Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-09-07
Tho Last Dollar,

A brief but pointed sermon Is con.
tslLed on the back OF bank note
which has been going the rounds for
some time past and which has been de-
tanned in it's work by gentleman In
Lancaster, Pa, In order to show 1t
around and teach the moral 1t incul.
Gates. % the back OF It, written In
red ink, the following words are clearly
discernIoie: This Is the las. dollar OF a
large fortune LETT me by fond father,
all sauandsred on fast women THIS
is bat cne OF thousands OF cons science
stricken individuals that might write
In the same strain, but with 1t might
be coupled the word wine Ten thou.
sand volumes have been written and
ten thousand sermons have been
preached by godly men from the pull
pit, the press has teemed with exam ples
Of ruin and warning, but 1t may DO
doubted whether In any or all Of them
moral has been more clearly and forci
bly, drawn. II lifts the curtain and
lets rs look into good home OF wealth
and culture, and OF bright prospects to
come; 1t pictures the promising young
man starting out In the brilliant morn
ing OF life all sunshine and happiness;
1t draws before our vision temptation
and fall; pictures Of the scarlet
won an, and how every ad vantage Of
position, wealth, culture, family and
character were sacrificed at her CURSED
shrine. 1t would be interesting to
know more OF the career of the writer
OF this brief epistle on the note, but his
lot WAS 70 doubt the fate OF thousands
who, like strong swimmer, stemm med
the tide for q little while longer and
then disappeared beneath the waves Of
the misfortunes he brought upon him
sell by yielding TO tempta ion. But 30
far rs this bank bill was con cerned his
fate was not known-his life had not
then ended. Did the lesson OF bitter
experience 1t unfolds serve to influenc CO
him TO turn from evil courses into
which he had fallen, aui did he make
one brave, successful effort to assert
his better manhood? Or, WAS the
writer so given up to the Allurements OF
the siren, and had he been SO corrupted
by them that good resolutions were i'm
posi- BILE Of realization, and did he 90
forward in his downwar course until
the Inevitable fate he had invoked
overlook him? OF all this the bank
bill is silent, but We need not be in
doubt upon this subject. We ONLY
know that for every one who turns
back on his tracks and strives TO re-.
gain the narrow path OF his earlier and
better days, ten lack the courage and
resolution to take such q step and 90
forward perslstently In their down
ward path, resulting finally 10 the de.
sruction Of both soul and body. There
are thousands OF young men who might
save themselves from this awful snare
OF destruction II they would but taxa
heed to the declaration on the back OF
this bank note The warning comes no
douos from young man, very likely
from ruined man. When the yonng
man enters the downward path by the
temptation OF the scarlet siren his de.
struction Is swift and sure. Wealth
Character and social position melt away
as snow before the sun, and before the
victim knows 1t he Is stranded upon the
wrecks OF time. II he is wise he will
shake himself loose from the siren
chalns hat bind him and assert his
ma lhood once more before he comes to
the last dollar peri ID Of lie.