The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-11-18
THE DOOR OF THE HEART.

"She was stern, hard woman! b.
far away up great many pair of "iudig4
stairs in her heart was door, easily passpe
bv, aud on that door was wril,ca-W
nAN''-Bos.
"And so il is with the drnnkard. Far
away up great many winding stairs IL
ais heart, i a door, and on that door i
wrilten--MAN Aud we must knock al
that door once, twice, seven fimes--thal ii
may open unto us.'-Joda b. Cough.
lie was an old man. Not 50 old either
for the wrinkles that narfed his cadaYe.
fous vl-nge were not The autograph thai
Times fingers bad aid there; and the hand
that placed upon the low table the well
drained glass, did not lremble SO with the
weakness that age induces; Yet very OLD
and very wfetcbcd looked The sole occup NJ
OF that narrow room with It's red curtains,
aud floor stained with tobacco Juice, ana an
atmosphere ahunaantiy seasoned BY lbe
barra into which it opened. A hal (It
must have been intended !or one) half con.
ceaied the owners uncombed locks, ard
unnlistskabe evidence Of familiar ac-
dnaintance " ilh .'brck bats and the got
ter,n did that same hat produce. Then
there VAS coat, oct OF whose sleeves
pecped psir ot elbows, in rejoicing con
scioasness that they "could afford TO be
OUT Added to these shabby pair Of
faded pants, aud YOU have, reader. the tout
ensemble of the wre,ched being who bad
Just commenced his daily potaiions in the
only grog shop he was allowed to frequent.
And YET the wreiched, triondless creature
that sat there bali stupjfied with The effects
ui his morning dram, had heart, and far
ap great many pair OF winding stat RS, in
that heart, was Il door, easily passed by.
and on that door, covered with cobwob b.
and dust. Of Time and Sin, was written
Man" But nobody dreamed Of this, and
when the "temperauce men" had gone to
him with the pledge, and promised him
employment aud espectabIltv, if he would
sgn it. and others (woEI meaaing men,
TOO. had rated him soundly for his evil
ways. and he had turned a deaf ear to AL
these things, and had gone back with blind
pertinaci,y 10 his cups again, ever, body
said old Billy Str0ng's case was a hopeless
one.
Ah, none of these had patiently CROPPED
their way up the hearts winding stairs and
read the Inscription on the hidden door
there. But while the unhappy man sal
bv the pine table that morning, the bar
keeper suddenly entered, followed by a
lady with pale, high brow, mild haze
ewes, and strangely winning expression
on her pensiye face. The old man looked
up with vacnn, stare Of establishment, as
the bar keeper offered the lady chair, and
pointed TO the occupant Of the other, sa 2
ng:
"That's Billy Strong, ms'am," and witt
a lingering glance Of curiosity, left thai
gentle woman alone with the astonished
and now thoroughly sobored man.
The soft eyes of the lady wandered with
A sad, pitying expression over BtI's feat
ufes. and then ia low, sweet voice sht
ked:
"Aml rightly inlorned9 Do address
Mr.. William SrongW
All! with those words the lady had goi
further up the winding stairs. nearer the
hidden door, than all who bad gone before
her.
nYes, that is my name, mann" said o!,
Bill, and lie glanced down at his shabby al
tire, and actually tried to hide the elbow
which vas peeping out tarihest, toc it was
long time since he bad been addressed b.
that name, aud somehow it sounded very
pleasant, to him.
81 am very glad 10 meet you, Nix
Strong" said The lady. 8! have heard N,
father speak of you 50 often, and OF th'
days when you and he were boys together
that almost feel as if we were old ac
ouaintanccs. You surely cannot have
iorpoten Charles Morrison!n
"No! no! Charlie and used to be oil
|cronies," said old Bill, with sudden anima
tiou, and light in his eye, such as had no
been there for many day except whel
rum lent it l!ttuI brilljancy.
! All, the lady did not know, ns perhap
1.-The angels did, that she had mounted III
stairs, and was softly feeling for that un
seen door; so she wcn, on:
81 almos, fee! as if could see the oI
spot upon which your homestead stool
Mr.. Strong have heard my father de.
Icribe il 80 often. The hill, with its crow
of old oaks, at tie back Of your house an
1.-The field Of golden harvest grain that way