CHAPTEE XL

GOSPEL WORK IK THE SLUMS —AN ALL-NIGHT MISSIONARY'S
LIFE—A MIDNIGHT CURBSTONE MEETING— UP SHINBONE
ALLEY.

A Midnight Curbstone Meeting — A Confidence Game tliat Failed to Worli

— An Astonished Thief—"Yon Ought to be a Christian" — "Will
Christ Pay my Rent ? " — A Midnight Sermon — One of the Devil's
Family — Sowing Seed on Stony Ground—"If I'd only Stucli to Sun¬
day School " — Dark and Dirty Pell Street — Five-Cent Lodging-Houses

— Shinbone Alley At Three o'clocic in the Morning — A Typical Street
Boy—One of the Gang—"Snoozin'" on a Beer Keg—A Suspicious
Looiiing Wagon — A Whispered Consultation — " CorIi.ey " from "Up
de River" — Fallen among Thieves — A Deep Laid Plot—A Thirsty
Crowd of Desperate Roughs — The Story of the Cross and the Dying
Thief—A Speechless-Audience — "De Fust to Preach Religion rgun'
dese Corners"—"Wal, I'm Blowed" — Caught by the Great Detective.

AN all-night city missionary's life is full of strange experi¬
ences. Mr. Gibbud's faithful work in this capacity was
unique, and from his store of reminiscences I give, in his own
words, the following interesting incidents:

A  Midnight  Cuebstone  Meeting.

Late one night I was pleading with a drunken man on the
Bowery while two friends stood waiting for me not far off.
Suddenly I noticed one of a gang of thieves, who were loung¬
ing around the door of a low concert-hall, leave his com¬
panions, approach 'my friends, and enter into conversation. I
left my man and joined them. Seeing that I was the leader of
the party, he addressed himself to me, suggesting that we try
our hands at a " game." " My friend," I said, " I know you
and your confidence game. I should think a man like yon
.would want to be in some better business than swindling
people. It's mighty mean business—that of a thief — don't
.you think so?"    At first he was too much astonished to do