The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1854-08-03

llIlnB DJy Dub AiioeohsAy SPA"hS ~ t-@>- 49, y
behind the counter to wait upon me, sup
posing was a customer. Says /: II
sis John McI-----d here?" ~
They all looked at me on hearing the
question. as fit had been the old One ora
Sheriff.
swhat is that to youg he sullcnly re-
piled. ' c
II want to see HIM" I answered,
While Twas speaking took another sweep
Of the room with my eye, and saw some
thing like man asleep in the corner. "ls
that John?" | asked.
"None Of your business, /" answered the
surley bar-keeper.
: s'If il is that unhappy man, You VIII hnd
it some of my business, " replied, 80
went to him, recognized him, though in
this shocking, beastly plight, and began to
wake him. This was no easy job, and
while / was about il, tps rurnseller and ms |
puests demonstrated, telling me to go away, |
threatening chastisement and showing ylo-
lence.S | had a loaded whip, and am not
inferior, you know, in point of wiry ymuscu-
lar power, and though man OF peace,
confess that in the whole twenty-seven
wears l have been in the ministry, Inever
felt so strong disposition as at that mo-
ment to give four or five men athrashing.
They were iutimidated, and | succeeded at
length in getting John upon his legs, and
trotting him off homeward. My presence
and the exercise sobered him, so that when
he reached his hovel he was in his right
minde
~ forgot to mention that when first
went into the house, the child upon the
ground started up frightened, running to
her mother crying: els he going to carry
us to iail mother, where father vast" And
that poor mother sobbed upon my hand as
if her heart would break. Well, l con
versed with them an hour, talked of old
times in Connecticut, the old village, and
school days. He was softened; his heart
was touched. Then urged the pledge;
his wife put in her profoundly earnest al
most frantic plea She felt this indeed to
be the hour of destiny.
"Do you think can keep it?" said he
at length the miserable man, once so pro-
missing now so fallen. 'Is it possible for
me to be saved?"
"It is" said l, with confidence and
hope; "you can keep it. l know you can.
In the name of humanity and religion, try
it, dear John, and God viii help you. AT
last he consented. We knelt down on the
earth-there was no chair, no table in the
housc-I took out the pledge, which
always carry in my pocket, placed it or
the stool where Mary had been sitting anc
handed him my pencil. He wrote hi
name, thank God 1! Notwithstanding hi
condition, it was beautifully written, as
tafterward observed, for he.was an excellen
scholar. We did not rise till had relicv
ed nv overburdencd heart in prayer, ant
| prayed with all my struggling soul, an
his despairing wife joined me in the solem
;, invocation, that the Father of mercle
" would receive the returned prodigal to hi
arms, and that he might never go astra
i" % again. 1t was now quite time for me t
Ia 90 and resume my journey; but l. coul
not leave the town before. 1 called upo
the class-leader, left him some money tc
,r the family, and enjoined upon him to loo
after them, and throw around John u
y, ~ shield of all good influences, to prevent h
,G &c suffering relapse. Whatever furtht
u charges he should incur on their account
7 promised to pay as soon as informed
q them.
e. Another decade rolled by, during whlt
=. no tidinos came to me at the East from tn
,l ." interesting couple. At length | was call'
- again to visit those western regions, al
!, " to pass near the residence of this unfort
~ ~ nate brother. On reaching the town, n
~ disappointment was extreme to learn tn
he had removed to distant country.
-" anticipated misfortune but as the pla
"a "aa designated was not far from my intend
~d I route, l resolved to go and sec him.
mo- When l entered the town of - -
o where John was said to live, made inq'
ith ry for his dwelling, and was told it "
Ids the second house on the left hand side
are the road. Being now SO near, l hasten
is onward eagerly, and presently nice fra
ere building, painted wi lite, appears. l COZ
ars not help putting up prayer, that my d
the friend might be so happy as to occupy
NV house half as respectable as this. EXP
on tation now become painfully intense. w
hat in mercy was sent to see? A scene
,en that or worse, which ten years before
md such awful traces on the memory. neve
INV be obliterated / could not tell. A
Az sudden turn in the road, thought
,eir cerned another white house in the dlsta
dis among the trees. Yes, it is so, with gr
blinds, and as went nearer, graveled VIZ
the were seen, handsome paling, and OF
The mental trees and shrubbery. Surely I'll
ck. is some mistake in the direction; this c;
,elv be Johns home, yet it is the second on
,ere left.
Icb- Fastening my beast to hook, ! wen
his. the door and knocked A girl, just on
arv verge of womanhood, opened 1T.
lan "Does Mr. Mold live here?
the asked, with trembling.
"He does, sir"
was ''Is he or his wife at homer
"Mother is within, sir; but father Il
II, 7 the fell. Please to walk in, sir.
NV eye glanced through the open pa
We door. A fine carpet covered the hoo
the There were handsome chairs and other
not niture; but saw no more, for Mrs
orn- Id by this time was informed
gentleman's arrival, and lost no tim
70 is making her appearance. "Good Gc
was all l remember to have heard
been her, as she rushed forward on seeing
and clasped me by the neck. She all
tainted, and shed food Of tears, and
and own condition was not much more
posed. Recovering little, she intor
lied: me that her husband was at home, bu