The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1865-03-30
f8 For the Congregationafist,
The Turning Point.
a story fer Boys. s
BY JULIA GILL


sIt isour evening out, to night, boys-I
have plan stoot-not much afoot about il
ing to the other two clerks in the drug store
where he was employed. They both look
ed up. "What is it }" asked In Fayer.
"When the old fellow gets fairly engaged
we will slip round to the stable and hitch
up for sleigh.ri ide, he will never be the
wiser, put the bells on, you see, after We
get fairly out on the turnpike. Splendid
moon tonight" ,f,
Ia Faver did not object, neither did Da.
Wis Bradley, James cousin. though the lat
ter did not feel quite at ease about the ad-
venture. A sleigh ride By moonlight with
a fast horse, was quite temptation; an he
said to himself, there couldn't be much
harm in going.
So they brought out their masters horse
with great caution, and barnsssed him to
the sleigh, snothering the b,lls in the buf.
fa'o robes, until at a safe distance. Then
James jumped out and put on the bells. In
again, and away. Almost like a winged
creature the horse whirled them out of the
streets along the smooth road Of the turn
pike, where the snow lay in long stretches
in the moonlight. The pure, delicious
air of the country, the sight Of merry sleigh
loads dashing by, the blithe '.jinglng and
tinkling of the bellS'-how exhilaratlng it
was. .s.. H..
"Going to stop here?" asked Davis, as
they dashed up to Bishops tavern.
"Yes stop and warm.' said Davis to hi m
self. So they went in and James called f,r
three glasses of strong drink.
$50 this is what it leads to-" said Davis
to himself. The other two emptied thei
glasses, but he did not appear to see his.
"Take it, Dave" said James.
"Don't wish for'it, ''saii Davis curtly.
"Take it. t'wont hart yon," said the bar
I keeper.
"Twon't hurt yeu," eoAoed the bays.
Admiring loafers smoked aud commented
smiling contempteously. Davis did moi
liko to be laughed at any better than othel
boys, but gentle - he looked, he was not to
be moved when he had once decided q ques-
ton. He was not at this time religious
boy, but his sister Celeste, whose influence
over him was unbounded, was another Mary
of Bethany, and she was his guardian an
gel. He thought of her, aui mob ody could
persuade HIM. - aa4e
I shan't take it," said Davis, aud that en-
ded the matter will not stop to tell you
how James upset the sleigh on their return,
but caught the horse before he had run far
how the master made inquiries about GER
tain suspicious appearances Of tie horse
and sleigh and was turned off with lies;
but hasten to say that from this time Jam IS
went downward in the broad road tina
leadeth to destruction; and Davis taking tn
decided stand he did against the first glass
never was tempted in the same way again
He stepped fairly out of the ranks of th,
smoker and the tippler, and still better
came into the kingdom which is not mea
and drink, but righteousness aud peace and
Joy in the Holy Ghost. What a world Q
repentance and misery he saved himself by
that one decision! At least, he Away
thought So He believed that il he ha,
been persuaded to take the frst glass, he
might have gone on as James did.
James went to Macon, Georgia, married
a southern lady, bought slaves, and set u
business. But his dissipatei habits inter
fered with his prosperity, he failed an
lost all. Then he hauled cotton from tn
plantations to seaport. Desce ndin
the drunkard's ladder. he som reach ed tn
last round. A sea-csptain, mutual cousil
of James and Davis. met the latter few
years ago, and this converse ton took plac
between them.
"Did you ever happen to see James, o
hear of him anywhere South ?" asked Da
Wis.
"Yes," said Me captain 81 was in Mo
bile, and wretched bioated drunkard cam,
down on the quay and looked attentivel,
at me-"
"Hallo, Steve said he.
! II don't know you said I. Can't rs
r member. ''Why, old fellow, don't yor
know Jim said the other. was perfec,
ly astonished. Brought up together. al
. most believed he could have changed S
, that wouldn't have known him anywhere
, He was just out of the ditch, and he aske
: me for money. couldn't refuse Jim, Q
: course, though suppose it would onl
hasten his death. A short time after tina
0 he was dead 1t was his own fault th'
he did not succeed in life, he had as muc
f, capacity as you or l."
. 1t was the old story. The fear OF II
Lord prolongeth days, but the years of Ii
Q wicked shall be shortened. "Ani the wa
of the transgressor is hard" One moi
Bible text. boys, and finish. "My son,
sinners entice thee. consent thou not"
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