The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-04-12

that made me love him like a brother.
saw men coming out of the saloons and
gambling bells, and they surrounded my
friend, and they took him at the weak
point, his social nature, and I saw him go
Ing down, and had fair talk with him
for l never yet saw n man you could not
talk with on the subject of his habits if
you talked with him in the right way. /
said to him, why don't you give up your
bad habits and become Christian?" l re-
member now Just how he looked, leaning
over his counter, as he replied: Il wish
could. Oh sir, should like to be a Chris
tian, but | have gone so far astray l can't
get back"
HIS MOTHERS MISSION.
So the time went on. After awhile the
day of sickness came was summoned TO
his sick bed. hastened. 1t took me but
very few moments to get there. / was
surprised as | went in. | saw him in his
ordinary clothes, fully dressed, lying on the
top of the bed. gave him my hand, and
he seized it convulsively and said: "Oh,
how glad am TO see you. Sit down there"
j sat down, and he said: Mr. Talmage,
just where you sit now my mother sat last
night She has been dead 20 years Now,
don't want yen to think / am out of my
mind or that | am superstitious; but sir,
she sat there last night just certainly as
you sit there now-the same cap and apron
and spectacleS-it was my old mother-she
sat there"
Then he turned to bis wife and said: 81
wish you would take these strings off the
bed. Somebody is wrapping strings around
me all the time. | wish You would stop
that annoyance" She said, There is moth
ing here" Then l saw it was delirium.
He said: "Just where you sit now my moth
IL, = IL I Il
would do better-I wish you would do bet
ter / said: Mother, wish | could do bet
ter. try to do better, but | can't. Moth
er, you used to help me- why can't you help
me nowT And, sir got out of bed, for it
was reality, and ! went to her and threw
my arms around her neck, and | said,
Mother, will do better, but you must help
Il can't do this alOneP" l knelt down
and prayed. That night his soul went to
the Lord that made it,
Arrangements were made for the OBJ
sequies The question was raised whether
they should bring him to church. Some
body said You can bring such adissolute
man as that into the church" l said. You
will bring him in the church; he stood by
me when he was alive, and / will stand by
him when he is dead bring him" AS
stood in the pulpit and saw them carrying
the body up the aisle, felt If l could
weep tears of blood.
On one side of the pulpit sat his little
child of years, a sweet, beautiful little girl
that had seen him hug convulsively in his
better moments He put on her all jewels,
all diamonds, and gave her all pictures and
toys, and then he would 20 away, as if
bounded by an evil spirit, to his cups and
house of shame, fool TO the correction Of
thestocks. She looked up wonderingly. She
knew not what it all meant. She was not
old enough to understand the sorrow of an
orphan child.
On the other SIDE the pulpit sat the men
who had ruined him; they were the men
who had poured NORWOOD into the or
phan's cup; they were the men who had
bound him hand and foot. / knew them.
How did they seem to feel2 Did they weep
No. Did they say, 'What pity that such
q generous man should be destrOyedp' No.
Did they sigh repentingly over what they
had donef No. They sat there looking as
vultures look at the carcass of the lamb
whose heart they veripped out. So they
sat and looked at the coffin lid, and told
them the judgment of God upon those who
had destroyed their fellows. Did they re-
form2 was told they were In the places
of iniquity that night after my friend was
laid in lakewood cemetery, and they bias
phemed. aud they drank. Oh, how merci-
less men are, especially after they have de-
stroyed you'll Do not look to men for com
fort or help. Look to God.
AN AWFUL TRAGEDY.
But there is a man who will not return.
He says, II won't reform" Well, then,
how many acts are there to a tragedy? I
believe five.
Act the First of the Tragedy-A young
man starting of from home. Parents and
sisters weeping to have him 90. Wagon
rising over the hill Farewell kiss flung
back. Ring the bell and let the curtain
fall.
Act the Second-The marriage altar.
Full organ Bright lights. Long white
veil trailing through the aisle. Prayer and
cOngratulation and exclamation of "How
well she looksl'
Act the TLird-A woman waiting for
staggering steps. Old garments stuck into
the broken window pane. Marks of hard
ship on the face. The biting of the nails of
bloOdless fingers. Neglect and cruelty and
despair. Ring the bell and let the curtain
drop.
Act the Fourth-Three graves in a dark
place-grave of the child that died for lack
of medicine, grave of the wife that died of
of dissipation Oh, what a blasting heath
of three gravesl Plenty of weeds, but no
flowers Ring the bell and let the curtain
drop.
Act the Ffth-A destroyed souls eterni-
ty. No light. Nomusic. No hope. Anguish
cOiling its serpents around the heart. Black
ness of darkness forever. But / cannot
look any longer. Wool woe / close my
eyes to this last act of the tragedy. Quick
Quickl Ring the bell and let the curtain
drop. Rejoice, o young man, in thy
youth and let thy heart rejoice in the days
of thy youth, but know thou that for all
these things God will bring you into judg-
ment." There is a way that seemeth right
TO man, but the end thereof is death"
For the Inner Man.
sand now, my good woman" said the
learned man who was applying for board,