The Globe-republican., 1893-04-14
I could give You the history in a min

l could give you the history in min
ute of one of the best friends ever
had. He welcomed me to my home at
the west. He was of splendid personal
appearance and he had an ardor of soul
and u warmth of affection that made
me love him like a brother. | saw men
coming out of the saloons and gambling
hell>. and they surrounded my friend.
and they took him at the weak point.
his social nature and saw him going
down and had fair talk with him |
said to him. why don's you give up
your bad habits and become Chris
| tian?" l remember mo- just how he
| looked. leaning over his counter. as he
replied: Il wish l could. Oh, sir. l
| should like to be Christian. but have
gone so far astray can't get back"
So the time went on. After awhile
the day of sickness came. ! was sum
moned to his sick-bed. l fastened 1t
took me but 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
down and he said: MIR. Talmage just
where you sit now my mother sat last
night. She has been dead twenty
| years. Now. don't want YOU to think
am Uut of my mind. or that | an SUI
| perStitiou>: but. sir. She SIT there last
night just as certainly As You sit
there now-the same cap. and apron.
and >pectacles. 1t was my old mother
she sat there. Then he turned to
his wife and said: Il wish You
would take these strings off the bed:
somebody IS wrapping strings around
me all the time. l wish You would stop
that annoyance" She said: There i
nothing here Then saw it was de-
lirium. He said: Just where You sit
now nv mother sat and she said. 'Ros-
well. l wish you would do better-l
wish you would do better. ! said:
Mother. | wish | could do better |
trv TO do better. but | can't. Mother.
YOU used to help me: why can't You
help me now? And. sir. got out of
bed. for il was reality. and ! went To
her, and threw my arms around her
neck and | said: Mother. | will do
better. but YOU must help: | can't do
this alone" | knelt down and prayed.
That night his soul went to the Lord
that made it.
Arrangements were made for the OBJ
seauieS. The question was raised
whether they should bring him To
church. Somebody said: You can't
bring such a dissolute man "a that into
the church" | 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 as If | could
weep tears of blood.
On one side of the pulpit sat his little
child of years sweet. beautiful little
! girl that had seen him hug convul-
sively in his better moments. He put
on her all jewels. all diamonds. and
, gave her all pictures and toys. and then
he went away as if bounded by an evil
spirit to his cups and house of shame
5 fool to the correction of the stocks
She looked up wonderingly. She knew
5 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 We're
? the men who had poured wormwoOd
l into the orphans cup; they were the
men who had bound him hand and foot.
z | knew them. How did they seem to-
, feel? Did they weep? No. Did they
2 say: What a pity that such gener-
Gus man should be destroyed No.
| 81 tinGly- Wba
5 they had done? No: they sat there.
: looking as vultures look at the
carcass of the lamb whose heart they
L have ripped out. SO they sat and
2 looked at the coffin lid. and | told them
the Judgment of God upon those who
had DESTROYED their fellows Did they
l reform? | was told they Were in the
places OF iniquity that night after my
? friend was laid in lakewood cemetery,
and they blasphemed. and they drank.
Oh. how merciless men are, especially
after they have destroyed you. Do not
5 look TO men for comfort or help Look
to God.
But there is man who will not re-
{. form. He says: Il won't reform
: Well. then. how many acts are there to
5 a tragedy? I believe five.
Act the first of the tragedy. Ayoung
: man starting off from home: parents
and sisters weeping to have him go
|. Wagon rising over the hill. Farewell
1 kiss flung back. Ring the bell and let
i the curtain fall.
Act the second. The marriage altar.
: Full organ. Bright lights Long
: white veil trailing through the aisle.
Prayer and congratulation- and excla-
l nation of How well she looks.
L Act the third. 4 woman waiting for
q staggering steps Old garments stuck
u into the broken window pane Marks
| of hardship ON the face. The biting OF
the nails of bloodless fingers Neglect,
L 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 the lack of medicine. grave OF the
wife that died OF broken heart. grave
OF the man that died OF dissipation Oh.
. what blasting heath OF three graves