adelphia, and I went out and sent
a message over the wire, asking if she would receive Annie if she came
to Philadelphia. I received an answer in forty-two minutes saying,
"Yes, send her on. I'll meet her at the station."
I hurried back, thanking God for the answer, and found them sitting at
the same table. Annie was looking better than when we first met her. I
said, "It's all right; her aunt will take care of her; now all we have
to do is to get her to the ferry and buy her ticket."
There was a tap on my shoulder, and looking around I saw the man she had
pointed out, and he said, "You want to keep your hands off that girl,
Dan, or there's going to be trouble." Now I knew this kind of man; I
knew he would do me if he got a chance, and he was a big fellow at that;
but I thought I could hold my own with him or any of his class. I didn't
mind what he said; all I was thinking about was getting the girl to
Cortlandt Street Ferry.
When we got on our feet to make a start he came over and said, "She
don't go out of this place; if she does there's going to be trouble." I
said, "Well, if you're looking for trouble you will get all that's
coming to you, and you'll get it good and plenty." And I started toward
the door. He came after me, asking me what I was going to do. I said,
"I'm not going to bother with you, I'm merely going to get a couple of
'Bulls'--policemen--and they will give you all the trouble you want. But
that girl goes with me."
He weakened. He knew his record was bad and he did not want to go up to
300 Mulberry Street (Police Headquarters), so he said, "All right,
Danny, take her, but you are doing me dirty."
We got down to the ferry all right, and the lady and I went to
Philadelphia and placed Annie in her aunt's house and bid her good-by.
Frequently I get a letter from Cincinnati from Annie. She is home with
her mother, and a team of oxen couldn't pull her away from home again.
She writes, "God bless and keep you, Dan! I thank God for the night you
found me on the Bowery!"
"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 story. The
meeting had been a grand one. I felt that God had been with us all the
way through. I noticed one man in particular in the audience while I was
telling this story. Tears were running down his cheeks and he was
greatly agitated. I was shaking hands all around
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