Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1893-04-13

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of one of the best friends l ever haG
Outside of my own family never had
better friend. He welcomed NE to nay
home at the west. He was o. splendid
personal appearance, and he had an ar
dor of soul and warmth Of affection
that made me love him like broiher.
/ saw men coming out Of the saloons
and gambling hells, and they surrounded
nv friend, ard they took him at the
weak point. his social nature. and saw
him going down, and had a fair talk
with him, for Inever vets :: man You
coald not talk with on the subject ot ms
habits. if you talked with him IN the
right way. | said to him. Why don
you give up your bad habits and become
q Christian" remember now Just how
he looked, leaning over his counter. as
he replied: Il wish coald. On. SIR,
should like to be Christian, bat have
gone so far astray 1 can't get back
SICKNESS AND REPENTANCE.
so the time went on. After awhile
the dav of sickness came. was sum
noned to his sicl,bed. 1 fastened. II
took me but a very few moments &c Set
there. was surprised as !. Went IN. !
saw him in Ills ordinary clothes, fully
dressed, lying on the top of the bed
gave him my hand. and he seized j; con-
vulsively and sad: oh, how glad | am
to see YOU. Sit down there" sat down.
and he said: Mr.. Talmage. just where
YOU sit now my mother sat last night.
She has been dead 20 years. Now,
I don't want you to think am out Of
my mind, or that an. suEerstitious:
but. sir, size sat there last night Ju - as
certainly as you sit there now;-the same
zap. and apron and spectacleS. It was
nv old moiher-S!ie sat there.
Then Returned to his wife and sail:
81 wish you would take t,::cse strings IF
the bed. Somebody is wra2ping strings
around me all the time l wish You
would stop. that annoyance. She SID.
There is nothing here" Then | @iw i
was delirium. He said: "Jrst where YOU
sit now nv mother s..s. and she sad,
BOSWELL. 1 wish You would do better-l
wish you would do better / said.
Mother, wish | could do better try
to do better. but can't. Mother. You
used to help me. Why can't YOU help
me now And sir. I got cut of bed. for
it was reality. and l went 10 her ana
threw my arms around her neck. and /
said: Mother. Will DO better. but yon
must help. l cant do this alone
knelt down and prayed. That night his
soul went to the Lord that made it.
Arrangements were made for the OBJ
seouies. The question was raised wheth-
er they should bring him TO church.
Somebody said, You can't bring such
d;ssolnte man as that into the church. :
l said "Yon viii 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 Il :
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 s ears. sweet. beautiful little
girl that had seen him mug convulSivo!y
in his better moments. He pat on her al.
jewels. all diamonds, and gave her all
pictures and toys. and then he would 90
away as if bounded by an evil spirit to
his cups and house Of shame. a fooi to
the correction of the stocks. She looked
up wonderinsly. She knew not what II
all meant. She was not old enough to
understand the sorrow Of an orphan
child
A TOO CoMJloH TRAGEoG
On the other side the pulpit sat the
men who had ruined him. They were
the men who had poure,, wormwood
INTO the orphans cup; they were the men
VINO had bound him hand and foot. l
knew them. How did they seem TO feel:
EEdoshey weep? No. Did they say,
""Vhat a pity that such a generous man
should be destroyed" No. Did they
sigh repentingly over what they had
done: No; they sat there, looking as yul
lures look at the carcess OF the lamb
whose heart they have ripped out. So
they sat and looked at the coffin lid. and
l told them the Judgment Of God upon
those who had destroyed their fellows
Did they reform: was told they We're
in the places of inieuity that night after
my friend was laid in Oakwood ccIae-
terry, and they blaspIerled. and they
drank. Oh. how merciless men are.
after they have destroyed you.
Do not look TO men Tor comfort or help.
Look to God.
But there is man who Will not re-
form Ee says, Il won't reform. Well.
then, how many acts are there to a trag
edy: believe FIVE.
Act the First of the Tragedy young
man starting off from home. Parents and !!
sisters weeping to have him go. Wagon
rising over the hill. Farewell kiss huls
back Ring the bell and let the curtain
fall.
Act the Second-The marriase altar.
Full organ. Bright lights. Long white
veil trailing through the aisle. PRAYER
and congrarulation and exclamation of
How well she looks
Act the Third-A woman waiting for
steps. Old garments stuck
into the broken window pane. Marks OF
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 n dark
of the child that died for
ack of medicine, grave Of the wife that
lied of broken heart, grave Of the man
hat died of dissipation. Oh, what
blasting heath of three. graves, Plenty
of weeds, but no flowers. Ring the bell
and let the curtain drop.
Act the Fifth-A destroyed souls eter-
1ity. No light. No music. No hope.
Anguish coiling its serpents around the
1eart. Blackness Of darkness forever
But l cannot look any longer. Woe.
Woe! close my eyes to this last act of
he tragedy. Quick! Quick! Ring the
oell and let the curtain drop. Rejoice,
} yonrg man, IN thy youth and let thy
,earf rejoice i +he days of thy youth,
,ut know now that for all these things
God viii bring yon.into judgment"
There is way that seemeth right to
nan, but the end thereof is death.