Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-16

During the recent engagement of the
American Opera Company at Elmira, n.
Y, Col. A. w. North one of the weal,hiest
representative citizens of the city enter
tanned Madame Delaporte and principals
v It'll a petite supper at his residence after
the performance. During the evening the
colonel presented Madam Delapogte with a
costly diamond bracelet and in answer t.
| The looks of surprise at the value of the
Gift, he relat ID the following incident which
illustrates forcibly the manner in which an
apparently trihing incident may influence a
mans existence. 1T was" said the
colonel, "in 1890. A young man
of this city, after having dissipat'd
| a handsome inheritance, found
himself in gambling house in MaTsailles,
| France. HIS jewclry and the last frame in
| his possession had been staked upon the
| next turn of the car5s-if red. he stood to
! win, if black to lose. The dealer slowly
turned the box and with bated breath the
yourg man watched the card that should
placc him in comparative comfort or make
| him pauper in a foreign lsnd. With smile
the dealer placed the card upon the table
Il was the nine of Spades-he had lost. AS
the croup;er raked the stakes into the bank,
he arose unsteady, staggered 70 the side
board aud draining glass Of brandy, de-
sended slewly to the street. As the horror
Of bis position forced itself upon him-his
mind became possessed of but one idea,
suicide In moment the last
wear of his lie flashed before
him. No ray of hope babe him take
courage. Full of his resolution he started
RAPIDLY for the bridge. As he ncared the
river group of merrymakers emerged
from one of the boat houses and came
toward hin. Their laughter and Jest
seemed TO add to his misery and he darted
into doorway to avoid the meeting As
thsy passed and he was about TO emerge, g
child's voice of rare sweetness broke the 81
lence. The opening words seemed to take
from him ali control of his limbs and he
sank upon the stone steps ami
eagerly caught each word as it tell from
tie tiny singers lips.
"iope, hope thou sinner, hofc'
Never despair,
Tbnuah great may seem thy grief,
Though heavy thy care,
Christ Will forgive thee,
His pardon ask,
Pick up thy hurcen,
Perform 10y task.
slight pause then the dainty voice CON
tinued
.rhough all the world forSaSe u.s. a mother ne'er
forgets,
opick revulsion of feeling passed over
the crouch;ns figure. His mother fhree
,houssnd miles awsy, his mother lived
his sweet-faced, tender-voiced mother,
whose every prayer had been for her erilng
bov--.bst mother 10 whom ne had caused
en- much sorrow, and whose heart he was
ahout to bresk by taking hi' own life
II was over no more thought OF suicide;
whatever the future held forth he would
eco II like man. When txt he met
tha. mother she should cease to blush for
him. For every sorrow he had caused ne
would repay with added tenderness. a
ch;ld's song had saved a life. That vow
registered that night he religiously kept
Ladies and gentlemen | was that young
man and the child is nov your prima donns,
Madam pelaporte, and glorious as is the
voice Of the woman, it cannot. to me- en-
act that of the child who saved hfs that
NIGHT in Marssilles.