Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1872-12-27
a TRUE srOAl.

r. 4
!. ffieTd. who had become enthusiastic In til
cause, urged her t. M; Which Alice did, d
though with reluctance The house Wa
crowded above and below. The prcli1nin.
ries usually appcrtaining to such meetin
having been arranged. brief opening at
dress was made " one Of tho ministers.
. reformed man then related his cxperienc
} With great effect. After he had finished tler
7 Was 4 pause of nearly minute
AT length a man who had been seated ia
back. with his face partly turned from TIL
: audience,Sarose and moved to the front o
the stage.
A half expressed exclamation escaped
Alice, A. her eyes caught the well-known fea
lures Of her husband, while quick thrill
ran through her. Then her frame trcmble,
I 10 accordanee with her fitttering heart. Tht
!, fsce Of Mr.. Delancey had greatly changed
since she had last looked upon it. Its cam,
4 disnifcd elevation had been restored; bils
what difference.
MIR. PRESIDENT" he begun. although |
had consented, at your earnest solicitien,
TO address the large assembly congregated
here to night, yet felt so strong 4 reluct-
ance to do so that it was with the utmost dill
ficnlty that | could drag myself forward.
But had passed my word and could not vlo
late it.
'sAs to relating my experience; that do
not think ! can venture upon. The past /
dare NOT recall-wotld to heaven that ten
years OF my life were blotted out.a
The speaker here paused o moment, already
much affected. Then resuming in firmsr
voice. he said:
But something must be said of nv own
ease. or shall fail to make that impression
on the minds Of this audience that / wish Ia
produce.
Pictures Of real life touch the heart with
power. while abstract presentations of trutl.
glitter ooldly In the Intellectual regions Of
the mind, and then fade from the perception
like figures in a dorama.
s.Your speaker once stood among the fire.,
members Of the bar in ! neishboring State.
Nay, more that that. he represented his
county tor three years in the Assembly OF
the Commonwealth, and-morc than that
seat in Congress two Con
gressional periods
At this point the stiffness A
led file cras.1lax1
'.And yet more than that, = lie continued,
lis voice sinking in low. thrilling tones, ..he
lad tenlerly loved wife and two sweet
children. But all these lionors-all these
blessings have departed from him:, he con-
inucd; his voice growing louder and deeper
n efforts to control himself. .she was unwor-
by to retain them.
s.His constituents threw him off because
lad loved him deyotedly-who :had borne
lin two de babes, was forced to abandon !
i'm and seek an asvlum in her fathers
ouse.
.sAnd why? Could become so changed
Il few years? What power was there to
buse me soIhat my fellow beings spurned,
nd even the wife of my bosom turned heart
tricben from me? AlasLmy friends, it was J,
demon A Circe: changing the human
nto the bestal. But for this, | were an hon
rable, useful representative in Congress, {
ursuing after my country $ gasd, and blest
4 the home circle with wife and children.
tut / have not told you all. {
's4ifter my wife separated from me, I sank :
apidly. A state of sobriety brought too
lany terrible thoughts; therefore drank $
eely. and was rarely, if ever. from under
lie bcwildering effects Of intoxication. re-
,ained in the same village several years, but
syer once saw her during that time nor
yen caught a glimpse OF my children. At
st [ became so abandoned in my life thst
v wife, urged on by her friends, filed an ap- c
ication for a divorce, and as cause could be
silly shown why it should be granted, sep
alton was legally declared. II
$40 complete my disgrace; Il the next
canvass was left off the tic 9
il, as unfit to represent the district. lett =
e county and state where had lived from
y boyhood up. El'
stThree years have passed since then. For
10 years of the period Il abandoned myself =
the fearful appetite had acquired. Then y
heard Of the Temperance movement. At =
st / sneered, then wondered, hesitated,
ID finally threw myself on the great wave q
hich was sweeping onward. in the hope Of
ing carried by it far out OF the reach of g
nger, and did not hope with vain hope.
did for.me more than deemed possible. e
set me upon nv ieet tonce more made
M Of me.
"a year Of sobristy, earnest devotion to Y
: profession. and fervent prayer to Him
10 alone can give strength in every good y
solution, has restored me to much that had
EN- lost; but not all mot the richost trea :
re that had proved myself unworthy 20 q
ain; not my wife and children. All ! be- j.
cen myself and these the law has laid its =
rn, impossible Introduction. have no
lger wife no children-th0ugh my %
art goes out toward those dearly bel07ed cl'
Is with the tenderest yearning. Pictures
onr early days welded lite come foat- -
, back On nlemory's pinions, lin1 ering il
imagination and reminding me Of the 10
tfat was. dream Of the dear fire-side =. =.
lie ZEE everIhefore me the wan, placid =
Of NV Alice as her eye locked into mine
il confidence. feel hef arms rwine aes
neck, the music of her voice is sounding 8,
i III my ear. ~
[erc the speaker, erdotions overcalne him. na
&ntfcrance became choked and he stood w "
z ,.y;th hoxue1 head aa4yI trernfinp linnhs Eie