Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-03-21
THE RuMsELLER,s CHAMPION.

THE RUMsELLER's CHAMPION.
By r. 8. ARTHUR
It isn't always safe to trust in a bad
cause, no matter how good the champion
may be thought. This few individuals
engaged in the straffic,' discovered not
long since in the town Of Norris, to their
modification and discomfe,ure.
1t happened that certain warm friends
Of the temperance movement in Norris
were drawn into public discussion Of
the abstinence question by clique Of
liquor sellers who felt strong in their
own cause, and confident that they could
put the me ldlesome opposers Of DRAM
drinking to the blush. A challenge hav-
ing been given on one side and accepted
ON the other, night for the encounter
was chosen, and in due course Of time the
parties net. As some newspaper noto-
riety had been given to the affair, there
was strong turn out on the occasion, the
session room Of the church, where the
meeting was held, being packed full.
The meeting being duly organized by
the appointment Of a chairman to maintain
| order, the discussion was opened on the
side of the temperance men, in a manner
that showed them to possess a good por-
ton Of spirit and ability to sustain their
side Of the question.
For some minutes after the first speak
er sat down there was silent pause Of
expectation
I'VE shall now be glad to hear some
thing on the other side.' said the chair
man. "The question is fairly open, and
we trust all will be free to speak their
real sentiments"
At particular part Of the room knot
Of tavern-keepers were gathered, and to-
ward them all eyes. were directed. But,
they had more skiHain handling the mud
dler than in using arguments in a public
assembly, notwithstanding they had boldly
challenged discussion. There was stir
among them, but no one took the floor.
Another temperance man spoke
While he was UP, one Of the tavern. keep
ers left the room, and ere the speech was
finished, returned with man named
Clark, a conductor on the railroad which
had its terminus at the town. This Clark
had once been respectable man, in toler-
ably good circumstances, but had COM
pletely run himself down with drink, and
it was now rare thing for him TO draw
sober breath. The train had just come in,
and he was about stepping into bar
room near the depot, when he was met
by the tavern-kecper just mentioned, who,
without letting him stop TO get drink,
brough, him off to the meeting to argue
their side Of the question for them-Clark
being a man Of some ability. When the
knot of ira affickers saw Clark come in, they
rubbed their hands with delight. They
had now a champion with whom they
canld rest thea cause safely, and they
looked for fun.
For some twenty minutes after Clark
came in, the speaker who had last taken
;he floor continued his argument. As he
sat down, all eyes turned again to that
part Of the room where the opposition
was congregated.
"Now give'em thunder said the man
who brought in Clark, speaking in SO loud
a whisper that he was heard all around.
"Yes-yes Give it to 'en Clark -
You're the boy! Walk into them like
thousand Of brick'!" was urged all around
the poor inebriate, who, thus spurred on,
slowly arose from his seat.
AS soon as Clark was seen to take the
floor. many who knew his habits and
character, and felt disgusted with the men
who had brought him forward on the oc-
casion, cried
"Turn him out! Turn him out !"
While the tavern-keepers as loudly re-
sponded-
"No! no! Let him go on! He shall
speak"
In the midst Of the excitement the chair
man arose, and after getting silence, said
that Mr. c. was in order, and had a per-
feet right to be heard. A few murmurs
of d,sapprobation were heard, and then,
to the iinbonnded delight Of the tavern
keepers, Clark began his speech.
"Mr President, said he, deliberately.
II am now tlirty-fve years old, aud |
am sorry to say, no great credit to myself
or my friends"
So unexpected beginning hushed eve
ry thing into silence: and, somehow or
other the light on the faces of those for
whom he had stepped forward as cham
pion grew fainter.
"At twenty three" continued Clark,
my father set me up in business, and for
three or four years got on pro.perous1y.
But soon after opened my store, the land
shark. came around me, and in the end I
went down, they getting pretty much ev-
ery thing had"
"Clark +! Clark! What do you mean?
What are you driving at ?" eagerly whis-
pered, atthis point, three or four OF the
friends who had gathered around.
"Keep quiet! Just wait while and
you'll see what am driving at. I'll
show you something"
The tavern-keepers leaned back in their
seats, bnt seemed uneasy.
SWELL" continued Clark, 'af,er had
run myself clear down, my friends think
ing that I might have grown wiser by ex-
perience, took hold Of me again; and in
order to make my reformation complete,
picked me out wife and induced me to
marry. Poor Mary! She's had a hard
time Of it," His words slightly faltered
but he went on again steadily. swell
| started in life once more with fair pros
rects and - ould have done bYayelv. but