The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1901-11-01


at your burial.
| had a friend in the west-a rare
friend. He was one Of the first 10 well
come me TO my new home. To fine per-
sonal appearance he added generos-
ity. frankness and ardor Of nature that
made me love him like brother. But
| saw evil people gathering around
him. They came up from the saloons.
from the gambling hells. They piled
him with a thousand arts. They seized
upon his social nature. and he could
not stand the charm. They drove him
on the rocks, like ship, full winged,
shivering on the breakers. used TO
admonish him. would say: "Now,
l wish you would quit those bad habits
and become a Christian" "Oh." he
would reply, 81 would like to. but |
have gone so far don't think there is
any way back" In his moments Of re-
pentance he would go home and take
his little girl of eight years and em-
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
would go out to the infaming cup. and
the house of shame. like fool TO the
correction of the stocks.
| was summoned TO his deathbed. l
hastened. entered the room. found
him, to my surprise. lying in full every
day dress on the top Of the couch. |
put out my hand. He grasped il ex-
citedly and said: "Sit down, Mr.. Tai
mage, right there" sat down. He
said Last night saw my mother,
who has been dead for 20 years. and she
sat just where you sit now. 1t was no
dream. ! was wide awake. There was
no delusiOn in the matter. ! saw her
just as plainly as ! see you. Wife, |
wish you would take these strings off
me. There are strings spun all around
my body. l wish you would take them
off me-" saw il was delirium. "Oh.
replied the wife, "my dear, there is
nothing there, there is nothing there.
He went on and said: "Just where you
sit. Mr.. Talmage, my mother sat. She
said to me: Henry, | do wish you
would do better got out of bed. put
my arms around her and said: Moth
er, want to do better. Won't you help
me TO do better. Won't you help me-
No mistake about it, no delusion. |
saw her-the cap and apron and the
spectacles, just as she used to look 20
years ago. But do wish you would
take these strings away. They annoy
me sol ! can hardly talk. Won't you
take them away?" ! knelt down and
prayed. conscious Of the fact that he
did not realize what | was saying. |
got up. ! said: "Good-by. hope you
will be better soon" He said: Good
by, good-by."
That night his soul went up to the
God who gave IT. Arrangements were
made for the obsequies. Some said:
"Don't bring him in the church; he is
too dissolute." "Oh." | said, bring
him. He was a good friend of mine
while he was alive, and shall stand
by him now that he is dead. Bring him
to the church"
As | sat in the pulpit and saw his
body coming up through the aisle |
felt as if | 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 a good
many of them. But il there is man
in this audience who is without sin,
let him cast the first stone at this cof-
fin lid" On one side the pulpit sat
that little child, rosy, sweet faced, as
beautiful as any child that sat at your
table this morning, l warrant you. She
looked up wistfully, not knowing the
full sorrows of an orphan child.
Oh, her countenance haunts me to-
day, like some sweet face looking up
on us through a horrid dream. On the
other side of the pulpit were the men
who had destroyed him. There they
sat, hard visaged, some of them pale
from exhausting disease, some Of them
flushed until it seemed as if the fires
of iniquity famed through the cheek
and cracked the lips. They were the
men who had bound him hand and foot.
They had kindled the fires. They had
poured the wormwood and gall into
that orphans cup. Did they weep?
No. Did they sigh repentingly? No.
Did they say: "What pity that such
a brave man should be slain?" No. no;
not one bloated hand was lifted to
wipe away tear from a bloated cheek
They sat and looked at the coffin like
vultures gazing at the carcass Of
lamb whose heart they had ripped out.
l cried in their ears as plainly as
could: "There are a God and judg-
ment day" Did they tremble? oh.
no, no. They went back from the
house of God, and that night. though
their victim lay in Oakwood cemetery,
! was told that they blasphemed, and
they drank. and they gambled. and
there was not one less customer in all
the houses of iniquty. This destroyed
man was a Samson in physical
strength. but Delilah sheared him. and
the Philistines of evil companionship
dug his eyes out and threw him into the
prison of evil habits. But in the hour
OF his death he rose up and took hold
of the two pillared curses Of God
against drunkenness and uncleanli-
ness and threw himself forward until
down upon him and his companions
- /. L. -, .rf
catastrophe.