Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1844-05-11
THE OLD W0MAN>S SPEECH.

rome tlne since, IN tho course Gt which he re-
lated the following anecdote, with thrilling ef. |
feet;
Mr.. Briggs said this question (ofthe intro
ducton of intoxicating drinks assumed somo-
what ola practical form, last spring in thriving
borongh in Pcnimy hana. Tire inhabi,ants had |
assembled, as was their usual cestom, to de- |
eide what numter of licenses the town should !
petition from the County Court from whom !
they were issued. There was very full at
tendance. One of the respectable magistrates
of the borough presided and upon the platform
were seated, among others, the clergyman of
the village, one of his deacons, and the physi-
clan.
After the meeting had been called to order,
one of the most respectable citizens of the bo-
rough rose, and after short speech, moved that
the meeting petition for the usaa number of
licenses, for the ensuing year. lie Thought it
was not best to get Up an excitement, by re-
fusing to grant licenses. aAey had better IL
cense good men and let them sell. The pro-
position seemed TO meet with almost universal
favor. 1t wss 20 excellent q way 70 get along
quietly, and one and then another, in turn ex.
pressed hope that such course would be a
dopted. The President was about 10 put the
question to the meeting, when an object rose IN
distant part of the binding, and all eyes were
instantly turned in that direction 1t was an
coun'enancc was the painful index of no light
suie'ngs. And yet there was something IN
the flash Of her bright eye, that told she had
once been what she then was not She ad
dressed the President, and eal with his per.
mission, she wished 10 say few words to the
meeting.
She had come because she had heard that
they were to decide the license question. You,
said she, all know who am. You once knew
me the mistress of one of the best esta,cr in the
borough. once had a husband and five sons ;
and woman never had kinder husband; mo-
ther never had five better, or more afiectonate
sons. But where are they now! Doctor,
where are they now In yonder burying
ground there are SIX graves. Doctor, how
came they TO be drunkards You would come
aud drink with them. and you told them that
/ temperate drinking would DO them good. And
| you, too sir, Undressing the clergyman,) would
come and drink with my husband and my son
| thought they might drink with safety, because
they saw you drink. Deacon, you sold them
rum which made them drunkards. You have
now got my farm, and al my property, and yor
MOT I all ,V An sba I LaI
done my errand. | 60 back to the poor house
for that is my home. You, reverend sir, yol
doctor, and you, deacon | shall never meet gair
until meet you at the bar of God, where You
too, will meet my ruined AMI lost husband, anc
those five sons, who, through your means anC
influence, fll the drunkard's grave.
The old woman sat down. Perfect silence
prevailed, until broken by the president, VIII,
rose to put the question to the meetlng-"Shsi
We petition the court 10 issue licenses to thi,
borough for the ensuing year" and then ont
unbroken "No!" which made the very walls re-
echo with the sound told the result of the OLD
womOn's appeal.
STRANGE ANoN.Ly or FEELINGS iol
lowing fact is related by Napoleon with refer
cnce TO one oi his great actions in Italy, whf7
passing over the field of battle before the dcat
bodies had been inferred. In The deep sileuc,
Of a moonlight night (salG the Emperor dog
Teapng suddenly from the clothes of his master
rushed upon US, and then returned TO his hiding
place, bowling pl.eously. lie alternately ick,
ed his matters hand, and ran towards US thus
owing to my o~l particular turn of mind at the
mvrlenb the time, the place or the action itself
know not, bal certainly To incident on any
field Of battle ever produced so deep an mpres-
sion m me. invountarily stopped to contem.
plate the scene. THIS man, thought l. has
friends in the camp or in his company, and
here he lies forsaken hy all except his do
What lesson nature has presented thrc,ob N,
medium of an animal What n .,r,,ro hs;n,
is man! And how myster; ans ,rs b,s ;rorros
S'on' "'u' "''u ,ut eluotion ordered battle
"'''o" "''e :, decide the fate of this army
had b. ,,a ,,;,t, ,,..o loo, o,. ,h, ovoo,,,;o,
,nose operations by which numbers of my couh
trymen We're sacrificed, and here feelings wer
reused by the munrnful howlings of dog
: A gentleman with a glass eye was about t
exercise the right of suffrage short time ago
when he was accosted by political opponent
! with, al say, MASTER what are you dong here