Platform echoes: or, Living truths for head and heart

Front matter

Class HY^I Book ■ ■-' " ■

THE EDWIN C. DINWIDDIE

COLLECTION OF BOOKS ON

Chapter I

HABIT — ITS POWER, USE, AND ABUSE — HOW TO SUBDUE A TYRANT AND SECURE A FRIEND.

What I Aim to Give — The Lessons of Experience — A Peculiar Clock — "What on Earth Will That Fellow Do Next?" — " Oh, I Bite My Nails!"— Ridiculous Habits — Scene at a Railway Ticket-office — Memory— Recognizing a Deserter After Thirty Years — Slaves of Fashion — Description of the Suit I Wore at Twenty-one — The " Style " Forty Years Ago — A Stunning Attire — A Remarkable Inventory — Avarice — " Only a Little More " — The Vice of Lying — The Habit of Swearing — The Boy Who Swore by "Old Dan Tucker" — "I'm Sot, Yes, I'm Sot"— Daniel Webster's Testimony — Two Words Spoken in Season — Ruin and Remorse — "By and By" — A Persistent Lover — A Narrow Escape — " Come Down Wid Ye, Thady " — The Warfare of Life .... 71

Chapter II

TO YOUNG MEN — SOWING THE WIND AND REAPING THE WHIRLWIND— A TALE OF RUIN, REMORSE, AND DEATH.

Sticking One's Hand in a Rattlesnake's Den — Beware ! — " Captain, There 's One of 'Em" — Sowing Wild Oats — Gliding Down the Stream — "Be You a Drugger?" — The Yerdant Young Man in Search of "Scentin' Stuff "— Smelling Round for the Right Thing — A Sniff That Astonished Him — The Story of Daniel Webster's Classmate — How Webster Tried to Save Him — His Tragic Death — "Get Up ! Get Up ! The Train is Coming!" — Cries of Despair from the Pit — A Road Strewn with Spectres — The Most Painful Scene I Ever Witnessed — Why the Boy Thrashed the Cat — A Cold Day for Puss — An Unexpected Scene at the Marriage Altar — The Story of Adam and His Whiskey Jug — Cramming Adam into the Closet — A Laughable Story — A Story of Ruin and Death — "Tom, Old Fellow, is This You?" — "Too Late, Jem, Don't Leave Me" — Taking the Wrong Direction. . . 93

xv xv i CONTENTS.

Chapter III

FRIEND OR FOE?— THE DIVIDING LINE — WHERE DO YOU STAND ? — SLAVES OF FASHION — LUDICROUS INCIDENTS.

The Word " But " — Popping the Question — Anecdote of Dr. Lawson — A Slim Congregation — A Sermon That Was "Too Personal" — How Mrs. Remington Stood It — A Duel in the Dark — Retreating Up the Chimney — A Surprise to Both Parties — Giving a Reason — Defining Men's Position — " Three Cheers for Elder Gray" — The Bank Cashier's Story — The Reason Why — Comical Excuses for Drinking — Grounds for Suspicion — Letting Down the Bars — An Ugly Threat — Catching the Measles — Drinking in Society — Sipping in "Style" — Fashionable Dissipation — Silly Customs — A Ludicrous Picture — The Dutchman and His Lost "Poy" — Story of the Tempted Negro — A Coveted Pair of Boots — " The Devil Says Take 'Em" — Queer Ideas of Faith — " Goodness Gracious ! Has It Come to That ? " — Funny Incidents — Forward — God Speed the Right 113

Chapter IV

BLUNDERS, COMICAL, CURIOUS, SERIOUS, AND CRIMINAL, AND PEOPLE WHO MAKE THEM — FUNNY STORIES.

Various Sources of Blunders — Heading a Boy in a Barrel — Absent-minded People — Anecdote of Dr. Duncan — Amusing Incidents — Ministerial Blunders — The "Pibroek and the Slogan"— The "Coisoned Pup" — Laughable Mistakes — Blunders of the Past — Blunders of Society — Irish Bulls — Killing a Man Twice— The "Red Cow" — Common Errors — Misuse of Words — Blunders in Language — A Musician with Carved Legs — Religious Horses — Human Parasites — The Curse of Mormonism— Serious Blunders — Sowing Dragon's Teeth— Office Seekers— How to Secure Honest Legislation — Curious Blunders in Literature — Sacrificing Sense to Rhyme — The Lawyer and the Sailor — Neatly Caught — Funny Blunders — A Viper with Feet — " No. 45, Stick No Bills "— " Let Her Drop" — Moulting Angels — Take Your Soundings —The Prodigal Son , ' . '. 131

Chapter V

RETRIBUTION — PLAIN TALK AND PLAINER FACTS — REMI- NISCENCES OF MY DARK DAYS — DELIRIUM TREMENS.

Plain Talk to a Scotch Audience — Street Sights and Scenes After Dark — Wretchedness and Woe — "Jem, Is My John in There?"— A Poor Woman's Plea — A Cowardly and Brutal Husband — Incident After Incident—What I Saw on One of My Exploring Expeditions — Personal

CONTENTS. X vii

Experiences — Scenes I Have Witnessed — Their Effect Upon Me — Memories of My Days of Dissipation — A Terrible Picture of Delirium Tremens — A Victim's Testimony — Peculiarities of the Disease — A Horrible Experience — Transfixed With Terror — My Own Experience — Civility and Incivility — How I Was Snubbed in Church — Reminiscences of My Dark Days — A Reckless Act — The Drunkard's Sleep — Memory a Curse — A Forgiving Wife — The Hardest Audience I Ever Faced — I Am Discouraged — The Miner Who Spoke After Me — His Wonderful Speech — Tramp, Tramp, Tramp — Buckle On the Armor . . . 148

Chapter VI

'AS A MEDICINE"— A FAIR NAME FOR A FOUL THING — A PRECIOUS SCOUNDREL WITH A PIOUS FACE.

Fault Finders — A Tippling LL.D. — A Cheese Argument — Scene at a Dinner Party — Drink as a Medicine — Doctors Who Prescribe Liquor — A Good Deal and Often — Effects of Alcohol on the Nervous System — Testimony of Two Thousand Physicians — A Distinguished Physician's Opinion — Diseases Produced by Alcohol — Personal Experience of an Eminent Surgeon — My Own Experience — An Exceedingly Suspicious Mixture — A Compound Fearfully and Wonderfully Made — Extraordinary Prescriptions — Mrs. McCarthy's "Noggin of Rum" — How the Upholsterer Got Even with the Doctor — A Good Story — Anecdote of Rev. Mr. Reid — " Ask My Doctor ? " — Sticking to the Same Remedy for Seven Years — An Offer to Loan a Thousand Dollars — Chasing a Bubble — My Visit to Werner's Room — A Delightful Afternoon — A Musical Feast 170

Chapter VII

SAFETY BETTER THAN" RISK — TOUCHING HOME-SCENES — STARTLING FACTS AND UNDISPUTED TESTIMONY.

Human Sacrifices — A Mother's Sad Story — Turning a Dissipated Son out of Doors — My Interview with Him — On the Edge of a Precipice — A Thrilling Incident — Mad With Delirium Tremens — A Fearful Leap — A Devoted Wife — A Story from Real Life — That Little Word "No" — The Yankee Merchant and his Eggs — A Laughable Story — Startling Facts — The Greatest Swindle of the Age — What I saw in a Distillery — Effect of Liquor on Animals — How it Affects the Human Body — A Most Extraordinary Story — A Physician's Horrible Experiments — A Corpse Distended with Liquor Gas — Puncturing the Body and Lighting the Gas in Sixteen Places — Authentic and Undisputed Testimony — The Child's Rescue — A Thrilling Scene — A Very Obstinate Deacon — A Funny Story — The Dutchman and His Setting Hen — Record of a Noble Woman — My Disagreeable Neighbor 184 xviii CONTENTS.

Chapter VIII

FACT AND FICTION OF EVERYDAY LIFE — SMILING FACES AND TREACHEROUS HEARTS — MEN WHO WEAR MASKS.

Variety the Spice of Life — Difficult Things for Me to do — What I Aim to do — Life often a Disguise — Snakes in the Grass — Men Who Wear Masks — Duels, Debts, and " Innocent Amusements" — A Persistent Collector — " I '11 Fix Ye " — The Boy and the Cherry Pie — Absurd Sentences — Amusing Illustrations — White Lies — Story of a Minister, a Bull, and a Bass Viol — A Matter-of-fact Musician — The Old Lady who was Struck by Lightning — Loving ' ' Everyting zat is Beastly ' ' — Woman' s Rights — A Vision of Eden — " Bridge ! Bridge ! ! " — An Animated Political Discussion — Its Sudden End — A Laughable Story — A Cool Boarder — His Opinion of His Landlady's Butter — Choosing Between Three Lovers — The Captain's Device — How it Worked — Wasted Lives — Human Wrecks — Real Heroes 206

Chapter IX

IN THE TOILS OF THE TEMPTER — CHARMED UNTIL CHAINED — THE BATTLE OF LIFE — A STAINED RECORD.

The Old Lady and the Haystack — Driving Nails in One's Own Coffin — The Green-eyed, Fiery-tongued Serpent — Robbing Birds' Nests — Suspended in Mid-air — A Frightful Position — Only a Single Strand Between Life and Death — A Thrilling Incident — Narrow Escape — My Frolic with a Child — A Boy Again — The Drunken Loafer — Look on this Picture, then on That — Youth and Old Age Side by Side — A Picture for Young Men — Past, Present, and Future — A Physician's Story — A Pathetic Incident — Alone — A Night in the Cold and Dark — A Little Girl's Sad Story — The Old Lady's Feelings — "A Certain-sort-of-Goneness " — Nearer and Nearer to the End — A Stained Record — Life is What You Choose to Make it — " Where Are Those Dogs Going ? " — Treasures Laid up Above — Life's Battlefield — Honorable Scars — A Disgraced Regiment Winning Back its Colors — Honor Retrieved 226

Chapter X

PREVENTION BETTER THAN CURE — THE PATHOS OF LIFE — CHILDREN BORN TO SIN AND SORROW.

Tell-tale Scars — A Modern Life of Moses — Underrating the Capacity of Children — A Boy's Idea of How Flies are Made — " Putting on 'em Together, and a-Fitting of 'em" — Saving Half Fare — "Only Ten, in the Cars " — A New Way to Sign the Pledge — A Father who Would not be

Contents

XIX

Outdone by His Boy — A True Incident — What the Jug Contained — Value of Children's Aid — An Incident from My Own Experience — Cries of Distress — A Peep Over the Fence — A Triumphal Procession — What a Temperance Boy Accomplished — An Army Officer's Story — Charity Children — A Tour Through a Tenement House — What was Discovered Under the Rafters — A Dying Little Waif — Hiding from Father — Friendless and Motherless — An Affecting Scene — The Dying Boy's Hymn — Death in a Garret — Rest at Last — How a Minister Argued the Points — Convinced — God Bless the Children 239

CHAPTER XL

Chapter XII

WHO ARE THE VICTIMS ? — LIFE IN A BAR-ROOM — LIFE HISTORIES TRACED IN TEARS AND WRITTEN IN BLOOD.

The Next Morning after a Spree — Maddening Thirst — A Visit to a Gin Shop — Scenes Inside — Victims at the Bar — Horrible Wrecks and Bloated Sots — The Suicide's Death-bed — Dreadful Scenes — The Ruling Passion Strong in Death — "Mary! Mary! I have Signed the Pledge " — The Sailor's Speech — A Realistic Dream — Life Histories Traced in Tears and Written in Blood — Women who Drink in Low Life — Fearful Degradation — The Dead Mother and Her Babe — The Negro Jury's Ridiculous Verdict — Women who Drink in High Life — A Sad Story — An Awful Death — An Audience of Drunkards — James McCurrey — Inviting a Sot to Sleep in his House — Burning the Bed Clothes next Day — Noble Act of a Noble Man — What Followed — The Prize Fighter's Story — Saved by Kindness — The History of a Grog-shop Fiddler — The Shipwreck — Man the Lifeboat ! 270

XX CONTEXTS.

Chapter XIII. Cueiosity — Struggles Am) Triumphs Of Men Of Genius

— STORIES OF INQUISITIVE AND MEDDLESOME PEOPLE.

Curiosity; What Is It? — What it Has Led To — Utilizing Steam — Thrown into a Madhouse — "lam not Mad " — Left to Die — The Kilsby Tunnel

— Hidden Quicksand — Solving the Problem — Stephenson's Stupendous Undertaking — The Electric Telegraph — Early Struggles of Prof. Samuel Morse — Gloomy Prospects — Help at Last — Unknown Heroes — Pickwick and the Cabman — A Very Ancient Horse — An Inquisitive Companion—Judging from Appearances — "What Will You Give?" — A Printer's Self -Denial for His Little Blind Sister — A Noble Act — The Miser of Marseilles — His Will — Why He Hoarded His Gains — An Incident in a Sleeping Car — A Bachelor's Experience — Taking Care of the Baby — Shakespeare's Skull — Story of the Philosopher and the Calf's Tail — Things We Do Not Kjiow — Queer Reasons — " Who Made You ? "

— Five Pounds of " Ditto " — Wonderful Scientific Facts ... 290

Chapter XIV

THE RUGGED ROAD TO SUCCESS — HEROES AND HEROISM IN HUMBLE LIFE — THRILLING INCIDENTS AND STORIES.

Patience and Perseverance Necessary to Success — The Man who First Thought of the Steamboat— "Poor Fellow; He's Crazy Yet" — His Last Request — A Nobleman's Foolish Boast — Eating the Boiler of a Steamboat — Among the Cornwall Miners — A Thrilling Incident — Touching off a Blast at the Bottom of a Deep Shaft — A Moment of Terrible Suspense — "Up with Ye! I '11 be in Heaven in a Minute " — An Act of Noble Self-sacrifice — A Hero in Humble Life — The Explosion — Descending the Shaft — A Champagne Factory in New Jersey — Stepping into the Slush — Burnt Boots — A Hard Fight — Fable of the Cat and the Wily Mouse — Getting the best of the Cat — A Humorous Story — The Old Couple who "Swore off " — "Well, I will if you will" — A Meal of Toasted Cheese — Building the Temple 308

Chapter XV

GOSPEL TEMPERANCE — ILLUSTRATIVE INCIDENTS AND STORIES — LEAVES FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE.

Why I Do Not Preach the Gospel — The Meanest Man I Ever Knew — The Grace of God — My Belief — Found Dead — The Frenchman and the City Missionary — An Honest Opinion— An Emphatic Statement — "Bosh" ^-Drinking First and Finding an Excuse Afterwards — A Clergyman's

CONTENTS. xxi

Story— " I Take it as a Medicine" —A Dandy's Worthless Adyice — A Negro's Practical Help — Power of Man's Will — My Horror of Drunkenness—Terrible Dreams— "It Tasted Good"— My Idea of Sin— Want of Cordiality in Our Churches — Chilly Reception to Strangers — My Own Experience — Painful Truths — A Novel Way of Getting Acquainted — Looking Back Thirty Years — A Good Story — Betty and the Bear — The Husband's Sudden Retreat to the Rafters — A Plucky Wife — " Take Him on the Other Side, Betty !"-"fe" Have Done Gloriously . . 323

Chapter XVI

SLIPPERY PLACES — TRAPS FOR THE UNWARY — PATHETIC SCENES AND INCIDENTS — HOME SHADOWS.

Alsopp's Breweiy— An Incident of My Visit to Old Virginia — Firm Convictions — Ridiculous Arguments of Women — Extracts From Letters I Have Received — When Does Drinking Become a Sin ? — How a Church Member Behaved at One of My Lectures — Moderate Drinking — How the Church Regards It — A Quaker's Advice to His Son — How Not to Get Drunk — The Power of Will — The Fakir of India — Cries of Despair — The Curse of the World — The Little Cripple — A Pitiable Sight- Dreadful Afflictions — "I Am So Tired" — Pathetic Incidents — A Father's Prayer — Touching Home Scenes — " Hush ! Hush ! Hush ! " — Dealing With Facts — A Father's Sad Story — A Terrible Scene — The Power of Appetite — A Minister's Experience — A Night of Agony — Wrestling with the Destroyer — An Awful Fight — Onward, Upward, Victory 342

Chapter XVII

WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE? — WAIFS AND STRAYS OF CITY STREETS — LIFE IN RAGGED HOMES — HOMELESS CHILDREN.

Boys of the Street — Danger of Chaffing Them — Can They Be Rescued? — A Scene I Once Witnessed — Training-Schools of Crime —Life Below the Surface — A City Slum — Dens of Iniquity and Vice — Filth and Squalor on Every Side — Herding Together Like Animals — My New Pair of Boots — Trying Them to See How They Fit — I Am Assailed by Swarms of Boys — " Boots ! Boots !" —Pelted with Potatoes and Carrots — My Ignominious Flight — The Boys and the Pumpkin Seeds — An Anxious Farmer— An Extraordinary Story of Crime — Appalling Facts — An Affecting Story of Hospital Life —Two Little Invalids — One Crushed, the Other Starved — " Bobby, Did You Ever Hear of Jesus ?" — Propping Up the Sick Boy's Arm — Dead; His Little Hand Held Up for Jesus — A Street Scene in London — The Claims of Humanity — The Burning Ship — A Noble Act — True Heroism 358 xx ii CONTEXTS.

Chapter XVIII

NOW AND THEN; OR, PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE — PER- SONAL EXPERIENCES AND REMINISCENCES.

Past, Present, and Future — What We Owe to the Past — Our First Century — One Hundred Years Ago — A Bundle of Stamps — Exciting Times — A Memorable Snow-ball Fight — Discovering Tea in Her Husband's Shoes — " Disperse, Ye Rebels " — Determined Patriots — " Who Is That Person ?" — " Will He Fight ?" — Antony Burns, the Fugitive Slave — How He Was Marched Through the Streets of Boston — Wonderful Progress — Fifty Years Ago — Grand Achievements — How We Printed When I Was a Boy — The Light of Other Days — Travelling in the Olden Time — Personal Experiences — Three Miles an Horn* — "I Must Take a Pill" — My Ride on the First Railroad Built in America — The Electric Telegraph — Reminiscences of My Boyhood — The Telephone — The " Fire Cart" —An Old Couple's Idea of Telegraphing — A Negro's Description — The " Puir Whales " — Jonathan Hull — " I'm the Nineteenth Century " 377

Chapter XIX

DANGER SIGNALS —NOTES OF WARNING FROM EARLIER DAYS AND SCENES — RECOLLECTIONS OF THE PAST.

Lamentable Ignorance — Thin-skinned People — How Some of Them Show Their Indignation — Proving a Man a Liar — Gentility is Not Always Respectability — Clothes Do Not Always Proclaim the Man — "A Man's a Man for a' That " — The Curtain Lifted — A Peep Behind the Scenes — Personal Recollections — My First Address in Boston — Recalling My Theatrical Days — Companions of My Youth — Tragic Deaths — Fate of Some of My Comrades — An Incident in Glasgow — A Dastardly Act — Terrible Consequences That Followed — Found Dead Among the Rushes — My Yisit to the Indianapolis Lunatic Asylum — Raving of Devils, Snakes, and Creeping Things — "Oh! How They Glare at Me!" — "They Creep! They Crawl!" — Awful Scenes — Graphic Pen Picture of a Toper — The Devil's Workshop — Satan's Abode — Calling His Satellites Around Him — Alcohol, the Right Hand of the Devil — An Uncompromising Fight 390

Chapter XX

WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR ? — LIFE IN THE BACK STREETS OF NEW YORK— VOICES FROM THE SLUMS.

Fast Young Men — Seeing a Little of Life — A Sea Captain's Story — What One Glass of Rum Did — A Young Man's Story — A Son's Hand Stained

CONTENTS xxiii

with Blood ! — "Out, Damned Spot " — What is a True Gentleman ? — A Letter Carrier's Stoiy — Calling Her Neighbor a "Hindewidual " — "I TJps with a Pail of Water," etc. — Leaders of Society — Women Who Follow Them — John Pounds, the Portsmouth Cobbler — Noble Women — Clara Barton's Self-sacrifice and Heroism — The Iron Cross of Germany — The "Old Brewery" in New York — Murderers' Alley — What a Policeman Told Me — A Dreadful Locality — Human Fiends —Stripping a Corpse and Selling the Grave Clothes — Raising the Money to Buy the Pl ace _ A Memorable Meeting — A Street Scene in New York — Little Mary Morrison— God Speed the Right 407

Chapter XXI

WILL IT PAY?— LIFE'S OPPORTUNITIES — GROTESQUE SCENES AND AMUSING STORIES — ON THE BRINK.

Men Who Cannot Understand a Joke— " The Little Chap That Told Me To Holler "— First-class Stupidity— " Comfortably " Full — The Stingy Drinker — Drink's Direful Work — Breaking a Mother's Heart — Scenes in a Lunatic Asylum — Raving Idiots- 1 - A Tipsy Lover — A Visit to the Pig-sty — An Unlooked-for Catastrophe — Another Pig in the Pen — "I Am as Good as Any of You" — Fighting the Pump — An Unceremonious Tip-over — The Tipsy Students — Decidedly Muddled — Kicking Each Other Out of Bed — A Grotesque Scene — The Indian and His Fire-water — "Only This Once" — A Clergyman's Downfall — A Wife's Story — In Jail — Reminiscences of Forty Years Ago — An Appeal to Young Men — Coach Driving in California — A Death-bed Scene — "I Can't Find the Brake " — Sowing Wild Oats 423

Chapter XXII

OUR DUTY TO THE FALLEN — BRANDS PLUCKED FROM THE BURNING — STORY OF THE WICKEDEST MAN IN NEW YORK.

An Incident of the War — Clean Linen First, Religion Afterwards — Work Among the Poor and Depraved — Dens of Yice — Bread Before Tracts — Speaking to an Audience of Eight Hundred Outcasts — The Wickedest Man in New York — Story of Orville Gardiner — A Mother's Love for a Wayward Son — A Thrilling Experience — A Nine Hours' Fight with a Jug of Whisky — A Thoroughly Reformed Gambler and Prize-fighter — Tempted at Communion Service — Cutting it Off "as Square as a Piece of Cheese" — Daily Trials — Trusting in God — My Boyish Dislike of Attending Church — Incident of a Lecture Tour in Ohio — Sad Downfall of a Once Devoted Christian Woman — A Minister Drunk in His Own Pulpit — Scene at One of My Lectures — Selling the Last Blanket for Rum — Death and Desolation — The Breach in the Dike — A Thrilling Story of Holland Life 441

Xxiv CONTENTS.

Chapter XXIII

MEN AND METHODS, MANNERS AND MORALS OF OUR OWN TIMES — ILLUSTRATIVE ANECDOTES AND INCIDENTS.

Reflection — Aping Extravagance — Beginning Life Where Their Fathers Left Off — Odd Reasons for Getting Married — Butterflies of Fashion — Old Aunt Chloe — " Tie 'Em Together " — The Husband Who Proclaimed Himself "a Regular Julius Caesar"— What His Wife Thought About It— "Who Keeps This House?"— How the Question Was Settled- Family Jars —" Will the Sheriff Sell Me?"— Power of Money — Spoils of Office — "Grandpa, Have a Weed ?" — Old-time Politeness — Difference Between " Then " and " Now " -"I Knocks My Boys Down and They Ain't Good" — Influence of Example — A Father's Cruel Act — "Do It Again, Papa" — Henry Clay and the Farmer — John on His Knees — The Ship Captain and the Sailor — Past and Present — Elisha Kent Kane — A Remarkable Career — One of Sin's Victims — A Dark Picture — Broken Hopes and Buried Aspirations — The Alabaster Box 461

Chapter XXIV

FOR THE SAKE OF OTHERS — LESSONS DRAWN FROM LIFE — HUMAN WRECKS — ILLUSTRATIVE STORIES AND FACTS.

Death's Harvest Field — The Fatal Sliding Scale — What I Saw in a Railway Carriage — A Terrible Spectacle — Father, Mother, and Child Intoxicated — A Mother's Story — The Rapids at Niagara Falls — Fascination of Danger— A Terrible Tragedy — " Stand Back! Stand Back!"— The Fatal Plunge — Story of the Poor Emigrant Woman — A Mother's Love — " Fire ! " — " Make Way There. Police ! " — Temptations of a Great City — An Incident of Chicago Life — Return of the Prodigal Son — A Scene in a London Cellar — A City Missionary's Story — Horace Greeley — We Visit Senator McConnell — His Wretched Appearance — Tender Regard for His Wife — A Precious Memento — " Give Up the Drink? Never!" — His Awful Death — A Two-bottle Man — The Old Scotch Bailie ! — Fire-side Thoughts — Captain Creighfon and the Ship "Three Bells" — Terrible Suspense — Great Rejoicing 478

Chapter XXV

POWER OF EXAMPLE — LIFE IN A GREAT CITY — STORY OF DRUNKEN JAKE — SCENES IN MY EARLIER DAYS.

"Don't Believe It " — Incredulous People — Street Children — Little Creatures in Tatters and Filth — The Mouth of Hell — "I Have a Terrible

CONTENTS. xxv

Bunch on My Side " — Fool's Pence — A Good Story — " Dip Your Scone in Your Own Gravy " — A Tough Audience — A Leaf from My Experience in Connecticut — A Marvellously Interesting Story — Thrilling Scenes — Bribing Drunken Jake to Disturb the Meeting — An Unexpected Result — A Happy Day — Personal Experience in Vermont — Another Tough Audience — Willing Hands and Hearts — My Proposition to Twenty-seven Ladies — " Hark ! There Is the Bell ! " — Remarkable Scenes — Interesting Reminiscences — My Experience in Cincinnati — P. T. Barnum and Jenny Lind — Mr. Barnum Offers Five Thousand Dollars for the Use of a Church — Why His Offer Was Declined — " Look ! The Prairie Is on Fire!"— Faith in God 496

Chapter XXVI

THE GREAT CONFLICT IN ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND — THE DESTROYER'S MARCH — PERSONAL WORK AND EXPERIENCES.

The Temperance Cause in England — Mr. Spurgeon's Opinion — Alarming Increase of Dram-shops — London — Different Classes of Society — Grave Apprehensions for the Future — The Tide of Evil — Drinking Among Women — Fighting the Demon of Intemperance — My Labors in England — The Hardest Work of Thirty Years — Powerful Champions — Hoxton Hall — Its Former Yile Reputation — Touching Scenes — Imitating Jerry McAuley's Mission — Work Among the Ragged and Wretched — Rational Enjoyment for the Homeless — Edinburgh — A Total Abstinence Club-room — A Drunken Teetotaller — Seeking Safety — Testimony of Eminent Physicians — A Remarkable Incident — Recollections of the Past — A Leaf from My Own Experience — An Awful Struggle — Rev. C. H. Spurgeon — How I Became Acquainted with Him — Mrs. Spurgeon — A Noble Woman — Disobeying the Doctor — Mr. Spurgeon's Substitute for Beer 578

Chapter XXVII

POWER OF WOMAN'S INFLUENCE — SOCIAL CUSTOMS THAT LEAD TO RUIN — MEMORABLE INCIDENTS IN MY CAREER.

Woman's Power and Influence — A True Incident — How Joe Was Induced to Sign the Pledge — One Year Afterwards — A Romantic Story — An Intemperate Lover — A Romance from Real Life — A Telling Crusade Against a Dram-shop — A Well-Planned Campaign — An Astonished Rumseller — " Worse Than it Was Yesterday " — Deciding Who Was the Head of the House — A Memorable Incident in My Career — Twenty Years After — Young Girls Who Drink— The Downward Path — A Lover Tempted by His Affianced — The Shaft of Ridicule — The Fall — Tempter and Tempted — Found Dead — Social Customs That Lead to Ruin — Unwelcome Guests — Incidents of My Work in Cincinnati — A xxvi CONTEXTS.

Shower of One Hundred and Forty-three Autograph Albums — Writing the Pledge in Each One — What Followed — A Flood of Eight Hundred Albums — Story of the Colored Preacher — Jumping Through a Wall 528

Chapter XXVIII

RANDOM THOUGHTS — STORIES AND SKETCHES FROM BOTH SIDES OF LIFE — GLEANINGS OF A LEISURE HOUR.

Religion in Everyday Life — Silent Influence — The Sentry of Pompeii — Faithful Unto Death — Origin of the Term "Teetotal" —Dickey Turner — Death Before Bondage — Trading in Human Lives — The Auction-block — A Strong Man's Agony — Clinging to Respectability — The Traveller and His Gold — Seeking Shelter — The Pioneer's Hut — An Hour of Fear and Trembling — " It 's Time to Go to Bed " — A Remarkable Incident — Anecdote of a Poor Negro — "Come, Cato, Get Up" — A Thrilling Incident — A Disabled Steamer — Drifting Toward the Shore — Power of Christian Example — A Ship in Distress — The Alarm Gun — Launching the Lifeboat — "I Will Go ; Who Will Follow Me " — Pulling for Life — Saved at Last — The Moderate Drinker — The Negro and His Potato Patch — A Disastrous Invasion — Old Tom's Pigs — " Pay De Damage " — " Daddy Moses " — Imparting Strength to Others 548

Chapter XXIX

MODERATION— THE CUP OF DEATH — THE HUMOROUS SIDE OF DRUNKENNESS — THE DARK SIDE.

A Minister's Dangerous Advice — Men Who "Can't Stand It" — Story of the Church Member Who Went After a Load of Wood — Taking a " Nip " to Keep Out the Cold — Another "Nip" — A Ludicrous Tableau — Listening to an Account of a Surgical Operation — I Am Compelled to Leave the Room — An Actor's Foolish Wish — " Cuttings-up " — A Story for the Benefit of Young Women — An Unwilling Bridegroom — The Humorous Side of Drunkenness — Ludicrous Incidents