The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1857-07-18
OH the Drink

llc lOlOWlDr "oiu-piStutc 10 I'LL Ca
tract from the Temperance Lectures of
John b. Cough:
There is no power on earth that can
make a iend like the power of drink.
One circumstance III my own reminis-
ccnces will give you. | was asked by
an individual to go and see the hardest
case then in town. l said:
"I have no right to 90 and see him ;
he will say to me, 'who sent you to see
me? Who told you | was drunkard !
You mind your own business, and will
mind mine; you wait till you are sent
for | have no right to go to him." |
said
"Wcll," said he, "he is a hard case
he beat daughter of his, fourteen years
Of age, with shoemaker's strap, SO that
she will carry the mark to the grave"
Said |, "he's a brute"
His wife is very i'll now with the
fever, and the doctor says he thinks she
cannot get over it; the man has not
been drinking for some days, and if you
can get at him now, | think you might
do him good"
l thought I would 90. / knocked at
the door; he came to open it. He had
been to one or two of our meetings. The
moment he saw me he knew me.
Said he, Mr. Cough, believer
"Yes, that's nay name would you be
good enough to give me glass of water,
if you pleasc''
eCertainly," said he, "comc in.'
So got in. / sat on one side of the
table, and he on the other. There were
two children in the room playing toge.
ther, and door halfway open, that led
into the room where the wife was ill.
sat and talked with him about everything
| could think of but the subject; | talked
Of trade and crops, railroads, and money
matters and then | got on to the public
houses, and then drinking, and he head
ed me off again. ] looked, and thought
| saw malicious twinkle in his eye, as
much as to say, Young man, you arr
not up to the business yet" | was abou
to give it up, but, think providentially
l saw the children.
said to him, +" You've got two brigh
looking children here, Sir"
"Oh yes, yes, bright little things" "
Said |, " You love your children, don
you"
"BIess the children to be sure low
them"
Said /, Wouldn't you do anything t.
benefit your children r
He looked at me as if he thought some
thing else was coming after that.
"Well, to be sure, Sir" said he "
man ought to do everything to bencf
his children.
Then | stood up, SO that | might &C
out Of the door as speedily as possible
, and said, Don't be angry with me 4;
am going to ask you plain and simpl
question you know who ! am, therefor
you won't be angry Suppose you neve
use any more intoxicating liquor, don
you think your children would be bette
off ?"
"Wcn, well," said he, "you have e
me this time" -.
Said I, "You have got good wifi
have Mt you -
"Yes, Sir, as good a woman as ever
, man had for wife"
And you love your wife p
!. "To be sure do; it is natural that
man should love his wife,
: "And you would do anything ye
could to please yours =
" Well, I ought to-
< "suppose you were to sign tempe
ancc pledge, would that please her -
l. "By thunder, rather think it woul
IT | could not do thing that would plea
!. my wife better than that Ii was
put my name down there, why, the
= woman would be up and about her bu
ness in two weeks, sick as she Is /"
u Said |, "Then you will do t?'
eyes, l guess | will do it." And
of at once opened closet, took out P
. and ink, and l spread out the pledge, a
st he wrote his name.
The children had been listening wi
eyes, ears, and mouth wide open, VIII
We we're talking about temperance. lib
knew what drunken father was tn
q knew what the principle of abstiner
would do for him; and when he b
at signed, ono said to the other: !" Fatl
Las signed the pledge !, ooh m,
by said the other, !" now I'll go and tell
. mother y and away he ran into
,,v other room. But she had heard Of
ur and | listened to her calling: " Lul
. Luke come here moment Said
,es /" Come in here along with me; conc
!. and see my wife"
- went in and stood by her bed-si
ron The face was ghoS'ly pale, the eyes la'