The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1901-12-10

hv or pursue. they arc ready. Many OF
these poor creatures were brought up IN
that way. They were born In n thieves
garrett. Their childish TOW was bur
glars dark lantern. The first thing they
remember was their mother handaCng
tho brow of their father. struck by the
police club They began 10y robbing BOYS
pockets and now thCv have come 20 dig
the underground passage 20 the cellar OF
the, bank and are preparing to blast the
gold vault.
lust so long ne There are NEGLECTED chill
dreu Of the street lust SO long we viii
have these dcspcUadoes. Some ono, wish.
ing 10 make a good Christian point and
TO quote n passage of Scripture expecting
TO get a Scrptural passage in answer. said
10 one OF these poor lads. cast ont and
wretchcd. when Your father and your
mother forsake ven. who. then. viii take
E S@ up ana the boy sad Ine per-
rejoice before God that never are
sympathetic words uttered. never n prayer
offered, never a Christian almsCiving in
dulged in but It is blessed There is a
place in Switzerland. / have been told
where the utterance of one word will
bring back score OF echoes and / have
10 tell Won that sympathetic word.
kind word. generous word. helpful
word, uttered in the dark places of the
town will bring back 10000 echoes from
heaven.
I could give you the history in a minute
OF one OF the best friends | ever had.
Outside of my own family | never had "A
better friend. He welcomed me TO my
home at the West. He was OF splendid
personal appearance. hut he had an ardor
OF soul and warmth OF affection that
made me love him like a brother. ! saw
men coming out of the saloons and gamh-
ing bells. and they surrounded my friend.
and they took him ut the veal, Doint-his
social nature-and | saw him going down
and | had fair talk with HIM for |
never yet saw man YOU could not talk
with on the subject of his habits If you
talked with him in the right way. /
SAID 70 him. why don't Won give mp your
bad habits and become a Christian" |
remember now Just how he looked. leaning
over his counter, as he replied, 81 wish
could. Oh. sir. | should like to be a
Christian. but have gone so far astray
j can't get bacll' So the time went on
After awhile the dav of sickness came I
was summoned TO his siclbed. | FASTENED
1t took me but very few moments to
get there. was surprised as | went in.
] saw him in his ordinary dress. fully
dressed, lying on top of the bed 7 gave
him my hand. and he seized it convulsive-
~ and said ooh, how glad l am to see
YOU! Sit down there" / sat down. and
he said: Mr.. Taimage. Just where YOU
SIT now my mother sat last night She
has been dead twenty years Now. | don't
want YOU TO think / am out of nv mind
c. that / am superstitious but, sir. she
well, j wish Won would do better. I wish
you would do better | said: Mother.
wish l could do better / try to do
better. but ] can't. Mother. YOU used to
help me; why can't YOU HELM me now
And. sir, ] got out of bed, for it was \
reality, and / went to her and threw nv
arms around her neck, and / said Moth
er, L Will do better. but YOU must help
me; / can't do this alone" | knclt
and prayed That night his soul went
TO the Lord who made it,
Arrangements were made for the ohse-
oues. The question was raised whether
they should bring him to the church
Somebody said you cannot bring such
dissolute man as that into the church"
SAID: \ on viii bring him in church
lie stood by me when he was alive. and [
WIN stano by him when he is dead. Bring
him. As | stood in the pulpit and saw
them carrying the body mp the aisle I
felt as If / could weep tears of blood On
one side OF the pulpit sat his little child
OF eight years, sweet, beautiful little
girl: that / had seen him hug convulsively
IN his better moments He put on her
all jewels and gave her all pictures and
toys, and then nc, would go away, as il
bounded by an evil spirit, to his cups and
the house OF lniquty. a fool to the cor
rectIOn OF the stocks. She looked I'D won.
derlngiy; she knew not what it all meant:
she was not Old enough to understand
the sorrow OF an orphan On the other
side sat the men who ruined him. They
were the men who had poured the worm
wood into the orphans cup: they were
the men who had bound him hand and
loot. knew them. How did they seem
to fcelE Did they weep? No. Did thev
say, What pity that so generous a
man should be destroyed|' No Did they
sigh repentingly over what they had done?
No; they sat there. looking as vu,tures
look at the carcass of lamb whose heart
they nave ripped out. So they sat and
looked at the coffin lid, and l told them
the judgment of God upon those who
had destroyed their fellows. Did they
reform? / was told they were in the
places OF iniGulty that night after my
they b.aspEemed and they drank Oh.
now mercl.ess men are. especially after
they have destroyed you! Do not look
to men for comfort or help.
but there is a man who will not re-
form. He says, 81 won't reform" Well
then, how many acts are there in a
tragedy? l believe there are FIVE acts in
a tragedy.
Act the first Of the tragedy: A young
man starting of from home. parents and
sisters weeping to have him go; wagon
rising over tho hill; farewell kiss flung
back. Ring the bell and let the curtain
Act the second: The marriage altar;
full organ. bright lights; long white veil
trailing through the aisle; prayer and con.
graduation and exclamation of How well
She looks~
Act the third woman waiting for
staggering steps Old garments struck into
the broken window pane; marks Of hard
ship on the face; the biting of the nails
OF biood!ess fingers; neglect and cruelty
and despair. Ring the bell and let the
curtain drop.
Act the fourth: Three graves in dark
Place-graye of the child that died for
lack OF medicine grave Of the wife that
died of n broken heart grave of the
man that died OF dissipation. Oh, what
a blasted heath with three graves Plenty
OF weeds. but no flowers. Ring the bell
and let the curtain drop.
Act the fifth: A destroyed souls etern.
ity; no light, no music backncss Of dark
ness forever. But | cannot look any long
CT. Woe. wool / close my ewes 10 this
last act Of the tragedy Quick. quick
Ring the bell and let the curtain drop.
Rejoice. o young man. in thy youth. and
let thy heart rejoice in the days of thy
youth. but know thou that for all these
things God will bring you into judgment"
There is a way that seemcth right to a
man, but the end thereof is death"