Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-01-18
LITTLE LIZZIE.

liquor, ther'd be no trouble. He's one of the
hest Of men when he doesn't drink. lie never
brings liquor into the house; and he tries hard
enough, know, to keep sober, but he cannot
pass jerks tavern"
Mrs. Leslie was talking with a sympathizing
neighbor, who responded by saying that she
wished the tavern would burn down, and that,
for her part, she didn't feel any too good to ap.
ply fire to the place herself. Mira. Leslie sigh.
ed, and wiped away the tears with her CHECKED
apron.
at is hard. indeed it is" she murmnred, "to
see man like jerks growing richer and richer
every day out Of the earnings of poor working
men, whose families are in want of brad -
For every coin tbatgoes over his counter, some
one is made pOoreF-t0 some heart is given a
thrCb Of pain"
"It's a downright shsme!" exclaimed the
neighbor Indignantly; "if hand my way with
the lazy, good for nothing fellow, I'd see that
he did something useful, if it was to break stone
on the road. Were it my husband, instead OF
yours, that he entieed into his bar, depend
upon 1t, he'd get himself into trouble"
While this conversation was going on, little
glFl, not over ten years old, sat listening att
tenIively After while, she went quietly from
the room, and throwing her apron over her
head, took her way, unObserved by her mother,
down the road,
Where was Lizzie going! There was pur.
pose in her mind-she had started on mission.
20, if they wouldn't sell him liquOrr' These
earnest, fearful words of her mother had filled
her thoughts. II Mr. jerks wouldn't sell her
father anything to drink, there would be no
more trouble" How simple, how direct the re
medy! She would 90 to Mr.. jerks, and ask
him not TO be let her father have any more Ii,
quOT, and then all would be we'll again. Art
less, innocent child And this was her mission
The tavern kept by jerks, the laziest man
in MilanVille-he was too lazy to work, aod
therefore wenttO tayern-keeping-stOod nearly
quarter of a mile from the poor tenement Oe-
cupied bo the Lesliss Toward this point,
under hot sultry sun, Lizzie mode her way,
her mind so filled with its purpose that she was
unconscious of heat OF fatigue.
Not long before, a traveller alighted at the
tavern. Afser giving directions to have his
horse fed, he entered the bar room, and went
up to where jerks stood behind the counter.
Have something TO drink!" iaquired the
landlord.
"Ill take glass Of water, il you please"
jerks could not hide ;he Indifference at once
felt towalds the stranger. Very deliberately be
set pitcher and glass upon the counter, and
then turned partly away. The stranger poured
out full tumbier of water, and drank it off
with an air Of satisfaction.
GOOD water, that of yours, landlord" said
he
"Is it!" was returned, somewhat uncOurte.
Ously.
II call It good water, don't youl"
Never drink water By itselfn Az JeRks
said this, he winked to one Of his customers,
who was lOuging on the bar. AIN fact, it's So
bng since drank any water, that 1 forget how
it tastes. DOnt't you Lesliei'
The man to whom this was addressed was
not so far lost to shame as jerks He blushod
and looked confused, as lie replied
at might be better for some of us, if we had
not lost our relish for pure water"
"a tue word spoken, my friend!" said the
stranger, tuning to the man, whose swollen
Vlsage and patched, threadbare garments, too
plainly told the story of his sal life. Water,
pure water, bright waterl that is my motto. 1t
never swells the face, nor infames the eyes,
nor mars the countenance. It's attendants are
health, thrift and happiness. It takes not away
the childTen's bread, nor the tOilinR wife's gar
meets. Water! it is one of Gods chicest bles-
sings! Our friend, the landlord here, says he
has forgotten how it tastes; and you have lost
all relish for the refreshing, invigorating
draugbl! Ah, this is a sad coniessiOn-One
which angles might weep to hearr'
There were two or three customers at the bar
besides Leslie, to whom this was addressed;
and all Of them-in spite Of the landlords angry
and sneanng eounteuance-treated the stranger
with attention and respect Seeing this jerks
could not restrain himself; so coming from be-
hind his bar, he advanced to his side, and, laying
his hand quite rudeiy on his shoulder, sad, in
perempJOry manner:
See here, my friend if you are about to
make temperance lecture you can adjourn to
the Town Hall or the Methodist Chapel
The stranger moved aside pace or two, so
that the hand of jerks might fall from his per
son, and then said mildly:
There must be something wrong here, if
man may not speak in praise Of water without
giving offence
said you could sdjOurn your lecture =
The landlords face was now fiery red, and he
spoke with insolenee and passion.
20, well, as you are president of the meeting,
1 suppose we must let you exercise an arbitrary
power OF judgment, said the stranger, good
humOredly. didn't think any one had so
strong dislike of water as 20 consider its
praise an insult
at this moment child stepped into the bar
room. Her little face was flushed, and great
beads ofperspiration were slowly moving down
her crimson cheeks. Her step was elastic, her
manner earnest, and her large daik eyes bright
with an earnest purpose. She glanced neither
to the right nor the left, but walking up to the
landlord, lifted to him her sweet young face
and said, IN tones that thrilled every heart but
his:
Please, Mr.. jerks, don't sell papa any more
liquor =
OF home with you this instant = exclaimed
jerks, the crimson of his face deepening TO
dark purple. AS he spoke he advanced toward
the child with his uPliited hand in a threatening
attitude.
Please don't, Mr.. Jenks,' persisted the
child, not moving from where she stood, nor
taking her eyes from the Ian lords counten-
ance. Mother says if you would not sell
him liquor there weuld be no trouble He's
kind and good to us all when he does not
drink
of; 1 say shouted jerks, now maddened
boy o ID self control, and bis hand was about to
descend upon the little one, when the stranger
caught her in his hands, exclaiming as he did
so, with deep emotion:
God bless the child No, no, precious one!'
he added, don't fear him. Plead for your
father, plead for your homo. Your petition
must prevail lie cannot say nay to one of the
llb'lS OnesJ "lO9S ansol8 uO Always DenOiu the
face of their Father in Heaven. God bless the
child added the strsnger, in a choking voice.
%, that the father, for whom she has come
on this touching errand, were present now /!
Ifthsre were anything of manhood yet left in
his nature, this would awaken it from palsied
sleep.
Papa o, papa now cried the child,
stretching forsh h II hand, In the next moment
/ she was elinging 10 the breast of her father
who, with his arms clssPed tightly around her.
stood weeping and mingling his tears with