The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-25
THE DRUNKAHDS SERMON.
Addressed to Two Gildad Youths Before a
lSnr.
(New Orleans Picayune.)

1t was growing late. The tide of
humanity that earlier in the evening
had ebbcd and flowed through the
streets of the great city had swept
onward, leaving the strange and al
most appalling sense of desolation
that comes when tho noises Of tho
town nro hushed. Tho electric
lights tlared uunoted on the corners,
the street cars passed at farther in
torv"ls, now and then night worker
hurried by, his footsteps ringing oat
loud and clear in tho stiffness. In
front of saloon, whose lights shone
out bright and ruddy across the
pavement, stood tramp, unshorn,
ragged, dirty, disgusting. He watch
od with envious oycs tho men who
passed in and out through tho swing
ing doors, and thou turned his eyes
toward two young follows in evening
dress, who wore coming down tho
street toward him. They had been
drinking dooply, and they stopped
before the saloon door and looked
curiously at him. "By Jove," said
one, "think Of having thirst like
that and not the prico Of m extin-
guishor in your pocket! Beats old
Tantalus all to pieces, oh? Liquor,
liquor everywhere, and not drop to
drink" Ho ran his hand in his
pocket and profforcd tho tramp
dime, but before it could bo accepted
tho othor young fellow intorposed.
"Say,' no said, "lot's do the good
Samaritan and sct Hobo up to good
drink" Tho other hilarously con-
sonted, and tho tramp slcrohcd into
tho saloon at the heels Of the two
gilded youths. Tho barkeeper set be-
fore them glasses and liquors, and,
with a hand that shook tho tramp
poured out II brimming glass and
raised it to his lips. "Stop," cried
one Of tho young mon drunkenly;
"mako us n speech. 1t is poor il
quor that doesn't unlooson mans
tongue" The tramp hastily swal-
lowed down the drink, and rs tho
rich liquor conrsed through his blood
ho strengthened himself and stood
before them with a..graco and dignity
that all his rags and dirt could not
obscure. "Grntlcmcn," he said, "I
look tonight at you and at myself,
and it seems to me 1 look upon the
picture of my lost manhood. This
| bloated face was once as young and
handsome ns yours. This shumb-
ling figure once walked as proudly
as yours, q man in world of mon.
|, too, onco had n home. and friends,
| and position. had u wife as beau
tiful as an artists dream, and I
dropped tho PRICELESS pearl Of hor
honor and respect in the winecup,
and, Cleopatra like, saw it dissolve,
and qua(rod it down in tho brim-
ming draught. | had children as
sweet and lovely as tho flowers of
spring, and | saw them fade and dio
under tho blighting curse of drunk
ard father. | had home whore
love lit tho flame upon tho altar and
ministored before it, and | put out
the holy fire, and darkness and deso-
lation reigned in it's stoad. I had
aspirations and ambitions that scared
rs high as the morning star, and l
broke and bruised their beautiful
wings, and, at last, strangled them
that might be tortured with their
cries no moro. Today | am hus-
band without wife, father with
out q child, tramp with no home to
call his own, q man in whom every
good impulse is dead. All, all swal-
lowed up IN the maelstrom of drink"
The tramp ceased speaking. The
glass foil from his norvoloss fingers
and shivcrcd in to thousand frag-
ments on the floor. The swinging doors
pushed open and shut to again, and
when the little group about the bar
looked up tho tramp was gone.