and ask ,god to help him1   
just to lean on ,his arm1 ,he wouldn't  
let him fall4 ,i left him thinking it   
over1 and ,i kept track of him1 getting 
in an odd word here and there and giving
 him food and lodging4  ,in four weeks  
we won out and he became a good         
,christian man4 ,now he plays at our    
meetings and takes a share in them1     
giving his testimony4 ,i've had him over
 to my home many times4 ,he takes great 
delight in our garden there and waits   
with longing for ,thursday to come1 for 
that's the day he visits us1 the best   
one in the week for him4 ,there's       
nothing like the country for building a 
man up4  ,this man came from a good     
,german family1 and can play three      
instruments1 piano1 violin1 and         
clarinet4 ,i asked him if he was        
married4 ,no1 he answered1 thank ,god ,i
 never was married4 ,i have not that sin

 on my soul6 ,i've done nearly          
everything any one else has done3 been  
in prison many a time1 drank and walked 
the streets lots of nights4 ,i've       
written home to my mother and told her  
,i had taken her ,jesus as mine1 and1   
,mr4 ,ranney1 here's a letter from her4 
,i read the letter4 ,it was the same old
 letter1 the kind those loving mothers  
write to their wayward boys1 thanking   
,god that she lived to see her boy      
converted and telling him the door was  
always open1 and for him to come home4  
,how many mothers all over the world are
 praying for their boys that they have  
not seen for years1 boys who perhaps are
 dead or in prison6 ,god help those     
mothers6   ,,saved ,,through ,,an       
,,outdoor ,,meeting  ,part of my work   
consists in holding outdoor meetings4   
,through my friend ,dan ,sullivan ,i    
received a license for street preaching1
 so whenever an opportunity opens ,i    
speak a word for the ,master1 sometimes 
on a temporary platform1 sometimes      

standing on a truck1 and sometimes from 
the ,gospel ,wagon4 ,it is in season and
 out of season1 here1 there1 and        
everywhere1 if we are to get hold of the
 men who don't go near the churches or  
even the missions4  ,one night while    
holding an outdoor meeting on the       
,bowery at ,bleecker ,street1 ,i was    
speaking along the line of drink and the
 terrible curse it was1 how it made men 
brutes and all that was mean1 telling   
about the prodigal and how ,god saved   
him and would save to the uttermost4    
,there were quite a number of men around
 listening4  ,the meeting ended and we  
had given all an invitation to come into
 the ,mission4 ,one young man1 well     
dressed1 came up to me and1 taking my   
hand1 said he believed every word ,i    
said4 ,i saw at a glance he was not of  
the ,bowery type4 ,i got to talking to  
him and asked him into the ,mission4 ,he
 said he had never been into a place    
like that in his life and did not take  
any stock in them1 but my talk had      

interested him4 ,he could not understand
 how ,i had given up such a life as ,i  
said ,i had led and had not taken a     
drink in sixteen years4 ,i said ,i had  
not done this in my own strength1 but   
that ,god had helped me win out1 and    
that ,god would help any one that wanted
 to be helped4  ,we got quite friendly  
and he told me all about himself4 ,he   
had just got his two weeks' salary1     
which amounted to #cf4jj4 ,he was       
married and had two sweet little        
children and a loving wife waiting for  
him uptown4 ,he told me he had taken a  
few drinks1 as ,i could plainly see1 and
 he was going down to see the ,bowery   
and do a little sight-seeing in         
,chinatown4 ,i knew if he went any      
further he would be a marker for the    
pickpocket or others and would know     
nothing in a little while1 so ,i tried  
to get him into the ,mission1 and after 
quite a while succeeded1 and we took a  
seat right by the door4 ,he was just    
tipsy enough to fall asleep1 and ,i let 

him do it1 for a little sleep often does
 these men a great deal of good1        
changing all their thoughts when they   
wake4 ,when he woke the testimonies were
 being given4 ,i rose to my feet and    
gave my testimony1 and sat down again4  
,the invitation came next1 for all those
 that wanted this ,jesus to stand4 ,i   
tried to get him on his feet1 but he    
would not take a stand2 still the seed  
had been sown4  ,he told me where he was
 working and where he lived--wrote it   
down for me4 ,he was bent on going1 so  
,i said ,i would go up to the corner    
with him4 ,he wanted one more drink--the
 ,devil's temptation6--but at last ,i   
coaxed him to the ,elevated ,station at 
,houston ,street4 ,he said1 ,i wish you 
could see my home and family4 ,will you 
come up with me8 ,it was #aj ,p4 ,m4 and
 going would mean home for me about the 
early hours4 ,but ,i went up to the     
,bronx1 got to his home1 saw him in1 was
 bidding him good-night2 nothing would  
do but ,i should come in4 ,he had a nice

 little flat of five rooms4 ,i was      
introduced to his wife1 who was a       
perfect lady4 ,he wanted to send out for
 beer4 ,i objected1 and his wife said1  
,george1 don't drink any more6 ,i think 
you have had enough4  ,now was the time 
for me to get in a little of ,god's     
work1 so ,i told him my life1 and what  
drink did for me1 and ,i had an         
attentive audience4 ,when ,i finished1  
his wife said1 ,i wish my husband would 
take your ,jesus1 ,mr4 ,ranney4 ,i'm a  
,christian1 but1 oh1 ,i'd give anything 
if ,george would take ,christ and give  
up his drinking6 ,he made all kinds of  
objections and excuses1 but we pleaded  
and prayed4 ,god was working with that  
man1 and at #c o'clock in the morning we
 knelt down1 the wife1 the husband and  
,i1 way up in the ,bronx1 and ,god did  
mightily save ,george4 ,he went to his  
business on ,monday sober4 ,that was    
three years ago1 and he has held out    
well4 ,he has been advanced twice1 with 
a raise in salary1 and comes down to    

help me in my work on the ,bowery4 ,god 
has blessed him wonderfully1 and ,he    
will any one who has faith to believe4  
,,jim ,,the ,,bricklayer  ,where ,i meet
 so many men every day and have so many 
confessions and try to lend a helping   
hand in so many places1 ,i do forget    
some of the men1 for it seems as though 
there was an endless procession of them 
through the ,bowery4 ,but some cases    
stand out so prominently that ,i shall  
never forget them4 ,i remember one man  
in particular who used to come into the 
,mission4 ,he was one of the regulars   
and was nearly always drunk4 ,he used to
 want us to sing all the time4 ,he was a
 fine fellow1 but down and out1 and     
every cent he could earn went to the    
saloons4 ,i would talk to him nearly    
every night and ask him why he did not  
stop his drinking4 ,he would listen1 but
 the next night he would be drunk just  
the same4  ,there was good stuff in him1
 for he was a good bricklayer and could 
make from #e4jj to #f4jj per day4 ,he   

told me he was married1 and his wife and
 two children were in ,syracuse1 living 
perhaps on charity1 while he1 instead of
 making a living for them and giving    
them a good home1 was here on the       
,bowery drinking himself to death4  ,he 
would often say1 ,danny1 if ,i could    
only sober up and be a man and go back  
to my family1 ,i'd give anything4 ,but  
what's the use of trying8 ,i can't stop1
 and ,i wish sometimes that ,i was dead4
 ,and sometimes1 ,mr4 ,ranney1 ,i'm     
tempted to end it all in the river4  ,i 
reasoned with this man time and time    
again1 but with no effect4 ,he knew it  
was the right way to live1 but thought  
it was not for him1 and ,i thought that 
if a man was ever gone it was that young
 man4  ,one night as the invitation was 
being given ,i caught his eye and ,i    
said1 ,jim1 come up front and get rid of
 that drink4 ,but he said1 ,what's the  
use8 ,i went down1 took him by the hand1
 led him up front1 and we all knelt down
 and asked ,god to save these poor men4 

,i asked them all to pray for themselves
 and when ,i got to ,jim ,i said1 ,jim1 
now pray4 ,and he said1 ,lord1 help me  
to be a man and cut the 'booze' out of  
my life for ,jesus' sake4 ,amen4  ,he   
meant business that night and was as    
sincere as could be4 ,we all got up from
 our knees1 and ,i put the usual        
question to them all1 now that they had 
taken ,jesus1 what were they going to   
do8 ,it came ,jim's turn1 and he said1  
,mr4 ,ranney1 ,i've asked ,god to help  
me1 and ,i'm going out of this ,mission 
and ,i'm not going to drink any more    
whiskey4 ,then almost in the same breath
 he said1 ,i wonder if ,god will give me
 a pair of pants4 ,that created a smile 
in the audience4 ,i knew ,i could get   
,jim a pair of pants1 and he needed them
 badly4 ,just imagine a man six feet    
tall with a pair of pants on that       
reached just below the knees1 and you   
have ,jim4  ,i said1 ,jim1 you have     
asked ,god to help you1 and ,he will if 
you let him4 ,if you keep sober until   

,friday night1 and come in here every   
night and give your testimony1 no matter
 how short1 ,god will send you a pair of
 pants4 ,this was on ,monday night1 my  
own special night4 ,i knew if ,jim came 
in every night sober1 something was     
doing4 ,tuesday night came1 and sure    
enough there was ,jim with his          
testimony4 ,he got up and thanked ,god  
for being one day without taking a      
drink4 ,i said1 ,praise ,god6 ,keep it  
up1 ,jim6 ,wednesday night ,jim thanked 
,god for two days' victory4 ,he was     
doing finely4 ,thursday came1 and ,jim  
was there with his testimony of three   
days saved4 ,he had one more day to go  
before he got his pants4 ,friday night  
came and ,i had gone up and got the     
pants1 but no ,jim made his appearance4 
,near closing time the door opened and  
in walked ,jim4 ,he stood back and just 
roared out1 ,danny1 ,i'm as drunk as a  
fool2 ,i've lost the pants6 then walked 
out4  ,i did not see him for a couple of
 nights1 then he came into the ,mission1

 sat down and was fairly quiet4 ,i      
reached him in the course of the evening
 and shook hands with him1 but ,i did   
not say a word about his going back4    
,that worried him a good deal1 for he   
said1 ,dan1 are you mad with me8 ,i     
said1 ,no1 ,jim1 ,i'm mad with the      
,devil1 and ,i wish ,i could kick him   
out of you and kill him4 ,jim smiled and
 said1 ,you're a queer one4  ,i did not 
give ,jim up1 but ,i did not say        
anything to him about giving up the     
drink again for about a week4 ,he would 
always be in the meeting and ,i would   
notice him with a handshake and a smile4
 ,i could see he was thinking quite hard
 and he was not drinking as much as he  
had been4 ,i was praying for that man1  
and ,i was sure that ,he was going to   
give me ,jim4  ,one night about a month 
after ,jim had tried the first time1 ,i 
was giving the invitation to the men1 as
 usual1 for all who wanted this         
salvation to come forward and let us    
pray with them4 ,after coaxing and      

pleading with them there were six       
fellows that came forward and knelt     
down1 when to my astonishment who came  
walking up the aisle but ,jim6 ,he knelt
 down with the others and prayed4 ,i did
 not know what the prayer was1 but when 
he rose he went back and took his seat  
and said nothing4  ,a month went by to a
 day4 ,there were testimonies every     
night from all over the ,mission about  
what ,god had done and was doing1 but   
,jim never gave the first word of       
testimony4 ,i often wondered why4 ,this 
night he got on his feet1 and this is   
what he said3 ,men1 ,i've been          
everything that's bad and mean1 a crook 
and a drunkard1 separated from wife and 
children1 a good-for-nothing man4 ,i    
want to stand here before you people and
 thank ,god for keeping me for one whole
 month2 and1 men1 this is the happiest  
month ,i've spent in my life4 ,i asked  
,god to help me and ,he is doing so4 ,i 
only wish some of you men would take    
,jesus as your friend and keeper the    

same as ,i have4 ,i'm going to stick1   
with ,god's help4 ,i want you ,christian
 people to keep on praying for me1 as ,i
 feel some one has1 and he sat down4    
,oh1 how ,i did thank ,god for that     
testimony6 ,you know a person can tell  
the true ring of anything1 gold1 silver1
 brass1 everything1 and ,i knew the ring
 of that testimony4  ,jim stayed after  
the meeting and we talked things over   
pretty well4 ,he was a mechanic1 but his
 tools were in pawn4 ,i said1 ,jim1     
,i'll meet you to-morrow and we will go 
and get your tools out4 ,in the morning 
,jim and ,i went down to the pawnbroker 
in ,new ,chambers ,street1 and ,jim     
produced the tickets1 paid the money    
due1 with interest1 and received his    
stock in trade1 the tools4  ,the next   
thing was a job4 ,i knew a boss mason   
who was putting up a building in        
,catherine ,street4 ,we saw the boss and
 he took ,jim on4 ,he went to work and  
made good4 ,he would always come and see
 me at night1 and always testify to     

,god's keeping power4 ,he would ask me1 
,do you think ,i can get back to my wife
 and children again8 ,yes1 ,i would     
answer2 wait a little while4 ,have you  
written to her8 ,yes4 ,got any answer8  
,yes1 a couple of letters1 but ,i don't 
think she takes any stock in my         
conversion4 ,dan1 can't we have our     
pictures taken together8 ,i have written
 my wife a lot about you4 ,i told her   
you were worse than ,i ever was4        
,perhaps if she sees our faces and sees 
how ,i look1 she may think of old times 
and give me one more chance4  ,jim had  
been four months converted at this time1
 and ,god had him by the hand4 ,it was  
great to see that big strong man1 like a
 little child in ,god's love4 ,we went  
out and had our pictures taken and ,jim 
asked me to write and urge his wife to  
give him one more chance4 ,i did as ,jim
 wanted me2 in fact1 ,i wrote her about 
everything he said and enclosed the     
picture4  ,every night ,jim would come  
around with the question1 ,danny1 any   

word from up ,state yet8 ,not yet1 ,jim3
 have a little patience1 she will write 
soon4 ,we finally got the longed-for    
letter1 but it wasn't favorable4 ,among 
other things she said she took no stock 
in her husband1 and that she knew he was
 the same old good-for-nothing1 etc4 ,it
 was hard lines for poor ,jim1 who was  
reading that letter over my shoulder4 ,i
 looked at him4 ,i could see some of the
 old ,devil come into his eyes4 ,the    
wife little knew what an escape ,jim had
 then and there4 ,i cheered him up and  
we got on our knees and prayed good and 
hard1 and ,god heard the prayer and ,jim
 was sailing straight once more and     
trusting ,jesus4  ,a thought flashed    
through my mind1 and ,i said1 ,jim1 have
 you any money8 ,yes1 he said1 ,i have  
over sixty dollars4 ,he gave me the     
money and we went to the postoffice and 
,i took out a money-order to ,mrs4 ,jim1
 ,syracuse1 ,n4 ,y41 for sixty dollars  
and sent it on signed by ,jim and took  
the receipt and put it in my pocket4    

,five days after ,i was sitting at my   
desk in the ,mission4 ,a knock came to  
the door4 ,i said1 ,come in1 and a woman
 with two little girls entered4 ,i      
placed a chair and waited4 ,she said1   
,you are ,mr4 ,ranney4 ,i recognize you 
from your picture4 ,she was ,jim's wife1
 as she told me4 ,then she began about  
her troubles with her husband3 he was a 
good man1 but he would drink4 ,she said1
 ,i begin to think that ,jim has        
religion1 for if he hadn't something    
near it1 he would never have sent me the
 money4 ,do you think he is all right1  
,mr4 ,ranney8 ,to which ,i answered that
 ,i really believed he was1 and that he 
would be a good husband and father4 ,i  
asked her if she was a ,christian1 and  
she said1 ,yes1 ,i go to church and do  
the best ,i can4 ,i told her going to   
church was a good thing1 but to have    
,jesus in your heart and home is a      
better one4  ,she wanted to see ,jim1 so
 we went round to where he was working4 
,there he was up four stories laying    

front brick4 ,i watched him1 so did his 
wife4 ,finally ,i put my hands like a   
trumpet and called1 ,hello1 ,jim6 ,jim  
looked down1 seeing me1 and then looking
 at the woman and children a moment he  
dropped everything1 and to watch that   
man come down that ladder was a sight4  
,he rushed over1 threw his arms around  
his wife1 then took the little girls in 
his arm1 and what joy there was6 ,there 
was no more work that day4  ,jim showed 
her the saloons he used to get drunk in1
 and he did not forget to show the place
 where he was converted1 and on that    
very spot we all had a nice little      
prayer-meeting1 and as a finale1 ,mrs4  
,jim took ,jesus1 saying1 ,if ,he did   
all that for ,jim1 ,i want ,him too4    
,they are back in ,syracuse1 living     
happily4 ,jim has a class of boys in the
 ,sunday-school and is a deacon in the  
church4 ,i had the pleasure of eating   
dinner in their home4 ,i often get a    
letter from ,jim1 telling of ,god's     
goodness4 ,he says he will never forget 

the fight he made for the pants or his  
friend ,danny ,ranney4  ,illustration3  
,,one ,,of ,,mr4 ,,ranney',s            
,,open-,,air ,,meetings4     ,,chapter  
,,ix  ,,prodigal ,,sons   ,a ,,cesspool 
,the ,bowery has always been a notorious
 thoroughfare4 ,twenty years ago there  
were few places in the world that for   
crime1 vice and degradation could be    
compared with it4 ,many changes for the 
better have taken place in the last few 
years1 however4 ,following the ,lexow   
,commission investigation1 scores of the
 worst haunts of wickedness were closed 
and vice became less conspicuous4 ,the  
,bowery1 however1 still maintains its   
individuality as a breeding-place of    
crime4 ,it is still the cesspool for all
 things bad4 ,from all over the world   
they come to the ,bowery4 ,the          
lodging-houses give them cheap quarters1
 from #g cents to #ej cents per night4  
,these places shelter #cj1jjj to #dj1jjj
 men and boys nightly1 to breathe a     
fetid and polluted air4 ,those who have 

not the price--and ,god knows they are  
many--homeless and weary1 about ready to
 die1 sleep in hallways1 empty trucks1  
any place for a lie-down4  ,some of the 
lodging-houses are fairly respectable   
and run on a good scale1 and others are 
the resort of the lowest kind of human  
outcasts4 ,on one floor1 the air        
poisoned beyond description1 the beds   
dirty1 will be found over a hundred men1
 of all classes1 from the petty thief to
 the ,western train-wrecker1 loafers1   
drug-fiends1 perhaps a one-time college 
man1 who through the curse of drink has 
got there4 ,but they are not all bad on 
the ,bowery4 ,no one not knowing the    
conditions can imagine what a large     
class there is who would work if they   
could get it1 but once down it's hard to
 get up4 ,a few weeks of this life      
wrecks them and makes old men of them4  
,no one but ,god can help them1 and most
 of them go down to early graves        
unknown4   ,a ,,remarkable ,,drunkard   
,i knew once one of the best lawyers of 

his day1 living here a little off       
,chatham ,square1 in a lodging-house1   
brought there through rum4 ,i've known  
men1 lawyers1 coming to see this man and
 getting his opinion on legal matters4  
,he had many such visitors in his room1 
but he wasn't worth anything unless he  
was about half full of whiskey4 ,these  
men would know that4 ,they would bring a
 couple bottles of the stuff1 as though 
for a social time1 and then ask him     
questions pertaining to the case in     
hand4 ,then he would imagine himself the
 lawyer of old days1 and plead as he saw
 the case1 and he was right nine times  
out of ten6 ,oh1 what a future that man 
had thrown away for the ,devil's stuff1 
rum6 ,those lawyers would go away with  
advice from that man worth thousands of 
dollars1 bought with a few bottles of   
whiskey4 ,he told me he had left his    
wife and family to save them from shame4
 ,he has sons and daughters in good     
standing4 ,they never see him want for  
anything and pay his room-rent yearly1  

only he must not go near them4          
,,forgiving ,,for ,,christ',s ,,sake    
,where ,i am located at this writing1 at
 the ,squirrel ,inn1 ,no4 #aca ,bowery1 
is a grand place for my work4 ,i come in
 touch with all classes1 and when ,i see
 a man or a boy that ,i think will      
stick1 ,i rig him up1 put a front on him
 and back him until he gets work4 ,i    
wish ,i had more clothes so ,i could    
help more men1 but at least ,i can give 
them a handshake1 a kind word1 and a    
prayer1 and that1 by ,god's grace1 can  
work wonders for the poor fellows4      
,there's not a man or boy comes in that 
,i do not see1 and ,i mingle with them  
and get their hard-luck stories1 also   
their good-luck ones4 ,sitting there at 
my desk1 ,i glance down the room1 and ,i
 can tell at a glance the newcomers and 
the regulars4 ,i can tell what has      
brought them there4  ,over at one of the
 tables trying to read sat one day a man
 about fifty1 his clothes worn and      
threadbare1 but wearing a collar1 and   

that's a good sign4 ,i beckoned him to  
come over to me and ,i pointed to a     
chair1 telling him to sit down4 ,if that
 chair could only speak1 what a tale it 
could tell of the men who have sat there
 and told their life stories6  ,i asked 
him how he came to be there1 and he told
 me the same old story that can be      
summed up in one word--drink6 ,he came  
from up the ,state1 at one time owned a 
farm outside of ,oswego1 and was living 
happily4 ,he was a church member and    
bore a good name4 ,i used to take an odd
 drink1 but always thought ,i could do  
without it1 said he4 ,eighteen years ago
 ,i lost my wife and to drown my sorrow 
,i got drunk4 ,i had never been         
intoxicated before1 and ,i kept at it   
for over three months1 and when ,i began
 to come to myself1 ,i was told that ,i 
had to get out of my home4 ,i couldn't  
understand it1 but ,i was told ,i had   
sold my farm and everything ,i owned for
 a paltry #bjj to a saloon-keeper1 who  
,i thought was my dearest friend6  ,that

 happened eighteen years ago1 and ,i've 
been pretty near all over the world     
since then1 sometimes hungry1 sometimes 
in pretty good shape1 but ,i'll never   
forget that saloon-keeper4 ,i'll see him
 again1 and he will pay for what he did6
  ,i gave that man a ticket for lodging 
and a couple of meals4 ,we talked about 
his early life1 and ,i asked why he     
didn't start out and be a ,christian and
 not harbor a grudge2 to let ,god punish
 that saloon-keeper4 ,i told him ,i'd   
been through something like the same    
experience1 a man whose word ,i trusted 
selling me some ,harbor ,chart stock and
 making me think he was doing me a good 
turn1 and ,i lost several hundred       
dollars4 ,that was in the years when ,i 
first started to be a ,christian4 ,i had
 the hardest time to forgive this man1  
but thank ,god ,i did6  ,i reasoned with
 that man day after day and saw that the
 light was breaking in his heart4 ,weeks
 went on1 and he came to a point where  
he took ,jesus as his guide and friend1 

and to-day he is a fine ,christian      
gentleman4 ,i have had him testifying in
 the church to the power of ,christ to  
save a man4 ,he tells me he has forgiven
 that saloon-man for ,christ's sake4    
,,saved ,,on ,,the ,,threshold ,,of     
,,vice  ,one afternoon about #e o'clock 
,i was sitting at my desk at the        
,mission ,room when ,i noticed among the
 men who came there to read and rest and
 perhaps take a nap1 a young man1 a boy 
rather1 clean and wearing good clothes4 
,i looked at him a moment and thought1  
,he has got into the wrong place4 ,i    
spoke to him1 as is my habit1 and asked 
him what he was doing there4 ,i brought 
him over and got him to sit down in that
 old chair where so many confessions are
 made to me and said kindly1 ,well1     
what's your story8 ,i thought of my own 
boy1 and my heart went out to this young
 fellow4  ,he said1 ,you are ,mr4       
,ranney4 ,i've often heard about you1   
and ,i'm glad to see you now4 ,he told  
me how he had given up his job on       

,eighth ,avenue around #abeth ,street   
the day before4 ,he had had a run in1 as
 he called it1 at home1 and had         
determined to get out4 ,his mother had  
married a second time1 and his          
stepfather and he could not agree on a  
single thing4 ,he loved his mother1 but 
could not stand the stepfather4 ,he had 
drawn his pay at the jewelry store where
 he was working and had spent the night 
before at a hotel uptown1 intending to  
look for a job the next day4  ,he had   
risen at #h ,a4 ,m4 intending to get    
work before his eight dollars was all   
gone4 ,well1 the money was burning a    
hole in his pocket4 ,he wanted to see a 
show and he came down on the ,bowery and
 got into a cheap vaudeville show1 and  
quite enjoyed himself4 ,i came out of   
that show1 he said1 and went into a     
restaurant to eat1 and when ,i went to  
pay the cashier ,i did not have a cent  
in my pocket4 ,the boss of the place    
said that was an old story4 ,he was not 
there to feed people for nothing4 ,i    

said ,i had been robbed or lost my money
 somehow1 but he wouldn't believe me4   
,he wanted his twenty cents1 or he would
 have me arrested4 ,oh1 he was mad for  
fair1 ,mr4 ,ranney4 ,he got me by my    
coat-collar and shook me and said ,i was
 a thief1 and he finished up by kicking 
me through the door1 and here ,i am down
 on the ,bowery homeless4  ,another     
young fellow gone wrong6 ,could ,i help 
him8 ,i urged him to go back home1 but  
he didn't want to4 ,the night before was
 pay-night1 and he was always expected  
to give in his share towards the home   
expenses1 and now here was his money all
 gone4 ,what could he do8  ,i took him  
around the room and pointed out the hard
 cases there1 wretched1 miserable       
specimens of men1 and asked him if he   
wanted to be like them1 as he surely    
would if he went on in the course he was
 starting4 ,he said1 ,indeed ,i don't6  
,well1 then1 ,i said1 take my advice and
 go home4 ,be a man and face the music4 
,it will mean a scolding from your      

father1 but take it4 ,tell them both    
that you will make up the money as soon 
as you get work1 and that you are going 
to be obedient and good from now on4    
,at last he said he would go if ,i would
 go with him1 but ,i couldn't that      
night1 for ,i had a meeting to address4 
,i told him ,i would give him a lodging 
for the night1 and we would go up to    
,washington ,heights the next day4 ,i   
put him in about as tough a lodging as  
,i could get1 for ,i wanted him to      
realize the life he would drift into1   
told him to meet me at one o'clock the  
next day1 and said good-night to him4   
,the next day ,i met him2 we had        
something to eat1 and ,i asked him how  
he had slept4 ,oh1 he said1 it was      
something awful6 ,i could not sleep any1
 there was such a cursing and drinking  
and scrapping4 ,oh1 ,i wish ,i was home6
  ,we went up to ,washington ,heights1  
around #afeth ,street1 and found the    
place4 ,we got there about six o'clock4 
,i went in and knocked at the door1     

which opened very quickly4 ,the mother  
and father came forward2 they had been  
crying1 ,i could see that4 ,oh1 has     
anything happened to my boy6 she cried1 
when ,i asked if she had a son4 ,tell me
 quick1 for ,god's sake6 ,i told them   
that ,eddie was all right1 and ,i called
 to him4 ,he came in1 and like a manly  
boy1 after kissing his mother1 he turned
 to his stepfather and said1 ,forgive   
me2 ,i'll be a better boy and ,i'll make
 everything all right when ,i get a job4
 ,this is ,mr4 ,ranney1 the ,bowery     
missionary4 ,i went in and was asked to 
stay for supper1 and we had an earnest  
talk1 leading to the father giving up   
beer4 ,what he was going to drink for   
supper was thrown into the sink4 ,i see 
these people occasionally1 and they are 
doing well4   ,,the ,,prodigal ,,son    
,,on ,,the ,,bowery  ,here is a picture 
story of a boy who left home and took   
his journey to the far country4 ,it is a
 true story4  ,away up in northern ,new 
,york there is a rich man whose family  

consists of a wife1 two sons and a      
daughter1 all good church members4 ,it  
is of the younger boy ,i want to speak4 
,he is a little wayward1 but good at    
heart1 and would do anything to help any
 one4  ,now1 there has lately come back 
from ,new ,york a young man who has     
started the drink habit4 ,this man is   
telling all about ,new ,york1 what a    
grand place it is1 and1 if a fellow had 
a little money1 he could make a fortune4
 ,he succeeds in arousing the fancies of
 this young boy1 and he believes all the
 fellow says4 ,people up the ,state look
 on a man as sort of a hero because he  
has been to ,new ,york4  ,tom thinks he 
would like to go to the city1 and when  
he gets home he broaches the subject to 
his mother4 ,he says1 ,i'll get a job   
and make a man of myself4 ,the mother   
tells him he had better stay at home and
 perhaps later on he would have a chance
 to start a business in the village     
where he was born4 ,no1 nothing but ,new
 ,york will do for him4 ,he teases his  

father and mother nearly to death1 until
 his father says1 ,well1 my boy1 if you 
will1 you will4 ,then he gives him a    
couple hundred dollars and a letter to a
 merchant whom he knows4  ,tom packs his
 valise and is all ready to start4 ,i   
can see the mother putting a ,testament 
into her boy's hand and telling him to  
read it once a day and be sure to write 
home often4 ,oh1 he promises all right1 
and is anxious to get away in a hurry4  
,i can see them in the railroad station 
when the mother takes him to her bosom  
and kisses him4 ,there's a dry choking  
in the father's throat when he bids him 
good-by--and then the train is off6     
,now1 ,tom has a chum in ,new ,york1 so 
at the first station at which they stop 
he gets off and sends a telegram to his 
friend1 saying3 ,ed1 ,i'm coming on the 
#b4cj train4 ,meet me at the ,grand     
,central ,station4 ,you may be sure ,ed 
meets him at the station--,ed is not    
working--and he gives him the hello and 
the glad hand4 ,he takes ,tom's grip and

 they start for the hotel4 ,i can see   
them going into a saloon and having a   
couple of beers1 then going to the      
hotel1 getting a room and supper1 and   
having a good time at the theatre and   
elsewhere4  ,time goes on4 ,two hundred 
doesn't last long4 ,i can see ,ed       
shaking ,tom when the money is running  
low4 ,i can see ,tom counting the little
 he has left and going to a furnished   
room at #a4ej a week4 ,tom is beginning 
to think and worry a bit4 ,he has lost  
the letter to the merchant his father   
gave him1 and he doesn't know where to  
find him4 ,no wonder he is down in the  
mouth6 ,he looks for work1 but can't get
 anything to do4  ,now1 all he has to do
 is to write home and tell his father   
the facts1 and he will send back a      
railroad ticket4 ,but ,tom is proud1 and
 he hasn't reached the point where1 like
 the prodigal1 he says1 ,i will arise   
and go to my father4 ,no1 he has not as 
yet reached the end of his rope4 ,i can 
see him pawning the watch and chain     

given him by his parents4 ,this tides   
him over for a little while4 ,when that 
money is gone1 his overcoat goes1 and1  
in fact1 everything he has is gone4  ,he
 goes down and down1 and finally reaches
 the ,bowery1 where they all go in the  
end4 ,he is down and out1 without a cent
 in his clothes1 walking the streets    
night after night---carrying the banner4
 ,sometimes he slips into a saloon where
 they have free lunch and picks up a    
piece of bread here and a piece of      
cheese there4 ,sometimes he is lucky to 
fill in on a beef stew1 but very seldom4
  ,now1 if that isn't living on husks1  
,i don't know what you call it6 ,his    
clothes are getting filthy and he is in 
despair4 ,how he wishes he had never    
left home6 ,he hasn't a friend in the   
big city1 and he doesn't know which way 
to turn4 ,he says1 ,i'll write home4    
,but no1 he is too proud4 ,he wants to  
go home the same as he left it4 ,and the
 longer he waits the worse he will be4  
,no one grows any better1 either bodily 

or morally1 by being on the ,bowery4 ,so
 the quicker they go to some other place
 the better4  ,but the ,bowery draws men
 by its own strange attraction4 ,they   
get into the swing of its life1 and find
 the company that misery loves4 ,god    
knows there's plenty of it there6 ,i've 
seen men that you could not drive from  
the ,bowery4 ,but when a man takes      
,jesus as his guide he wants to search  
for better grounds4  ,well1 ,tom had hit
 the pace that kills4 ,and one          
night--about five years ago--there      
wandered into the ,mission where ,i was 
leading a meeting a young man with pale 
cheeks and a look of utter despair on   
his face1 looking as though he hadn't   
had a square meal in many a day4 ,it was
 ,tom4 ,i didn't know him then4 ,there  
are so many such cases on the ,bowery   
one gets used to them4 ,but ,i took     
particular notice of this young man4 ,he
 sat down and listened to the services1 
and when the invitation was given to    
those who wanted to lead better lives he

 put up his hand4  ,now there was       
something striking about his face1 and  
,i took to him4 ,i thought of my own    
life and dreaded the future for him4 ,i 
spoke to him1 gained his confidence by  
degrees1 and he told me his story as    
written in the preceding pages4  ,here  
was a prodigal just as bad as the one in
 the ,bible story4 ,well1 he was        
converted that night and took ,jesus as 
his helper4 ,he told me all about his   
home1 mother1 and friends who had enough
 and to spare4 ,the servants had a      
better time and more to eat than he4    
,tom1 ,i said1 why don't you go home8   
,oh1 ,mr4 ,ranney1 he said1 ,i wish ,i  
could1 but ,i want to go back a little  
better than ,i am now4 ,and ,god knows  
he was in bad shape2 the clothes he had 
on you couldn't sell to a rag-man2 in   
fact1 he had nothing6  ,i pitied the    
poor fellow from my heart4 ,i was       
interested4 ,i got his father's address 
and sat down and wrote him a letter     
telling him about his son's condition1  

etc4 ,in a few days ,i received a letter
 from his father inclosing a check for  
#aj1 and saying1 ,don't let my son      
starve2 do all you can for him1 but     
don't let him know his father is doing  
this4  ,can't you see plainly the       
conditions8 ,our ,father in heaven      
stands ready at all times to help1 but  
we must do something--meet the          
conditions4 ,tom's father was ready to  
forgive and take him back1 but he wanted
 ,tom to make the surrender4  ,i looked 
after ,tom to a certain extent1 but ,i  
wanted him to learn his lesson4 ,there  
were times when he walked the streets   
and went hungry4 ,i corresponded with   
his father and told him how his son was 
getting along4 ,i got ,tom a job washing
 dishes in a restaurant--the ,bowery's  
main employment--at #b4ej per week1 and 
he stuck4  ,i watched him closely4 ,he  
would come to the ,mission nearly every 
night and would stand up and testify to 
,god's goodness4 ,he was coming on      
finely4 ,many's the talk we would have  

together about home4 ,the tears would   
come to his eyes and he would say1 ,oh1 
if ,i ever go home ,i'll be such a      
different boy6 ,do you think father will
 forgive me1 ,mr4 ,ranney8  ,well1 eight
 months went on1 and ,i thought it was  
time to get him off the ,bowery--he had 
had his lesson4 ,so ,i wrote his father1
 and he sent the necessary cash for     
clothes1 railroad ticket1 etc4 ,and one 
night ,i said1 ,tom1 would you like to  
go home8 ,you can imagine ,tom's answer6
 ,i took him out and bought him clothes1
 got back his watch and chain from the  
pawnbroker1 and went with him to the    
,grand ,central ,station4 ,i got his    
ticket1 put him on the train1 said      
,good-by and ,god bless you6 and ,tom   
was bound for home4  ,i receive a letter
 from him every month or so4 ,i have    
visited his home and have been          
entertained right royally by his father 
and mother4 ,i visited ,tom last summer1
 and we did have a grand time fishing1  
boating1 driving1 etc4 ,i asked him1 ,do

 you want to go back to ,new ,york1     
,tom8 and he smiled and said1 ,not for  
mine6 ,if any one comes from ,new ,york 
and happens to say it's a grand place to
 make your fortune1 ,tom says1 ,new     
,york is a grand place to keep away     
from4 ,you couldn't pull him away from  
home with a team of oxen4  ,he arose and
 went to his father4 ,tom fed on husks4 
,he learned his lesson--not too dearly  
learned1 because it was a lasting one4  
,he is now a man2 he goes to church and 
,sunday-school1 where he teaches a class
 of boys4 ,once in a while he rings in  
his own experience when he was a        
prodigal on the ,bowery and far from    
,god1 and ,god's loving-kindness to him4
  ,there are other boys on the ,bowery  
from just as good families as           
,tom's--college men some of them--who   
are without hope and without ,god's     
friendship or man's4 ,what can you and  
,i do for them8   ,,last ,,words  ,i    
have married again1 and have a good     
sweet ,christian as companion1 and we   

have a little girl just beginning to    
walk4 ,i'm younger1 happier1 and a      
better man in mind and body than ,i was 
twenty years ago4 ,i've a good home and 
know that all good things are for those 
that trust4  ,i remember one night1 when
 ,i was going home with my wife1 ,i met 
a policeman who had arrested me once4   
,he had caught me dead to rights--with  
the goods4 ,after awaiting trial ,i got 
off on a technical point4 ,i said1      
,helen1 let me introduce you to the     
policeman that arrested me one time4 ,he
 had changed some2 his hair was getting 
gray4 ,he knew me1 and when ,i told him 
,i was a missionary1 he said1 ,god bless
 you1 ,reilly 7that's the name ,i went  
under71 and keep you straight6 ,you did 
cause us fellows a lot of trouble in    
those days4  ,indeed ,i did cause       
trouble6 ,there wasn't a man under much 
closer watch than ,i was twenty years   
ago4 ,just one incident will illustrate 
this and show what a change ,god brings 
about in a man's life when he is soundly

 converted4 ,it was in #ahij that a pal 
of mine and ,i were told of a place in  
,atlantic ,city where there was any     
amount of silverware1 etc41 in a wealthy
 man's summer home1 so we undertook to  
go there and see if we could get any of 
the good things that were in the house4 
,we reached the city with our kit of    
tools1 and my pal went and hid them a   
little way from the station1 waiting    
till night1 as we did not want to carry 
them around with us4 ,tom said1 ,dan1   
,i'm hungry2 ,i'll go and see what ,i   
can get in a bakery4 ,we were not very  
flush and could not afford anything     
great in the way of a dinner4 ,off he   
went1 and ,i was to wait till he came   
back4  ,i sat down in the waiting-room1 
when a man came up and sat down beside  
me1 giving me a good-day4 ,nice weather1
 said he4 ,i said1 ,yes4 ,said he1      
,how's little old ,new ,york8 ,all      
right1 ,i answered4 ,have you got your  
ticket back8 said he4 ,i thought he was 
a little familiar1 and ,i said1 ,it's   

none of your business4 ,he was as cool  
as could be4 ,oh1 yes1 he said1 it is my
 business1 and turning the lapel of his 
coat he held a ,pinkerton badge under my
 nose1 at the same time saying1 ,the    
game's called1 and ,i know you4 ,where's
 the tools8 ,i told him ,i did not have 
any4 ,the only thing that saves you1    
said he4 ,now you get out of here when  
that next train goes1 or there will be a
 little trouble4 ,my pal came in at this
 time1 and ,i winked at him to say      
nothing4 ,he understood4 ,we took that  
train all right1 and lost our tools4  ,i
 never saw ,atlantic ,city again until  
#aijh1 when ,i was asked to speak at the
 ,y4 ,m4 ,c4 ,a4 ,i told this story in  
my talk4 ,i've been back four times2    
,i've been entertained at one of the    
best hotels there1 the ,chalfonte1 for a
 week at a time4 ,what a change6 ,twenty
 years ago1 when ,i was in the ,devil's 
employ1 run out of town2 now1 redeemed  
by ,god1 an invited guest in that same  
place4 ,see what ,god can do for a man6 

,it's a hard thing to close this record 
of the grace of ,god in my life1 for ,i 
feel as though ,i was leaving a lot of  
friends4 ,if at any time you are on the 
,bowery--not down and out--and want to  
see me1 why1 call at ,no4 #aca1 the     
,squirrel ,inn ,mission and ,reading    
,room1 and you'll find a hearty welcome4