Hannibal journal. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1853-1853, 1853-05-10
TIE pRUxxARDs sIRI1
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com lexion, rising, as the last.speskef took hlS
seat II have been grog seller"
Al this announcement, there was movcmtM
through the whole room, aud an expression Of
increased interest. -. '',"t
ayes Mr.. President" he went on, ~ have
been grog seller, and many agass have sold
TO YOU, and to the Secretary and TO dozen Of
others that see Distinguishing around upon
the company.
"That's fact" broke in the President,
''many = gin.tOddy and brandy-punch have
taken at your bar. But times are changed now,
and we have begun TO carry the war into the
enemy's camp. And our war has not been ale
together unsuccessful. for we have taken pris-
oner, one Of the rnm-seer's braveSt Generals!
But, 90 on friend W let us have your
experience"
"As to my experience, Mr.. President" the
ex.bar-keerer resumed, sin rum.selliHg and
drinking, for have done great deal of both
in my time, that would he rather too long tell
to-night-and One that I would much rather for
get than relate. It makes me tremble and sick
at heart, Whenever lSOk upon the evil that l
have done, l, therefore, usually look ahead with
the hope Of doing some good 10 my fellow
men.
But there is one incident will relnte. For
the last Ave years, Woodworking mechanic,
with wife and seven small children, came reg
ularly, almost every night, 10 my place, and
spent the evening in my bOr.roOm. He came
: to drink, Of course, and many dollar Of hiS
bard earnings went into my till. Al last he be-
came perfect Sot, working scarcely Onc-fourth
Of the time, and spending all he earned in IL.
J quor. His poor wife had TO take in washing to
support herself and children, while he spent his
time and the little he could earn at my bar
But his appetite for liquor was so strong, that
his weeks earnings were usually gone by Tues.
, day or Wednesday, and then had TO chalk up
a score against him, to be paid of when Satur-
day night came.
This score gradually increased, until it
l amounted TO three or four dollars over his Sat-
urday nights pay, when refused 10 sell him
any more liquor until it was settled. On the day
after had thus refused him, he came in with q
neat mourning breast pin, enclosing some hair,
thought Of a deceased relative. This he offer
ed in payment Tor what he owed. ! accepted
il, for tho pin saw at once was worth double
= the amount Of my bill. did not think, nor in
deed care about the question. whether he own
ed It or moi; wanted my own, and in my selfish
cagerneSs to get it, hesitated not to take lii.
il tie more than my own.
laid the breast-pin away, and all things
> went OIL smoothly for while. But he gradS-
ally got behind. This time he brought me
pair Of brass andrOnS, and pair Of brass cam
dleSticks, and took them and wiped of tho
q score against him. At last he bE ht large
. family Bible, aud took that o-Ithinking, no
/. doubt, could sell 1t for something.
On the Sunday afterwards, having nothing to
do, for used TO shut my bar on Sundays, think
ing it was not respectable TO sell liquor, opened
. this poor drunkard's Bible, scarcely thinking of
n what / was doing. The first place l turned
y was to the family record. There il was stated,
that, upon certain day he had been married TO
Emily--,I had known Emily, when
d was young man, very well, and had once
10 thought seriously Of offering myself 10 her in
IN marriage. remembered her happy yo,fng face,
,, and seemed suddenly to hear tone u her mer.
10 ry laughter. ,.;'
e "Poor creature! sighed involuntarily as
70 thought OF her present condition crossed my
mind-and with no pleasant feelings, i turned
ever another leaf. There was the record of the
birth Of her four children; the last had been
m made recently, and was in the mothers hand.
ID never had such strange feelings as now
,Y came over me. ! felt that had no business
4. with this book; but tried le stihs my feelings
N and turned over several leaves quickly. ASH
>. suffered my eyes TO rest upon an open page,
"a these words arrested my attention -
:. ITO he EnntiOtadN r't..