Dodge City times., 1889-06-20

tion. In answer to your fathers petit
tion and your mothers prayer, I have
been sent of the Lord out of Heaven %
be your guardian spirit. Come with
me, said the good angel, in a voice of
unearthly symphony. 1t was music like
that which drops from lutte of Heaven
when seraph breathes on it. NO, no,
said the bad angel, come with me; I
have something better to offer; the wines
1 pour are from chalices of bewitching
carousal; the dance 1 lead is over floor
tessellated with unrestained indul-
gences; there is no God to frown on the
temples of sin where l worship. The
skies are Italian. The paths tread are
through meadows, daisied and primrosed.
Come with me-" The young man hesi-
tated at time when hesi-
tation was ruin and the bad angel smote
the good angel until it departed. spread
ing wings through the starlight upward
and away, until door flashed open in
the sky and forever the wings vanished.
That was the turning point in that
young mans history; for, the good angel
flown, he hesitated no longer. but started
on a pathway which is beautiful at the
opening, but blasted at the last. The
bad angel, leading the way, opened gate
after gate, and at each gate the road
became rougher and the sky more
lurid, and what was peculiar, as
the gate slammed shut it came to with
n jar that indicated that it would never
open. Passed each portal, there was a
grinding of locks and showing of bolts;
and the scenery on either side the road
changed from gardens to deserts, and
June air became a cutting December
blast, and the bright wings of the bad
angel turned to sack cloth, and the ewes
of light became hollow with hopeless
grief, and the fountains. that at the
start had tossed with wine. poured
forth bubbling tears and foaming blood,
and on the right side of the road there
was serpent, and the man said to the
bad angel: What is that serpent?" and
the answer was: That is the serpent of
singing remorse.' On the left side the
road there was a lion, and the man
asked the bad angel: What is that lion?"
and the answer was: That is the lion of
all devouring despair" A vulture flew
through the sky, and the man asked the
bad angel: What is that vulture?" and
answer was: That is the vulture wait
ing for the carcasses of the slain"
And then the man began to try to pull
off of him the folds of something that
had wound him round and round, and
that twists me in this awful convolu-
tion?' and the answer was: That is the
worm that never dies.' And then the
man said to the bad angel: What does
all this mean? l trusted in what you
said at the corner of the street that
night; trusted it all, and why have YOU
thus deceived me?" Then the last de-
ception fell off the charmer, and it said:
Il was sent forth from the pit to destroy
your soul; l watched my chance for
many a long year; when you hesitated
that night on the street, / gained my
triumph: now you are here. Ha! ha!
You are here. Come now, let us fill |
these two chalices of fire, and drink to-
gether to darkn ess and woe and death. |
Hail! Hail" Oh, young man, will the |
good angel sent forth by Christ or the !
bad angel sent forth by sin get the vic
tory over Your soul? Their wings ;se in
terlocked this moment above you, con-
tending for your destiny, as above the |
Appenines eagle and condor fight mid
sky. This hour may decide your des-
tiny. God help you. To hesitate is te
iiet