On the eleventh of last December about 8.30 P. M., I found myself knocking at my sister's door in Argentine, Kansas, a tramp upon the face of the earth. I felt homeless and friendless, with the single exception of my sister at whose door I was knocking for admittance. I had travelled for more than a thousand miles from a Southern clime to the cold, wintry blasts of the North, thinly clad and shivering from cold and hunger. My sister received me with a true sister's love and bade me welcome to her home.
What brought me to this? Strong drink. Fifteen years ago I was liked by every one— friends on every hand; but year by year, as the demon drink increased its hold upon me, my friends diminished. I had always lived a railroad life and had been employed by many companies, but, with few exceptions, left their employ on account of drunkenness.
On the eleventh of last December my career had been run. I could get no employment anywhere; was no longer recognized or wanted by those who were once staunch friends. The day after my arrival at my sister's I expressed a desire to be freed from the claims of strong drink, telling her that I had made many resolves, but all to no purpose, and felt that I was on the brink of everlasting ruin, powerless to help myself, with no restraining hand to prevent my falling into the yawning abyss. My sister told me in very positive terms that there were people in Kansas City who could make a man of me if I would only submit to their treatment and really had a desire to become temperate. She then gave me a detailed account of the hopeless condition she had been in two years before, so far as the power of physicians to help her was concerned; and as a last resort she called on Christian Scientists to save her life. The result, which terminated in a permanent cure, made a true Christian woman of her. She takes pleasure in thinking of her God every hour— not a duty, but genuine pleasure. In case anything goes wrong with the family or otherwise, her first thought is of God, upon whom she relies implicitly in all things.
