The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-10

coming out Of saloons and gambling-heIIs,
and they surrounded my friend, and they
took him at the weak point, his social nature,
and l sa him going down, and bad fair
/ talk with him-fOr | never vet saw man
you could not talk with on the subject of his
! habits if you talked with him in the right
way I said to him, "Why don't you give
| up your bad habits and become "A Christianl"
! 1 remember now just how he looked, leaning
! over his counter, as he replied: II wish 1
could. o. sir, | should like to be a Chris
tian, but have gone so far astray l can't
get back
day OF sickness came. / was summoned to
his sickbed. l hastened, IL took me but a
few moments to get there. was surprised
when [ 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: "Ol how
glad l am to see you. Sit down there" 1
sat down, and he said: "Mr. TGlmage,
just where you sit my mother sat last night.
| She has been dead twenty years, Now,
don't want you to think ] am out Of my
mind or that am superstitious; but, SIR
she sat there last night just as certainly as
you sit there now-the same cap and apron
and spectacles II was my old mother
she sat theren Then he turned to
his wife and said: II wish you
would take these strings of the bed;
somebody is wrapping strings around
me all the time l wish you would stop
that annoyance She said, There is moth
ing here.n Then l saw it was dellrium.
| He said: Just where you sit now my
mother sat, and she said, Roswell, 1
wish you would do better-I wish you
| would do better / said, Mother, l
wish l could do better. l try TO do better
but l can't. Mother, you used TO help
| me; why can't you help me nowP And,
sir, got out of bed, for it was reality, and
went TO her aud threw my arms around
her neck, and l said, Mother, l will
do better, but you must help; / can't
do this alonepn / 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't bring such DISCO
lutte 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 as if l could
weep tears Of blood.
On one side Of the pulpit sat his little child
| of eight years, sweet, beautiful little girl
that had seen him hug couvulsivelY III his
better moments. He put on her oil Jewels
all diamonds and gave her all pictures and
toys, and then he would g away as If
bounded by an evil spirit TO his cups aud
house Of shame a fool TO the correction of
the stocks. She looked up wonderingly.
She knew not what it all meant She was
not old enough to understand the sorroH OF
an orphan child.
On the other side of the pulpit sat the men
who had ruined him; thOy were the men
who had poured wormwood into the
IL. ~ - l. 1
bound him hand and foot. knew them.
How did they seem to feel9 Did they weep!
No. Did they say: What pity that such
a generous man should be destroyedP
No. Did they sigh repentingly
over what they had done! No;
they sat there, looking as vultures
look at the carcass of the lamb whose heart
they have ripped out. So they looked at
the coffin lid. and told them the Judgment
of God upon those who had destroyed their
fellows. Did they reform i was told they
were in the places of iuiQuity that night
after my friend was laid in lakewood ceme-
terry, and they blasphemed, and they drank.
o. how mercless men are especially after
they have destroyed youl Do not look to
men for comfort or help Look to God.
But there is a man who will not re-
form. He says: II won't REFORM Well,
then, how many acts are there to a tragedy.
/ believe five.
Act the first or the tragedy. A young
man starting off from home; parents and
sisters weeping 10 have him 20. 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 theEaisle. Prayer and
congratulation, and exclamation Of How
we'll she looks"
Act the third. 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. aud cruelty, and
despair. Ring the bell and let the curtain
drop.
Act the fourth. Three graves ia dark
place-graves of the child that died for lack
of medicine, grave of the wife that died OF
broken heart grave of the man that died
OF dissipation. o. what blasting heath Of
three graves. Plenty of weeds, but no
flowers Ring the bell aud let the curtain
drop.
Act the fifth. A destroyed souls eternity.
No light No music. No hope. Anguish
coilinR its serpents around the heart. Black
ness of darkness forever But cannot look
any longer. Woe woel close my eyes to
this last act of the tragedy. Quick Quick
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 judgment"
There is way that seemeth right TO q
vVNo hut he at1IN Ia doakh