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

"My friends: have come tn sne.L
to You this evening, hoping to ;mprass @S
| upon you the terrible necessity existing
tof active movement in the Temperance
cause. we cannot be blind to the death
ana destruction which rum is CAUSING
In our fair country. The moan of the
widow, the wall of the orphan. should
rouse us from all inclination to lethargv.
Y! should we not pity and aid tHe
drunkard, whose fatal weakness causes
nis HE TO be curse to himself, his wife.
MS children and the world. There
should be fierce battle wagcd against
"There. thatllsdo; L can say all the
rest myself. I've got so much to tend
TO, Sophrony, can't stop to listen any
longer" interrupted Mrs. Marbrook.
but there is such telling para
graph, mother, just little way alonp.
ABOUT there being only a few steps for
the drinking man from mansion To tbe
gutter" - v p = sssss '--o
Yes, know but can't stav te
hear 1t. I'll hear it all tomorrow nipht,
perhaps"
Why perhaps, mother?n e
"Because l feel sure you'll break
down. Sophrony. And Mrs. Hodges
told me this morning that about all
bennlngs was going to Newbury to
hear you" So$fes
Yes said Sophronia with height
ened color, ''and have induced
Joe Boone to promise to attend, though
OF course | will have to pay his car fare.
1t Is my earnest wish to make him a
better man for the sake of his wife and
cnndfens &sF8ss exasAa
Poor little girl! She had really sin
cere wish to do good, and no desire for
personal aggrandizement, save as it
would aid ..the cause.'' Her heart
f1uttered sometimes with a neryous
dread when she thought of facing a
large audience, for she was naturally
very shy. but she would not allow her
self to contemplate failure for an in
stant.s Nf44 EsHgss sN9F97
The important night arrived, and the
town. hall was full to overhowine. Never
before had the Newbury Sons of Tenn
peranoe been able to rejoice in such full
benches, and the, president smiled in
the satisfaction he felt at having Sc
cured such an attraction as the Young
lady from Benningsss ~ sF
When Sophronia entered the hall with
her mother she was pushed back by the
eager crowd, and tripping. on a loose
fold OF drugget, would have fallen had
not young man standing in. the door
way started forward and caught her in
He was young, well-dressed and very
handsome, but his face was haooard
from late hours and bore the marks of
dissipation. and Sophronia recoiled as
on his breath she detected the scent of
wine. 49, taH4 aaaasa -d9taA
A ripple went through the audience
as the young girl made her way up the
middle aisle to the platform, and the
people from Benning, among whom Joe
Boone had conspicuous seat, began to
whisper about the ragged school and
the Protective Association.
Sophronia turned pale as she gazed
on the sea of faces before her, and
caught the whisper of a sharp-faced
woman from her native stowrI. .S0mA
thing seemed to rise in her throat and
choke her, but as the president intro
duced her amid o storm of applause.
which only added to her embarrassment |
she made a desperate effort, and in a /
faint, faraway voice began:
4 :. My friends.g / have come to speak |
to you this evening, hoping to impress
upon you the terrible necessity existing
for active movement in the temperance |
cause. We cannot be blind to the death |
and destruction which rum is causing
in our fair country, and--and -
A mist seemed to come before the |
young lecturers eyes, ringing in her
ears, her brain whirled and she
stopped short in her speech. |
The president stepped forward to
hand her her notes, but she waved him
back and made desperate effort to pro-
ceed. But in vain.4 She had not the |
courage to 60 on and had forgotten
what she wasl I'd osay. = The people from
Bennings laughed out loud and poor
Sophronias staggering back tea sext
burst in tears. The audience was sober
cd instantly and there were many
hearts which were profoundly touched,
many eyes which were sympathetically
vet. But Sophronia did not know this,
'or her mother put her arm about her
md led her from the hall, when, for
he first time in her life, the young girl
,ainted.
Mrs. Marbrook would not have known
what to do in this emergency had not
assistance been close at hand. The
voung man who had saved, Sophronia
rom falling when she4 tripped on the
lrugget and who had been, an INTEREST,"
d Observer of her sad failure, had fol-
owed her out and now eagerly offered
his help in conveying her to a hotel,