True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-02-10

Al nrst the uanSer, out lot my sake an0
his children's sake, he resolved that he
would be free. Like Samson he rose in
all the conscious strength of msnhood's s
prime !; but like him, who dallied with an
enemy, he too, soon found out he was
shorn Of his strength, and yielded in alb
ject submission to his deadliest foe.-
Thrice before God and man, he took the
solemn pledge that he would no more
yield to the templer, and thrice he fell
but TO taste in all its renewed horrors, a
drunkard's hell. Oh yes, many, many
times, when no eye but God and my own
witnessed his struggle, and when he
knew not Of my VigilS. have seen him
PROSTATE and weeping as though his once
nsanly heart would break, as he reviewed
the past, aud looked forward 10 the fu.
ture. Twas then he realized his hope
less, irretrievable bondage! Yet he was
not gutter drunkarj. He seldom reeled
in the street; he was never public, de-
draded sot. But be was in a demons S
power, and, demon.ike, he would in ten
thousand ways which shall forever re-
main nameless, harrow up my very soul,
and render life burden. Property van
ished; friends grew cold; and proud
despised us, and tongues Of malice were
dipped in gall. All this he saw with
blurred vision, and sometimes keenly
felt that he had brought it all upon those
whom he loved dearer than life. Day
aud night I toiled night and day | watch
ed and prayed yea, weeks and months
and years | struggled, and by the free
use of hands not ashamed to work, but
heretofore all unused to toll, l, unaided
by mortal arm, fed, clothed, and shelter
ed my little ones, and by main force held
up my degraded husband also. And while
thus gave up to sacred duty my choicest
years Of life, he who would havAc been,
but for accursed drink, my protector and
supporter, was driving deeper and deeper
the barbed arrows into my life-springs,
till at last maniac like, his cruel blows,
of which no one knew or heard, drove
me, and those whom God had given me,
to seek shelter and protection where rum
could not invade my sanctuary. 40 1
Need l tell you the anguish Of that ia.
tai hour I Need Iiell you how it bro't
me to the very gates of death. whence,
after many days, barely escaped o.
Need | tell you how he who was thus
forsaken, like Esau, in vain sought space
for repentance and found it not, though
he sought il carefully with tears 3 Mol
need not tell you this. Nay. lis tale
that cannot be told--let it sleep. But I
will tell you, that for the last time, he re-
newed, as with dying struggle, the ter
rible conflict with bis enemy. In vain
he looked on this side and on that for
help. Help there was none, but on
every corner stood the tempter in bright
array. All around him were men--men
in the image Of their God--men whom
the law called good moral men, licensed
by law 10 send his soul 10 hell and his
body 10 the worms All, too sure was
their work, for as he had lived, so he died.
In an instant, and when he looked not for
it, death claimed his victim and he was no
more! No sympathiSing hand smoothed
his dying pillow! No daughters kiss
assuagsd his last death. lhroes no son
was there to hear his last commands
His body fills drunkard's grave. His
murderers may meet his soul in world
to come. .. .... IS IT,. eRas.t
And now tell me, ye honorable men
ye whom God has commissioned with
power to avert from others the doom
which awaited my once loved husband
tell me, have | no voice in this matter o.
life and deathl lrg .sdl a,
or wrongs and outrages--of cruel ant
barbarous murders--ofsuic and homi,
cides. you have full surfeit day by day
hut OF the deeper, darker sufferings Of the
unprotected, helpless females, you have
little. Almost within sound of your leg
isiative halls, within the week past, {
poor lost victim, hopeless Of the relief fol
which we pray, madly rushed into tht
presence Of his God, declaring as his las
words that he did SO rather than Longer
bear the tormenIor's sting on earth. Yo,
can hear the explosion Of the dealh.deal
ing weapon, but the grosns Of the widow
and orphan you cannot hear. You can
not bring the dead TO life! You canno
restore to me, nor to the tens of thou
sands whom, like me. rum has deprive,
of our husbands, our loved ones. again
But you can, yes, you can hurl this de
mon from his high places! You can pu
the brand Of Cain upon the man who en-
cages in this accursed taffic. You cal
take away this temptation from those wht
would, if they could, avoid its snares
You can save the lives Of tens Of ihous
ands Of precions husbands, brothers, ans
sons--and it is for this we mos. humbly
pray. Will you turn to us deaf ear
and spurn us from your doors
!. ~ A W1Dow