HIS CHOICE.

Feilding Star, Volume V, Issue 58, 17 May 1884, Page 3

HIS CHOICE.

r Yuwrigsemen 'sometfrnes sneer ' at water is i beverage. is good for washing," says one, " but For a steady drink give me lagefl" " I never astonish my stomach wirh a #iass of water," say* Smother, "if x > qatv- get wine to drink !? "Water! Wnter?,- Ak! yes, I think I've hear.l that some peopie drink it 1" remark's a" third- Perhaps, the; .following story.* puolisbed in the Ledger, tiay instruct such foolish^ scoffers :—, A boy,, bright-eyed and fair-faced, was found in the street by Frank Hals,, a celebrated Dutch painter The lad knew no name only nans, so Hals called him Hans Findlin'g, am! wbnt at tfie- work, of teaching him. The boy proved an a'jit. pupil, but as he progressed in art and inorewaed in years, his works took on a strange character for one so youn. • They were of drinking-h-mges ami .drinking scenes ; pot co npanions, sm'oking, drinking and carousing— -at l painted with a truthfulness and vividne.-s that was wounderfu!. . Hans Findling went in for a short life and a merry one. In Ins cups he was a'genial/coai}iam«-n, keen, witty and briinminfg' with humor. And so he went on to the age of thirty. He had drank so much, £0 deeply and so long, that his life waa burned up — literally drowned ouc of hiui ! IHoated, haggard, and di»fi.;ured ; eyes bloodshot ; his oncu deft, hand now palsied ; his breath weak and labored; and stiil he strove to be cheerfiii. '• Give me wine 1" he cried, to his physician . " No, no, it must be water, Hans." "Must it? Ah! well, I'll try to love my enemy !" And he took the -water in his ham), he could not h-)ld it. His physicians had to carry it to his lips. ; Half an hour later the physician arose to take his leave. Before g'-in^-, he stood, by. the bedside and cook the 'young- mau'§ hand. : ■ " Has'*', I- am going away tor -a „timej- as I have others to visit. Now, ; 'look you; I v/ani to -leave, a solemn -question for you to answer. There in h bottle of tvine, ami there is a fliigon ot pure water. *' Which is the enemy * Dear boy! if you will solve this problem as I ihope you will, vou shall be saved — not fur a merry life, but for a tjskful ! If you shall decide- in behalf of the foul fiend, no power can save you." And the physician went .away. (When he returned he found tho young in, tearM •■•■•• ' * , , i>-/« v ' I t% Doctor ! Save me ! Save me ! And fwill be a useful man !•• ■ . ,■■■■. He had decidea h- xliat the bright wine was bis enemy. The good phy-kicidn-saved' iini, "arfi-'-Hans lived inany years, an ornament to society Jand a grafliH c'bntributt»r to tile world of art.-^YoutlrVCompanipn.