Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1901-05-25
HenfthfuI Recreation.

the chief business Of mans life. Lie
is an earnest thing. Whether we were
born in a palace or hovel, whether we
are affluent or pinched, we have TO
work. If you do not sweat with toll,
YOU will sweat with disease. You have
n soul that Is to be transdgured amid
the pomp Of judgment day, and after
the sea has sung its last chant and the
mountain shall have come down In an
avalanche Of rock you will live and
think and act, high on throne where
seraphs sing or deep in a dungeon
where demons howl. In world where
there is SO much to do for ourselves
and so much to do for others God pity
that man who has nothing to do.
Your sports are merely means to an
end. They are alleviations and helps.
The arm of toll is the only arm strong
enough to bring up the bucket out OF
the deep we'll of pleasure. Amusement
IA the only bower where business and
philanthropy rest while on their way
to stirring achievements. Amusements
are merely the vines that grow about
the anvil of toll and the blossoming or
the hammers. Alas for the man VINO
spends his life in laboriously doing
nothing, his days In hunting up loung-
ing places and loungers, his nights I'D
seeking out some gaslighted foolery!
The man who always has on his sport
ing jacket, ready to hunt for game ID
the mountain or fish In the brook, with
no time to pray or work or read, Is
not so we'll off as the greyhound that
runs by his side or the fly bait with
which he whips the stream. a man
who does not work does not know how
to play. If God had intended us TO 10
nothing but laugh. he would not have
given us shoulders with which to lift
and hands with which to work and
brains with which to think. Ihe
amusements Of life are merely the
orchestra playing while the great trag-
edy of life 1plunges through Its five
acts-infancy, childhood, manhood, OLD
age and death. Then exit the last
earthly opportunity. Enter the over
whelming realities of an eternal world!
90 further and say that all those
amusements are wrong which lead into
bad company. If you go to any place
where you have to associate with the
fntemperate, with the unclean. with the
abandoned, however well they may -be
dressed. in the name of God quit It,
| They will despoil your nature. They
will undermine your moral character
They will drop you when you are de-
stroyed. They will give not one cent to
support your children when you are
dead.
had a friend in the west-a rare
friend. He was one of the first to wei
come me to my new home. To fine per-
sonal appearance he added q 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 bells. They piled him
with a thousand arts. They seized
upon his social nature, and he could
not stand the charm. They drove bin
ON the rocks, like a ship, full winged
sbivering on the breakers. l used tc
admonish him. l would say, Now,
wish you would quit those bad habits
and become q Christian" "Oh.' b.
would reply, 81 would like TO. would
like to. but have gone so far dom
think there is any way back" In bis
moments Of repentance he would g
home and take his little girl of years
and embrace her conyulsively, and GOV
or her with adornments. and streV
arorr1 her pictures and toys and ey
erything that could make her happy
and then, as though bounded by an evi
spirit, he would go out to the inhamlni
cup and the house Of shame like foo
to the correction Of the stocks.
The Delilah of Sin.
was summoned to his deathbed;
FASTENED: entered the room; foun'
him, to my surprise. lying in full ey
eryday dress on the top Of the couch
| put out my hand. He grasped 1t ex
citedly and said, "Sit down, Mr.. Tai
mage: right there" | sat down. II
said: Last night saw my mother
who has been dead 20 years, and sh
sat Just where you sit now. 1t was n
dream. | was wide awake. There wa
no delus.on In the matter. ] saw he
Just as plainly as | see you. Wife,
wish you would take these strings Of
me. There are strings spun all aroun
, my body. wish you would take theI
off me-" ! saw It was delirum. "Oh,
, , replied bis wife. my dear, there
nothing there: there Is nothing there.
He went on and said: Just where 20
sit, Mr.. Talmage, my mother sat- Sh
said to me, Henry. do wish you woul
,, do better / got out of bed. put m
arms around her and said: Mother
want to do better. have been tryin
to do better. Won't you help me to q
better? You used to help me. No mi
!. take about 1t; no deluson. | saw her
the cap and the apron and the spect
o cles-just as she used to look 20 yeal
ago. But l do wish you would tax
= these strings away. They annoy n
= so 1 can hardly talk. Won't you tax
. them awayY l knelt down and pra'
a ed. conscious of the fact that he did NJ
!. realize what was saying. | got up.
o said: "Goodby! 1 hope you will be be
4" ter soon." He said, "Goodby, goodpy
n That night his soul went up to u
). God who gave it. Arrangements WEI
o made for the obsequies. Some SAL
;. Don't bring him in the church. 1
q was too dissolute." "Oh," l sal
" "bring him. He was a good friend
,e mine while he was alive, and l sha
ID stand by him now that he Is dea
" Bring him to the church"
to AS I sat in the pulpit and saw
Y body coming up through the aisle II
Ell as if | could weep tears OF blood.
re told the people that day: This m'
,e had his virtues and good many
=. 49,, To bad bic faUltS and q g0l