Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-10-29
TWO CAREERS.
History of Two Young Men Who
Came to Live in the
City.
The Two Roads Open to Them Depicted
by Rev. DIR. Talmage, of
Brooklyn.

At the Brooklyn Tabernacle Rev. T. De
Witt Talmage. ID. D., took for his text
Proverbs iv. 26: ponder the path of Thy
feet" and preached the following sermon or
the subject: "Two Young Men Who Game
to Live in the City,"
1t was a September morning at country
depot. Two young men are to take the
cars for the city. Father brought them in
a wagon with two trunks. The evening be-
fore at the old home was rather sad time.
The neighbors had gathered in to say
good-by. Indeed, all the Sunday after
noon there had been strolling that way
from adjoining farms, for it was generally
were going to the city to live, and the whole
neighborhood was interested, some hoping
they would do we'll and others, without say
| ing anything, hoping for them a city failure.
Sitting on the fence talking about the mat
ter the neighbors would interlard their
conversation about the wheat crop of last
summer and the apple crop yet to be gath
cred with remarks about the city prospects
of Edward and Nicholas, for these were
the names of the two young men-Edward,
II, and Nicholas, 10; but Edward, although
two years younger, being little quicker to
learn, knew as much as Nicholas. They
had gone through all the curriculum of
hearty sports, by which muscle is de-
veloped and the chest filled out.
Father and mother on Monday morning
had both resolved to go to the depot with
the boys, but the mother ut the last moment
backed out, and she said that somehow she
felt quite weak that morning, and had had
no appetite for day or two, and SO con-
Guided to say good-by at the front door of
the old place. Where she went and what
she did after the wagon left 1 leave other
mothers to guess. The breakfast things
stood almost till noon before they were
cleared away. But little was said on the
way to the railroad station. AS the loco
motive whistle was heard coming around
the curve the father put out his hand
somewhat knotted at the knuckles and one
Of the joints stitfened years ago by wound
from scythe-and said: "Good-by, Ed
ward; good-by, Nicholas! Take good care
of yourselves and write as soon as you get
there. and let us know how they treat you.
Your mother will be anxious to hear"
Landed in the city they sought out, with
considerable inquiry of policemen on street.
corners and questioning of car drivers, the
two commercial establishments to which
they were destined, SO far apart that there
after they seldom saw each other, for it is
astonishing how far apart two persons can
be in large city, especially if their habits
are different. Practically hundred miles
from Bowling Green to Canal Street, or
from Atlantic Avenue to Fulton.
Edward, being the youngest, we must
look after him first. He never was in SO
large a store in all his life. Such inter-
minable shelves, such skillful imitation of
real men and women to display goods on,
such agility of cash boys, such an immense
stock of goods, and whole community of
employees. His head is confused as he
seems dropped like a pebble in the great
ocean of business life. "Have you seen
young man to young man. "He is in such
aud such q department.. We will have to
break him in some night" Edward stands
at his new place all day SO homesick that ut
any moment he could have cried aloud if
his pride had not suppressed everything.
Here and there tear he carelessly dashed
Off as though it were from influenza or a
cold in the head. But some of you know
how young man feels when set down in q
city of strangers, thereafter to fight his
own battles, and no one near by seeming
to care whether he lives or dies. The
center of a desert, months journey to
the first settlement, is not much more
solitary.
But that evening, as the hour for closing
has come, there are two or three young
men who side up to Edward and ask him
how he likes the city, and where he ex-
poets to go that night, and if he would like
them to show him the sights. He thanks
them and says he shall have to take some
evenings for unpacking and making ar
Engagements, as he had just arrived, but
says that after awhile he will be glad to
accept their company. After spending
| fJvn 1,rnn L.,
house room, walking up and down,
looking at the bare wall or an old
chrome hung there at the time
that religious newspapers by such prizes
| advanced their subscription lists, and after
hour toying with the match box and ever
| and anon examining his watch to see if it
| is time to retire-and it seems that 10
o'clock at night, or 8 O'clock will never
come-he resolves to accept the chaperon-
ing of his new friends at the store.
The following night they are all out
together. Although his salary is not large
he is quite flush with pocket money, which
some time. He can not he mean, and these
friends are doing all this for his pleasure.
and so he pays the bills. At the door Of
places Of enchantment his companions cam
not find the change, and they accidentally
fall behind just as the ticket office is APP
preached, OF they say they will make it ali
right, and will themselves pay the next
time. Edward, accustomed to farm life or
village life, is dazed and enchanted with
the glitter Of spectacular sin. Plain and
blunt iniquity Edward would have immedi-
ately repulsed, but sin accompanied by be-
witching orchestra; sin amid gilded pillars
and gorgeous upholstery; sin arrayed in all
the attractions that the powers of darkness
i'll combination can arrange to magnetic a
young man, is very different from sin in
its loathsome and disgusting shape.
But after a few nights, being very late
out. he says: II must stop. My purse
won't stand this. My health won't stand
this. My reputation won't stand this" In
deed, one Of the business firm one night
from his private box, in which he APP
plauded a play, i'll which attitudes and
phraseology occurred, which, if taken and
uttered in his own parlor, would have
caused him to stab or shoot the actor on
the spot-from his high priced box sees in
cheaper place the new clerk of his store,
and is led to ask questions about his hab-
its, and wonders how, on the salary the
house pays him, he can do all he does.
Edward, 10 recover his physical vigor and
finances, stopped a while and spent a few
more evenings examining the chrome or
1