The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1909-03-18

uD to touch lne oOteoihs ne was
drunk in his fathers house at the
age of ten years from getting to
howl of egg-nog that was In a room
waiting for a reception. From that
time on he loved the effects of
whlskey, tho not the taste, and he
believes that the demon of strong
drink was sleeping In him, and need
ed only the first taste TO rouse II.
He continued heavy drlnker till
converted
He entered the Navy at 10 In 1862,
and after serving three years came out
n gambler and drunkard His father
tried to get him up In business, but
he soon took to drink. His father.
turned him out, he got in with
gang OF thieves and low criminals.
til he finally enlisted in the army
TO escape arrest lie served under
Custer but was soon court7martialed
for drunkenneso and disnonorably dis
charged. Just before this he had been
the leader OF the gang OF soldiers as
sembled at TT Leavenworth. where
the scum OF the western army was
sent. lie led because he was always
ready to fight and fought hard. He
was the worst OF the lot, He told
OF this, he said, 10 show that there
is hope even for the worst OF men-he
was the worst possible and still was
saved. There is hope, he told the
women present, for every lost son.
or brother or husband. no matter how
low they have fallen.
After leaving the army he tried
work, then tramping, and finally by
travelling In freight cars got home
In such condition that his clothes.
when put in the back yard. were al
most able to walk away by them
selves. His father was angry. he knew
but his mother still loved him, a6ha
took him In and hid him In the npIzcr ,
part OF the house. After a. couple
Of days two year old niece gave the
secret away and his father found he
was home. But there was no recone!r
liatlon, and he soon went away again },
enlisting In the army once more. this
time unarr false name. LA ,.A
lie stayed in the army longer this
time and then tried being n policeman
In Philadelphia. but was fired In three
months. He went In the army again n
gambler and drunkard OF the wo-n
sort. and was coon dropped out as
worthless. He drifted around a while,
but finally settled In Guthrie Center.
Iowa. where he was the town terror.
a fighter and gambler. and more than
once the town was on the point Of
outlawing him. lie had wife and
was on speaking terms with his folks.
when one day he got word that II
be wanted TO see his mother alive
he must hurry home. lie took the
first train, aud got there while she
still lived, but he never knew wheth-
" eHN i'NNthA"ta AAAh AAt itatu'd
that she had been. for the last days,
watching the door every time any
one entered, waiting for him. with
her heart breaking because Of tle
enmity TO his father. But he said.
just so, and In greater pain. Is Christ
watching for the return home OF the
sinner And lie is always watching.
His father followed his mother,
and left him about $4,000. In a short
time, tho he was In business, he vast
ed all but about 5000 OF this gamb-
ling, drinking, and going to prize
fights with low crowd. At this
time he went one night 10 a revival
meeting, chiefly because he had heard
some one say that he wouldn't dare
go. He was sick OF the old life.
however and after the sermon put
up his hand and went forward How
the people stared! But they all help
ed, and steadied him In his new life.
and with Gods help he has kept in
It, And what God did for him. lie
can do for any man.