The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-12-09
THE pRuHKARp,s SERMON.
II was Addressed TO Two Gndsd Youths
Before u Saloon Bar.

~ was huutosAcu 10 Two Nuueu houthA
Before Saloon BaT.
New Orleans Picayune; 1t was grow
ing late. The tide of humanity that ear
ller in the evening had ebbed and flow
ed through the streets of the great city
had swept onward, leaving the strange
and almost appalling sense of desola-
ton that comes when the noises OF the
town are hushed. The electric lights
Gared unnoticed ON the corners, the
street ears passed at farther intervpls,
now and then a night worker hurried
by, his footsteps ringing out loud and
clear In the stiffness, In front OF a
saloon whose lights shone out bright
and ruddy across the pavement, stood
| tramp, Hnshorn, ragged dirty, dis
eusting, He watched with enVious
eyes the men who passed In and out
through the swinging doors, and then
he turned his eyes toward two young
fellows In evening dress who were
coming down the street toward him.
They had been drinking deeply, and
looked curiously at him. by jove," said
one, think of having thirst like that
and not the price of an eXtinguisher IN
your pocket! Beats old Tantalus all 10
pieces, EN-? Liquor liquor everywhere
and not drop to drink" He ran his
hand in his pocket and proffered the
tramp dime, but before 1t could be ac-
cepted, the other young fellow Inter-
posed. Say" he said, lets do the
good Samaritan and set Hobo M to a
good drink" The other hilarlously
consented, and the tramp slouched in
no the saloon at the heels OF the two
gilded youths The barkeeper set be-
fore them glasses and liquors, and,
with hand that shook, the tramp
poured out Drumming glass and raised
it to his lips. "Stop!" cried one OF the
young men, drunkenlY; make us a
speech. It is poor liquor that doesn't
unlo5sen a mans tongue" The tramp
hastily swallowed down the drink and
as the rich liquor coursed through his
blood he Strengthened himself and stood
before them with grace and dignity
that all his rags and dirt could not OBJ
scure Gentlemen" he said, 81 look
tonight at you and at myself, ana II
seems 10 me look upon the picture or
my lost manhood. This bloated race
was once as young and handsome as
yours. This stumbling figure once
walked as proudly as yours, man In
world of men, l. too, once had home,
and friends, and position ] had VIE
as beautiful as an artists dream, ana
dropped the priceless pearl OF her honor
and respect In the wine cup, and Cleo
patra- like, saw 1t dissolve, and uuaffed
1t down in the trimming draught,
had children as sweet and lovely as the
flowers OF spring, and / saw them fade
and die under the blightng curse of
drunkard father. / had home where
love lii the flame upon the altar and
minIstered before It, and / put out the
holy fire, and darkness and desolauon
reigned In its stead, 1 had aspirations
and ambitions that scared as high as
the morning star, and ! broke and
bruised their. beautiful wings, and, at
last, strangled them, that / might be
tortured with their cries no more To-
day / am husband without wife, u
father without child, tramp with no
home to call his own, a man In whom
every good impulse Is dead. AL all,
swallowed UP in the maelstorm of
drink"
The tramp ceased speaking. The glass
fell from his nerveless fingers and shiv-
cred into a thousand fragments on the
floor. The swinging doors pushed open
and shut to again, and when the little
group about the bar looked up, the
tramp was gone.