Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1895-12-13

dren to stay in the house these long
this star-lighted, sun-warmed, shower
baptized, flower-strewn, angel-watched
God-inhabited planet.
Oh! make your home bright. Bring
in the violin or the picture. 1t does not
require great salary or big house, or
chased silver, or gorgeous upholstery to
make home happy. All that is wanted
is fathers heart, mothers heart, in
sympathy with the young folks. have
known a man with seven hundred dol
lars salary, and he had no other in
come, but he had home so bright and
happy, that, though the sons have gone
out and won large fortunes, and the
daughters have gone out into splendid
spheres, and become princesses of So
ciety, they can never think Of that early
home without tears Of emotion. 1t was
to them the vestibule of heaven, and all
aces now. cannot make them forget that
early place. Make your homes happy.
Alas! that old people so much misun-
derstand young folks! There was
great Sunday-school anniversary, and
there were thousands Of children pres
ent; indeed, all the Sunday-schools of
the town were in the building, and 1t
was very uproarious and full of disturb
ance, and the presiding officer on the
occasion came forward. and In very
loud tone shouted, "Silencew and the
more noise the presiding officer made,
the more noise the children made. Some
one else rose on the platform and came
forward, and with more stentorian
voice shouted, "Silencew and the up
roar rose to greater height, and it did
seem as If there would be almost riot
and the police have to be called in,
when old Doctor Beaman, his hair
white as the driven snow, said: Let
me try my hand" So he came forward
with slow step to the front of the plat
form, and when the children saw the
venerable man and the white hair. they
thought they would hush up that in
slant, and hear what the old man had
to say. He said: Boys, l want to
make bargain with you. If you will
be still now, while speak, when you
get to be as old as am will be as still
as mouse" There was not another
whisper that afternoon. He was as
much hoy as any of them. Oh, in
these approaching holidays, let us turn
back our natures to what they were
years ago, and be boys again and girls
again, and make all our homes happy.
Oh. what beautiful thing 1t is 10
see a young man standing up amid
these temptations of city life incorrupt
while hundreds are falling. l will tell
your history. You will move in re-
spectacle circles all your days, and
some day friend of your father will
meet you and say: Good morning;
glad to see you. You seem to be pros
pering; you look like your father for all
the world; thought you would turn out
well when l used to hold you on my
knee; IL you ever want any help or
any advice, come to me; as long as /
remember your father I'll remember
you. Good morning" That will be the
history of hundreds of these young
men. How do know it? know it by
the way you start. But here's young
man who takes the opposite route;
voices Of sin charm him away. He
reads bad books, mingles in bad society.
The glow has gone from his cheek and
the sparkle from his eye, and the purity
from his soul. Down he goes, little by
little. The people who saw him when
he came to town while yet lowered over
his head the blessing of poor mothers
prayer and there was on his lips the
dew of pure sisters kiss, now, as they
see him pass, cry: What an awful
wreck" Cheek bruised in grogshop
fight. Eye bleared with dissipation.
Lip swollen with indulgences. Be care
full what you say to him; for trifle he
would take your life. Lower down, low
er down, until, outcast of God and man.
he lies in the asylum, blotch Of loath-
someness and pain. One moment he
calls for God and then he calls for rum.
He prays, he curses, he laughs as
fiend laughs, then bites his nails into
the quick, then puts his hands through
the uduSluS ulS ucdu lihc
the name of a wild beast, then shivers
until the cot shakes, with unutterable
terror, then with his fists fights back
the devils, or clutches for serpents that
seem to wind around him their awful
folds, then asks for water which is in
stantly consumed on his cracked lips.
Some morning the surgeon going his
rounds will find him dead. Do not try
to comb out or brush back the matted
locks. Straighten out the limbs, wrap
him in a sheet, put him in box. and
let two men carry him down to the
wagon at the door. With a piece of
chalk write on top of the box the name
of the destroyer and the destroyed.
Who is it? 1t is you, oh man, IL, yield
ing to the temptations Of a dissipated
life, you go out and perish. There is
way that seemeth bright and fair and
beautiful to a man. but the end thereof
is death. Employ these long nights of
December, January and February in
high pursuits, in intelligent socialities,
in innocent amusements. in Christian
work. Do not waste this winter, for
soon you will have seen your last snow
chowar and have coma I'm into tbo oor,c