Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-07-14

assuming a menaciug attitude. Go this instant,
or will pitch you heal foremost into the %strees.'
l wish you would put a hand on me- said the
other, In a Kissing voice. There was murder in
his eye, and an iron resolution in his tone. For
several moments the two men glanced savogoly at
each other, then the landlord retired behind the
bar.
BE content with your place there, and your
work there, old fellow ? said the young man, with
a bitter sneer, but don't attempt what is beyond
your ability Then turning & to the company, he
repeated the words spoken a little while before,
and in the earnest impressive manner at first ap.
parent.
You may all talk as you please he said, but
| see no hope but in the total abolition Of liquors.
And there is 70 other hope for such as me. Ten
times have / taken the pledge, and God knows it
was taken in all sincerity But with vitiated APP
petite, and temptation ever in my path, how was l
to stand2 Keep liquor out of my sight, and l can
do well enough; but with q tavern at every corner,
the case is hopeless. What q cursed infatuation
what a binding folly this drinking is! Are
you, or you, or you, any the better for it?' turn
ing quickly from one to another, as he uttered
these words. Il will not pause fer your reply,
'no'-your faces give q feeble negative; but your
whole appearance responds, trumpet-tougued mo
-no-no' All, my friends l know how it is
with myself, and l know how it is with you.
While this man trap is ever in the way, our feet
must stumble. What hope for US is there None
none. There sits the great lazy spider, his
web nicely spread abroad, and we, the poor vic
tins, cannot pass by without getting hopelessly
cntlngled. All over the land are these spiders
and their webs, and there is no broom to sweep
them aside. Give US no license, and we have a
broom that will do the work eFectually. l am
going to the meeting tonight. Judge Williams is
to speak. Poor man! lie will speak in vain, for
all the good speaking will do him; but if he doesn't
stir all hearts to their lowest depths, call Dick
Thomas q foolp
You'll give 'em n speech, too, won't you p said
the landlord, in ~impotent contempt.
If you're there, l will retorted Thomas. Il
couldn't have q better subject than the spider and
the ny.'
A shout tf applause from the rude inmates of
the bar-room answered this cutting speech, ard
under the governing impulse of the moment, it
was voted to attend the meeting in a body.
You'd better all drink round TO bolster up your
good resolution said the landlord, forcing a
ihuSu' LIZ eeusS euOuBu 10 see ING Jolly OF
quarrelling with his customers; and so repressed
his irritation.
Not q bad idea,' quickly answered one Of the
company; and in a moment the tickle crew were
at the counter, and the landlord as busy as he
could be in mixing his tempting poisons for their
lips. turned of, sad at the sight, and left the
bar-roon.
AT an early hour in the evening, 1 was at Lyce-
um Hall. The room was nearly filled on my arri-
val; but l managed to get a place near the speak
er's stand.
Judge Williams is to speak / heard whispered
behind me. This seemed the leading attraction Of
the evening. Who Judge Williams was; or what
the particular interest attaching to him, 1 had not
yet learned. That a blight was upon him in old
age, was plain; bat where and what the blight
was, could not infer but vaguely.
The meeting WAS organized in due form. Then
came a pause OF expectation. The old man l had
thought to see on the stand, was not there. l
looked around the room but failed to recognize
him. Others seemed in like expectation with N.Y.
self. There was now a movement near the door.
| turned with the rest of the audience, ard saw
the pale, thin, intelligent face Of the old man had
noticed at the Blown cottage.
There is Judge Williams l heard passing
from lip to lip. He moved slowly along the aisle
until he reached the platform, which he aeceuded.
and took a chair near the President of the meet.
ing. A brief silence followed and then he arose
in u slow, ~dignifed manner. A little while he
stood; his fine eyes that seemed to light up his
whole face, wandering over the audience. All
was as still as if there had not been o living soul
in the room.
MY friends,'-his voice was low, and trembling
slightly-'I meet you this evening in public az
semblage, for the first time in many months.
may never meet you again. A lonely old man
with all hope in life gone. l am a lingerer here
only a little while. Soon tho places that have
seen me will see me no more, l shall pass the
bourne from whence no traveller returns-and pass
it, l feel, right early. ! have been among YOU
for many years; and in all my public life, 1 have,
in the fear of God, sought to judge rightly be-
tween my fellow men. To err is human, there.
fore have not been free from error; but the merit
of a good intention, l must, in justice claim.
My friends, look at me as / stand before YOU
tonight and he advanced a few PAGES on the
platform, This head is whittier than it was a wear
ago--this hand not so steady-this poor body less
firm and erect. | am a shattered wreck on the
N1N
sea of life; the last frail vessel of a goodly fleet
that went down in the pitiless tempest. How
yainly did search for a harbOr, when l saw the
storm gatherings but there was none in which we
might ride in safety.
Fellow citizens P-his form was now more
erect, and his tones 6rmer and deeper-'turn your
thoughts back for twenty year5, such Of you as
can recall events for SO long a period. Did l not
then say to you that licensed drinking houses
would be a curse to our beautiful village? Did ]
not then urge, warn, implOre you on the subject,
and with all the little eloquence 1 possessed ? Did
| not then declare it as my belief that, as a body
of citizens, united in corporate form to secure our
mutual well'being, il was our duty to guard the
weak and the youthful from the fascination of
drink, by prohibiting the sale Of intoxicating liz.
uors in our Villagei We had as much the ri0bt m