The Ohio organ, of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, [Ohio]) 1853-1854, 1853-02-11

around this large audience. There |
sits anold friend and there and there. /
Like mine, their heads are blossomiDg
lor eternity. Long years ago, we
started side by side on the journey Of
life. We had our wives and our little.
ones aro6nd JUS then. Where afe
they now9" 9...........-. .....
Another long pause and deep silence
followed. The dropping of a pin
could have been heard in that crowded
assembly.
i" When my thoughts 60 wandering
back, to chat oldeh time," resumed the
speaker, "and | see, in imagination,
the bright FIRE, now extinguished, and
hear, in Imagination, the glad voices
Of children, now hushed forever and
when think Of what caused this sad
change, do not wonder that / have
been all on FIRE, as it were that /
have appeared to some a mere cold
water fanatic.
I" wish that young man were here
tonight and, perhaps, he is here. |
will, at any rate, take his presence for
granted, and make briefly my address
to him.
Il "You have called me, my young
/ friend, cold water fanatic. II YOU
H had said, enthusiastic, | would have
i liked the tern better. But, no matter,
fanatic let il be. Aud what has
made me so? / will draw for you a
i picture:
| There is a small, meagerly fur
nished room in the third story Of an
old building. The time is winter !;
and on the hearth burns few pieces
/ of pine wood, that afford but little
warmth. Three persons are in that
room-a mother and her two children,
The mother is still young but her
thin, sad, suffering face, tells story
Of poverty, sickness, and that heart
sorrow which dries up the very loun-
tains Of life. A few years previously,
She hadAgone forth from her fathers
house, a happy bride, looking down
the open vista of the future, and see
ing naught but Joy nd sunshine. She
clung to her husband as confdingIy
as the vine clings to the oak and she
II ldEed hm with all the (ervor and de.
gotiS ,Cf anphyS, young heart. AlssI
II q 81 shadow sosooR fell upon her
path that loves clinging tendrils
were soon torn away 7aasa Fh
''She is still young. Look upon
her as she moves with feeble steps
about her room. All! into what a
depth of misery she has falIen!-
Where is her husband he who SOL
emnly swore to love, cherish, and keep
her in sickness and in health? The
door has openedl He enters-caze
upon him! No wonder an expression
of pain and disgust is on your coun-
tenance for a miserable drunkard is
before you. No wonder the poor
wife's pale cheek grows paler, nor
that the sadness of her face changes
into a look of anguish. Hark ! He
has greeted her with an angry word.
He staggers across the room, and, in
doing SO, throws over that little tod
ding thing on her way to meet him.
The mother, with an exclamation,
springs forward to save her child from
harm. See Z! The drunken wretch
} has thrust her angrily aside with his
strong arm; and she has fallen-fallen
with her head across chair"
"The fall, my friends, proved fatal
e A week after that unhappy day,
; stood by the grave Of one who had
$ been to me the best and most lovino
: of children!'
e The speakers voice faltered. Blu
e he recovered himself, and went on:
r "a few years before, / gave my
It child, dear to me as the apple Of sr
r eye, into the keeping of one Ibelievet