Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1896-04-18

these twelve meh lay 5: the foot OF tn put-
pit, and be read over them the funeral ser
siee. They came very near snore-Titnin
shouting distance Of the sho-e-yet did lot
arrive on solid land. There are some men
who come almost TO the shore OF God $ mercy.
8 to be lost.
l will tell you of two prodiga.s-the one
hat got back and the other that did not &c.
back. In Richmond there is a very prosper
BUS aud beautiful home in many respects. A
young man wandered of from that home.
He wandered very far into sin. They heard
II him after, but he was always on the
wrong trace. He would not go home. At
The door Of that beautiful home one night
there was q great outcry. The young man
of the house ran down to open tue door to
,ee What vas the matter. 1t was midnight.
! The rest Of the family were asleep: There
we're the wife and Children OF this prodigai
young man; The fact was he had come hons
and driven them out. He said: "Ouso Of thi,
ho1se. Away With these children! I will
lash their brains out. Out into the storm"
The mother gathered them up and fe1- Tn
next morning the brother, the young mau
who had staid at home. went out to find this
prodiSal brother aud son, and he came to
wherelhe was and saw the young man wan
dering up and down in front of the place
where he had been staying. and the young
man Who had kept his int gritty aid 10 the
mean? What is tn matter with YOU? Why
do you act in this way?" The prodiSa'
looked at him and said "Who am Z Who
DO you take me to be?" He said. You ara
my brother" mo. I am not. am a brute
Have you seen anything OF my wife and chill
dren? Are they dead? 1drove them ont last
night in the storm. I am a brute. John. do
you think there Is any help for me? D. you
| lhSul, 2 It'll c~x,~ ~ok oro~ $hin i;fo ~ 3scSino.
tion?" He said. '"John. there is one thing
that will stop this" The proiigsl ran his
1nger across his throat and said: THAT will
stop it, and I will STOP it before night. Oh.
my brain! / can stand it no longer" That
prodigal never got home. But I will tell you
Of a prodigal that did get home. In Eng
land two young men started from their
fathers house and went down to Portsmouth
Il have been there-a beautiful seaport
Some OF you have been there. The father
could not pursue his children-sor some rea-
son he could not leave home-and so he
wrote a letter down to Mr.. Griffin, saying:
"Mr. Griffin. ] wish you would so ana
In Portsmouth. and they are going t.
take ship n goin: away from home.
I wish you would persuade them back.
Mr.. Griffin went and tried to persuade
them back. He persuaded ono to 80. II
went with very easy persuasion, because d
was very nOmeS1ck already. 1ne OtNe
young man said: II will not 60. I have ha.
enough OF home. I'll never go home.
"Well," said Mr.. Griffin, ''then il you won
go home, I'll get you a respectable position
on q respectable ship" "No. you won't.
said the prodigal. mo. you won't. I an
going as a private sailor. as a commo
sailor; that will plague my father most. an
what will do most to tantalizo and Wort
him will please me best" Years passed on
and Mi. Griffin was seated in his study OF
day when Il messenger came to him, sayin
there was a young man in irons on a ship
the Dock young man condemned to deaf
who wished to see this clergyman. Nj
Griffin went down to the dock and went o
shipboard. The young man said to him
"You don't know me, do you?" "No." b
said, II don't know you" "why. don
you remember that young man you tried t
persuade to 20 home and he wouldn't co.:
"Oh. yes.'' said Mr.. Griffin. "Are you tina
man" 'fYes, I am that man" said the other
II would like to have you pray for me-.
have committed murder, and I must die
But I don't want to so out of the world IN
til some one prays for me. You arc m
fathers friend, and I would like to have 20
pray for me-"