Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1859-02-18

next glance discovered man stretched
out along whisky hogshead. The land
lord was sitting by, but instantly hoppec
up and ran behind the counter to wai
upon me, supposing I was customer
Said /,
ais John McL--d here p
They looked at me on hearing that ques-
ton, as if 1 had been the ''evil one" or a
sheriff.
"what is that to your" he sullenly re-
piled.
III want to see him."
Whilst was speaking, 1 took another
sweep of the room with my eye, and saw
something like a man asleep in the corner.
"Is that John ?"
"None of your business, p" answered the
surely barkeeper.
"If it is that unhappy man, you will
find it is some of my business"
So l went to lin, recognized him,
though in this shocking, beastly plight,
and began to try to wake him. This was
no easy job; and while I was about it, the
rumseller and his guest demonstrated, tel
ling me to go away, threatening chastise-
ment and showing violence. l had in my
hand loaded whip, and am not inferior,
you know, in point of wiry, muscular
power Tn the whole of the twenty seven
years / have been in the ministry, have
never felt so strong disposition as at that
moment to give four or five men a thrash
ing. They were iutimidated, and I sue
ceeded in getting John upon his legs, and
trotting him off homewards. My presence
and the exercise sobsred him, so that when
he reached his hovel, he was in his right
mind.
forgot to mention that when l first
went into the house, the child upon the
ground started up affrightened, running to
her mother crying.
"Is he going to carry us to Jail, mother
where father wasp ..r
And that mother s6bbed upon my hands
as if her heart would break Well, / con-
verscd with them an hour, talked of old
times in Connecticut, the old village
and the schoolboys. He was softened, his
heart was touched. Then I urged the
pledge his wife put in her earnest frantic
plea. She felt this to be, indeed, the hour
of destiny.
"Do you think can keep it ?" at length
asked the miserable man, once so promis-
ing, now fallen. ais it possible for me to
be saved ?"
at is" said l with confidence and hope,
"you can keep it, know you can, and in
the name of humanity and religion try it,
dear John, aud God will help you"
At last he consented. We knelt down
on the earth-there was no chair nor table
in the house, took out the pledge which
| always carry in my pocket, placing it on
the stool where Mary had been sitting,
and handed him my pencil. He wrote
his name. Notwithstanding his condition,
it was beautifully written, as l afterwards
observed, for he was an excellent English
scholar. We did not rise till had relicv-
ed my overburdcned heart in prayer, and
| prayed with all my struggling soul, and
his despairing wife joined me in all the
SolaOnp snuonokion thok kho Eotho. Ill
mercies would receive the returning prodi-
gal to his arms, and that he might never
go astray again.
1t was now quite time for ME to 60, and
resume my journey but l could not leave
the town before called upon the class
leader, left some money for the family,
and enjoined on him to look after them,
and throw around John the shield of all
good influences to prevent his suffering a
relapse. Whatever further charges he
should incur on their account, promised
to pay as soon as informed of them.
Another decade rolled by, during which
no tidings came to me at the East, from
this interesting couple. At length l was
called again to visit those western regions,
and to pass near the residence of this un
fortunate brother On reaching the town,
my disappointment was extreme to learn
that he had removed 10 distant country.
l anticipated misfortune, but as the place
designated was not far from my intended
route, | resolved to 60 on and see him
When l entered the town of -, in
which John was said to live, | made inquiry
for his dwelling, and was told it was the
second house on the left hand side of the
road. Being now so near, i fastened on.
ward engerly, and presently nice framed