Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1859-06-16

looked on with wonder and interest. aThai
is . temperance lecture that / can't stand
God bless the little ones" he added with
emotion, Sand give them . sober father.
II guess YOU never saw them before,
said one of the bar-keepers, lightly.
'.No, and / never wish to again; at lsas,
in this place. Who is their fatherF"
Fireman, the lawyer"
"Not the one who . few years ago con
dncted with 60 mch ability the case against
the Marine Insurance Company?
"The same" =,
ais it tpossiblei" ira
A group nou formed about the man, and
. good deal was said about Freeman's fall
| from sobriety. One who had several times
seen Ady and Jane come in and lead him
home as they had Just done, spoke of them
with much feeling; all agreed that it was
. most touching case.
ITO see,p said one, chow passively be
yields himself TO the little things xhsn
/ see them, almost weak enough to shed
team 80
'1hey are his good angels remarked
another. "But I'm afraid they are not
strong enough to lead him back to the
paths which be has forsaken." -
.You can think what you please about it
gentlemen" said the landlord, shut can
tell you my opinion upon the subject; I
wouldn't give much for the mother who
would let two little things like them 90
wandering about the streets, alone at this
time of night"
One of those who had expressed inter
est in the children, felt angry at this re-
marx, and retortsd with some bitterness:
aAnd I would give less for the man
who would make their father durunk."
"Ditto. to thst," responded one of the
company.
aAnd here is my hand for that" said an
other,
The landlord finding that the majority
Of the company were likely to be against
him, smothsred his angry feelings and
kept silence, A few minutes afterwards,
two or three of the inmates of the bar-room
went away. e.... ~
About ten o'clock on the next morning,
while Freeman, who was generally sober in
the fore part of the day, was in his Office, q
stranger entered, and after sitting down,
said: r..f
Il must crave your party beforehand
for what | am going to say. VIII you
promise not to be offendedp -
"If you offer me an insult, I shall resent
it" said the lawyer.
$50 far from that, I came with the de-
sire to do you great service"
"Yey well, say on"
81 was at Lawson's Refectory last
night"
"Well."
"And | saw something there that touch
ed my heart. If l slept at all, it was only
TO dream of it. am father, sir! have
two little girls. and love them tenderly.
Oh! sir, the thought of their coming out
in cold winter night, in search of me, in
such polluted place, makes the blood feel
cold in my veins"
Words SO unexpected, coming upon Mr..
Freeman when be was comparatively sober,
disturbed him deeply In spite of his en-
deayors to remain calm, he trembled all
over. He made an effort to say some.
thing in reply, but he could not utter a
word.
My dear sir" pursued the stranger,
ayou have fallen at the hand of the mon
ster, "you have fallen at the hand of the
monster, intemperance, and feel that you
are in great peril You have not, howey-
eE, fallen hopelessly. Yon may get siss- if
you VIII Let me, then, in the name OF
lhs sweet babes who have shown, in SO
wonderful q manner, their love to you, con-
ure yon to rise superior to this deadly foe.
Reward those dear children with the high
est blessing their hearts can desire. Come
with me and sign the pledge of freedom.
Let US, though strangers to each other,
unite in this good act. Gomez
Halt bewildered, yet with new hope in
his heart, Freeman arose aud suffered the |
man who drew his arm within his, to lead |
him sway. Before they separated, both |
bad signed the pledge.
That evening, unexpectedly, and to the |
JOY Of bis family, Mr.. Freeman was per-
fectly sober when he came home. After
tea, while Ady and Jane were standing on |
either side of him, as he sat near their mo-
ther. with an arm around each of them, he
said in . low whisper, as be bent his head |
down and drew them closer: /
"You will never have to come there for
me again"
The children lifted their eyes to his face,
but half understanding what be meant.
II viii never 60 their again." he added,
II will always stay at home with you."
Ady and Jane now comprehending what
heir father meant, overcome With joy, hid
heir faces in his lap, and wept for very
oy.. /
Lew as this had been said, ever word
reched the mothers ear, and while her
heart stood trembling between hope and
fear, Mr.. Freeman drew a paper from his
pocket and threw it on the table by which
he was sitting. She opened it hastily.
It was his pledge, with the well known
signature at the bottom.
With cry Of JOY she sprang to his side,
md his arms encircled his wife, as well as
lis little one, in fonder embrace than they
I'D known for years.
The children's love had saved their faith
". They wers, indeed, bis Guardian an
,eLs. /
l.
DEMOCRATIC TuRx-TABLE.- The Gin
'lnnah Press, neutral, pithily says she De-
nocracy have fixed their Ststs platform,