Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1853-09-22

A new star has arisen and there is hop,
in the dark night which hangs, like 1
pail of gloom over our country
With thrilling depth of voice, tbs
speaker continued, "Ol God, thor
who lookest with compassion upon thu
most erring of earth's frail children,
thank thee that a brazen serpent ha:
been lifted up on which the drunkard
can look and be healed. That beacon
has burst out upon the darkness that
surrounds him, which shall guide bach
to honor and heaven the bruised and
weary wanderer"
1t is strange what power there is in
some voices. The speakers voice was
low and measured, but a tear trembled
in every tone, and, before / knew why,
tear dropped upon my hand, followed
by others like rain drops. The old man
brushed one from his own eye and con-
tinued: iv '
"Men and Christians, you have Just
heard that am vagrant and a fanatic.
| am not As God knows my own sad
heart, | came here to do good. Hear
me and be just.
81 am an old man, standing alone at
the end of lfe's journey. There is a
deep sorrow in my heart and tears in
my eyes. | have journeyed over a
dark, beaconless ocean, and all life's
hopes have been wrecked. am with
ont friends, home or kindred, on earth,
and look with longing to the rest of the
night of death. Without friends, kind
red or home! 1 was not once sop
No one could withstand the touching
pathos of the old man. l noticed tear
trembling on the lid of my fathers
eye, and no more felt ashamed of my
own. -
''No, my friends, it was not so once.
Away over the dark waves which have
wrecked my hopes, there is the blessed
light of happiness and home. 1 reach
again convulsiyely for the shrines of
the household idols that once were
mine, now mine no more"
The old man seemed looking away
through vacancy upon some bright
vision, his finger extended. inyoluta-
rily turned in the direction where it
was pointed, dreading to see some
shadow invoked by its magic moving.
81 once had mother. With her
old heart crushed with sorrows, she
went down to her grave. l once had
wife-a fair, angel-hearted creature as
ever smiled in an earthly home. Her
eye was as mild as summer sky, and
her heart as faithful and true as ever
guarded and cherished a husbands
love. Her blue eye grew dim as the
floods of sorrow washed away its
brightness, and the living heart
wrung till every fiber was broken. J
once had noble, a brave and beauti-
full boy; but he was driven out from the
ruins of a home, and my old heart
yearns to know if he yet lives. l once
had babe, a sweet, tender blossom;
but these hands destroyed it, and it
lives with one who loveth children.
"Do not be startled, friends-I am
not murderer, in the common accepta-
ton of the term. Yet there is a light
in my evening sky. A spirit mother
rejoices over the return of her prodigal
son. The wife smiles upon him who
again turns back to virtue and honor.
The child-angel visits me at night-fall,
and l feel the hallowing touch of a tiny
balm upon my feverish cheek. Ny
brave boy, if he yet lives, would for
give the sorrowing old man for the
treatment which drove him into the
world, and the blow that manned him
for life. God forgive me for the ruin
which have brought upon me and
mine"
He again wiped tear from his eye.
Ny father watched him with strange in
tensity, and a eountenance unusually
pale and excited by some strong emo
ton.
81 was once a fanatic, and madly
followed the malign light which led me
to ruin l was fanatic when / sacri-
feed my wife, children, happiness and
home, to the Accusing demon of the
bowl. once adored the gentle being
whom l injured so deeply.
"I was drunkard. From respecta-
bility and influence, 1 plunged into
degradation and poverty. 1 dragged
my family down with me. For years l
saw her cheek pale and her step grow
weary. l left her alone amid the
wreck of her home idols, and rioted at
the tavern. She never complained, yet
she and the children went hungry for
bread.
zone New Years night 1 returned
late to the hut where charity had given
US aroof. She was yet up and shiver-
ing over the Goals. l demanded food,
but she burst into tears and told me
there was none. l iercely ordered her
to get some. She turned her eyes sadly
upon me, the tears falling fast over her
pale cheek.
CAT this moment the child in its
cradle awoke and sent up a famishing
wall, startling the despairing mother
like serpent's sting.
"We have no food, James-have had
none for two days. / have nothing for
the babe. Ny once kind husband,
must zoe starUeS"
"That sad, pleading face, and those
u r u Il r