Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-05-26

be uncombed upon the pillow; and the
dying man will say, 81 cannot die
cannot die" Death standing ready be-
side the couch, says, you must die;
you nave only half minute to live; let
me have 1t right away--your soul"
NO. says the young infidel, here are
my gold rings, and these pictures; take
them ALL" mo-" says Death. What
do l care for pictures!-your SOUL"
Stand back" says the dying infidel.
L Will not stand back" says Death,
for you have only ten seconds now to
i've; l want your SOUL" The dying
man says, Don't breathe that cold air
into my face. You crowd me too hard.
1t is getting dark in the room. o
God! Hush" says Death; you said
there was no God" pray for me-" ex-
claims the expiring infidel. TOO late
to pray" says Death; "but three more
seconds to live, and I will count them
on-one-two-three." He has gone!
Where? Where? Carry him out and
bury him beside his father and mother,
who died whEe holding fast the Chris
tan religion. They died singing; but
the young infidel only said, Don't
breathe that cold air in my face. You
crowd me too hard. 1t is getting dark
in the ROOM
Again. l urge you to shun the COM
partnership Of idlers. There are men
hanging around every store, and Office.
and shop, who have nothing to do. or
act as II they had not. They are apt to
come in when the firm are away and
wish to engage you in conversation
while you are engaged il your regular
employment. Politely suggest to such
persons that you have TO time to give
them during business hours Nothing
would please them so well as to have
| you renounce your occupation and asso-
ciate with them. Much of the time they
| lounge around the doors of engine
| houses, or after the dining hour stand
| upon the steps Of fashionable hotel or
| an elegant restaurant, wishing to give
you the idea that that is the place
| where they dine. But they do not dine
| there. They are sinking down lower
and lower, day by day. Neither by day
nor by night have anything to do with
| idlers. Before you admit a man into
your acquaintance ask him politely,
What do you do for living?" If he
says, Nothing, l am a gentleman"
look out for him. He may have a very
soft hand, and very faul.less apparel.
and have high-sounding family name.
but his touch is death. Before you
know it, you will in his presence be
ashamed of your work-dress. Business
VIII become to you drudgery, and after
awhile you will lose your place. and
afterward your responsibility, and last
of all your soul. Idleness is next door
to villainy. Thieves, gamblers, bur-
glars, shop-lifters, and assassins are
made from the class who have nothing
to do. When the police go to hunt up
| and arrest culprit, they seldom go to
look in at the busy carriage factory. or
behind the counter where diligent
| clerks are employed, but they go among
| the groups of idlers. The play is going
on at the theater, when suddenly there
| is scuffie In the top gallery. What is
| it? A policeman has come in. and,
leaning over, has tapped on the shout
der of young man, saying, Il want
! you, sir" He has not worked during
| the day, but somehow has raked to-
| gether shilling or two to get into the
| top gallery. He is an idler. The man
on his right hand is an idler, and the
man on his left hand is an idler.
During the past few years, there has
| been great deal of dullness in bust
| ness. Young men have complained that
| they have little to do. II they have
! nothing else TO do they can read and
| improve their minds and hearts. These
times are not always to continue. Bust
| ness is waking up, and the superior
knowledge that in this interregnum of
work you may obtain will be worth
fifty thousand dollars Of capital. The
large fortunes of the next twenty years
are having their foundations laid now
| by the young men who are giving them
selves to self-improvement. l went
into store in New York and saw five
| men, all Christians, sitting round, say
ing that they had nothing to do. 1t is
an outrage for Christian man to have
| nothing to do. Let him go out and
! visit the poor, or distribute tracts, or
| so and read the Bible to the sick, or
| take out his New Testament and be
making his eternal fortune. Let him
go into the back Office and pray.
Shrink back from idleaess in yourself
and in others, if you wouli maintain
right position. Good old Ashbel Green,
at more than eighty years of age, was
| found busy writing, and some young
man said to him: why do you keep
busy? 1t is time for you to rest" He
answered: Il keep busy to keep out of
mischief" No man is strong enough
to be idle.
Are you fond Of pictures. If so will
show you one of the works of an old
master. Here it is: 81 went by the
field of the siothful, and by the vine
yard of the man void Of understanding;
and 10! it was all grown over with
thorns, and nettles had covered the
face thereof, and the stone wall was
broken down. Then / saw and con-
| Sidered well 7 looked upOn il and re-