The Ohio organ, of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, [Ohio]) 1853-1854, 1853-07-01

Gay HOOr OF OndIley DrOWn'S novel
his wife, ragged and heart-broken, sat
by the hearth, witha crying child on
her knee, add others about her feet
There was scarcely scrap of furni-
ture in the room; it had been broken
to pieces during the drunken out
breaks Of her husband, or pawned by
him to supply his ravenOus appetite
for drink. The children were ragged
and dirty. There was no place for
me to sit down upon, but I stood for
few minutes and told the trembling
wife what was my errand to the town,
what her husband had that night
promised me-that he would entirely
abstain from drink in the future and
turning to him, said L. Charley, |
hope you will keep your promise LIKE
A MANP Il willP said he, i am
determined that I will and you shall
see.' l confess thatI despaired the
case seemed SO hopeless. Neverthe-
less, I tried to hope and / encouraged
him 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 Charley Brown, he was the
handsomest fellow in the place, one Of
the best workmen, though rather gay
He was bootmaker by trade, and
when he stuck to his work he could
make from 30s to G2 week. But lat
terly, he had been making very short
time, and everything thathe made, as
we'll as all their furniture and most Of
their clothing, had gone for drink. 1t
was story similar to thousands more,
fit to make the heart bleed.
"I took my leave, but promised to
call in the morning before leaving
town. | did SO, and found Charley at
his work, He was now quite sober,
and distinctly remembered his promise
of the previous night, He still said
that he was resolved to keep the
pledge, and that he would do so. My
hopes about the man were now raised,
though they were still very weak; and
encouraging him to abide by his good
resolution, / left him.
GA year passed, and I revisited
the town. OF course, my first thought
was, what had become of Charley
Brown. Often had l reflected about
my first visit, and my one convert
and | wondered whether character
so desperate could by this or any 9TH
er means be made good for anything
Charley being what is called 'notori-
GUS character in the town, | had no
difficulty in finding him out, though
he had removed to another quarter.
1 Knocked at his door, and was admit
ted. Could believe my eyes? Was
this clean and contented looking wo.
man the same whom, wretched and
ragged, l had visited in the drunkard's S
home in - Street but a short year
ago? Were these healthy children
the same that | had seen, peevish and
dirty, sprawling on the mud floor Of
the old beggar's hovel 1t was in
deed so! The woman sprang to me
with God bless you, sir God bless
you !! and shook me cordially by the
hand. 'Oh, how much we owe you,
sir,-come in, come in =
"The woman's eyes sparkled with
pleasure. She could not do too much
for me,-ofered me the best chair to
sit down upon, insisted | should have
tea and cake, that | must wait until
Charles came in-he would be back
presently; and I was resolved to see
him, for already saw clearly enough
that the cure was fairly at work, and
that the drunken convert had un-
expectedly proved good and true
man.
"Of course, inquired into the