Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1837-03-08

pull this idol down. Now there areSIn that
very body, great many members who love
the idol dearly; there are many, who are
sent thithor expressly to keep the idol up.
SO you see, that petitioning the Legislature,
such as it now is, to abolish the traffic in
rum, is like petilioning the priests of Baal to
pull down their false god. But you look
pale and sad: has any new trouble come
upon you, or do you find the old one more
grievous to bearl' 'Ah, SIR said this man
of many woes, we have had trouble en-
ough, new and old, since you were here
last. lntemperancc must be selfish vice,
am sure. About fortnight ago, my wife
contrived, while was gone to the city to
procure few bars of iron, to sell our old
COW 10 drover; and this woman, once so
kind.hcarled, and thoughtAil ofher children,
would see them staryo, ruthefihan deprive
| herself of the means Of intoxication. She
has been in liquor every day since. But all
this is nothing compared with our other late
trial. Last Monday night was obliged TO
be from home, till late hour. | had pro-
mise from a neighbor to sit up at my house,
till my return, to look after the children, and
prevent the house from being set on fire.
But the promise was forgotten. When | re-
turned, about eleven o'clock, all was quiet.
struck light, and finding my wife in bed,
and sound asleep, looked around for the
children. The four older children readily
found, but little Peter, our infant, about four.
teen months old, j could find no where. AZ
ter some time, though evidently under the in
fiuence of liquor, awakened this wre;chcd
woman, and made her understand me. She
then made sign, that it was in the bed.
proceeded to examine, and found the poor
suffering babe beneath her. She had press.
cd the life out of its body. twas quite dea'.
1t was but yesterday, that put it into the
ground. lfyou can credit i, this miserable
mother was so intoxicated, that she could
not follow il to the grave. What can poor
man do, with such burden as thisl The
owner of the little tenement in which have
lived, has given me notice to quit, because
he says. and reasonably enough too, that the
chance of my wife's setting it on fire is
growing greater every day. However, !
feel that within me, that promises release
before long, from all this insuferable misery.
But what will become of my poor chiidrenr
Johnny sat down upon a bench, and burst
into tears. His vister, as VIC have said,
was kind-hearted man. Suppose
should get some discreet person to talk with
your wife, said he. Johnny raised his
eyes and his hands, at the moment. Talk
with herr he replied, 'you may as well
talk with tho whirlwind the abuse which
she poured on me, this morning, for propos-
ing to bring our good minister to talk with
her, would have made your hair stand OH
end. No, am broken.hearted and undone
for this world. have no hope, save in q
better, thro' the mercies of God.' The
visiter took the poor man by the hand, and
silently departed. He uttered not word;
he was satisfied that nothing could be said
to abate the domestic misery of poor john
ny Hodges in the present world and there
was something in his last words, and in the
tone in which they were uttered, which as
sured the vister, that Johnny's mistaken
confidence in the promises of God would
not be disappointed in another.
How entirely inadequate is the most fin
ished delineation, to set forth, in true relief,
the actual sum total of such misery as this!
How little conception have all those painted
male and female butterflies and moths who
stream along our public walks of sunny
morning, or futter away their lives in our
fashionable saloons;-how little conception
have they Of the real pressure Of such prac-
teal wretchedness as this! To the interro-
gatory of poor Johnny Hodges, San no.
thing be DONE to put an end TO the erils Of in
| Lar nd horo
after, do these individuals propose to offer,
who not only withhold their names from the
temperance pledge, but who light up their
castles, and call together the giddy and the
CAV of both sexes and devote one apart
ment of their palaces, in the present condi-
ton of public sentiment, chastencd and
purified as it is, TO the ,chiskey punch bopp
The summer had passed, the harvest was
over. About four months after the last in
terview, | heard, for the first time, the story
of poor Johnny Hodges. Taking upon my
tablets a particular direction to his house
and shop, put on my surtout, and set
forth, upona clear, cold November morning
to pay the poor fellow visit. II was mo-
three miles from the city to his dwelling
By the special direction which had re-
ceived, readily identified the shop. The
doors were closed-Eor it was asharp, frosty
morning. / wished to sec the poor fellow
at his forge, before disclosed the object Of
, my visit. opened the door,. lie was no
, there. The bellows we're still. The ham
, mcr and longs were thrown together
. Johnny's apron was lying carelessly upor
, the bench. And the iron upon which h,
had been working, lay cold upon the anvil
turned toward the little dwelling. Tha
, also had been abandoned. A short con
S versation with an elderly man, who proves
$ to be a neighbor, soon put my doubts AM
. uncertainty at rest. The conclusion Of thi
, painful little history may be told in YER
] few words. The wife, who it appears
!, Notwithstanding her gross intemperance
e retained no inconsiderable portion of per
It sonal comelness, when no. absolutely drunk
: had run of, in company with a commo
/; soldier, abandoning her husband and Chi
J. dren, about three months before. Fiv
d days only before. my visit, poor Johnu
d Hodges, having died Of a broken heart. wa
/; committed to that peaceful grave, wher
n the wicked cease from troubling, and III
:. weary are of rest. On the same day, lou
= little children were received, after the tuner
IS al, as inmates Of the poor-house. :,
8. Il have known them well, all their III
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