Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1867-11-29
An Effective Speech.

"a speech, a speech, from Wilton!' cried
the ttough,ess fellows.
'IIe can't make a speech on cold water
defy him, said one of. their number.
| ''My friends began Wilton.
| s'iIear, hear. he's really in for it now; pi-
| tiful signs of his leya,ior to the bottle Will
| ton is on his feet
The conrad :hey called Wilton, was young
man some twenty y-three years Of age, upon his
face. AMI within his eyes, settled melan-
chov rested. His manners were as grave as
those of an old man. He was often called
"Wilion, the steady" on account o: his quiet
adherance to principle.
The head partner in the firm in whose en-
ploy Wilton was, gave great party cnce q
year, and it was to this gathering chat Will
ton had been persuaded TO come.
! In vain his companions tempted him with
the wine that flowed freely. They considered
| themselves good christians. as indeed did
the world generally. They gave largely to
charities and to their church, where their
seats were seldom empty. They did great
deal of good with their money yet in plac-
ing this fiery temptation before young men,
some of whom were as yet without fixed prin
ciples, they committed gross and almost ia
tai error.
Looking about him, Wilton saw already
many flushed. almost to inebriation, many
eyes that spite Of their fash and sparkle,
val v;t Il o - shaH ~.
ness that marks the incipcnt state of drum,
kenness.
"My friends" he said, and then paused as
Tito give greater emphasis to what might fol-
low. 81 am going to make confession
'Fivc years ago | had a brother. a bright
beautiful lad, in which the hopes of large
family conferred He was called genius,
and he was one. Sensitive, gentle hearted
and generous to fault, he also gave promise
to extraordinary vigor Of mind. One night
several boys in the village, where was born,
resolved to have frolic. The party was to
be n secret one, and we were each to carry
from our homes if we could. provisions and
wine. 1t came off with success. There was
good cheer, there were bright and flowing
liquors; We were all young and buoyant.-
My brother had never tasted wine. Whether
it was a disinclination caused by natural dis
like, or whether his constitution led him to
void it as dangerous to him, do net know
. only know-and the recollection is at this
moment burning in my brain-that we all
thought that if We could get him drunk it
would be fine fun. Fiends could not have set
themselves more ingcniously at work to COM
pass the object than We did. was foremost
in the attempt will not excuse myself nor
aught palliate my conduct. knew he had
manuscript poem, that had been pronounced
remarkably good knew he could improvise
almost without mental effort, and expected
that under the stimulus Of the fiery serpent
whose sting dread more than dread death
his brain would be qnckenel and we would
be charmed, perhaps amazed, at the exhihi-
tiou Of his rare gifts.
At last we prevailed, but instead Of quick.
ening, the wine siupiied his faealtes. \ glass
reduced him to state Of utter inebriety a,
The party broke up. We were all wild
with drink and excitement; he alone was in
sensible and immoveablc. There was no
rousing him from the deathly sleep into which
no had fallen. dared not take him home
that night, fearing that our frolic might be
found out in consequence Of the trouble We
should have in getting him to his room. So
NO loft him there lying as comfortably a. We