The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-10
THE DRUNKARD'S SERMON.
1t Was Addressed to Two GiIded
Youths Before n saloon Bar.

II Was Addressed to Two GiIded
Youths Before saloon Bar.
From the New Orleans Picayune
1t was growing late. The tide of hui
manity that earlier in the evening had
ebbed and flowed through the streets of
the great city had swept onward, leaving
the strange and almost appalling sense OF
desolation that comes when the noises Of
the town are hushed. The electric lights
f1ared unnoted on the corners, the street
cars passed at farther intervals, now and
then a night worker hurried by, his foot
steps ringing out loud and
clear in the stiffness. In front
of a saloon whole lights shons
out bright and rudy across the pavement
stood tramp, Gnshorn, ragged, dirty, dis
gushing 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
they stopped before the saloon door and
looked curiously at him. "By Jove,' said
one think of having a thirst like that
and not the price of an eXtinguisher in
your pocket! Beats old Tantalus all to-
pieces, en-! Liquor, IQuOE every " ISIS
and niot a drop to drink" He ran his hand
in his pocket and proffered the tramp a
dime, but before it could be accepted the
other young fellow interposed. Say" he
said, Tets do the good Samaritan and
set Hobo up to a good drink" The other
hilariously consented, and the tramp
slouched into the saloon al the heels of the
two guided youths. The barkeeper set
before them glasses and liquors, and, with
a hand that shook, the tramp poured out
a trimming glass and raised it to his lips.
Stop" cried one of the young men drunk
emily: make us a speech 1t is poor liquor
that doesn't unloosen 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 a grace and
dignity that all his rags and dirt could
not obscure. Gentlemen" he said, IT
look tonight at you and at myself, and ID
seems to me I look upon the picture of my
lost manhood. This bloated face was
once as young and handsome as yours.
This shambling figure once walked as
proudly is yours a man in a world of men.
l, too once had home, and friends, and
position. I had a wife as beautiful as
an artists dream, and L dropped the price,
less pearl of her honor and respect in the
wine cup and Clopatra-lke, saw it dis
solve, and quaffed it down in the brim~
ming draught 1 had children as sweet
and lovely as the flowers of spring, and
saw them fade and die under the blight
ing curse of a drunkard father. I had a
home where love lit, the flames UPON ths
altar and ministered before it, and 1 put
out the holy fire, and darkness and desola-
ton reigned in its stead. 1 had aspirations
and ambitions that scared as high as the
morning star and 1 broke and bruised
their beautiful wings, and, at last, strang-
led them that 1 might be tortured with
their cries no more To-day am hus-
band without wife, a father without a
child a tramp with no home to call his
own,a man in whom every good impulse is
dear. All, all swallowed up in the mae-
storm of drink" The tramp ceased
speaking. The glass fell from his nerve
less fingers and shivered into a thousand
fragments on the flood. The swinging
doors pushed open and shut TO again, and
when the little group about the bar look
ed up the tramp was gone.