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Show EMBARRASSED LECTURER J and Jammed with people, and to the surprise sur-prise of the temperance people the "wet" element attended to a man. I walked on air that night, for I considered this the opportunity of my life to make a reputation. reputa-tion. I wan young; and verv dramatic, and I had planned a grand climax In which I should move the audience to tears with a recital of my friend's misfortune. "The attention accorded me was most flattering-, and when I reached the point where I was to refer to my friend of other days, I walked over to where the fellow was seated, placed my hand on hla head and In a voice choking with enJo-tion enJo-tion (and, gentlemen, the emotion was really genuine). 1 began to tell of the days when we were boys, playing about the quiet streets and shady lanes of the sleepy old village where we were born. 1 told of our school davs, of the happy vacations, va-cations, of our childish plans, Joys and sorrows. I dwelt upon the subject of my friend's downfall for some time, and In conclusion said: " 'Ladies and Gentlemen: I knew this L nan's parents; they were devoted Chrls-' Chrls-' Hans, but. Christian ss they were, they made one fatal mistake when the small boy's father gave him hard cldr to drink not much cider, Just a little and now he Is the greatest drunkard in your community.' com-munity.' At this point there was an Interruption, In-terruption, my repentant (?) 'example' staggered to hla feet, and while my friends and I looked on, too horrified to speak or move, the impudent rascal addressed ad-dressed the people something as follows: " 'Gents and Women Folks I wanner shay er few words ter thlsh congrega-shun. congrega-shun. I knew thlsh feller when he wash er little boy. Hlsh muter was er Chrls-hun Chrls-hun gentleman and his pa wush er Chrtg-hun Chrtg-hun lady, an' feller citersens, they shore did try ter raise this here feller right, but when he wush er little boy hlsh paw give him er tin horn far er Christmus git It wushent much uv er horn, Jes' er little lit-tle tin horn but now thlsh man ish ther biggest 'blow' in ther whole Unity States.' "As to what happened after this remarkable re-markable address I must confer that my recollection Is somewhat indistinct. At any rate. I was the most embarrassed young fellow In the United States, if as my friends were kind enough to assure me I was not the greatest 'blow. "Cincinnati "Cincin-nati Commercial Tribune. V The noted temperance lecturer was entertaining en-tertaining a number of . his Cincinnati friends and admirers with remlnircences of his early days as a lecturer and worker In the cause of temperance. "On one occasion," he said to the group gathered about him in the Gibson house lobby, "I was placed In such an awkward and embarrassing predicament that it was a good many years before I had the courage to return to the little' village in northern Indiana where the incident oc-. curred. "I had been billed to lecture at tht town at 8 o'clock In the evening and as the one train passing through the place each diy arrived at 9 a. m.. w found I was forced to spend the day there. This fact caused my undoing, for it gave the enemy the 'wets' an opportunity to play a trick on me. "I had been In the town but a few hours and was resting in my room at the hotel when a note was handed me by th j call boy. This note proved to be from a J friend of my childhood days, and of whom , I had seen and heard nothing since wo were small boys together. The writer expressed ex-pressed the desire to see me privately. "I was delighted over the receipt of this note and was looking forward to a pleasant pleas-ant afternoon, but my joyful anticipation i was turned to sorrowful astonishment j when my visitor was admitted, for of all I the disreputable looking Individuals I had ever coma across he was the limit. To give you some idea as to his general appearance. ap-pearance. I think that 1 may truthfully atate that you have nothing on Front street that would touch him in general attire. "To make a long story short, he was the Inevitable result of an unbridled appetite ap-petite for strong drink. The one thing about him that surprised, as well ss gratified grat-ified me, was that he seemed anxious to do all in his power to save others from a like fate. He stated that his case was hopeless, but that he wanted to warn the boys before It was too late. "He told me that his appetite for strong drink was acquired in his father's home. 1 could not believe this, knowing his parents pa-rents to be consistent church members and deeply religious, until he explained that hard cider had been served with meals at his home snd that in this way the desire for stronger beverage was created. cre-ated. In order to ttet hla sincerity 1 made the somewhat unusual request under the circumstances that he brace up, attend the meeting that evening, accept a sat on the stage and allow mo to refer to his case. In other wotda. I asked htm to poso as 'a horrible example.' My surprise can be better Imagined tlmn expressed when my request was willingly and almost eagerly agreed to. , "Of Couiee. the temperance people were greatly astonished over the affair, for the fellow was not only a confirmed drunkard, an irresponsible loafer, but it was known that he had been an active worker for the 'wets' in the local option fights of the village. vil-lage. However, all of us attributed his sudden change of heart to the fact that his meeting with an old friend had touched a yet responsive chord of his better bet-ter nature. "My former schoolmate was on hand that evening, a little drunker than usual, but he was able to ascend the etage and And a seat. "The little opera-house in which the meeting was held was literally packr |