Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1860-03-23
A Half lIOur in a Bad Place.
A STAGE OFFICE IN BROADWAY.

The stage would not start for half-an-
hour. 1t was stormy and cold. | could
not safely stay out of doors, and the only
place where | could sit was bar-room
where four or five men were sitting about
the fire. | took a vacant seat, and listened
to their conversation.
Near me sat bloated, imbecile old man,
who seldom spoke, but when he did it was
plain that his mind was nearly gone.
learned before | left that he had been
noted politician in this city, now worn-out
hard drinker, gradually sinking victim to
intemperance. Near him was a total drunk
ard--his face flame red-his nose in bios
som--his skin ready to burst, SO full of rum
it looked. He was now two-thirds drunk,
talking with thick tongue of politics and
religion, medley of both with drunk
ards looseness. and almost every sentence
had shocking oath in it. The old man
tod him to stop talking, Il come here" lie
said ''to take a drink and have a little COM
fort, and | don't want TO hear any of your
stuff, if | was the landlord, ! would have
you put out in the street"
Two young men were sitting on the 9TH
conversation, telling him to leave off his
preaching and sit still. Then lie turned
upon them and made the strangest speech /
ever heard from drunkard's lips. / will
not break up his speech hy repeating all
they said in reply, but will give his words
as nearly as | can. Imagine him TO be so
nearly drunk that il is impossible for him
to artculate distinctly, and these remarks
TO come from lis thick, foul lips, that were
Just now full Of basphcmy:
Il know who you are, both of you-vou
are an atheist, don't believe there is any
God-you are German jew, and don't
believe there ever was such a person as
Jesus Christ (neiiher of them denied the
charae-they were old acquaintance, aud
he knew their sentiments, and went on with
his discourse,) but want to tell you what
Il is, if you don't repent of your sins, and
you've got enough Of them to repent of,
and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, you
will 90 down TO hell, and be punished in
fire and birthstone forever and ever. There
is no way for you to be saved but to believe
in Christ, who gave his life for sinners,
when he was put TO death between two
thieves on the hill of Calvary. You say
you don't believe there is any such place as
hell Well. that don't make II so--t makes
no difference whether you believe it or not
IF YOU don't repent Of your Sins and
come to Christ. you will find very soon TO
your sorrow that there is a hell. and You are
in it for all eternity"
Here one of them broke in = you're
IL. III Il ,nft H..
leve word ycu are saying, and l can
prove it,
"Wrll, prove it, let's hear what you've
got to say"
If yot believe whai you are saying, you
wouldn't do as you are doing, you would be
a hetter man."
The old drunkard seemed STAGGERED for
a moment, and then with much more emo
ton than he had shown at all before, he
answered:
"You may say that, hut it is all true just
as tell you, learned it when was a lit
tie boy, my mother used TO hold ME mp On
her knees, and read tic Bible to me AMI
tell me about Jesus Christ and whar must
do 10 be sayed--l know what ! ought to do.
but don't do it, want you 10 repent Of
your sins and get Jesus Chris: to be your
Savior
Imagine all this coming from the lips Of
a drunkard, profanr, b,oated. miserable,
besoited drunkard. But he said no pro-
fame words while thus preaching. The
stage was ready, and left the company.
but asked the bilf keeper who the 81 | fel-
low was, and lraFned his name and history
He was bnre arrsPeciable citizen, who had
ruined himself by drink-his property had
been taken out Of his hands, and weekly
allowance given him which h- spent in