The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-07-08
sOPHRONIA'S LECTURE.

n SOPHRONIA'S LECTURE.
You've taken many queer crank i,
seur head, Sophrony, but this one beat.
ii the rest.
g ut isn't crank, mother; tits sacred
8 duty-I feel called upon to lecture.''
I sIi6inee. You left school YEA
800 there hasn't been a week bu
yodve had call to do something OF
aher out of the common run. / wish
to goodness I'd never sent you to thai
bigh.toned boarding-school. Mis-:
Stevens filed your head full of notions. .
aShe tried to impress upon her pu.
p1s, y said Sophronia, " that they must
i've for something; that all had sacred
duties to perform in life. Now, if car
bsIecturing save the soul of single
4 nan from ruin l shall feel that I have
not lived in vain"
AStuf!'' said Mrs. Marbrook. ssSuch
ine talk sounds well enough but II
Doesn't convince me that it 8 your duty
! 70 lecture on temperance. If you want
work to do, ask Deacon Snow to help
YOU get the district school,"
NO, mother" said Sophronia firm
y. Il would not be laboring for the ad.
sncement Of mankind if I shut myself
up in that little school house from morn
iag to night. But l feel that I am need
sdinthe temperance cause. The thought
came to me like an inspiration last Fri
dsy when saw Joe Boone go stayger-
Ing by the gate. A voice ringing loudly
.sh my ears seemed to call me to the plat
sirm.m
.The idea ola girl of nineteen goin'
shout lecturing!" cried Mrs. Marbrook,
thoroughly vexed. 80 Sophrony! used
70 think how much comfort I should
take in you when you came from school,
md could play the organ to me even
ings and help me with the work; but
fhas been just one notion after anoth-
err and tears started to the good wo-
mans eyes.
: Mother, when you hear me spo-
Ken ofas famous lecturer ON temper
,ase, when people tell you that your
dsughter's eloquence has saved MANY d
man from a drunkard's grave, you will
EEL proud of me and rejoice that you
did not forbid my responding to the call
d conscience"
sBut you won't be famous, Sophrony.I
lou u get scared when you face a BIG
aadlence, and mark my words, if YOU
ever try to lecture you'll break down. y
The knowledge that 1 can do good
y speaking will give me courage, moth
g. The day is not far distant when nv
voice voice viii be apower in the temperance
MIS- Marbrook sighed. but, though
anconvinced, said no more. Having
neeIyed very limited education her.
'ea she had early determined that her
@lF child should have every advantage
sneh eould be derived from first-claSs
kmIhary, and therefore had put her
ladef the care of Miss Stevens, who had
ent her home year previons to the
9penlng OF our story. g fnished.''
but Sophronia had learned things and
cqulred ideas for which her mother had
lot pargained. She paraded advanced
news of progress and reform, tried to
aganize q ragged school and was
lagned at for her failure. Bennings
g ialled to appreciate her efforts fo
'slanllsh a Workingman's Protective
lssociation, and her earnest endeavors
panee the owner of the mills to raise
U payof his hands proved fr1itless.|
i gziliiapt scheme after another had
~ 1T yet Sophronia was not dis
She still burned to 40 some
~ W N d bsnctit of msnkind
~ DEhavlhg the right % re-
gravestohe sl1spl6 Ne in
1 aus, = tss Isl si4sle PIE Il shs !ss did
@ Young very rett bfixi,t and
pt, Hgphronias did nok y 4peri-
u " I dificultys inr@ obtainihg IS
= Tie | sons ens
e nerence, 3 which eiAtion
g seehf4 ar 1sbiicees es1nd So
NiS dmmcnse{y HIATT AE43f see!
Ea E p9ee in the NeH5 H5Hf9 dl lber, in
s e ~ Ias alluded IS as J. d Young
aaeloqueht advocate 81 the Temperance
|. W. She resolved to do credit TO
Z 'eacnlng OF Miss Stevens and spent
IVY y "a correcting, and revising her
.. lure and IN committing it to memory,
ssne thought the effect of her words
osla ee iessened should she be obliged
~ .sler to notes. Her mother groaned
] 's'le g heard her pacing up and down |
III ) pa.ior, repeating over and over |
's,a saa ahe words which she hoped would |
: = ~ me hearts of her hearers and swell |
wand !. Of temperance advocates. |
~ want to read you my lecture,
salef said Sophronia, the day before |
~ ~ TO be delivered at Newbury, |
mn - p was situated twenty-five miles
~ bennings.
,a 8 assgsdness, Sophrony. why, L'most |
~ ~ Y Dy heart now" said Mrs. Mar
! n0a, I've heard it so much that
= :. : soout sick of temperance"
) nu. just hear a little of it, mother, |
: :. ,u seii !, me how it sounds"
q, ,.,meil, go on, then." said Mrs. Mar
IA u q resigned tone.
/ thus nus encouraged, Sophronia spread
=. VT many sheets OF foolscap and be-