The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-04-21

perstitious; but, sir, she sat there last
night just as certainly as you sit
there now-the same cap, and apron,
and spectacles. 1t was my old mother
she sat there" Then ne turned to
his wife and said: 81 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 is
nothing here" Then | saw it was de-
lirium. He said: "Just where you sit
now my mother sat, and she said, 'Ros-
well, l wish you would do better-I
wish you would do better l said:
Mother, / wish 1 could do better. 1
try to do better, but can't. Mother,
you used to help me; why can't you
help me now?' And, sir, l got out of
bed, for it was reality, and l went to
her, and threw my arms around her
neck, and 1 said: Mother, 1 will do
better, but you must help; 1 can't do
this aloner" 1 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. Somebody said: ''You can't
bring such dissolute man as 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
L. 4 e.IA 4
weep tears of blood.
On one side of the pulpit sat his little
child of years, a sweet, beautiful little
girl that l 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
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 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 orphans gup; they were the
men who had bound him hand and foot.
l knew them. How did they seem to
feel? Did they weep? No. Did they
say: "What pity that such a gener-
Gus man should be destroyed" 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 sat and
looked at the coffin lid, and told them
the Judgment of God upon those who
had destroyed their fellows. Did they
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
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
tragedy? l believe five.
Act the first of the tragedy. A young
man starting off from home; parents
and sisters weeping to have him go.
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 excla-
nation of ''HOw well she lools!'
r.
staggering steps. Old garments stuck
into the broken window pane. Marks
of hardship 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
dark place-grave of the child that died
for the lack of medicine, grave of the
wife that died of a broken heart, grave
of the man that 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
eternity. No light. No music. No
hope. Anguish coiling its serpents
around the heart. Blackness of dark
ness forever. But / cannot look any
longer. Woe! woe! / close my eyes to
this last act of the tragedy. Quickl
Quick Ring the bell and let the cur
tain 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 man, but the
end thereof is death"