St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-03-23
A CHANGED MAN.
Stock Story for the Use Of Country
Temperance Lecturers.
Eugene Field in Puck. I

The first time I saw William Perkins he
was smiling lad of Is. He was strong,
erect handsome. Upon his cheek there was
the flush of health-in his eye the fire Of
hearty ambition
"Tell me" said I six years later, to an &C
quaintance: "who is that pale, scrofulous,
nervous-looking man standing in front Of
yonder restaurants"
at is William Perkins" was the reply
"You must be Mistaken" said "for the
of vigorous manhood. This man is piteous
wreck"
"Ah," exclaimed my friend; you have
fall?'
Downfall! No, have not" 1 said; dis it
possible that this paragon has stopped so low
has so far forgotten himself as to"
at is even So" interrupted my friend;
"William Perkins is confirmed in the hideous
vice of buckwheat cakes"
And then'my friend told me the story-the
DID, old story, replete with sadness, reeking
with misery-while II shuddered and
listened.
You all know it; why repeat it nowa
At a social party, under bright lights, with
smiling faces around him, William Perkins,
yielding to the Intoxicating influences Of the
hour, had tasted bis first buckwheat cake. 1t
seemed to invigorate him-to stimulate HIM
Alas, that the serpent did not turn and sting
when first caught in the embrace of the heed
less novice2 But, ali, its never So
The pathway Of the buckwheat-cakeard
lies at first through gardens Of roses, by the
side of purling streams; it is over fowery
meads that it gradually opens upon the black,
bleak moor Of mental anguish and physical
torture. Perkins took another cake and
then another. The next morning he arose
pale and trembling. He sought remedy for
his weak condition in more cakes, and before
he had retired that night sixteen buckwheat
cakes combined to bind him in the letters Of
tho remorseless tyrant. His taste for cakes
grew, till at last every penny he could scrape
up was squandered on this appalling habit.
He lost his situation. People feared to en-
ploy man abandoned to such q vice. His
family suffered for the necessaries of life He
pawned his wifes jewelry, his young chill
dren's clothing and the household furniture
to SECURE means with which to buy buck
wheat cakes.
Honor, duty, home, family, friends-all
seemed to be forgotten in his wild, insatiate
craving Tor cakes, cakes, cakesl
II will try to save this man." I said and
stepped across the street to where Perkins
was scratching his back against the res
taurant door. spoke kindly to him as he
with him l demonstrated.
IT'S vain," he moaned; II am broken out
all over-'tis useless to attempt to save a man
who has once become victim to the buck
wheat cake habit"
took him home with me and locked him
up in room. That night he had a fierce
delirium. His insane fancy painted buck
wheat cakes crawling over the floor, twining
themselves about his limbs, kissing at him
and threatening him with their poisonous
fangs. He plucked imaginary buckwheat
cakes from about his neck, tore them from
his garments, swept them from the table,
saw them everywhere, lowering, threatening
appalling. Oh my friends, could you have
but seen him wIibhing there and heard hin
mlngl1ng his piteous shrieks with prayers
and curses, not one of you to-day would have
the utterly reckless hardihood to say:
otis harmless thing-the indulgence in
cakes"
How we saved him know not; but this l
know, that after days and weeks of confine-
ment and watching and encouragement and
kindly advice, we led William Perkins from
that room reformed man
Ny dear sir" said he; show can 1 even
thank you."
"By promising me never to touch buck
wheats again." said L
IL swear it to you'll" said he felvently.
And he kept his word. I saw William Per
kins to-day. He is changed man. He is
cashier in one of your banks-rich, prosper
Gus, happy. Els step is elastic, bis cheek
rosy, his form erect, his voice manly and his
eye clear and steady.
81 feel like myself once more" said he; NJ
have not tasted buckwheat cakes In two
years"