Hillsdale Whig standard. (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1846-1851, 1850-07-09

"uI ioI HOthlny, all was kel
straight by spending sixpence or a shllin
in whiskey. Before ono barrel was ou,. n
Squire would always manage TO have AZ
other on the spot and on this .ccount h
was considered a public benefactor. and wa
elected Squire an Office, which he held "a
more than twenty years. | shall never 20,
get the last timo was at tho grindstone.-
.Wever, NEVER! shall forgot that dayq
What happened on that day. said VIC
that makes you remember it so well1
'Why, IT you have time to hear IT.. will
'ell you the whole story. | was once a wick
ed man, stranger, very wicked, a blasphemeI
an lntdel and drunkard. was going :,
tell you about the last time was M m,
Squire's grindstone. Well, | started on J
me morning in the latter part of MAY, witt
oushel Of corn on my back, and as the dav
was long, and | had got an early start,
thought could get out to the mill, and back,
again by night. Indeed il was necessary
that should return the same day, as did
not leave pound Of meal in the house. We
were dependent mainly. upon meal and milk
lot our living, as pork at this season of the
year, was pretty scarce. did not take nv
axe mat morning, as was in the habit of do.
ing, havlng determined rot to make any stop
at 'S9uires, although it lay in my way. Hav-
a
house, / was ovortaken by three of nv neigh
uoIS' win axes going to grind and of course
inc stone must BIO wet. They invited mo tD
/ turn IN and partake with them in n dron of
the new barre! of a very superiar quality had
arrived few DAYS previous. or ooiirse I
dla not need much pressing. The new stock
was pronounced by ell hands TO be excellent.
ana turned tho gsindstone and drank whis-
Key nhtii noon | now thought il time 10
| start lor the mill, and il did seem to mo that
J wait cd'on great deal faster by TIE helm
OF the spirit, than otherwise could have done
made no doubt that | could get homo by
h'ght' but for III tho speed with which was
ge'tng over tho ground, found on arriving
az inc miii, that | had been five hours in tray
cling nine miles [ could not believe il. but
the miller showed mo the noon inark, and cal.
cuIated The time, SO there could be no mis-
take i1e told me that the water was lo,y
ana ne could no; do my grinding short of an
hour' IL was not u mill like the mills wa
nave now a-days, that can grind a bushel of
corn IN glBey Somewhat sobered. | felt
VeSed at this state Of things; saw plainly
could not ge home that night, and nv chill !
e'ou must 90 to bed snpperless felt ready
70 cry Tor no man ever loved his children
3e'teF Wan did; drunkard that was, my
il isea' was never clean gone. cursed the !
squire grlnGstone. whiskey barrel and ALL /
Out 4, was OF no usei my eursing did not /
mona The matter in the least
At !ast' ! thought the children might make
out WIN mix Tor supper, for one nirht. and
,HOu'" get nome bright and early il the NOR
nlhg got my grist about an hour before
s"nGo"n aAd returned fopr miles, when put
u at house Of a ncighbor for tho ninht.
ne were al ighbor5 within twenty miles)
a was up III the morning as soon as it he
yah to get light, and while enoaoed in
1o"i ol bread and milk, some one knocked.
ne woman Of the house went TO the door
ma was asked If Mr.. b. was there. Beiog
Ola mat l was, man entered and come IN
% me said VI
he woodsr - 1'' i'S' :" .
i tod him he lied, for knew not what ,,
aio' out had some kind Of thcugh, that the :
nan wanted 10 scaro me. !
~ IS true he said, 'and have been clear
iown to The mill, looking after vou. And
ONE OF the neighbors have been hunting
Or the children all nightr (
saw the man was in earnest. | cannot
eseribe my feelings, stranger at this mo-
ient' Did you ever feel as If the earth was
nISing away from under your feet. and the
mole weight Of the heavens coming down q
pom your head Did YOU ever feel vopr >
cart Knocking against your breast like -
cdgo hammer, and threatening 10 force a =
'ssage up through your throatl Ii Won ey- =
leIO So you know something ofiny feelings
tlat terrible morning But, after all, nv &
oiiig ala not bewilder me, nor render me
eItVe' rushed from tho house ike a .,
Iullan--Soan man leaving tho messenger and 81
. iist iaF oehlnd. Neither stump, stone, >,
q iaiIeii trees, impeded my course. was b., b.
u"s9b Iheh' ana few men were more feet -,
)ot than was in those days / remanher IA "a
thing OF my thoughts, until had rot with % %
nun mile OF my own house. | then be- a.,
n TO conjecture which Of nv children il a.
uld DC th1t was lost, (for I had Forgotten az ,'V
II lhe man mentioned two.) Could il be ia ia
own dear little Nelly, who used 10 come vi va
nclhg to meet her father every nirht. with W es
ey es sparkling like diamonds? Whether e'
aine nome drunk or SOBER Nelly always no no
DICED 10 meet me. ma
lave you any children sirT ~ -
We answered in the affirmative. -,
ou WI not wonder then stthe old mans ha,
-, wheo remembering and speaking Of the 80
'ng' pure love of lille daughter. But i,';i
&c can tel how dear child is uutil il is 80
~ inc woods. II IL nothing, compars ~" IL
~ nothing, to lay child in the grave.
. had Tie experience Of both; the one IS 40.
q 'hing. bu' the other is awful. terrible. w soH
came 10 sigh, Of my house, a new idea sII soI'
'cA me--a strange idea 10 en,er heal '"e
'n'ne' thought now If there is = God :, I
ian save my child. I don't know wbv !, ~ M =
; ou' ior the first time in my life, I lei, "'
there Was GUd. Ny nhdelity had IN gs
omeot completely vanished. aod / roared s,S. s,Ss
10 aga'n aud sgain--'O Lnrdi save the ~ ~
enid of poor sinner' This was NY aio
iirst payer that had ever ultered-.hnt -, n'
TX God! II was not the last. discover. e"l' s"'s
10 approaching the house, a few men stan. . oool
about The door, and as soon as I conld In In
g I, myself heard. inquired which Of nv hs,
"on was lost was informed IL was Mel. r,as ~ss
90 James. This was a dreadful blow h"i. i,a.'
'he madness ofmy grief had passed awav .,ol ,V'p
my inhdellty, and repeated. Lord. sayo u.oI