The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-12-01
MISCELLANEOUS.
A SCENE FROM REAL LIFE.

ASCENE FROM REAL LIFE.
The following affecting little incident is
from the Five Points New York Month
ly Record /, illustrates what is being
done, in iha, locality, for religious purity
and temperance.
" A few Sabbalhs since, at morning SER
vice one OF the most degraded specimens OF
humanity iha, ever greeted my vision, came
staggering into the Chapel OF the House OF
Industry. His wild and frighilul looks, rag
ged aud dirty beyond description, his face
bruised aud swollen, rendered him an OBJ
iec, Of disgust and terror. He seemed TO
look a,I,he child.en with wonderful interest,
occasionally mu,iering to himself Beau
,iful beautiful Oh! would ,ha, mine
were here ! He sat an hour or more, and
then with long earnest look at the chill.
dren, staggered out of The chapel and went
up 10 the dark valley Of the shadow OF death
= Cow Bay
tAs the bell rang for service in the alter
noon, and while the children we're cluster.
ing together, the same wild looking man
staggered in once more. He surveyed the
faces OF The children with the closest scru-
briehtoyed little girls, who were singing
their little hymns. He sat immovable rs
statue during The whole service gazing in-
ieniy on the faces nf these two children.
The service closed, the congregation
dispersed, We, he fingered, and the ,eals
came coursing down his face, thick and
fast.
.Dr. s. asked him, what was the
matter =
Il am drunkard A wre,ch-an out
cast, homeless, and without penny
Once hal a home and friends-falher,
mother, wife, children, and n host OF friends
who loved and respected me. Time pass.
cd on aud became drunkard. One friend
after another lefl me still drank on. and
down, down | fell. Father and mother
both went down 10 their graves with broken
hearts. Ny poor wife clung 10 me when
all others deserted me. | still drank on,
pawncd one article after another, until all
were gone, and when my wife refused 10
give me her wedding ring, which she had
cung TO with The ienacily Of death grasp,
ielled her to the earth, seized her finger,
tore off the ling and pawned II for rum
That fatal blow maddened her, and in des-
pair, she loo drank, aud together we wal.
lowed in The gutter.
'Pcnniless we begged our way from Yer
mont 10 this great city. Here we hired a
small cellar IN dark, dismal street, and
sent our children on, 10 beg. Many wea-
~ DAY we spent in that dismal cellar,
while our children were wandering in the
streets, begging for their drunken parenrs.
About forty days since, my little girls went
out to beg and from that hour TO this have
not seen them.
without food or fire clung 10 my dis
NAL abode, until hunger forced me out, aud
then | BEGAN 10 search for my chlldren.-
NV degraded wife has been sen, 10 Black
wells Island rs vagrant and alone went
TO the Island, TO the House of Refuge, 10
the Tombs, and in despair ! wandered TO
the Five Points, and for the last few days,
| have lived in Cow Bay, among begsars
and thieves. To-day saw two children,
who, If they had no, looked so clean; and
sung so sweelly, would have called mine.
Oh would 10 God they were y
Tell mo the name,' said DR.. s., and
will sce.' In few moments two interest
inc little girls were led towards him. AT
the frs, sigh, Of this fearful looking man,
they shrunk back The poor man sprang
on his feet, eyclaiming, They are mine,
mine! My children, don't you know your
poor old father Come 10 me, my chll.
dren. Father loves you, he won, hur, you.
He reached on, his arms; the little ones
were iimid at first, bu, they soon climbed
upon their fathers knee, while the tears
were streaming down his face.
Kiss your poor drunken father, my chill
dren!' Blu, The face OF the man was so
black and filthy, not place could be found.
Soon they forgo, the diriy face, and remcm-
bered their poor degraded father, and each
en,wined their little arms around his neck,
and fondly kissed him, and The elder one
said, with voice ,ha, touched every heart,
-t Father we are so happy here, we want
10 stay. Won't you come and live here too,
papal Wha, makes you drink sol Dear
papa, do sign the pledge and not drink any
more. Mr.. Pcase found us in the street
begging and now we are happy. Do, pa.
pa, come and live here, and be good TO US,
as you used 10 te.'
The fa'her's hear, was overwhelmed-
he sobbed and groaned aloud. For more
than an hour they sal together, till at last
The old man arose, still clinging 10 his chill.
dron, and exclaimed The pledge! the
pledge will never drink again
Il gave him the pledge, and from that
hour he has most faithfully kept il, He is
now a man again, engaged in business,
earning Ten dollars per week, and none
would recognize IN the well dressed man
who..s,ill boards in the honse-,he degraded
original, whose portrait can still be seen a
the House OF Industry, daguerreoied in all
lis striking deformity and squalor.