The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1858-08-06
WHOLE. NUMBER RI:
The widow's Tempsranse spseob;;

TheIlon. Geo IN. Briggs, ex-governor OF,
MASSACHUSETTS,, deliveEsd a tenpsfagcs J ad-
dress some time sines,D sstire eoSisse 4of
which he related the following; anecdotS>,
with thrilling effect: -.
Mr.. Briggs said this question Of the in:
PRODUCTION of Intoxicating drinks. assumed,
somewhat of Il practicalf form last, spfingsiH .
thriving borough in Pennsy ylvanias The
inhabitants had assembled. as was their usd-
al custom, TO decide what number, ifany
OF Licenses the town should petition from the
country court, from whence they. weretis-
sued. There was a4full atiendance. One
of the most respectable magistrates Of the;
borough presided land upon the platform
were seated, among others, ,,theo Clergyman
OF the village, one Of his Tdcacons,; and tho
physician. - - "a
After the meeting had been calied.to ors,
der, one of the most respectable citizensof
the borough rose, aud after short speech
moved that the meeting petition for rthe Iusni-'
al number of licenses. They had, better
license good men and let them sellit. The
proposition seemed to meet with almost un-
ivcrsa favor 1t was an excellent way to
get along quietly, and one and then anoth-
er in their turn expressed their hope that
such a course would be adopted.
The president was about to put the ques-
tion to the meeting, when an object r6se-in
distant part of the building, and all. eyes
were instantly turned in that direction. 1t
was an old woman, poorly clad, and whose
carcworn countenance was the painful in
dex of no light suffering and yet there
was something in the flash Of lie bright
eye that told she had once been, what she
was not. She addressed the president, aud
said, with his permission, she wished to say
few words to the meeting. She, had
come because she had heard they were to
decide the license question. ~. .
"You," said she, call know who Lam.
You once knew me the mistress,o one ;of
the best estates in the 'borodsb5rI once lad :,
husband and five sous land woman never:
had kinder husband-rfiotIier meyer. hsdS
five better or more affaaionate sons Bit. !.
where are they now's ysc,oS isassk whefs
are they now {? II yonder1 burying ground
there are six graves filled Ly that husband
and those five sons, and oh !! they 'aree;all
drunkards' graves. Doctor, how came.they
to be drunkards9 You would come and.
drink with them, and you told them that
temperance drinkingwould do them good.
And you too, sir" addressing tile clergy
man, would come and drink with my hus-
band, and my sons thought they might
drink with safety, because. they saw you
drink. Deacon, you sold them rum which
made them druukards. You have now
got my farm and all my property, and you
got it all by rum. And now,@she said, 81
have done my errand, 60 back to the
poor-ho!use, for that is lnyshome: You,
reverend sir, you doctor, and you, deacon,
| shall never meet again until meet you,
at the bar Of God, where you, too, will meet
my ruined and lost husband and those five
sons, who tlrtough your means and inhu-
ence I'll the drunkards' graves"
The old woman sat down. Perfect ISL
lence prevailed until broken BY the presi-
dent, who rose 10 put the question to the
meetng-shalI we petition the court TO
issue license to this borough the ensuing
year and then one unbroken, "Nof!~
which made the very walls re-echo. with
the sound, told the result of Tie old waman's
appeal.