The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1915-01-28
AND A LITTLE GIRL
LED HIM TO RIGHT
THE LOVE FOR CHILDREN WAS STRONG
Err THAN DEMON RUM IN THIS MAN
This Man, in His Struggle to Gain Redemp-
tion, Placed His Faith in the Purity Of
Two Little Girls and Fought Down the
Badness of Life.
By T. w. l..

A few years ago, | met a acquaint-
ance of former days just as he came
out of church, accompanied by his
wife and their two children. His
appearance now presented such a
contrast to what | had pictured it
would be in advanced life that it
was not until | had gone several
blocks that | could recall who he
was.
A few days after my chance meet
ing with Dick B. was at the
club for lunch, when one of the
members. a prominent attorney.
made the remark that Mr.. b. had
decided to make his future home in
our neighborhood, and that he had
purchased the Old Valley ranch.
Once the subject was opened,
was surprised to find that so many
of those in the club had known
Dick in the old days at one place or
another, and the same question
puzzled us all: How had the trans
formation occured?" The Dick. we
had all known was little more than
an outcast; while the reincarnation
that had now come amongst us was
apparently not only married and
well-to-do, but a very steady worker
and respected man.
Thus while we were gOssiping
like bunch of old women. the
young ParsOn came in and caught
us, as you might say, unawares.
After the usual greeting had been
exchanged, the Parson remarked
that be had overheard the topic of
our conversation and said he believed
he could furnish us with the true
story of Dicks reformation and
what was the cause of it as well. ~
AL of you who knew Dick in the
old days. Will remember the ap-
parent failure be was making of his
life, despite the many advantages
he had with which to have succeed
ed to almost any height if he had
been so minded. OF course the
main cause of his failure was his
inexhaustible appetite for liquor!
1t was later. you will remember,
when he began to get into frequent
entauglements with bad associates;
so that, no doubt. it was drink that
caused this latter weakness of his
and, as [ said before, that made his
name a by-word throughout the
City. Well things went from bad
TO worse, from all | could gather
from what he said; for remember |
am giving you this tale just as he
repeated it to me when he called to
see me on his arrival here. In do.
ing so. am not betraylng his conf
dence in anyway, for it is his wish
you should know the manner in
which he won his uphill fight. So
if you fellows just keep quiet. |
shall relieve your very evident
curiosity"
"Parson," he began, Il wonder
if you know how true was your text
the other night, mean the one that
goes something like And a little
child shall lead them."' Now I am
not sure if l have the words just
right or not, but the meaning is
there! And as l said it is one of
the greatest texts in the Book-at
least it has been for me:
OF course you remember the
kind of man l used to be back in
w. A disgrace to myself and to
everyone who associated with me.
Drink was my sole religion then,
and when l wasn't loaded, as they
say; it was only because had no
money or was working some shady
scheme to raise some more money
for this purpose.
You know, Parson, | was smart
and could almost turn to any line Of
work and make a success But as
soon as | would get good start and
be in way to get on my feet, the
old craving for drink would again
assail me. and in less than no time
l would be down and out once again:
Il did a good many things in
those days that would have put a
poor or unknown stranger behind
the bars for a good lengthy term;
but l being my fathers son was
never molested. They simply used
to call on the Pater to settle my
score.
Well, it went on in this manner
for sometime, until finally things
pOt 80 had that 7 fount II was i'm