South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1835-01-17

out wine-glass full. and then. with a
slight which long practice had made
perfect, transferred it to a tumbler, which
his thirsty expectant took in his hand,
and was just abou. putting to his mouth,
when one of my fellow-passengers, who
it appears had been watching his oppor
| tnnity, placed on the glass a handful Of
the American Tract Society, headed in
large letters,
"SET DOWN THAT GLASS ~
did not know whether il was sur.
prise at 30 sudden and peremptory a
demahd--fear, anger or conviction !;
but the man actually did set down the
glass, took the paper ia his hand, bur.
ried out dfthe bar.room, and left the
brandy udtasled. 1t was two or three
minutes before one word was spoken;
the passengers looked at each other,
and at the landlord; and as | sough,
| to read the thoughts which were pass
ing in the mind Of the latter, hardly
knowing whether he was about 10 ex.
plode upon my fellow-travellet in an
ger, or treat it as good Joke, the
stage-horn blew, and off we went.
1T is well, said to my unknown
companion, tina, you did not get your
head bruised by one or both Of those
men,
mo DANGER said he; Il have studi-
ed character too long to mistake. /
saw that the poor drunken wretch who
asked for the brandy. was sunk too
low for his own estimation to have
courage to take insult; and / saw tina,
he was too far gone 10 justify mild mea-
sures. Had he been different man,
| might have let him drink his glass,
and then, when he went out, followed
him, and requested him to read q Tract
of another description, and as TO the
landlord, he knew his interest too well
to take notice Of the matter. But
he continued, am not always solicit.
Gus about the risk Tor bslieve it my
daty to strive TO warn these poor VIC
tins Of incompetence Of the ruin on,
which they are rushing, aud ! have
had many blessed returns TO cheer me in
what may seem an ungracious business
We had a great deal Of conversation
In the stage but when We reached
Hartford, the company separated. !
| did not even learn the naaie Of the
Temperance man; for il SO happens that
ives born south Of the Empire State,
as New York is sometimes called, and
therefore have no very extraordinary
aptitude OF getting an insight, into 9th
er peoples matters. However, must
not say that l am entirely destitute Of
curiosity for, In about year after,
when engaged in business along the
same route, I stopped a. the same
house, and the bar was gone, though
l recognized the same landlord. j
thought he looked happier but that
may be a matter Of mere imagination ;
that he was happier there caa be no
doubt, for he had ceased to be an adj
minister Of poison to his fellow.towns-
men and if any thing should make
him happier man, this could not be
entirely overlooked. Be all this as it
may, l had only time to ask him il he
recollected the occurrence to which |
have alluded 10 the first part Of this
article "Indeed," said We, al do"
that man has neoer tasted drop of
liquor since that day, and through his
influence there is a Temperance Sosie-
ty here which numbers all our inhabi.
tants, but few broken down sots, who
can get no one to sell TO them but one
Of themselves, who keeps filthy room
over yonder," pointing to the place,
"and it is through that same incident
that this is temperance house."
As l rode away, l thought, Well,
this is worth the danger Of broken
head--,he temporal and eternal vel.
fare Of one, sy, and Of hundreds of hu-
man beings, brought about by simple
incident, under the blessing Of God.
How happy must tha. man feel, il he
ever learns that in the town Of -,
his putting little sheet tract upon the
top Of glass Of brandy, saved many
family from misery and ruin, and
most probably, many soul from hell
Chris. Gazette.
!, O. A man has been condemned te
seven years labor in the Connecticut
State Prison. for setting fire 10 his