Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-12-29
A Lesson from Life.

Jew years ago-it seems but a few
years, and yet II may be twenty---there
lived In one of the most beautiful see
tons of central New York Young man
who was surrounded with everything that
desire could ask or taste dictate to make
life pleasant. He was then Just entering
upon that period which, coming to near
~ every youth with his fifteenth vear,
shapes to a certain degree the after life,
develops ambition. arouses latent desires,
and has the effect of forming not only
character but fixing principles which tell
upon the lite-condrct OF coming years.
This young man was blessed with happy
nome and pleasant parents, and was az
forded every opportunity to secure an
education Of the highest standard.
Early IN life he manifested
desire TO enter the army, and
when the time arrived which enabled
him to meet the requirements Of the
military academy at West Point, his
father, whose influence was great, secured
ms son al appointment to that institution.
For several years the young man studied
hard, his ambition was great and his
friends AMI parents were gr4tifed TO hear
only good reports rs 10 his behavior and
studlousness. With natural love of tbs
beautiful and elevated by the enrolling
influences of the more sublime studies
the young cadet. with honors thick upon
him, standing at the head OF his class and
cheered on by loving and encouraging
words by those who were near and dear
to him, finally left the portals of rha
academy and began 10 battle with ths
realities of life. Every thing was bright;
home, friends, fortune, position.
But 1t was not long before he fell, and
fell SO far that he found himself in priv at
Life. For some reason--inherited. per
maps; possibly formed by army assoc a.
uons-he had acquired a liking for drink,
and the simple indulgence, for the soka
Of boon mpanionship, mad finally de
veloped into a passion. From small po-
tatlons, ne had grown find no solacs
save In those "pottle deep" and after
brief career as an off CT, he was obliged
70 rellnqul6h his commission and look to
other walks OF life for employment. His
father, who had grown 10 manage one of
the most valuable railway properties in
the state of New YORK, gave the boy q
chance, and made him superintendent of
one of the divisions OF tie road. But
here his fatal passion again got the mas
terry. and, outraging all decency and set
ting self respect at defiance, be fell again
from his honorable post this time lower
than before.
A few days sgo, this young man-for
ne is still a young mau-made an at
tempt to get out of the Institution where
| he is now confined, the Ineoriate Home
at Fort Hamilton, Long Island, and
where he had been placed by MS father
who az oncebegan proceedings to have hiN
declared an habitual 3runkard, which he
himself confessed himself TO be beyond
all hope OF reclamation.
Please read this life-lesson carefully,
and think how bright q future p Elmen-
dorf Sloan had, and how miserably he
| squandered every talent, every hope,
every particle of ambition, everything
that would have elevated him in position
and public estimation. Gould there be
any temperance lecture more forcible,
any example OF debaucbery mere magnif
Gently monstrous2 1t is something for
| the young 70 pause and contens t,la;G. To
be sure ne is but one out of thousands,
perhaps, but the debris OF his wreck has
been thrown so high by the sweeping
lde OF the sea Of intrmperance that II
cannot but be seen and pondered over.