Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1867-03-28

i
ont saying word, and never entered
it again.
Knowing glances passed around
the circle.
whats up ?" asked one.
"Frightened"' ~ said another.
go, you must excuse him; he's
just from the country" said third.
And then the game went on.
Said fellow student in the law Of
flee to Alfred the next day:
81 wish 1 had left with yeu last
night; but hadn't the courage to
break away"
Then drawing eut his purse, he
held it up, adding, "Every dollar
gone, you see."
"What do you mean?" asked Alfred
lifting his brow with surprise.
''I'm plucked pigeon"
'And you knew that it was wreng
to gamble ?''
"Of course / did, and wished my
self well out of it when stake was
proposed, but hadn't your manly
courage. How in the werld did you
muster up strength of mind to brave
that whole company? I couldn't
have done it."
Because" was answered, 81 saw
things more to be dreaded than their
scorn of displeasure. 4"
The days and weeks moved on
Our young friend attracted strongly;
he was favorlte with every circle
in which he gained admission. Grad
ually some of the finer perceptions
which he had brought with him into
the city lost their delicate edge. He
was not SO quick to perceive danger;
was less on his guard. Many currents
passed against him, bearing him
often away from safe channels.
His head grew less strong against
wine; his ear less sensitive to un-
seemly speech; his eyes became
tempters. Forbidden fruit was not
looked upon with desire, but some
times plucked and eaten, leaving
upon the taste its after bitterness and
disgust. And yet, among his COM
panions, he was noted for large de-
gree of self control; for the ability
to stop at the point of danger, and
go reselutely back, no matter who
might take offense and sneer.
"He bears a charmed life" said
many weak one, signing over his
own debasement.
eff 1 could only plant my feet as
he does and say, Not one step
farther in that wrong direction"
But of himself Alfred was not so
strong. 1t was not the firm will that
saved him, but rather the charmed
life. He had talisman, and by vir-
tue Of that he was enabled to stard
amid temptation where so many fell.
A year of city life wrought chang
es in our friend. He had grown
manlier in appearance, and moved
with frmer step and more confident
air.
The experience of that first year
the dangers and escapes--the new
aspect of life it had revealed to our
young friend were lessons to be un-
needed.
One day, during the first month Of
his second year in the city, our young
friend was sitting alone in his pro
prietor's Office, late in the afternoon,
when an acquaintance came in. He
was about Alfred's age, youth of
superior talents, and, like him, had
spent his earlier years in the country.
The clty's allurements had been too
strong for him. He had fallen into
many wees, and they had woven,
like busy spiders, their half invisible
cords about him until he was held
an almost powerless captive. He
was pale, his eyes were congested
from recent dissipation; his hand
was hot and trembling as he laid it
in that of his friend.
"How are you ?" asked Alfred.
"Don't ask me; you see how 1 am
was the unhappy re-
ply.
"Are you sick?"
eyes, in body and mind. Oh, l
wish / were dead p
"There is a better, a Drawer, and
a manlier wish than that" replied
Alfred.
"For one like you, perhaps, who
have gene through the fire unharm
ed, but not for me. Ihave no will
no power. My good resolutions are
like fax, and my appetite like flame.
How did you stand, when / and so
many like me went down p
"Not in my own strength" replied
Alfred, his face growing serious.
"You moved against those evil al
lurements as if you were in arner
against them. All! how often have l
envied your power to stop at the
right moment. Ihave seen yeu leave
q card table when a stake was pro
posed; saw you push aside the bot
lie when others were drowning rea-
sen and self contrel. 1 have seen
yeu turn back shuddering when syren
voices we're in your ears, and others
went madly on to folly and dis
grace. How was it?'
81 had talisman," said Alfred
'And through that ] was safe.''
"What is it ?" The young man
ooked up quite hopefully at his
friend.
"Let me tell you about it" Al
fred's voice ssfteHed and his eye had
1 tender light. ''On the day before
left home 1 was lying on the sofa
dreaming of the future. My heart
was full of grand anticipatlons; ]
,aw splendid career before me-
The picture that my fancy created
was full of allurements. From this
lream I was suddenly awakened.--
warm kiss touched my forehead
again, and / feel it with strange
Then GENES vision
Of that tender. loving face, and /
start back with ashudder. It seems