Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1843-12-28
Journal, he related the following aDec-
dote, with thrilling effect

dote, with thrilling effect.
MIR. Briggs said this question (of the
introduction of intoxicating drinks) as
su,ned somewhat uf 4 practical form, in
thriving borough IN Pennsylvania.
The inhabitants had assembled, AS was
their usual custom, To decide what mum
her (if any Of licenses the town should
petition from the county court, from
whom they were issued. There was d
very full audience. One of the respect.
able magistrates of the borough, p,esi.
ded, and upon the platform were seated,
among others, the clergyman of the vii
lag", one of his deacons, aud the physi
clan.
After the meeting had been called TO
order, one Of the most respectable ci,l-
zens Of the borough rose, aud after n
short speech, moved that the meeting
petition for "a usual number oI licenses,
Tor the ensuing yea,. lie thought II
was no, best to get up any excitement,
by refusing To grant licenses. They
better license good men, and let them
sell This proposition appeared 10 meet
with almost universal favor. 1t was So
excellent way To get along quietly,
and one, and then another, and another,
in their turn expressed their hope thai
such course would be adopted. The
president was about to put the question
to the meeting, when an object arose in
a distant part Of the buiIding, and all
eyes were Instantly TUNED in that direc.
ton. 1t was an old woman, poorly clad
aud whose care-worn coun,ennnce was
the painful index of no light sutlrrings.
| And yet there was something IN the
fash of her bright eye, that told she
had once been, what she then was npi
She addressed the president, and said
that with his permission, she wished TO
say few words to the me'tlng.
She had come, because she had heard
that they were to decide the license
question. You, (said she,) all know
who | am. Yon once kncw me the
mistress of one OF the best estates in the
borough. once had husband aud
/ five SONS +; aud woman never had II
kinder husband-molhcr never had five
better, or more afecionate sons. Bot
where are they now Doctor, | ask
you where are they now! ln yonder
burying ground, there are six graves,
filled by that husband, and those five
sons, and oh they are all drunkards'
graves Doctor, how come they to be
drunkards You would come and
drink with them, and you told them that
temperate drinking would do them good
And you, too, sir, Undressing the cler-
gvman,) would come and drink with my
husband and my sons thought they
might drink with safety, because they
saw you drink. Deacon, goa sold them
the rum which made them d,unkardS.
You have now got my farm, and all my
property, aud you GO, 1t all by RUM
And nnw, said she, | have done nv or.
rand. go back to the poor-house, for
/ that is mn home You, reverend, sir,
YOU doctor, and you deacon, shall per-
haps never meet again, until meet you
at the bar of God, where you, too, will
meet my ruined and lost husband, and
those FIVE sons, who, through your means
and influence, iill the drunkards' grave
The old woman sat down. Perfect
silence prevailed, until broken by the
president, Who rose 10 put the question
to the meeting -"shalI we petition the
court to issue licenses to this borough +,
for the ensuing wear 7" and then one
unbroken "NO n- which made the
very walls re-echO with the sound, told
the result OF the old woman's appeal.