Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1860-02-03

'Of. say shouted jerks, now maddened /.
beyond selfcontrol and his hand was about |
to descend upon the little one, when the
stranger caught her in his hands, exolaiming |
az 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 home. Your petit
ton must prevail. He cannot say nay 20 one
Of the little ones whose angels do always be-
hold the face Of their Father in Heaven. God
bless the child added the stranger, in
choking voice. %, that the father, for whom
she has come on this touching errand, we're
present now If there were anything OF man
hood yet left in his nature, this would awaken
it from palsied sleep.
Papa o. papaH now cried the child,
stretching forth her hand In the next moment
she was clnging to the breast Of her father,
who, with his arms clasped tightly around
her, stood weeping and minging his tears
With those now raining from the little one
eyes
What an oppressive stiffness pervaded the
room Jenks stood subdued and bewildored,
his state Of mental confusion scarcely enabling
him to comprehend the full import Of the
scene the stranger looked on wonderngly,
vet deeplv affected. Quietly aud with moist
had been loungng in the bar, went stealthily
out and the landlord. the stranger, and the
father and his child, were left the only in
mates Of the room
Come, Lizzie, dear This is no place for
us, said Leslie, breaking the deep silence .-
Wen go home.
Aud the unhappy inebriate took his child
by the hand. and led her towards the door.
But the little one held back
Wait papa, wait, she said, 'he hasn't pro-
missed yet o, l wish be would promise.
Promise her, in heavens name said the
stranger.
Promise, said Leslie, in a stern and sol
emu voice, as he turned and fxed his eyes on
the landlord.
If I do promise keep it, returned the
landlord, in a threatening tone. as he return
Z ,,i tho saao Of I-a-lio
Then for Gods sake, promise exclaimed
Leslie. in half-despairing voice promise and
Tn safe p
BE it so. May be cursed if ever sell
you a drop of drink at this bar, while am
landlord of the Stag and Hounds jerks
spoke with an angry emphasis.
God be thanked murmured the poor
drunkard, as he led his child away God be
thanked there is hope for me yet.
Hardly had the mother of Lizzie missed her
child, ere she entered, leading her father By
the hand.
! o. mother she exclaimed with joy-lit
countenauce, and in a voice of exultation,-
Mr.. jerks has promised
Promised what: Hope sprang up in her
heart on wild and futterng wing, her face
flushed. and then grew deadly pale. She sat
painting for an answer.
That he would never sell me another glass
Of liquor, said her husband
A pair of thin white hands we're clasped
quickly together an ashen face was turned up
wards, fearless eyes looked their thankiulness
TO heaven.
There is yet hope, Ellen said Leslie.
Hope, hope And o, Edward, you have
said the word
Hope. through our child. Innocence has
prevailed over vice and cruelty. She came to
the strong, evil, passionate man, and in her
weakness and innocence prevailed over him.
God made her fearless and eloquent
A year afterwards stranger came again
that way, and stopped at the Stag and Hounds.
As before, jerks was behind his well filled
bar and drinking customers came and went in
numbers jerks did not recognize him until
he called for water, and drank full tum5ler
of the pure liquid with hearty zest. Then
he knew him, but feigned to be ignorant o,
his identity. The stranger made no refer
ence to the scene he had witnessed there q
twelyemonth before, but fingered in the bar
room most of the day closely observing every
one who came there to drink. Leslie was not
among the number.
What has become of the man and the lit
tie girl that l saw here at my last visit to Mi
lanvilleH said the stranger, speaking at last
10 jerks.
Gone to the Devil for all care was the
landlords rude answer, as he turned off from
his questioner.
For all you care, no doubt said the stran-
ger to himself Men often speak their real
thoughts in passion
Do you see that little white cottage away
off there, just at the edge of the wood Two
tall poplars stand in front.
Thus spoke to the stranger one who had
heard him address the landlord.
/ do. What Off t. he answered.
The man you asked for lives there
Indeed
And what is more, if he keeps on he
has begun, the cottage will be all his own in
another year jerks, here, doesn't feel any
good blood for him, as you may well believe.
A poor mans prosperity is regarded as so
much loss to him. Leslie is good mechan-
leone of the best in Milanville. He can
earn twelve dollars a week, year in and year
nut. Two hundred dollars he has already
paid on his cottage; and as he is that much
richer, jerks thinks himself so much the poor
er-for all this surplus and more, too, would
have gone into his till, if Leslie had not quit
drinking
Aha / see we'll, did Leslie, as you call
him, ever try to get drink here since the land
lord promised never to let him have another
drink
Twice, to my knowledge
And he refused him"
'Yes. If you remember, he said, in his
anger may be cursed if l sell him another
drop
Il remember it very we'll,
That saved poor Leslie. jerks is super
stitious in some things. He wanted TO get
his custom--for it's worth having--and he
was actually handing him the bottle one day,
when saw it, and reminded him of his self
imprecaton. He hesitated, looked frghten-
ed, withdrew the bottle from the countor,and
then with curses drove Leslie from his bar
room, threatening, at the same time, to horse
whip him if he ever set foot over his thres-