Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1852-03-11
A True Story

II III IIl6 eftuIllS vi ZIG udJ huS
arrived at ST., a great experienc
meeting was I'd be held in one of tn
churches. Her friend who had be
come enthusiastic in the cause, urge
her to 60 to this meeting, whic
Alice did, although with a feeling {
reluctance. The houseiwas crowde
above and below. The preliminarie
usually appertaining to such meet
ings having been arranged brie
opening address was made by one Q
the ministers. A reformed man thel
related his experience with great ef
feet. After he had finished, ther,
was pause of nearly a minute. A
I length man who had been seatet
far back, with his face partly turned
from the audience, arose slowly an(
moved 10 the front eff the stage.
A half suppressed exclamation es
capped Alice, as her eyes caught the
WE'LL known. features Of him who haC
been her husband, while a quicl,
thrill. ran through her Then hen
frame trembled in accord with hen
fluttering heart. The face of Mr.
Delaney had greatly changed since
She had last looked upon it. Its
calm. dieniiied elevation had been re-
stored, bat with what a difference!
What before WAS cheerful, was sad.
very sad.
"NIr. President,,'' lie began in a
broken voice, "hlt hough l had con
sented, at your urgent solicitation, to
address this large assembly tonight,
yet have felt 50 Strong 4 reluctance
to doing 50, that it has bd en- with the
utmost difficulty J. could drag myself
forward. But | haa Il passe d my word;
| could not violate it. As TO rela-
ting my experien &c, that | DO not
think can yenture upon The past
i dare not recall. Would to heaven
THAT just ten yeaTs Of my life were
bI9tted out.
The speaker pau ps4dsa moment, al
ready much Affected Then resum-
inc in a frmer voice, he said:
T.-But something must. be said OF
ny ow case, or l shall flil to make
thpt inI preston upon oqfmlnds that
! wish Ito produce.
s.Pictures Of reai life touch the
hebrt with power, while abstract pre-
4ehtations Of truth glitter Oddly III
the intellectual regions Of the mind
an then fade from the perception
like figures III a diaroma.
Your speaker once STOOD among
the first members of the bar in {
hefghlB BQring State-nay, more than
thRt-he represented his county lol
three wears in the. Assembly OF the
Commonwealth. And more than
that still occuFled a seat in Con.
greSs for two Congressional periods.
n At this announcement The stiffness
Of death pervaded the crowded as
embly.
q A nd yet more. than al that" he
con tinued, his voice sinking into ;
low thrilling tone he once had I
ten lerly loved wife and two swee
chill Idren. But all these honors-al
the se blessings have departed from
him ~ he continued, his voice growing
! louder and deeper in his efforts t
con troll himself .4.IIe was unworth,
to retain them! His constituent
thre ew him off because he had debase'
| himself and disgraced them. An'
worse than all-she who had love'
| him devotedly-she whe had born
/ him two dear babes, was forced t
abandon him and seek an asylum il
/ her fathers house. And why? Coul'
ii Have become so changed in fey
Short years What power vas ther
/ to abuse md that my fellow-being
| sntIrped. anh even the wife of my DO
som turned away heart-stricken frop
m4? Alas. my friends, it was a ma,
indulgence in mockery! A very de
mdn-a Citce, changing the human
into = bestihl. But for this, ! wer
NOW m honorable and tseful repro
sentative in Congress, pursuing atte
my country S good, and blest in tn
home circle with wife and children
but | have not told you all. Atte
my wife separated from me ! SAM
rapidly.
/ "a State df perfect sobnety brough
/ too many tdrrible thoughts; | there
fore drank more freely, and was rare
lhv II eyer from under the beWllder