Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1853-08-13
Is 1T NOT TINE TO ACT7

This question was strongly sugges-
ted to our mind, when reading the
following article, which we copy from
the National htelligsacer.
"TuE VoTE-A THRILLING SCENE.
In the year was in compa-
ny with gentleman who had just re-
turned from tho city Of l., in
New England. He said he put up
at hotel, and for time took his
scat in tho bar room. The door open.
ed suddenly, and female stepped
in. She was the very picture of ago.
ny-her hair dishevollcd, hor dress
negligent, her eye unsteady, and her
movements eccentric. She seemed
to hesitate at first, but n, long,h, gath
cring courage, she moved up to the
bar, and said, Landlord, don't sell
my poor husband any more rum. You
have already ruined US You know
that before he began 10 come to your
bar hc was sober man. He was
respected in society. He was as
had. We had good home, good
farm, and every comfort. But you
sold him liquor until he had no moro
money to pay. Unbcknown TO me,
you got mortgage OIL his farm; you
sold it, and turned me and my help
less children out of doors! My hus-
band lost his health, his character,
and his reputation. Hc became cross
and abusive to me, whom he once ten
dcrly loved. Hc turns me out Of
our wretched hovcl into the cold and
the storm! He comes homo from
your tavern infuriatcd like a'dcmon.
My once kind and amiable husband
and the tender father is q mailman
when he is in liquor. He beats me
and my children cruelty. and threat
ems to murder us!-Oh! don't give
him any moro liquor!" and the tears
gushed from her eyes, while tho land
lord stood speechless.
In the midst of these entreatics,
which should have broken heart of
adamant. q man stepped into the bar
room, and, with the vacant stare OF an
inebriate, moved towards the bar. In
stanlly the pleading wife threw her
self between the man and the bar,
and, with one hand against his breast,
and tho other stretched out implo-
ringly to the landlord, she said, "Oh
don'tl my dear! don't drink! You'll
break my heart" And, bursting
with agony, she turned to the land
lord, and said, "Oh, don't lot him
have ii! don't, don't!" And while
this scene. was passing, hoart-rcndor.
ing and awful beyond the power of
description, the landlord Walked de-
liberately out from behind the coun-
ter, and, taking the woman tudely by
tho arm, said. Z" This is no place for
women;" aud violently tore her from
her husband, and, pushing her out,
shut the door against her. He then
went behind tho counter, and placed
a bottle Of liquor uponit. wretch
ed inebriato staggered up and drank
his dram, placed q piece of money
upon tho counter, tho landlord wiped
it off complacently into the drawer,
and the drunknrd passed out, mad
dcned with the draught, to renew his
brutal attacks upon his defenceless
wife and children.
Nobody defends such barbarous
cruelty as this. No ono apologies
for it. All. agree to pronounce tho
landlord a brute. But there was one
fact deserving special attention. Tho
whole transaction was under sanction
of law! For the sale of every glass
of that ruinous liquor, which reduced
an honest man and good citizen to
the lowest dogrco Of suffering and in
fanny, he could show "liceasc" from
the officers of justice, under authori-
ty solemnly conveyed by grave Sena-
tors and Asscmblymcn, signed by tho
Governor, and bearing tho seal of tho
State!
There was no redress in the law