Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1842-10-22

| had refused to sell him, he came in with neat
mourning breast-pin, enclosing some hair-no
doubt. thoaght-of deceased relative. This
he offered in payment of what he owed. lac
cepted it, for the pin saw at once was worth
double the amount of my bill. Ibid not think
was the owner or not | wanted my own, and
in my selfish eagerness to get my own, hcsi-
tated not to take little more than my own.
Il laid the breast-pin away, and all things
went on smoothly fora while. But he gradu-
ally got behind again, and again cut of the
supply of liquor. This time he brought me a
pair of brass androns, and pair of brass can
dlestcks. took them and wiped off the score
against him. At last he brought large family
bible, and took that too-thinking no doubt
| could sell it for something.
'On the Sunday afterwards, having nothing
to do for | used to shut up my bar on Sunday,
thinking it was not respectable to sell liquor
on that day. opened this poor drunkard's
family Bible scarcely thinking of what | was
Going. The first place that turned to was
the family record. There it was stated that
on certain day he lad been married to Emf
ly-. had known Emily when was
young man very well, and had once thought
seriously of offering myself to her in marriage.
I remembered her happy young face, and sud-
denly seemed to hear the tone of her merry
loughtcr
~ eir
thought OF her present condition crossed my
mind d-and then with no pleasant feelings
turned over the next leaf There was the re-
cord OF the birth oflour children; the last had
been made recently, and was in the mothers
hand.
! Il never had such a strange feeling as now
/ came over me. felt that | had no business
! with this book. But | tried to stifle my feel
! lngs, and turned over several leaves quickly
suffered my eyes to rest upon an open page ;
! these words arrested my attention:
''Wne is a mocker, strong drink is raging :;
whose is sdeceived thereby is not wise
| This was Just the subject that, under the
| feelings then had, wished to avoid, and so
referred to another place. There read
! ''Who hath woe, Who hath sorrow ! Who
/ hath wounds Who hath babblng Who
hath redness ote eyes They that tarry !ong at
! the wine. At last it btcth like a serpent, it
stingeh like an adder
Il felt like throwing the book from me. But
once more | turned the leaves, and my eyes
rested upon these words;
/ ''Woe unto him who giveth his neghbor
drink; that puttcst the bottle 10 him and ma
kest him drunken
i closed the book suddenly, and then threw
it down. Then for half an hour paced the
room backwards and forwards in a state of
mind such as | never before experienced.
had become painfully conscious of the direful
evils resulting from ntcmpcrance, and still
more painfully conscious, that ! had been a
willing instrument in the spread otthesc evils
| cannot tell how much suffered during that
day and night, nor describe the fearful con-
fllct that took place in my mind, between the
selfish love Of the gains of my calling, and
the plain dictates of truth and humanity. Ii
was about 9o'cock, | think, on that evening
that opened the drunkard's Bible again, with
kind of desparing hope that | might find
something to direct me- opened at the
Psalms and read two or three chapters. As
read on, without finding anything that seemed
10 apply directly to my case, felt an increas
ing desire to abandon my calling, because il
was injurious to my fellow men. After had
read the Bible, retired 10 my bed but could
not sleep, am sure that during that night
thought of every drunken man TO whom haC
sold liquor, and to all their beggared families
In the brief sleep that obtained, dreame,
that saw long lot of tottering drunkards
with their wives and children in rags. And ,
loud voice said who hath done this !!
The answer, in still louder voice, directed
felt to me, smote upon my ear like peal o
thunder
, ''Thou art the man =
From this troubled sumbcr awoke to slee
f no more that hight In the morning the las
, and most powerful conflict came. The question
, to be decided, was
q Shall open my tavern, or at once a
, bandon the dreadful traffic in liquid poison =
c Happily decided never to put to any man
!, lips the cup otconfusion. Ny next step wa
o to turn the spigot of every keg, OF every barre
y of spirits, wine, beer or cider, and let the COZ
n tents escape on the floor My bottles and dc