Wyoming democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Wyoming Co., Pa.) 1867-1940, 1868-09-09
The Power of Music.

The following from the N. Y. Journal
of Music will be read with interest by the
many friends and acquaintance of Prof.
T. E. Perkins, in this vicinity:
"One evening sometime since, as Mr.
Theodore E. Perkins was sitting in the
room of the Howard Mission, New York,
conversing with the Rev. Van M eteT, they
were interrupted by wild looking man,
who exclaimed:
. "Is Awful Gardener here 2
"No," replied Mr.. Van Meter,
"Then," exclaimed the man in accents
of despair, | am lost. If Awful Gardener
was here he could save me. He'd know
how becuse he's been the same road; but
now I'm lost r AID drawing bowie knife
from under his vest, he was about to
plunge it into his bosom, when Mr., Van
Meter sprang forward and caught his ann.
Seein that il wonid be useless to attempt
to wrest the knife from his grasp, Mr.. Van
Meter sought to distract the mans atten-
ton from lis suicidal purpose; but the un-
fortunate Great ure was seized with fit of
delrium tremeLs and became unmanage-
able.
Mr.. Perkins, not knowing what elcs to
do sat down to the m elodeon and began to
play and sing, "Come ye disconsolate.
The effect was magical. The man was
sufficiently calm for Mr.. Van Meter to
march him up and down the room, while
Mr.. Perkins continued to play and sing
From ''Come ye disconsolate,' he struck
into "Jesus, to Thy dear arms | fee" The
effect was still marked After singing that
beautiful hymn, Mr.. Perkins commenced
"Flee as bird to your mountain" As
the strain ofthis exquisite composition filled
the room, the maniac paused, sat down,
covered his face with his hands, and sob -
bed like child-or rather like broken
hearted, remorsefu man. BY this time,
Mrs. Van Meter, who was present when the
man first burst into the room, came IN with
a bowl of strong coffee which she had
thoughtfullv made, and as soon as the
weeping stranger brcame sufficiently COM
posed, she gave it to him. That quleted
his nerves and renewed his strength, and in
little while he became completely re-
stored to the possession Of his faculties.
"Who is this man p was the question
which rose spontaneously to the lips of his
deliverers. All efforts to ascertain who he
was proved fruitless. He presistently re-
fused to give his name, or to furnish any
clue to his residence or indentity. MIR.
Perkins accompanied h i'm to the st. Mich
olas hotel, were lie took a room under an
assumed name. But in his conversation he
had chanced to mention clergyman living
in Newport r. l., whom Mr.. Van Meter
knew. The latter immed ately wrote to
the clergyman, stating the case, and ask
ing him to come to the city. The clergy
man came by the first boat, and was taken
at once to the hctel, where they fortunate
y found the poor man. The Clergyman
knew him we'll He was rich resident of
the city of Hartford, Conn, highly connect
ed, a married man, and the father Of sever
al children, On coming into his patrimo-
nv, he fell into dissipation, and the result is
indicated in the foregoing sketch. But
his day of salvation had come The cler-
gyman took him back to Hartford. He
threw off the thraldom to rum which had
degraded hlm. He took his former posi-
ton in society; and he is now living in
Hartford, respected Christian man, and
affording in his own pelspn and history
the most remarkable instance ofthe triumph
of music over dcliriuln that has ever come
to our knowled 5e."