Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1860-07-19

that searching glance, aud felt a relief
when the old man withdrew his gaze. For
a moment more he seemed lost in thought.
and then IN a low and tremulous tone he
commenced. There was a depth in that
voice, thrilling sweetness and pathos,
which riveted every heart in the church
before the first period had been rounded.
| My fathers attention had become fixed
upon the eye Of the speaker with an inter-
est | had never before seen him exhibit.
| can but briefly remember the substance
Of what the old man said, though the scene
is as vivid before me, as any ever witness
| ed.
My friends! | am stranger in your
village, and | trust may call you friends.
\ new star has arisen, and there is hope in
the dark night that hangs like pail Of
gloom over eur country
With thrilling depth of voice, the
speaker continued Oh God, thCu who
iooketh with compassion upon tie most er-
ring Of earth's frail children, thank thee
that brazen serpent has been lifted upon
which the drun6ard can lock and be heal
ed. That 6 beacon has burst upon the
darkness that surrounds him, which shall
guide back to honor and heaven, the bruis-
ed and weary wanderer'
1t is strange what power there is in some
voices The speakers voice was low and
measured, but tear tromhled in every
tone, and, before kneE Why, tear drop.
| ped on my hand followed by others Ike rain
drops. The old man brushed one from his
eyes and continued:
Men and christians, you have just heard
| that | was q yagraut and fanatic am
not As God knows my OWN sad heart,
came here just to do good. Hear me and
! be just.
am an old man, standing alone at
the end OF lite's Journey. There is deep
sorrow in my heart and teara in my eyes.
[ have iourneyod over a dark, beaconless
| ocean, and all lite's brightest hopes have
been wrecked. ! Ia,n without friends, home
/ or kindred, on earth, and look with long.
/ ing to the rest Of the night ot death.
Without friends, Kindred or nome, It was
/ not once so !!
No one could withstand the touching pa
! thos Of the old man. I noticed tear
trembling on the lid cf my fathers eye,
and | no longer felt ashamed of my own.
/ 'No, my friends, it was not so once
Away over the dark waves which have
wrecked my hopes there is a blessed light
Of happiness and home. / reach again
conyulsively fer the shrines Of household
| idols that once were mine now mine are no
more
| The old man seemed looking away
| through vacancy upon some bright vision,
his lips apart and his finger extended |
/ involuntarily turned in the direction where
| it was pointed, drcading to see some shadow
invoked by its magic moving.
once had a mother. With her old
heart crushed with sorrow, she went down
/ to the grave. | once had u wite-a fair,
| angel-hearted creature as ever smiled in an
/ earthly home. Her eye was as mild as a
summers sky, and her heart as faithful and
true as ever guarded and cherished q hGs-
bands love. Her blue eyes grew dim as
/ the floods Of sorrow washed away its bright
ness, and the living heart wrung till every
! fibre was broken I once had noble,
brave and beautiful boy ; but he was driv-
en- out from the ruins Of his home, and my
cid Gear4 yearns to know if he yet lives
| once had a hale, a sweet tender blossom;
but those hands destroyed it, and it lives
with one who lovcth children.
Do not be startled, triends-I am not
murderer, in the common acceptation of the
term. Yet there is light in my evening
sky. \ spirit mother rejoices over the
return Of her prodigal son. The wife
smiles upon him who turns back to virtue
and honor. The angel,child visits me at
night fall and | feel the hallowing touch
of tiny palm upon my feQerish check
My brave boy, if he yet lives, would for
give the sorrowng cid man for the treat
ment which sent him into the world and
the blow that lamed him for life. God
forgive me for the ruin which ] brought
upon me and mine
He again wiped tear from his eye
/ My father watched him with a strange in
tensity, and countenance unusually pale
and excited by some strong emotion
| was once a fanatic, and madly follow
ed the malign light which led me to ruin.
| was fanatic when | sacrificed my wife,
children, happiness and home, to the ac-
cursed demon of the bowl. | once ador-
ed the gentle being whom | wronged so
deeply.
/ was drunkard. From respectable
ty and afiuence ] plunged into degrade
tion and poverty. I dragged my family
down with me. For years saw her cheek
pale, and her step grow weary. | left her
alone amid the wreck of her home idols,
and rioted at the tavern She never com
planned, yet she and the children often
went hungry for bread
One New Years night, [ returned late
to the hut where charity had given US a
root. She was still up shivering over the