The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1879-10-08

/ ~ tAiAptAS9's sit.tfs- ~
/ "Tle very next day | was surpris-
cd by tho offer Of o lucrative subor.
1 innate position in Federal Office in
San francisco. This was not the
FIRST coincidence Of the sort in my
| life where an unexpected influence
had been brought to bear upon me,
giving my plans and prospects new
/ direction: Has God anything to do
With these things, or is it accident?
took the place which was offered TO
me, and went to work with renewed
hope and energy. / made . VOW
against gambling and determined to
lrcgain all / had thrown away. /
saved every dollar possible, pinching
myself in my living, and supplement
ting my liberal salary by literary la
bors. NY savings had again run up
high in the thousands, and my gains
were steady, The Frazer River min
ling excitement broke out. An old
friend Of mine came to me and asked
the loan Of $100 to help him off 10
the new mines. told him he should
have the money, and that 7 would
have il, ready for him chat afternoon.
After he left the thought occurred to
me that sloo was q very poor: outfit
for such an enterprise, and that he
fought TO have more. Then the
thought was suggested--yes, sir, it
was suggested--that I might take
the $l00 to a faro bank and win an
other to place in the hands Of my
friend. / was fully resolved not to
risk q cent beyond this. We went
i together, and after alternate success
es and losses at the faro; table, it
ended in the usual way; | lost the
$500. The old passion was reused
again. A wild determination to break
the faro bank took hold upon me.
went night after night, betting reck.
lessly, until not a dollar was left
This happened last week. Can you
wonder that have concluded that
there ;s 10 hope for as weak a fool
as ] am? Now, sir, candidly, don't
You think that the best thing I can
DO is to blow out my brains2' said
he, cooking the pistol as he spoke.
| The thought occurred TO me that
it was no uncommon thing for the
suicidal to give way for he homic;-
dol .aansa. The man vss evidently
lis's iaatl, end ready for tragedy.
ss.~<,W old are you?p / asked, aim
Iins 70 creste g diversion.
/ 81 en- forty-fve,'' he answered, APP
parently brought to a little more re.
collection Of himself by the ques-
tion.
Il should think, / continued, llav-
ling arrested his attention, s.that
whatever may have been your follies,
and hover dark the future you have
to face, you have too much manhood
. to sneak out Of life By the back door
Of suicide"
| The shot struck. In an instant a
change passed over his countenance.
Suicide appeared to him in a new
light--as. a cowardly, not heroic
act. That was all gone; the suicide
was but q poor creature, weak as
we'll as wicked. He was saved!
"You should be ashamed Of your
self, sir" ] continued, ''you are only
forty-fve years old; you are in per.
feet health, with almost g giants
strength, o classical education, ex-
tensiye business experience, and
with knowledge Of life by Jour
very mistakes that should be q guar
antee against the possibility Of their
repetition. A brave man should new.
er give up the battle-the bravest
men never give up"
He said quietly, Il will not act the
part OF a coward. You'll hear from
me again. Good morning"
i I did hear from him again. III
/. went to British Columbia, where be
prospered in business and got rich.
and became a.pillar in the church Of
which his father was one of the
great lights. lie committed not sui
eide, but matrimony, marrying
sweet and cultured English girl, who
thinks her tall Yankee husband thu
handsomest and the noblest oflmen
4 ssNH1LE the Radicals are stri
wing to drive the .Jesuits out d
iwa ~ a