Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1859-06-14

| shut hard, and silence like that of deatf
| throughout the church. He bent his gaze
upon the tavern keeper, and that peculiar
eye fingered and kindled for half mo
ment. Gflt.I 41 a'ci tai no't8
The scar grew red upon his forehead
and beneath the heavy eyebrows his eyes
glittered and glowed like those of ser.
pent. The tavern-keeper quailed before
the searching glance. and Z felt a relief
when the old man Withdrew his gaze
For moment be seemed lost in thought
and then In low aud tremulous tone com
menced. There was'a.deptF inthat voice,
a thrilling pathos and sweetness which
riveted every heart in the house before the
first period had been rounded. My
fathers attention had become rivited on
the speaker, with an interest which had
never before seen him exhibit. can but
briefly remember the substance of what
the old man said, though the scene is as
vivid before me now as any that ever
witnessed. #aE.:
"My friends!-I am stranger in your
village, and l trust may call you friends
A new star has arisen, and there is hope
in the dark night which hangs like pail
III UIOOH ONCT COuHLIN. w I'LL u
thrilling depth Of voice the speaker con
tinued: 80, God! thou who lookest with
compassion upon the most erring of earth 8
children, thank thee that brazen SER
pent has been lifted, upon which the
drunkard can look and be helped; that a
beacon has burst out upon the darkness
that surrounds him, which shall guide
back to honor and heaven the bruised and
weary wanderer."
IL is strange what power there is in some
voices. The speaker was slow and un-
moved, but tear trembled in every eve,
and before knew why, tear dropped
upon my hand, followed BY others, like
rain drops. The old man brushed one
from his own eyes, and continued:
''Men and Christians! you have Just
heard that am vagrant and fanatic.
am not. AS God knows my own heart. l
came here to do good. Hear aud be just.
l am an old man standing alone at the
end of life's journey; there is deep sorrow
in my heart, and Tears in my eyes. 1
have journeyed over dark and beaconless
ocean. and all life's hopes have been
wrecked. am without friends, nome or
kindred upon earth, and look with longing
to the rest OF the night of death. Without
friend, kindred or home! 1t was not so
once" -... ... r. .
No one could withstand the touching
pathos Of the old man ] noticed fear
trembling on the lid of my fathers eye,
and l was no more ashamed of my own.
mo, my friends, it was not SO once!
Away over the dark waves which have
wrecked my hopes, there is blessed light
of happiness and home; reach again con-
vulsively for the shrines of the houshold
idols that once were, now mine no more"
The old man seemed looking through
fancy upon some bright vision, his lips
apart and finger extended. l involuntA-
rily turned in the direction where it was
pointed, dreading to see some shadow in
voked by its movements.
81 once had mother. With her heart
crushed with sorrow, she went down to
the grave. l once had wife-as fair an
as ever smiled in an earthly
home; her eyes as mild as summer sky,
and her heart as faithful and true as ever
guarded and cherished a husbands love.
Her blue eyes grew dim as the flood of
sorrow washed away their brightness, and
the living heart was broken. | once had
a noble, brave and beautiful boy-Dut he
was driven out from the ruins of his
home, and my heart yearns to know if he
yet lives. l once had babe-a sweet,
tender blossom, but my hand destroyed it,
and it liveth with One who loves chill dren
"Do not be startled, my friends; am
not murderer in the common acceptance
Of the term. Yet there is light IN my
evening sky. A spirit mother lejoices
over The return of her prodigal son. The
wife smiles upon him who again turns
back to virtue and honor. The child an
gel visits me at night-fall, and feel the
hallowed touch of tiny palm upon my
feverish cheek. My boy, il he yet lives,
would forgive lie sorrowing old man for
the treatment which drove him into the
world, and the blow that manned him for
life. God forgive me for the ruin have
brought upon me and mine"
He again wiped a tear from his eye
My father watched him with strange in
.eres:, anil countenance unusually pale,
and excited by some strange emotion.
Il was once fanatic, ard madly fol-
owed the malign light which led me to
ruin. l was a fanatic when sacrificed
my wife, children, happiness and home,
TO the accursed demon of the bowl. 1
once adored the gentle being whom 1 in
ured so deeply.
81 was drunkard From respectable
ty and affiuence plunged into degrade
ion and poverty. | dragged my family
lown with me. For years l saw her
cheek pale, and her step grow weary. /
eft her alone amid the wreck of her home
dolls, and rioted at the tavern. She never
yet she and the children went
hungry for bread.
"One new years night returned late
o the hut where charity had given us
'oof. She was yet up, and shiveriDg over
he Goals. demanded food, but she
BURST into tears and told me there was
lone. l fercely ordered her to get some.
She turned her eyes sadly upon me, the
ears falling fast over her pale cheek. At
I,ia. rnOroant h.. uI,ild IN tLo oro IL