Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-11-19
3eaoil}9
4 TOUCHING STORY.

From the New York Five Points Monthly
Review, we select the following scene from
real lilr:
A few Sundays since at morning service, one
of the most degrading specimens Of humanity
that ever greeted my vision, came Staggering
into the chapel of The house of industry: His
wild and Irigl,fII looks and ragged and dirty
beyond description, his face bruised ana swollen
-rand..rsl- -.ia.------l,-----
He seemed TO look at the children with won
derful interests, occasionally mu,terins 10 hi'h-
self. beautiful beautiful! On, that mine were
berer He sat an hour or two more and then'
with long earnest look at the children sag
gered out of the chapel, went up 10 the aarN
Svalley of the shadow OF death low bay.
As the bell rang for service in the atternoon
and while the children were clustering toyethcr
the same wd.looking man staggered ~ once
more. He surveyed the faces OF the children
with the closest scru,iny. and at length! his eyes
rea,ed on Two b.nht eyed little girls. who were
sinoinu one of their title hymns. lie SAT I'M
movable as statute during the Whole service.
p,zinu jn;eully on the faces OF these two rhll.
dren.
The service closed, the congregation di>pers-
cd vet he fingered, ard The tears courslhg GOWN
his face thick and trst. -.
II.
clam a dru,kaud wrc.ch-an outcas,
bomel,ss. and wihou, penny. Once had II
home and frierds-ta,her, mother. wife, children
and hosts of friends, who loved and respected
mo Time passed on, and became drunkard .
One fricnd after another left me; still drank
on. and down and down and down fell. Father
and mother went down to their graves with
broken hearts. My poor wife cung TO me when
oll others deserted me- still drank on, pawn
ed one article after another til all was gone,
when nv wife refused TO give me her wedding
rinu. which she had clung 10 with the ten"cliy
of = death grasp fclled her 10 The earth, seized
hor fnccr. lore off the ring and pawned II tor
rum. That fatal blow maddened her, and, in
desnair. she drank. and together we wallowcd in
the ou,ier. Penni,ess, we begged our way from
Vermont 10 his city. Here we hired small
cellar in dark and dismal street, and sent ou:
children out to beg. Mary weary day we spent
in that dreary cellar while our children were
wandering in the streets, begging for their drum
ken parents. About forty days since. my little
children went out TO beg, and from that hour to
this have not seen them Without food or
fire. | have clung to the dismal abude. till hun
oar forced me ont 10 search for my children.
NV DEGRADED wife has been sent to Blackweli's
Island rs Il vagrant and alone | went TO the Is
land 70 the House of Reform, TO the TomOs,
and in despair wandered TO The Five Points,
and for the last few days have lived in Cow
Raw. amnng beggars aud thieves. To-day !
saw Two children, who, if they had not locked
so clean, and snng so swerlv, | wonid have
called them mine. o! would TO God they
werew
TELL me the name," said DR.. S." and
will see" -. ..,., :,
dion werp led toward him.. AT The sight of this
fs,rfnl looking man they sI'rank back. The
roor man suranr to his feet, exc!aiming They
prc mine, nv dear children. don't you kE"'S
vopr moor old father? come to me my children
father loves you, he won't hurt you" lie
reached out his arms the little ones were tlHlld
Mt first. bnt they soon climbed up their fathers
knee while The tears were streaming down his
face. go,
kiss your poor drunken father my chi!den
But the face Of the man was so black and
fI,hy, not place could be found. Soon they
forgot the dirty face, and remembered their poor
j.groded father: and each entwinin their little
arms around his neck, and fondly kissing him,
,b. older one sud, with voice that touched
eyery heart, Father We are so happy here that
,vs want to s:ay,-won't you come and live
here too, papa !-What makes you drink so
m.ar T.. mana do sign the pledge, and not drink any
more. more Mr. Pease found me in the street beg
ninr nin,.' md now we feel happy. Do papa, com.
and and live here, ard be as good as you usec
to be-" ..o.,.h.,uod h,
sobbed and groaned aloud; For more than al al
hour they sat together, till at last ihe o'a MAJ ma.
arose. still engng to h's ch1'r i 's nsver tSc driuI
ed. a,he pledge! the pledge! VIII never u''"'
again| ona e.on, that bonr b
hoe faithfully krptit Hc is now man. engagg
' nd;n business, earning len dollars per week, an
." 60 !" cond recognize ID the well.dressed man
,I'' who still boards in the h"useM'he deeraas
Or;oinaI w; whose portrait can still be seen at 'h
Tnu.s of Industry, deguoreotyped III LIS s'rlS
ine defofmity and squalof.