Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1881-08-10
A Decter's story.

L live In country place-a grand,
rich farming region, where the people
are mostly well-to do and prosperous.
Nearly opposite our house 10 that Of Mr..
K, a prosperous man. His wife is dead;
he has no SONS, but lovely family Of
daughters.
One day the eldest, Mary, came quick
ly almost furtIvely into my house. She
looked sad worn. and not like the bright,
blooming girl, remembered her in the
past. 1 had feared there vas some
thing wrong, but tried not to see 1t. and
to hope for the best.
Doctor she said, can't you help
use' viii you not come and talk to my
father, and try 10 save him 1t is true /;
1 see you know. He is breaking our
hearts, and we dare not say anything,
and you must not let him know have
spoken to you. don't know but he
would kill me. And yet sometimes he
Is as kind and good as ever. 1t is only
by fits, and we are always hoping the
turn will not come again.
had noticed little that things were
going wrong, small matters neglected
something amis.; but 1 had hoped they
were not as bad as that. 1 ,oothed the
weeping girl, and promised to drop IN
some day, just accidentally and not Of
design, though I confess my heart
shrank from the task. If any Of these
dlsagreeable things are to be done, the
task comes upon the minister or the
doctor, and hard time they have Of
it.
some DAYS after, as 1 was passing, ]
spied the farmer sitting on his shaded
piazza-he was getting to be an old man
aud did not work hard then-so 1 drop
ped in and said Good morning. and
began to talk weather and news of the
day. BY degrees edged arouud to the
subject touched upon bis health, which
was not as robust as formerly, and
when he owned to the taking Of stmu-
lants-bitters, perhaps, he called them
which be owned, also, had not helped
him much, 1 came upon the subject, at
first, professionally, and then l put a
bold face upon 1t and made a direct
appeal. / knew, and he knew that l
knew enough to prove his weakness
and his sin.
AS 1 began he turned 10 me and said;
Doctor, stop minute Aud then be
began with such a picture of the power
Of the appetite, Of the terrible effects
of its indulgence. the misery, the deg
radiation, the woe, the certain distruc-
ton, the sorrws Of bis family, ruiD,
desolatlon, wasted lives and broken
hearts. the curse OF soul and body, l
could have wept. He was eloquent.
And yet he added, with the veriest
dispalr in bis face land yet, knowing
all this, and feeling it as you cannot, l
cannot help it, And his tones sounded
like a wall of despair.
Alasl l kne that nothing short ola
miracle could save. Only the grace Of
God could have saved him, and he had
net strength to seek that grace. Whe o
be could have held back be did not, and
this was the fruit Of moderation. He
had never, until It was too late, learn
ed that the nerves are not under the
control OF the will.
That is the mistake which men make
when they take calm view of modera-
tion. The excess OF appetite which
comes when the nerves are once dis
lracted by the fiery scourge ia as much
beyond the control as headache. The
nerves cry cut, they are clamerous. they
will not be denied and men will go
through fire and water to quiet them.
Nor are they healed at once, even BY
tue power Of grace. There is man
who has conquered the appetite and is
a good and a Christian man, but he
dares not 60 by grogshop, even on his
way 10 church. The very fumes set him
wild.