Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1899-01-11

tongue is lOOsened as in days of old,
when respectable people were willing
to listen, and dotf their hats in re-
spect to what he had to say. The OLD
smile even played about his lips, as
he warmed up to his subject. The
crowd hushed as he went on to tell
them his experience. He told them his
story and it was told from the cradle
to the verge Of a drunkards grave.
He began thus: "As a bright sun rises
on beautiful summer morning amid
singing Of birds in green leaved
groves, where you see the dew drops
of heaven glisten on green glades, and
the bloom of verdure on yonder hill,
everything beautiful, pleasant
and serene, so the bud of childhood
was to me. l was once babe, innO-
cent and pure as the white snow drift
Ing on the streets tonight. I had a
mother. that nursed me as gently and
with LAS much care as that of an
angel; a father that turned my foot
steps in the right when in my youth,
and gave me all the advantages pos
sible for man to give. A happy child
hood was mine, hopeful and ambitious
youth, honorable and respected man.
hood. I married lady good, SYM
pathetic, kind hearted, and true. I
10 nd o1n i'd
my strength. Friends we're numerous.
Had nice home in fine city My
talents were in demand, I moved in
the lest of society, I was honored and
leader in different organizations,
and it, was at one Of these gatherings
that first placed the accursed glass
to my lips, and fell. It created a
devil within me- [ drank again, and
from there, I went from bad to worse.
Home soon gone. The mother of my
two children died-died in sorrow.
grew reckless and wild in my
habits. My children were wards of
the city. Friends were few. Char
acter gone. Position and ambition
were alike gone, and my home was the
saloon and the work house. You see
before you to night a poor miserable
creature, physical wreck. but still
within these battered rags, and within
this breast "old Dell'' has still a
heart that beats in sympathy for those
that have not yet gone astray, but are
surrounded by the same danger and
the same temptations that I was, and
that have brought me down to drunk
ards grave. The good fathers of this
city that meet in the churches Sunday
after Sunday, and pray for the pro-
lection from all immortality for the
youth of this land and this city, meet
with the saloon keeper on election day,
and vote alike for the same system,
sustaining and maintaining the sa-
loon, for the. complete ruin of their
sons and daughters. cold Dell' has
twice, in this city, voted against
license, while my Christian friend has
voted for license. And this is the Sc
quel of the outcome; l am monu-
ment, with my>tattered garments as an
inscription, telling of the sacrifice
made to the liquor traffic. Boys. I
am soon done. Just a few more
drinks and sold DELL" as you see
fit to, call me, although not yet thirty
eight years old, will shuttle off, and
forever be hid from mortal eye. I am
tired Of being called a disgrace to the
world, and am waiting for the cur.
tain to drop, and be no more. Itwas
q bitter cold night the blizzard ragged
in al its fury, and the cold gray
morning daWned over slumberine
| city, with its comforts and its miseries
with its rich and its poor, over man.
lIsion and hovel, and IS the sun aros.
lcasting Its ray over the river lle
Over ~ nat blu n1sar VI city u,