Bearing the Infirmities of the Weak
N. Y. Commercial Advertiser. Romans 15:1-3 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.… A reporter called to a little bootblack near the City Hall to give him a shine. The little fellow came rather slowly for one of that lively guild, and planted his box down under the reporter's foot. Before he could get his brushes out another large boy ran up, and calmly pushing the little one aside, said: "Here, you go sit down, Jimmy." The reporter at once became indignant at what he took to be a piece of outrageous bullying, and sharply told the new-comer to clear out. "Oh, dot's all right, boss," was the reply; "I'm only going to do it fur him. You see he's been sick in the hospital for mor'n a month, and can't do much work yet, so us boys all turn in and give him a lift when we can. Savy?" "Is that so, Jimmy," asked the reporter, turning to the smaller boy. "Yes, sir," wearily replied the boy; and, as he looked up, the pallid, pinched face could be discerned even through the grime that covered it. "He does it fur me, if you'll let him." "Certainly, go ahead!" and as the bootblack plied the brush the reporter plied him with questions. "You say all the boys help him in this way?" "Yes, sir. When they ain't got no job themselves, and Jimmy gets one, they turns in and helps him, 'cause he ain't very strong yet, ye see." "What percentage do you charge him on a job?" "Hey?" queried the youngster. "I don't know what you mean." "I mean, what part of the money do you give Jimmy, and how much do you keep out of it?" "You bet your life I don't keep none. I ain't no such sneak as that." " So you give it all to him, do you?" "Yes, I do. All the boys give up what they gets on his job. I'd like to catch any fellow sneaking it on a sick boy — I would." The shine being completed, the reporter handed the urchin a quarter, saying, "I guess you're a pretty good fellow, so you keep ten cents and give the rest to Jimmy." "Can't do it, sir; it's his customer. Here, Jim!" He threw him the coin, and was off like a shot after a customer for himself, a veritable rough diamond. In this big city there are many such lads with warm and generous hearts under their ragged coats. (N. Y. Commercial Advertiser.) Parallel Verses KJV: We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. WEB: Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves.