The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-12-02
Keep Away From Temptation.

Keep Away From Temptation,
The only safe course for a young man
who would retain his virtue and his COR
rect principals, is to keep away from
temptation. How many have fallen who
merely ventured to look at vice in her
gaudy colors! Here temptation was too
strcng to resist. They partook of the
fatal glass-snatched the gilded treasure,
or gave themselves up to uncleauness.
None are secure who run in the way Of.
sin-who see how near they can venture
on the hold of vice without entangling
their feet in the net of the adversary. q
Have you ever heard tie story of the
gentleman who advertised for a coach
man2 If not, we will repeat it. Three
applicants were admitted to tho room.
He pointed out to them o p~recipice,
remarking:
GLOW near the edge of this can you
drive me without any danger of an
upsets
The first applicant REPLIED:
"Within a hairs BREADTH"
GLOW near can you drive mes" asked
the gentlemen of the second applicant.
"Within a hairs breadth" he replied.
AS the third was about leaving the
room, supposing he had no chance of
competing with the other two, the gen.
tleman stopped him.
"Let US hear what you have to say"
said he.
"Why, sir, I can not compete with
either of these; if were to drive you,
1 would keep as far off as I possibly
could"
"You are the man for me-" said the
gentleman, and he engaged him imme-
diately.
In regard to vice, he is ouly safe who
keeps away from temptation. Those
who venture near are often upset and de-
stroyed. We can all point to individuals
who are lost TO virtue, who, when they
took the first wrong step, resolved never
to take another. 1t was the voice of a
pretended friend, it may be, that urged
them on, only for once, but it proved
their destruction. Ye who are now safe,
whose hearts are not contaminated, listen
to the voice of wisdom and 60 not near
the strong ailurements of vice. Keep
away from the gambling table, the grog
shop and the midnight party. Keep away
as far as possible, and a life of integrity
and virtue will assuredly be yours.
Sad Fate Of a Brilliant Man.
A brother of Dir. William Stead, the
editor of the Pail Mall Gazette, lies in a
nameles, grave in the town of Clayton,
Ala. "It was in 1872" says the atlanta
Constitution, "that Stead made his ap-
pearance in Clayton. lie was a tramp,
but gave evidence of having seen better
days. Pcnnilcss and fricndless, he gladly
accepted odd jobs, and soon went to
work as a landscape gardener. To Pro.
fessor johnson, then a teacher in Clay
ton, Stead conidcd the story of his life.
1t was the old story of drink and the
train of evil which followed it. Rum
had robbed him of family, fortune, and
friends, and made him q vagabond
upon the face of the earth. Again the
demon seized him, and this time death
put an end to his struggle and tempta-
tons. Professor Johnson wrote to the
great London editor, informing him OF
his brothers sad fate, and in due time a
reply came acknowledging the relation
ship, and giving the history CT q bril-
liant but uncomfortable man. The pros
porous editor begged the professor to
communicate anything of a pleasant ma
ture he might know about the o%utcast,
but not to write any unpleasant It'd
ings."