of his voice, as he said this, made me feel that his
sainted mother, were she present, would have no reason to feel ashamed of
her son.

As he was about to replace his hat on his head, I noticed in large
letters pasted on the lining, these words, "Hinder nobody--help
everybody."

"Excuse me, sir;" I said, as I pointed to the words, "what is the meaning
of that?"

Quickly the tears on his cheeks, were illuminated by a smile as he
said--"That's my watchword; I carry it in my hat, have it hung up on my
wall at home, and since I went into my present business, I've tried to
make it the daily practice of my life."

"May I inquire what your business is?"

"Certainly, sir, my business is serving the Lord, and there is no
business like it in the universe. It pays good dividends, brings me no
worry, insures me a good standing in the best society; feeds me on the
fat of the land, fills my heart with peace and makes me an heir to a
kingdom, a robe and a crown. Bankruptcy and bad debts never stare me in
the face, and every draft I draw is honored at the bank. Thus, I 'hinder
nobody,' and am able to 'help every body.'"

"Where do you reside?" I asked.

"On Pisgah's top"--and his face fairly shone as he repeated it--"on
Pisgah's top. At first I lived down in the valley among Ezekiel's dry
bones, and used to help the multitudes sing--

"'Could we but climb where Moses stood,
And view the landscape o'er:
Not Jordan's stream nor death's cold flood,
Should fright us from the shore.'

"But I moved on and up to my present residence, and now I sing--

"'From Pisgah's top, the promised land,
I now exult to see:
My hope is full, oh, glorious hope,
Of immortality.'

"But I beg your pardon, sir; am I crowding you?"

"Crowding me? not a bit of it. I trust I shall always have room for
company like you."

"Thank you, sir, thank you. I'm only a wedge"--with a merry laugh--"but
I try to fill every opening the Lord shows me. Excuse me but how far are
you going?"

"I get off at Albany," I replied. He looked at me as if taking my
measure, and, after a moment he said:

"I hope you are not a member of the legislature."

"No, sir," I said, "I'm a Methodist."

"Give me your hand. I am so glad to know you are going in the opposite
direction. A man may go to heaven by way of the legislature, but I would
as soon think of going where I could get cholera in order to secure good
health, as expect to