Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1853-08-27

"By this time some other tipsy men had
oined the audience, and | was told that
'oer shop keeper was among them, who kept
ip n fire Of interruptions shouting out, it's a !
ie! You're foolp and such like, and pieces |
,f rubbish and dirt began to be thrown at
ne from the outskirts Of the crowd.
"At this the drunken man, whom the
crowd had saluted by the name of Charley,
strobe forward, and pushing his way up TO
where I stood, stretched forth his hand to
me- Ny first thought was that he intended
to pull me down from my chair, and the de-
lighted audience thought So too, but the man
called out instead, that must shake hands
with him. which | did at once; and the man
clapping me on the shoulder, called out, eco
on, gooi lad, and let Charley Brown see the
man that dares to NEEDLE wi youI
"As afterwards learnt, this Charly was
the terror of the ncghborhood he was the
greatest fighter in the place, and bis Dashed
face bore many evidences of his pugilism as
well as of his drunkenness. So his patron
age at once quelled the rising insults of the
crowd, and was permitted quietly to finish
my address. At the end | offered to take
the names Of any persons who might be dis
posed to join the Teetotal Society, and to my
surprise-I may almost say dismay on
ly one who offered to join was drunken Char
ley. |, of course, regarded his taking his
pledge as JOKE and offered to defer it until
the following morning. MOI he said, NOW,
Now-I'm your man. So took his pledge
i confess reluctantly, and amidst much
laughter No one dared to follow his exam
ple--it seemed only loo ludicrous.
"Well. returned the chair to the poor wo-
man, from whom had borrowed 1T, and was
about to proceed to my humble lodging, but
Charley would not leave me. He insisted
on accompanying me, arm -in-arm, across the
Market-place, down the High street-people
coming to their doors 20 see us pass, aud
wondering what new mischief that drunken
pest had been brewing. Charley even nsis-
ted on my going to his house to see his wife
and children. l consented to go, for found
| could not shake him off; and was after
wards glad | went.
a was introduced to the Drunkard's Home
and more destitute, wretched home never
entered. Down several steps from the street,
in house situated in one of the poorest dis
tricts in the place, | landed on the clay floor
of Charley Browns hoYel! his wife, ragged
and heart broken, sat by the hearth with a
crying child on her knee, and others about
her feet There was scarcely a scrap OF
furniture in the room; it had been broken
during the drunken outbreaks of her hus-
band or pawncd by HIM to supply his raven
Gus appetite for drink The children were
ragged and dirty. There was no place for
me to sit dewn upon, butt stood for few
minutes and told the trembling wife what
was my erraRd to the town, what her hus.
band had that night promised me-that he
would entirely abstain from drink for the fu-
ture; and turning to him. said Charley,
hope you will keep your promise LEE MAN
Twill said he, L am determined that | will ;
and you shall see' confess that despared
the case seemed so hopeless. Neverlhe,
less, tried to hope, and encouraged as well
as could and urged his wife to aid him in
his good resolution.
,"The poor woman told me her brief and
pitiful story. When she married Char
ley Brown. he was the handsomest fellow in
the place, and one of the best workmen,
though rather gay He was bootmaker
by trade, and when he stack to his work he
could make abundant wages. But atterly
he had been making very short time, and
everything that he made, as we'll as their
furniture and most of their clothing, had gone
for drink. 1t was story similar to thousands
more-ft to make the heart bleed.
81 took my leave, but promised to call
again in the morning, before leaving town.
did 80, and found Charley at his work. He
was now quite sober, and remembered dis
tinCtly the promise of the previous night. He
still said that he was resolved to keep the
pledge. aud that he would do so. Ny hopes
about the man were now raised, though they
we've still very weak: and encouraging him
to abide By his good resolution, left him
"A year passed, and revisited the town,
--Of course nay first thought was, what had
become of Charley Brown. Often had | re-
hected about my first visit, and my one con-
vert: and | wondered whether character so
desperate could by this or any other means
be made good for anything. Charley being
what is called notorious character in the
town. had no difficulty in finding him out,
though he had removed to another quarter.
knocked at his door, and was admitted.
Could | believe my eyes? Was this clean
and contented looking woman the same whom,
wretched and ragged, had visited in
street but short year ago? Were these heal,
thy children the same that had seen pevish
and dirty, sprawling on the mud floor of the
old beggar's howell? 1t was indeed so! The
woman sprang to me with a God bless you,
sir! God bless you!' and shook me cordially
by the hand. 'Oh, how much we owe you
sr--come in, come inl
"rhe woman's eyes sparkled with pleasure.
She could not do much for me-ofercd me
the best chair to sit down upon-insisted that
| should have tea and eake-thst must wait
until Charles came in--he would be back
presently: and was resolved to see him, for
already saw clearly enough that the cure
was fairly at work, and that the drunken con-
vert had Unexpectedly proved good and
true man.
"Of course, | enqured into the cause of the
immense Improvement which | saw every
where around me, in the wife and children,
in the furniture oft dwelling, and the air
of comfort which prevailed the place. The
story was soon told. Charles had kept the
pledge. Ii was terrible STRUGGLE with him