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Around the World in 88 Years -E Book - Arthur Burt

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The next day, Steve came to me <strong>in</strong> a temper about Bro<strong>the</strong>r Jack.“That man touched my wife,” he shouted. “He came down tocheck <strong>the</strong> cooker, and he touched my wife. I have called <strong>the</strong>police <strong>in</strong>.”The police arrived, and we had all <strong>the</strong> trauma and drama of <strong>the</strong>police question<strong>in</strong>g us and <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> council visitation. They wereonly liv<strong>in</strong>g with us through grace, but yesterday’s grace had becometoday’s right. Relationship with <strong>the</strong>m worsened until, onhis door downstairs, Steve posted a big skull and crossed boneswith <strong>the</strong> caption, “Keep out or else.”One day, tempers developed to such an extent, Steve stood at<strong>the</strong> bottom of <strong>the</strong> basement stairs, extend<strong>in</strong>g a knife up towardus — Jim Part<strong>in</strong>gton, Jack Perk<strong>in</strong>s and me. “Anyone who comesdown here, I’ll do <strong>the</strong>m,” he promised. “I’ll stab <strong>the</strong>m.”Jim descended half way down <strong>the</strong> steps and said, “Listen, Steve,every vestige of grace has left my body. If I had an iron bar, Iwould split your skull.”Jack, a big ex-sailor, declared, “Yes, that’s right, Jim. I’ll standwith you.”We had a dagger at <strong>the</strong> bottom of <strong>the</strong> stairs, Jim <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> middlewish<strong>in</strong>g he had an iron bar, and Jack at <strong>the</strong> top cheer<strong>in</strong>g him on.“Oh Lord,” I prayed. “We are go<strong>in</strong>g to have a blood bath <strong>in</strong> am<strong>in</strong>ute and I am <strong>the</strong> cause of all this.” I rushed to direct Marj toturn up <strong>the</strong> volume on <strong>the</strong> TV so <strong>the</strong> children and <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rpeople <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> house wouldn’t hear <strong>the</strong> fight when it started.There was no fight. After a few m<strong>in</strong>utes, Jim brought Steve andBrenda <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> room. “He wants to tell you someth<strong>in</strong>g,” Jimsaid to me.“I have taken Jesus as my Saviour,” Steve said. “And now I haveto confess to you all <strong>the</strong> trouble you have had because of me.You remember when you couldn’t f<strong>in</strong>d your daughter’s purse?Well, I stole it.” Steve began to list all <strong>the</strong> th<strong>in</strong>gs he had stolenwhich I thought had been lost. He had taken <strong>the</strong>m all.To my amazement, he brought forth fruits of repentance. He put30 shill<strong>in</strong>gs down on <strong>the</strong> table and said, “There. That is for <strong>the</strong>week’s rent.” It really looked as if he had a true born-aga<strong>in</strong> expe-152

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