Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1852-11-27
The Door in The Heart.
BY MISS V. F. TOWNSEND.

''She was stern, hard woman But far away,
up great many pairs of winding stairs in her
heart, door, easily passed by, and on that
door was wrtten-WoMAN' Boo.
''And so it is with the drunlard. Far away,
up great many pair OF winding stirs in his heart
is door and on that door is written-'NAN,' and
we must knock at that door once, twice-yea, sew
cnty times seven-that it may open unto us -
-Joha b. Gough.
He was an old man Not so old, either; for
the wrinkles that married his cadayerous yisage
were not the autograph that Times fingers had
laid there; and The hand that placed upon the low
table the well drained glass, did not trembe so
with the weakness thag age induces. very old
and very wretched locked the sole occupant Of that
narrow room, with It's red curtains and floor stain
ed with tobacco Juice, ard al atmosphere album
dainty seasoned by the baTroom, into which 1t
opened hat liz must have been intended for
one, half concealed the owners uncombed locks,
and unmiStakable evidence of familiar acquain-
lance with ''brickbats and the gutter did the
same hat produce. Then there was coat out of
whose sleeves pceped pair of elbows in rejoicing
consciousness that they could afford TO be OUT
! Add to these a shabby pair Of faded pants, and
YOU have, reader, the tout ensemble Of the wretch
| ed being who had just commenced his daily pota-
tons in the only grog shop he was allowed to fire.
quent. AND yet the wretched, frendless creature
/
morning dram, had d heart; and far up great
many pairs of winding stairs in that heart was a
door, easily passed by, and on that door, covered
with cobwebs and dust of Tine and Sin, was writ
ten,-sMAN!" But nobody dreamed of this, and
when the Temperance men" had gone 10 him with
the pledge, and promised him employment and re-
spectability if he would sign 1t; and others, well
meaning men, too, had rated him soundty for bis
evil ways, and he had turned deaf ear to all these
things, and gone back with blind pertinacity to his
cups again, every body said old Billy Strong:
case was hopeless one.
All! none of these had patiently CROPPED theil
way up the hearts winding stairs and read the In
scription on the hidden door there.
While the unhappy man sat by the pine table
that morning, the bar-keeper suddenly entered
followed by lady with pale, high brow mild
hazel eyes, and strangely winning expression OF
her pensive face. The old man looked up with
' vacant stare of establishment as the bar-keepe
offered the lady chair, and pointed to the occu
t pant of the other, saying:
That's Billy Strong, ma'am;" and with Ing
ering glance of curiosity, left the gentlewoma
alone with the astonished and now thoroughly SO
bered man.
The soft eyes of the lady wandered with sad
plying expression, over Bills features, and the
5 In low, sweet voice. she asked:
E Am l rightly informed Do address Nj
William Strong %
r All with those words the lady had got turtle
b up those winding stairs-nearer the hidden dool
S than all who had gone before her.
Eyes, that is my name, ma am, " said old Bill
# and he glanced at bis shabby attire, and actual
e fried to hide the elbow which peeplng OF
. farthest, for it was long time since he had bee
+ addressed by that name, and somehow 1t sounde
e very pleasant to him.
" Il am very glad to meet you, Mr.. Strong,
y said the lady. 81 have heard my father speak !,
N YOU so often, and Of the days when you and |
ID were boys together that almost teei as II
g were old acquaintance You surely cannot ma
Id forgotten Charles Morrison y
b. mo, mol Charlie and used to be old cronles
er said old Bill, with sudden animation, and llg
in his eye, such as had not been there for many
Iir day, except when rum lent it ftfu brlllancy
er All the lady did not know, as perhaps the a
of gels did, that she had mounted The stairs, and
A. softly feeling for that unseen door, SO she went
)" II almost feel as il could see the old spot u
n. on which your homestead stood, Mr.. Strong,
r. have heard my father describe it SO often. T
hill with It's crown of old oaks, at the back
vour house, and the field of golden harvest gra
:. that waved in front. Then there was the gre
orass-plot before the front door, and the huge
- annie tree that threw its shadows across It, a
80 he great. od-fashioned portico, and the era
]. vine that crept around the pillars, and the ro
r. busb that looked in at the bedroom window, q
! The snr;no that went shining and singing throu
:, the he'd Of mint at the side of the house
e. Old Bill moved uneasily in his chair, and
muscles around his mouth tWI1cE ea occaslon''i