Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-08-24

My fathers attention had become fixed
upon the eye of the speaker with an inte-
rest had never before seen him exhibit
can but briefly remember the sub
stance of what the old man said, though
the scene is as void before me as any that
l ever witnessed.
"My friends am stranger in your
village, and | trust l may call you
friends. A new star has arisen, and
there is hope in the dark night which
hangs like pail of gloom over our coun-
try" With thrilling depth of voice the
speaker locked his hands together and
continued
cob! God, thou who lookest with
compassion upon the most erring Of
earth's children, thank thee that bra
zen serpent has been lifted, upon~which
the drunkard can look and be healed !;
that beacon has burst out upon the
darkness that surrounds him which shall
guide back to honor and heaven the
bruised and weary wanderer."
1t is strange what power there is in
same voices. The speakers voice was
low and measured, but tear trembled
in every tone, and before knew why, a
tear dropped upon my hand, followed by
others like rain drops. The old man
brushed one from his own eyes and con-
| tinued
.'Men and Christians you have just
heard that | am Il vagrant fanatic. l am
not. AS God knows my sad heart, l
came here to do good. Hear me and be
just"
IL am an old man, standing alone at
the end of lite's journey. There's deep
sorrow in my heart and tears in mine
eyes. | have journeyed over dark, Bea-
confess ocean, and LIES hopes have been
wrecked. l am withou friends, home or
kindred on earth, and look with longing
to the rest of the night OF death. With
out friends or kindred or home. 1t was
not once so -
No one could Withstand the touching
pathos of the old man. l noticed a tear
trembling on the lid of my fathers eye, and
| no more felt ashamed of my own.
90 No, my friends, it was not once so.
Away over the dark waves which have
wrecked my hopes. there is the blessed
/ light of happiness and home. L reach
again convulsigely for the shrines of the
| household idols that once were mine, now
mine no MORE
The old man seemed looking away
through fancy upon some bright vision,
his lips apart and his fingers extended
/ [ involuntarily turned in the direction
where he pointed, dreading to see some
shadow invoked by its magic movement
81 once had mother. With her old
heart crushed with SORROWS. she went
down to her grave, once had a wife,
a fair, angel-hearted creature as ever
smiled in any earthly home. Her eyes
as mild as summers sky. and her
heart as faithful and true as ever guarded
and cherished husbands love. Her blue
eye grew dim as the floods of sorrow
washed away its brightness, and the Ii
/ wing heart | wrung until every fibre was
! broken. l once had a noble, brave and
a beautiful boy, but he was driven from
the ruins of his home, and my old heart
yearns to know if he yet lives. l once
had babe, IA sweet, tender blossom, but
these hands destroyed it, and It liveth
with one who loveth children.
| g Do not be startled, friends-I am not
II murderer in the common acceptance of
the term. Yet there is lig hit in my eve
ming sky. y spirit mother reJoices over
the return of her prodigal son. The wife
smiles upon him who again turns back to
virtue and honor. The angel child visits
me at night fall, and 1 feel the haIlowing
touch ola tiny palm upon my feverish
cheek. My brave boy, if he yet lives,
would forgive the sorrowing old man for
the treatment which drove him into the
world, and the blow that MANNED him for
life. God forgive me fol- the ruin have
brought upon me and mine"
He again wiped tear from his eye
My father watched him with a strange
intensity, and a countenance unusually
pale and excited by some powerful emo
ton.
! &c l was once fanatic, and madly fol-
lowed the malign light which led me to
ruin. l was fanatic when 1 sacrificed
my wife, children, happiness and home
to the accursed demon of the bowl. l
once adored the gentle being whom in
jured so deeply.
4 was a drunkard. From respectabi-
lity and affluence, I plunged into degra-
dation and poverty. dragged my fami-
| ly down with me. For years l saw her
pale cheek, and her steps grow weary
1 left her alone amidst the wreck of her
home idols and rioted at the tavern. She
never complained, yet she and her chill
dren went hungry for bread
{" One New Years night, returned
late to the hut where charity had given
us roof. She was yet up, and shiver-
ing over the Goals. demanded food, but
she burst into tears and told me there
was none. 1 iercely ordered her to get
some. She turned her eyes sadly upon
me, the tears falling fast over her pale
cheek. At this moment the child in its
cradle sent up famished wall, startlin g
the despniring mother like a sernent's