Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1857-11-12
"WH0 HATH WOEl"

The stIange and horrible power of in
toxicatiDg drinks TO paralyze all bodily af-
fections Of human nature, furnishes one Of
the most effective arguments for their dis
use. So many instances Of this terrible
truth are seen Cn every hand that no man
can doubt it. 1t was brought freshly 10
our notice, few days since, in the very
brief account circulated in the papers, of a
mother driven to the murder Of herself
and child by the cruelty Of an intemper-
ate husband,
The story is quickly told, but is most
affecting. The body of Mrs. Treat and
her child were recovered from the river at
Grand Rapids, Wisconsin, after they had
been mysteriOusly missing several days
For some days previous to her sudden dis
appearance she had en1eayored to find
some one to adopt her child. Failing in
that, it would seem she determined to free
it from future neglect, brutality and ruin,
and in pursuance of this idea, fastened it
to herself with a iope, passing it round
the bodies of both and tying it in hard
knot. Thus they were found-the child
with one of its arms around its mothers
reck, the mother with both arms clasped
tightly around her child. Her husband
manifested entire indifference during her
abseuce, and after her bonnet had been
found BY the side of the river, and while
the neighbors were dragging the river for
the body, be fingered about the tavern,
supplying himself as usual, with liquor,
and mauifesting no more human feeling
than brute.
1t is easy to fill up the story. Probs-
bly, Treat had not long Been brute. A
few years ago, who can..tell what wealth
of young love he had lavished on the fair
girl who consented to be bis, for better or
worse. Whe can paint their first paternal
Joy at the birth Of the child, destined at
length to fill a watery grave. Treat had
learned to love the excitement of the intox-
icating cup. As the habit grew upon him
and he became its slave, the love of wife
aud child wlthered and died beneath its
fatal blight. He became gradually indif-
lerent to their happiness, then morose, then
positively cruel. The heart of bis poor
wife was broken, and in despair fol herself
and child. she madly sought release for
both, from life made wretched by hus-
bands cruelty. Treat was not worse, ve-
ry likely, than other men. Liquor did the
terrible work, changed the man TO brute,
and made the once fond husband the per-
secutor Of his helpless wife aud child, even
unto death.
Why do not these frequently recurring
lessons of the perils OF dram-drinking have
their effect? How can sane men rush in
to this open vortex of ruinl Is it not be
cause no man sees his own peril till it i:
too late, till habit has made him its slave
and he sees, but feels unable to resist th'
influence that is gradually Transforming
him into its own detestible immage. lie
the young man who drinks for good com
panionship and innocent exhilaration, be
ware. Let him look at the picture befor'
us-the mother and child drawn from
their watery grave, and the brutalized bus
band and father callous to the sad specta
Gle and ask if there is no danger ths
his present agreeable indulgences may nc
at some time make him the central fgur
Of similar picture, "Who hath woe,
/ ike that of drunkard's wife and children
I--SprinGfe!d Republican.