Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-10-25

and splendid hall il to be insuguratea.
Banners will wave. music ring and ladies
smile. Shall ] invite you, my wife, TO
accompany me| said the master OF tue
house.
"Of course, after such program,
said she, gaily: land you may depend
upon my going, too. How soon must
be ready?
"In an hours time be replied. " i
| will send a carriage for you, and meet
YOU myself at the door of the ball. BE
sure you are readN, for there will be q
| tremendous crowd.
! will be in tiIne-trust Inc for that,
| said she, and FASTENED to perform her
| duties to the little cites: but what was
| her astonishment, when she returned TO
! the parlor. all bonneted and cloaked. to
| fiud their stranger guest there awaiting
her. =.
II cannot Snrely be tempted there,
| said he, in low, sad voice: - bat II yon
| will suffer me to ride with you, Will
gladly go. II may be that ] shall com
piete there the salvation commenced
here
Gladly did the lady acqniesce in the
request, and they were soon At the door
of the thronged hall. Not her husband,
bat an intimate friend of his, joined
them there and led them to some re-
served seats near the platform.
There had been stirring music by the
band, fervent prayers by the Clergy and
thrilling speeches from orators from dlf-
ferent parts of the country, and the
hearts of that vast multitude were
aroused az they had never been before
to the dangers of the cup.
Then, while yet they we're all riveted
To the subject, the President announced
"a voice frotn our home" There Was a
brsathless silence for moment, and
then long aud loud acclamations greeted
the good Samaritan of our sketch as he
bowed to the waiting throng. 1t had
seemed to them, As the last speaker
/ voice was hushed, that the theme, world
wide as ii IL, was quite exhausted, bul
so impassIoned WAS the eloquence that
now mastered it that they hung upon
every word az il he spoke of something
fresh from heaven. Where others mao
generalized, he individualized. de DID
not take the mass of drunkards, but
only one out of them all, and he por-
trayed his course In such vivid colors
that the audience seemed gazing upon
dissolviug views rather than listening &c
chosen words; and so wrought up were
they that when he pictured that horrible
scene In the tragedy of drink where tine
husband levels To the floor the wife who
once slept so sweetly upon his bosom
the wife that is also the mother of his
children, they seemed to hear the gentle
and. wronged one fall, and so,s anC
! signs broke forth from the assembly
The speaker paused till they were quiet
| tt.rfa te. hi 4.
own cheeks.
-"Do you ask" said he, when he agar
resumed his theme, "do You ask why
stand here tonight and speak thes'
. things? Why, not only speak but fee
, them Look at this" he said, lifting
. the glossy locks from his left temple
"Do you see that scar on nay fore
, head!'
In the brilliant gaslight it WAS per
fectly visible to many watchful eye
/ it was CHASTITY. frightful- looking scar
marring the beauty of q brow tina
might otherwise have been painter
model.
, Slowly and solemnly did the speake
3 utter each word; then. as he stood push
ing back his raven hair, he continued:
After the drunkard had felied hi
wife to the floor he would have kickel
3 her PROSTATE form but that her younl
, son rushed between the two. What dit
{ the drunkard do them" he exclaimed
in a voice of thunder. Another paus
and n breathless hush. More slowly
more solemnly he spoke.
He seized a knife" he continued
o "aye, and the one, too, his gentle wifi
herself had laid beside his plate for hin
< to carve the dish her worn and wear
a fingers had earned to sustain his life
he seized it and-did this. and b
y pointed to his forehead. d" 10 my grav
shall i carry this. soar. and not till res
in my grave shall / cease to plead TO
tho drunkard's children"
With these words fresh on his lips h
withdrew. There was no applaudini
but a silence as of death rested on tn
vast hall. Ere it WAS broken by praye
or hymn an aged man, older, though,
seemed. with grief than years, tottere
: upon the platform: trembling i'll ever
= nerve und muscle, he leaned against tn
desk and finally grasped it for support
Many times did his lips move ere b
, could utter an audible sound. and, whe
: he did speak, his words were rather fel
than heard.
"The son has spoken" said he; mo,
! let the father. With the soar on hi
forehead yet bleeding, my Ernest, IN
first born, my noble boy, went from hi
! home to seek among strangers the peac
, his father would not give him on hi
: own hearthstone. Ten years from tina
! time, one week ago tonight. that so
, picked up his father from gutter, anC
instead of spurning him as a fallen sir
. nor, he took him to his home IA thong
= he had been the angel instead of til
: demon Of his youth. Deep is the soa
on his forehead. but deeper are tn
scars on my heart. Ye have heard hiI
!, -ye see me. Let the story and tn
: sight be your salvation, rs it is even no.
my own"
, The old man was exhausted and fel
back into his sons arms.