The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-06-04
A Westinghouse Home Story.

II yOullS man was taken 10 the wash
ingtonian Home whose case was not con-
sidered exactly hopeless, but who was
regarded as having worn out the patience
of all his friends, and who was to be left
to himself if he did not embrace this last
and only opportunity Of reformation
that was to be given him. ,..t
''He's bad case" said the gentleman
who handed him over to Mr.. Coles, "and
yet he has some good in him. He is one
OF the most generous Of men, in drink or
out Of it, but he is never happy except
when in drink; only there's this, when 1
get him in good society and occupy his
mind with pure things, he seems to forget
that there is such thing as liquor in the
world. Get him out Of his present con-
dition, and give him to me clothed and in
his right mind, and I think can manage
to save him.
Y You leave him tome said Mr.. Coles /;
land everybody who knows John F. Coles
knows that il he found rattlesnake on
the street drink he would take it to his
home and try to sober it up" .t
Well, Mr.. Coles took the bad case; he
was fine young man, and, his friends had
said, needed only to be restored to his
right mind to make an effort for his own
salvation.
SHE'S tricky" said the young mans
friend to Mr.. Coles, $50 advise you, for
my sake and for his sake, to watch him."
"Leave him to me-" said Mr.. Coles
again; "leavc him to me-"
In three days Mr.. Coles had brought
the young man through all the dangers
of delirium tremens, and had placed him
as it were, on his feet. The danger was
passed. All that was required was an
effort on the young mans part, and the
cure was complete.
Chow do you feel?" said Mr.. Coles,
when the patient had recovered his senses
and was out ofall danger.
every we'll indeed, only I would like
one last drink, one good swig, you know,
before part company with it forever.
"You shall have it, was the reply; and
five minutes later the young man was re-
called with a big drink OF the bromide Of
potassia.
"Much obliged to you, Mr.. Coles,'' said
the patient ''1'm all right now. God
bless you for your Kindness" !. il
''Thank you," said Mr.. Coles, as he
went out of the room; but applying his
ear to the keyhole: 'You can't deceive
me, my boy; you are thirsting for drink
and at this period Of your convalescence
the great thing is to keep it from you.
You are like the stone of Sysiphus--when
you are rolled up you will roll back
again. I must put the wedge of caution
behind you, so that you will not roll back
upon me-" So saying, Mr.. Coles gather
ed up the young mans clothes in his
arms, everything, including boots and
shoes, and carried them down stairs. III
"There, my boy" said Mr.. Coles to
himself, ""when you want to get out of this
establishment, you've got to summon me, :"
and perfectly satisfied that the young
man could not get out without his assis-
lance, Mr.. Coles applied his thoughts to
other subjects. -C.- M s-.<- -
Now the young man had strong de-
sire to drink spirits, and when Mr.. Coles
brought him the bromide of potassia he
was greatly disappointed. Nevertheless
he was determined to procure the spirits.
His room was two stories from the street,
but, pshaw there was a pipe that ran
from the roof to the ground, water
spout.
Il can descend by that: said he:s s4..ss
He looked around for his clothes;
they were gone. He found, nothing but
a pair OF old slippers. The money he
had in his pocket when he was brought
to the asylum was in. the bureau drawer
OF his room. Mr.. Coles hadlnot thought
to take that away. The young man tore
the sheets of his bed into strips, and
wound the strips around his legs, making
pair OF pants Of the skin-tight order;
then he took a comforter from his bed,
made holes in it for his arms, and made a
tolerably nice dressing gown. With the
dressingg-gown made from the comforter,
the pants made from the strips of his
sheets, and the pair of SINNERS. he