Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-09-08

l6srtfn's fAce gIew sober, and he IN.
svered With calm impro111veneos mss
csnsed the anger 70 60 out Of hls listeners
eye, and . thoughtful concern TO tax 10
place.
II am nshting the devil, !" he saId, End
musf not Five him the smallest advantage
Inst nov I am the victor, and hold hin ct
NV. He has his masked batteries, hig:n.
chsnted srounds, his mines and pitfth,
IN rins and miry sloughs; ard ! am
learninr 10 know the signs Of hidden an
Ger III All into any Of his 01eFes, am
n neril OF destruction; and 3h0ug 1
s4r,,role. ar fjeht my way out, ~ wax
or vnunded. and 30 tho less peet
the shock Of battle when he lpon
~ :. sfand On guard, ready n Gods
| Zane, tor the conflict.
"His enchanted ground ID 4 social con-
pany, where wine 0ows freely. ! speak
of what II IL TO ma, and call It, % far q
am concerned, the devils ground. He
caught me there not long ago, and had
me at his own advantage. But, will
not again set foot thereon. II you, good
citizens, make of your homes, in mistaken
hospitality, places where the young find
temptations, and the weak, stumbling
blocks, men, such asI am, must shur them
az the gates of hell
His manner had grown more and more
impressive.
as it 20 bad a. that" remarked the
gentleman, In q voice that showed both
surprise and pain.
pressively; II believe Reigarts oldest
son was At your house"
"YeA."
at was the devils ground for hims Az
hour or two ago saw him coming out 81
saloon, 90 drunk that he could not walk
straight. And only three days ago, lie
father told friend that his boy had CIR
tainly reformed, and that he now lad
more confidence in his future than hehad
felt for long time" !.
"You cannot mean what you sy?"
the gentleman exclaimed, In visible sgita.
ton.
~ have told you only the sad and
solemn TRUTH" was Martin answer "and
If I had accepted your invitation, night
now be lying at depth Of misery and
degradation, the bare thought Of which
makes me shudderp
The gentleman stood for little while
az IL stunned.
"This 10 frightful to think Of" lie said,
and I saw him shiver.
ut Is the last time" he added, after q
pause-"the last time that any man shall
20 out of my house weaker and npre de-
graded than when he came in. II my
offering Of wine cause my broher TO
offend, then viii ! not offer It agah while
/ the world atandaD
"Ah, sir r answered Martin, "iimany,
many more of our good citizens would 30
resolve, hundreds Of young me- now
drifting out into the current Of intmper-
ance. might be drawn back init safer
waters; and hundreds OF others WHO are
striving to make head against 1t, saved
from destruction. Ispeak feelingl1 for !
am one of those who are struggling for
life in this fatal current"
The way OF fatety for man like Mar
tin, Is very narrow and straight. he
steps aside into any of the pleasant Hths
that open on the right hand and onlthe
| left. he IL intho midst of peril. Ii he
grow confidentin his own strength IND
less dependent on that which 10 gRen
from above, the danger of falling becomes
| imminent.
Martin fell again. Alas that 'his
should have to DO told.
"Was that Martin who passed uIf'
asked friend with whom was walking
"No," answered. In positive vote !;
and yet, as l said the word my heart aye az
thso %s Ct In sdhfs MP Poor - wretch He
tries hard to reform; but that cursed ap-
petite Is too much for him. Tn afraid
there Is no help. He'll die drunkard."
turned back quickly and without re.
spouse, follow wing the man we had passed.
Just az I came up to him, he had stopped
at the door of drinking saloon, and was
holding brief parley with awakened ap.
petite.
an Gods name, mop I said laying
my hand upon him.
He started in frightened kind of way,
turning on me haggard lace and blood.
shot eye. drew my arm within his, and
led him away, passive as q child, Not .
word was spoken by either, untilwe We're
| in his Office, which was not far distant
and the door shut and locked. He drop
ped into chair, with slight gSpan, hii
head sinking upon his chest. ha was thu
picture Of abjeCt wretchedness.
aHe lesveth the ninety and nine that
| ATG bulCiy lUluCus S0Axay cRC0hAhS - q
low, tender voice, sand gocth out into
the wilderness to seek that whit Is
ootfay.''
He did not answer.
You have looked to the strond for
strength, you have prayed TO Him fofsuc-
cor, and He has come very near t1you
and helped you. Because you again TENT
out OF the Told, His love has not failed.
He has found you out in the wilderness
and brought you back TO place Of sanity.
Only trust In Him and all will be VEL
He Is the friend that sticketh closer thai Z
brother His is love that never fails\
Iwaited for him to reply, but he k4t
silence.
!" 1t must have been no ordinary tempt.
tion," I said.
Still he was silent.
"The enemy must have come on yt
unaware" ! added, after Q brief pauS
"The bolt must have fallen ere you sat
the warning fash"
II was taken at q disadvantage but
had time to know my enemy, and shout
have given battle in Gods name, insteav
Of yielding like craven"
such Was his reply. 1t gave me hope.
"TeI me the whole storv," I said.
| He raised himself TO firmer attitude
and | saw swift lights beginning TO daa
in his dull eyes.
| U,,~~IZA - - A~rso IS /.