Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1901-06-08

are dead. They will weep not ensssss
at your burial
L had friend Ia the wess--s rare
friend. He was one of the first to vel
come me 10 my new horne. To 6re per-
sonai appearance he added genercs-
ity. frankness and ardor OF nature that
made me love him like . brother But
I saw evil people gathering around
him. They came mp from the saloons.
from the gambling heIls. They Piled
him with . thousand arts. They seized
upon his social nature, and he could
not stand the charm They drove him
on the rocks. like a ship. full winged.
shivering on the bssakers- L used TO
admonish him. I would say: Nov.
i wish you would quit those bad habits
and become a Christian" "Oh." he
would reply, "I would like TO. but
have gone so far don't think there iat
any way back" In his moments of rel
pentanee he would 70 home and take
his little girl Of eight years and en-
brace her cOnvulsively and cover her
with adornments and strew around her
pictures and toys and everything that
could make her happy. and then. as
though bounded by an evil spirit, he s
would go out TO the infaming cup. and /
the house Of shame, like . fool TO the
correction OF the stocks.
was summoned 60 his dsathbed. n
FASTENED. entered the room. Ifound
him. to nay surprise. lying In full every
| day dress on the top OF the couch. I
| put out my hand. He grasped IL sx-t
citedly and said: "Sit down. Mr.. Tai
mage. right there" / sat down He
| said; Last night I saw my mother,
who has been dead for 20 years. and she
sat just where you sit now. II was ne
dream i was wide awake. There was
no deluSion in the matter. saw her
/ just as plainly as I see you. Wife, 1
wish you would take these strings of
me. There are strings spun all around
my body. j wish you would take them
of me-" saw IL was delirium. '-0h."
replied the wife. "my dear, there Is
nothing there, there is nothing there"
He went on and said: ~Just where you
sit, Mr.. TalmRge. my mother sat. She
said 20 me; Henry, l do wish you
would do better got out OF bed. put
my arms around Der and said, Meth
er. want TO do better. WoD't you help
me 20 do better. Won't you help me-"
No mistake about "a, no delusion.
saw her-ths cap and apron and the
speetaeles, just as she used To look go
ysars ago. But do wish you would
take these strings away. They annoy
me SO! / can hardly talk. Won't you
take them away7" kneit down and
| prayed, conscious OF the fact that he
did not realize what I was saying. I
got mp. ! said; "GOod-by. Hope YOU
| Ill -. II. N
by, gOod-by."
That night HE soul went up 10 the
God who gave IL. Arrangements were
made for the ObsequieS. Some said:
Don't bring him in the church; be Is
too dissolute." "Oh," said. bring
him. lie was a good friend OF mine
while he was alive, and shall stand
by him now that he Is dead. Bring him
10 the church"
As sat In the pulpit and saw his
body coming up through the aisle !
felt as II could weep tears of blood
told the people that day: This man
had his virtues. and a good many Of
them. He had his faults. and q good
many OF them. But IL there IL a man
In this audience who Is without sin
let him cast the hrSt stone at this cot
I'm lid" On one side the pulpit sa,
. that little child. rosy, ewev. faced. ~
beautiful as any child that sat at your
table this morning, / warrant you. She
locked up wistfully. not knowing tn.
fun SORROWS OF an orphan child.
Oh. her cOuntsnance haunts me 60
: day. like some sweet face looking up
on US through a horrid dream. On IN.
, other side of the pulpit were the meI
who had destroyed him. There the,
sat, hard visaged. some OF them pal,
from sxhausting disease. some of then
flushed until IS seemed as IL the fire
Of iniquity famed through the cheel
and cracked the lips. They were tn,
: men who had bound him hand and foot
They had kindlsd the fres. They ha,
poured the wormwoOd and gall int.
= that orphans cup. Did they weep
y No. Did they sigh repentingiy? Nc
Did they say: what n pity that sue
a brave man should be Glain?" No. no
o not one bioatsd hand was lifted G.
u wipe away a tear from a bloatsd cheel
They sat and looked at the coffin iik
y vuitures gazing at the carcass Of
lamb whose heart they had ripped GU
, I cried In their ears as plainly as
a could; There are a God and q judl
q ment day" Did they tremble7 Oh
II no. no. They went back from tn
house Of God. and that night, thoug
II their victim lay IN Oakwood cemeter,
y was told that they blasphemea; a.
J. they drank. and they gamblsd, a.
- there was not one less customer in a
- the houses of iniquity. This dessroye
'e man was a Samson In physics
strenKth, but Dslilah sheared him. IN