The Red Cloud chief., 1886-03-12
TEMPERANCE READING.
JOHN 3.
eke;eh ofshe Eminent and Sauceessfui Tenn
p~rane~ Ad~socase-uis Last Words

before he was stricken GOWN Dt IN spo-
plcctic lit on the lecture platform III
Philadelphia were: Il have seven years
IN the record Of my " life when
was held in the iron grasp of in;emPcr-
ance. would give the world 10 blot
il out: but. aia., | can not" Stepping
forward with impressive gesture the
lecturer said: Therefore. young men.
make your record clean.
Mr.. Cough was an Engli>hman by
birth and was Of humble parcntagc.
He wa. born August y. 1871 Hi-
father wa, a soldier IN the British sery-
ice. and hi. mother was during a scor':
of wear, the schoolmi.trc>- IN the VII
LACE Of Sandgatc. where they Resided.
In his youth ne knew what poverty
was. for when the elder Cough was alb
sent in war time Mr.. Cough was some
time, sOrcly straitcned for means The
boy appear, To have had ~educational
advantages. however. and when eight
year old was Il remarkably good read
er. Often while reading tn hi mother
rs she sat working by her cottage door
strangers would stop To listen. and he
was frequently sent forto mad 10 ladies
and gentlemen n the village library.
When he wa, twelve wears old his father
decided 10 send him Ia America with a
family then about 10 cmiyrase- IN order
that in this country he might learn a
trade and establish himself in life. The
family settled on a farm in the interior
Of the State Of New York. He remained
with them two wears. but in 1881. hav-
ing obtained his fathers consent. he
went to the CITY of New York 81 earn Il
trade. Meanwhile he had become 4
member of the Methodist Episcopal
Church. Shortly after his arrival IN
New York he found employment in the
Methodist Book Conccrnsas errand-boy
and As a learner Of the b~ook-binder :
trade. He became Il skillful workman.
and Is his prospects began To improve
he sent for his parents and sister To
join him. His mother and sister ar
rived in 1888. but his father did not ac-
company them. being loa,h 10 lose his
hi, pension Of twenty pounds sterling
per annum. For short time the fam
lily lived comfortably and in happiness.
but the depression in business which
occurred in .lS33 resulted in a loss of
employment and in Il series of sever.
trials. In the summer of 1884 Mrs.
Cough died Of apoplcXy. and soon
af,erward Mr.. Cough commenced that
career of dissipation Which came 80
near w%rpcking him wholly, and which
in his lectures on temperance he has
described with such terrible viyidncss.
He had been under the Influences of a
mothers love. and had been a pure
minded young man. After his moth
er's death his ability aS a story-tcller
and a mimic made him welcome to a
certain circle of young mcns lie be-
came an incbriatc and sank so low that
hi, companions. who had cnticed him
into evil WAYS. for-ook him. During
the years from 1854 To lSi2 he went from
place To place. sometimes appearing
on the stage Is 4 coinic singer or a, II
low comedian. and sometimes working
at his trade. but always sinking lower
and lower into the depths Of scottish
ness. In 1888 he went on Il fishing
voyage from Ncwburyport. and was
gone several months. On his return
h. married and did well for :, time. but
rclapSed. \ child WAS born to him but
died in infancy. Left AZ one time by
his wife. who went TO Providence 10
care for an invalid sister. he came -
being burned I q death in his W bed,
which. in his drunken carclessncss. he
had set on fire. Drlirium trcmcn fol-
lowed. and then his wife died. and at
last he seemed to be without 4 friend
in the world. The story is a terrible
one, and il would be charity not to re-
peat il, were it not that Mr.. Cough in
his own inimitablc way has told il
again and again as a warning to
Others. The turning point in Mr..
Coughs life was in October. lsi2. On
a Sunday evening he was walking
along the street, of Worcester. mi-er-
able and hopeless. when he wastouchcd
upon the shoulder. Turning h. mctthc
kindly glance Of Mr.. Joe Siratton. who
asked him To 90 to- i Temperate"
meeting the next night and sign the
pledge. He promis Il Ia do so. and
went. Another attack of dclirIum FOL
lowed. nearly costing him his life. Re
covering. he kept his pledge five
months. when he fell. but vas soon re-
stored. and since then he has been 4
ihoroIgh-going Temperance man. His
qualifications for public speaking were
called into rcqui>ition, and for about
forty wears he has been one Of the most
welcome occupants of the lecture plat
form. not only in this country. but IN
England. He has been heard with
eacerness by all classes of society. and
his work i'm the Temperance cause has
been broad and effective. Probably M
man has ever appeared upon h lee
ture platform mon frequently. lie
has travelled something like half a mill
ion miles, and has delivered something
like eight thousand lectures. In ms
later wears he has taken other subjects
in addition TO Temperance To tain
upon He has been interested always
i'm religious matters. and has delivered
a number of addresses at religious
gatherings. In 1875 he was in England.
and while there spoke a nnmbsr ol
times. He was warmly welcomed
there. and was heard by immense
audiences. This was his second visit.
his first having been made in 1888.
Speaking of this remarkable man IN
y. Y. Examiner SAYS:
His influence in the cause Of lem
perance has been beyond human esm
putation. He has carried conviction
into thousands IF hearts. and eloss
sands of homes have cause TO bless hr'
name. He had long made his home al
Worcester. Mss. where his hoass ~isf
its fine library. its spacious roour and
its surrounding estate o: two hls-irs'
and forty acr.s. j. said ~ b. exception
a,iv attractive. AZ a popular lecturer
his income was large. bit his hear
was large. .no. For years he support
et the widow and children os ths
,r~. ;pdus,si mn, In tax.