The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1851-03-22


silence. a. We wor" leaving the village we met
an influential professor of religion, who unfnrtu.
na'cIy took hl, comfortable glass aud argued a.
gains temperance societies When | reflected
that a lew words from hlm would have induced
my poor b.ni to >ign the pledge, and that It
he hal done So hc might have been 'hc kind fi,h.
81 and aliesituLato husband lac once vas | Gwu Il
cost me some considerable effort to to suppress
my emotions. 'NLlthcr are YOU all galng said
thls gentleman Ny husband. who had alwav.
appeared extremely humble in the presence Of
lh~ very respectable uci. i. .hbor and rcpsI To- all
ms inquire, m very -uhducd tone of voice an
-wrrcd with unusual iirmncss, To iil sir 10
jail sald he All, ! sec how it l.; YOU have
wasted your substance IN rDtous living You
have had the advantage of my prccept and cx.
ample, and you have turned deaf ear to the one
aud neglected the other Sir my husband re-
piled, CALLED bs this reprooi, which appeared To
Inn an unnecessary aggrayatIun e his ml,cry
your precept and example have been Ry ruin;
lave followed them both. You, who had no cx
perieuee Of the temptations to which your weak
GER brethren are liable, who arc already addicted
to the temperate aud daily use Of ardent spirits
ADVISED me never to sign a pledge. | have fol
lowed your advice to the letter You admitted
that extraordinary occasions might Justify the use
oI ardent spirits, and that en- sucl. occasions Won
might use 1t yourself ! followed yOur example
but 1t has been my misfortune never 10 drink
spirtuuus liquors without finding that my Occd
slonS were more extraordinary than ever. Had
followed the prccept and example Of my neigh
hor johnson should not have made u g-oi wife
miserable, nor my children teggars While he
uttered these last words, my poor husband look
ed upon Ia, ttle ones aud burst into tears and
the gentleman rode slowly away without utterlng
Il word rtLofecd even ia the midst of our mis-
cry to see that the heart of my poor George was
tcndcrly affected for it is not more ncedful that
the hardness Of WAX should be subdued BY fire,
than that the heart Of man should be soitencd hy
atfction before deep and lasting impression can
be made
Dear husband said |, we are Young: it j. not
too late, let US trust in God, aud all may vet be
we'll lie made no reply, but continued To walk
and weep IN ,lIence Shortly after, the deacon
appeared at some distance coming towards Us on
. the road, but, rs soon a. he die JvCred who We
were, hr turned away into private path Even
the constable seemed somewhat touched with
compassion nj our sl'ual, u, and urged Us TO keep
up good heart, for he thought some one might
help us wien We least expected it. 4 one horse
/ wagon at this moment appeared to bc coming
| down the hill behind Us At an unusually rapid
rate and the constable advised us, as the road
/ was narrow, to stand aside and let it pass IL va,
soon up to US; and, when the dust had cleared
away it turned out, a. little Rober, had said when
/. first appeared on the top OF the hll to be farm
cr Joiin-uns grey mare and yellow wagon. Tie
kind hearted farmer was out IN an instant. and
without SAYING word, was putting the children
| into it, one after another. A word from farmer
johnson was enough for any constable in the vii
/ age 1t was all the work Of a moment. lie
l. 4 Il. 1
began, 'Ncighbur johnson, YOU are the same
/ kind fricnd'-'Gct i'll, said he, lets have no
words about It; must be home in trce fol
- tuning to me 'yeur old school mate Susan
nv wife, will sit crying at the window till sh,
sees you all safe home again Saying this, h,
whipped up the grey mare, who, regardless d
| the additional load, went up the hill faster thar
,hc came down. as though She entered into the
! spirit # the whole transaction
| |. was not long befhe We reached the door o
cur cottage. Farmer johnson took out the chl
urcn, aud. while was trying to find words tC
thank him for all hi, kindness, he WAS up in III.
wagon and off, before | could utter a syllable
Robert screamed after him to tell little Tim John
son to come over, aud tha, he should have all Lr
I iuk- and m'r.gu.ds. When We entered the cot
t, ,gr, there w,te bread meat and milk upon III,
tab.c wncA Susan, The farmers wife, had OrUugh
over itr tie ,hlrtn. | could not help >ubbiu.
aloud, tor my hcIlt WAS full. Dear George
sand l. iurnlus my husband, YOU used to pray
ctu, thank God for thl, treat driyeranoe from
evil Dear jenny saId he, l fear God Wi
. scarcely Hs.vn 80 my poor prayers, after all NY
offences; but will iIy' Nu closed the colt Ist
door anG hc prayed with 80 much humility o
heart and - much ,aur-tuc,, ui feeling, that
lpli almost sue that God, grace would be hight
ed UP il the bosom Of this unhappy man, If slghs
and tear>, aud prayers, could WIN Iher wa! t'
heaven. lie Wa, very grave ami SAID htil" ul
nothing that night. The next morning, when
awukc up, | was surprised, ~ the sun had moi
risen, tn mud that he had already gone out Al
tir,, | felt alarmed ~ such a thing had bccom,
unusual with him Of Late wears hut my anSiou
elings were agrceably relieved when the child
rcn told me their father had been hoclng for M
hour in the potatoc field and was mcndng th,
garden fence Wlh our scanty materials, "
ready the best breakfast could, aad he sat dowr
to it with good appetite but sand little, an,
now and then | saw the tears starting into In
ewes | had many fears that he would fall bLcI
into his former hablts, Whenever h. should NEE
lis old companions, or step IN again at the deA
cons store. Was about urging Inn to move m
t. another vIll.gc. After breakfast he took M
aside and asked me II had not gold ring -
George said l. that ing was mr mothers; sh
took 1t from her finger and gave 1t to pc the ia,
that she died | would not part with that rnS
unless 1t were Ia save life. BESIDES, II we are IN
du.trlouS aud honest, We shall not be- mrsakru
. Dear Jenny said he i know how YOU prize tia
gold ring nsvcr loved YOU mur, than when yo
wcpt over 1t. while you first told me the story :
your mothers death, 1t was just mohth bc!or
wa were married, the last Sabbath evening
MAY, Jenny, and we were walking by the rive
i wish you would bring me that ring Mcmor
hurried mo back IN an instant to the scene IN
, bank upon the rivers side where We sat togctl
I or aud agreed upon our wedding day. btoCgl
~ down the ring and he a,kc, me, with such q
~ carncstncss ot mnnaer to put 1t on his little III
= ger that did -o not. however, without trcn
!, bling hand and n misgvng heart And nu'
=, Jenny said he, rs hc rose to 20 out pray tn
y. God will sUpport me My mind was not IN
Z happy state. for | felt some doubt Of his inter
: tons. From little hill a, the back Of our ca
tagc We had n fair view Of the dcacens s,or
:. | went up t" the top of Il; and, while watchc
, my husbands steps no one cau tell how fcrven,l
= ! PRAYED God To guide them Alright, saw tN
of hi, old companions standing at the store doc
=, with glasses IN their hands aud, as my huSbir
/, came IN iront Of the shop, saw them him IN.
If was sad moment for me, 20 Goorgcf said
:, though | knew he could not hear me, go NJ
b. remember your poor wife and your s,arvlr