The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1874-12-26
An EGecting Speech.

. lie can I MAKE u SpeeCn Ol COlu
water. defy him." said one of their
number.
"My friends" began Wilton.
"Hear, hear! he's really in for 1t
now" cried a young man, whose flush.
cd cheeks gave pitful signs Of his devo-
tiOn to the bottle. "Wilton is on his
feet"
The comrade they called Wilton was
a young man, some twenty.three years
of age. Upon his face, within his eyes,
a settled melancholy rested. His man
.ners were as grave as those of an old
man. lie was often called "Wilton the
steady" on account of his quiet adher-
ence to principle
The head partner in the firm in whose
employ Wilton was gave a great party
once year, and it was to this gather
ing Wilton had been persuaded 10
come.
1r. vain his companions tempted him
with the wine that flowed freely.
The "frm" considered themselves
christians, as, indeed, did the world
generally. They gave largely to char
tiles and to their church, where their
seats were seldom empty. They did a
great deal of good with their money;
yet in placing this fiery temptation be
fore young men, some of whom were
as yet without fixed principles, they
committed gross and almost fatal er-
ror. Looking about him. Wilton saw
already many faces flushed almost to
inebriatiOn; many eyes that moved with
difficulty, and that dire unsteadiness
that markes the incipient stageof drunk
.enness.
"My friends" he said, and then
paused, as if to give greater emphasis
to what might follow, 81 am going to
make confession"
Some of the company smiled at this,
but by far the greater number were
awed at the sad yet earnest tones of his
voice.
Give years ago had brother, q
bright, beautiful lad, in whom the hopes
of large family circle centered. He
was called a genius, and he was one.
Sensitive, gentle-hearted and generous
to fault, he also gave promise of eX-
traordinary vigor of mind. One night
several boys in the village where was
born resolved to have flolic. The
party was to be secret one, 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. Wheth-
er it was a disinclination caused by ma
tural dislike, or whether his intuitons
led him to avoid it as dangerous to him,
l do not know. l only know-and the
recollection is at this moment burning
in my brain-that we all thought if we
could get Herbert drunk it would be
fine fun. Fiends could not have set
themselves more ingeriously at work to
compass this object than we did was
foremost in the attempt. will not ex-
cuse myself, nor in aught palate my
conduct. / knew lie had a manuscript
poem at home that had been pronounced
remarkable by competent critics. i
knew he could improvise almost with :
out mental effort, and expected that I'M
der the stimulus of the frey serpent
whose string dread more than l dread
death-his brain would be quickene d,
and we should be charmed, perhaps
amazed, at the exhibition of his rars
gift.
"At last we prevailed, but instead OF
Quickening, the winestupefed his tacul
ties. A few glasses reduced him to {
state of utter inebriety.
"The party broke up. We were al
wild with drink and excitement; he al
so was immovable and quite insensiblC
lHNlN WIS ilO louSluB llOLl lHc olltt U
deathly sleep into which he had fallen
l dared not take him home that night
fearing that our frolic might be foun,
out in consequence of the trouble W
should have in getting him to his room
So we left him there, lying as comfoI
tably as we could place him-hs hand
some face flushed and almost purple
his active brain for once completed
stupefed.
''In the morning ] was awakened b
the sound OF sobs. A white, scare
face stood over me, 4 trembling, wea
voice cried out: % Philip, your po,
brother
81 sprang from my bed Ny feiend
KNEW the truth soon enough, He
bert has recovered consciousness in Il
night sufficient to mislead him. He ha