Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-11-02
MESCEiilNY.
The Drnnkard and his story

From tire New York Five Points Monthly
Review we select the ensuing scene from real
/ life
y few Sdhbaths since, at morning service,
one OF the most degraded specimens Of hu-
'Aui'y that over greeted my ion. cane
staggering int, the chapel OF tine House of
Industry. His wild and irightiu looks.
ragged and dirty beyond description. his
face bruised and swollen, rendered Tim an
uI"ct % disgust and terror lie seemed to
look at the children with wonderful interest
occasionally muttrring to himself. Beauti-
tnl beautiful o, that mine we're here -
lie sat au hour or two mOre and then with "A
lpn5 earnest hook at the children. staggered
out ot the chapel, and went up to the dark
valley OF thu shadow OF drHth'-Cuw Bay.
As the bell rang for service in the alter
nuon and while the children were clu,trrin.
together. the same Withholding man stag
g'lcd in once more. lie surveyed the rtc.s
oi toc children with the closest scrutiny. aud
at length his eyes rested on two bright-rycd
little glrls, who were singing one of their
little hymns. lie sat immuv.bIe as Il statue
during the whole service, gazing iutcntIy On
the faces oi these two clil.rcn
The service closed, the congregation dis.
IelstG. yet he fingered, aud the tears
caue couisius down his face thick aud last
DR.. o--4sked him, what was the
mdtter'
| am II drnnkard \ wrctc'-an ont
cast, Anelcss, and without penny. One.
had Il home and lricudS-tatn'r, mothcr
vile, children, and hosts of lricnls, wbo
loved an. respected me. Time pissed on
and became Il drunkard One friend after
another lett me still | drank on and down.
Gown fell. Father and mother both went
their trIuV,. with I,r,kpu bu.,rts
Ny poor vie clung to me when all others
deserted me. still drank ON. pawned one
article alter another, till ali was gone. aud
Whtn my VIE refused to give me her wedding
llng, which She had cluug to with t,nt"ity
oi II Death grasp, iellcd her to the earth,
seized her finger, tore of the ring, and
raWncd 1t for rum. / at fatal blow mad
dched hcr, and, IN despair, she too drank,
and together We walluwcd into the gutter.
PcnnlleSS wc begged our way from Var-
mont to tins great city. Here wc hired
'mul cellar. III dark, dish street, ard
sent our children out to beg Many "a weary
day We spent in that drcLry cellar. while our
.'lirrn were wandering in the streets hey
Ing tor their drunken parents. About forty
days since my little gIrls went out to beg.
ard from that hour to this have not sren
them.
Without food or fire | clung to nv lis. nal
abode, ull hunger forced me out to search
tor my children. My degraded wife had
been sent to Bl4ckwcll's S Island, as Il yagrant.
and 'lone | went to the Islands to the House
ot Refuge, to the rombs, and in despair |
wandered to the Five Points, and for the last
iew days had lived in Cow Bay, among beg
gars and thieves To day saw two chill
dren, who, it u.ey had not locked so clean.
and sung So sweetly, | would have called
ne n, = Ln,.
Tell me the name, said DR.. - and
will sre.' In few moments two interesting
lIttls children We're led toward him. At the
sight oi tins learlul-looking man they shrank
iack. Ihe poor man sprang to his feet, cx-
claiming thcy are mine mine My chill
dren, don you know your poor old father
Come to me my children. Father loves YOU.
he won't hurt you. lie reached ont Ills
arms; the little ones were timid ut first but
they soon climbed up their fathers knee.
"Hi's the tears were streaming down his
face.
Kiss your poor drunken father, my chill
drcn. But the face of the man was SO black
and filthy. not II place could he fuunu soon
they forgot the dirty face and remembered
their poor degraded father and each en-
twlmlng their little arms around his neck.
and londly kissing him, the elder one said,
with IL Voice that touched every heart
. Father we are so happy here that we want
to stay. WON you come and live heIc. too,
papa What makes you drink sol Dear
papa do sign the pledge, and not drink any
more Mr.. Pease found us in the street, hr.,-
slrg. and now we are happy. Do, papa, come
ana live here, aud be good to us as ca used
to be
The fathers heart was overwhelmed-hc
sobhed and grOaned aloud For more than
an hpur they sat together, till at last the old
man arose, ~ clinging to his children, aud
cxolimri l.e pledge the pledge will
never dIIuk a-u.u'N
gave him t,c Hedge, and from that hour
lac has tr-hiuily X 1T 1t. IL is npw q lnau,
again engaged m business earning ten dot
lars per week, and none could recognise in
the Noil-drvssod man-who slll boards in the
hou-E-tHe degraded original whose portrait
can ,uil he seen at the House Of Industry.
dnSuerrcotypcd in lis striking delormty and
squalor