The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1888-10-20
Story Of Old Man Finn.

I saw him last summer, working a
third-cla wire in a Western city. In
reply to my inquiry. the chief operator
informed me that Finn had been given
employment the day before. met the
old boy on the stairs later in the day,
and he said. in weak voice, "Yes, l
am back here again, what there is left
of me. My drinking days are over, ard
l am about over too" He certainly
looked bad, and l said to myself, If
consumption hasn't marked you fer Its
own, your appearance bellies you" Ny
gaze went wandering away from him as
he said sadly II can't telegraph very
we'll aay more. My hand shakes, and
Il is ike saving wood for NE TO work
wiTc-evcI a way wire" Then he left
re and pursued his way up stairs to the
operating room, O.d man Finn is not
more th@. - gears C age, but he has
burned tn: candle At both ends, and his
nervous sy-t2m is fatally wrecked. Hs
has fallen into q dccliae of late years,
and there remains for him nothing, l
lear, but the bitter dregs of existence.
Away back in the sixties, when was
a mere lad, cndcavoring to master the
mysteries Of telecraphy, Finn was in
his prime. II, was regarded as one OF
the iiae,t tc!egraphers in the couatry.
and at the time | ir,t knew him he had
just completed his 2ls- year. l doubt
if many young men who have their way
to make in the world, attain their ma
jority under fairer auspices than he did.
| Intelligent. tile-looking, and the master
of rofession which at th,t time was
counted as one of the fine arts, almost,
he had, apparently, an envia5le future
before him. Indeed, if had been told
in those dear old days that l would
eventually reach what scenei in my
boyish eyes pinnacle of glory-such as
he occupied-I should hive been more
surprised and Pleased than l could be
now over any prospect Of future pros
perity short OF a tirht hold on Paradise
Somebody has recently written a
poem in which two tIamps figure. One
inquire, on meeting the other il there
is no shade tree near at hand, and the
second replies, Eyes, little further
down the road" The writer elaborates
this idea and says We are all tramps
looking for shade tree. In his view
it is always farther down the road, and
but few OF u ever reach it. The idea
is well enough but the view is too pes.
simis;ic to please ne. l believe, on the
contrary, that we arc rather ike child =
zen strayinG th-oIsh 4 house in which
there are many rooms Of exquisite love
illness, each more beautiful III N the pre-
Cedinc one. Outside Of the mansion
We think We would be content if we
couli gain tie hall, but once within We
stray on AMI on, with thoughts intent
upon the possibilities which lie beyonC
and little needing the increasing beauty
OF our surrcun liagS since VIC left tn,
threshold. ii is b-tter that we should
sometimes consider the poiat from
which we started. The experiment i
consollng at all events, and makes u
philosophic and more contented will
our social status. There are not man,
of US who have made the most of ou
opportunities, who cannot say with tn,
Christian of old: ooh, God, l hav
much to be thankful for"
Old man Finn has not so much to b
! thankful for as many, and that he ha