The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1862-05-21
Marriage at a Temperance Meeting
A TRUE STORY.

arrived NJ o, a&reaJ temperance meet
ing was to be held in one of the churches.
Her friend who had become enthusiastic
in the cause, urged her to go to the meet
ing, which she did, though with reluc-
tance. The house was crowded above
and below. The preliminaries usually APP
pertaining to such meetings having been
arranged, a brief opening address was
made by one of the ministers. A re-
formed man then related his experience
with great effect. After he had finished
there was pause Of nearly minute. At
length man who had been seated far
back, with his face partly turned from the
audience, arose slowly, and moved to the
front of the stage.
A half suppressed exclamation escaped
Alice, as her eye caught the well known
features Of him who had once been her hus-
band, while quick thrill ran through her.
Then her frame trembled in accordance
with her fluttering heart. The face of
Mr.. Delaney had greatly changed since
she had looked upon it. Its calm, digni-
fed elevation had been restored-but
what difference
"Mr President" he began, with a
broken voice, although / had consented,
at your urgent solicitation, to address this
large assembly to night, yet have felt so
strong reluctance to do SO that it has
been with the greatest difficulty that l
dragged myself forward. But / passed
my word and / could not violate it. As
to relating my experience, that do not
think upon. The past dare not recall.
Would 10 heaven that ten years Of my
life were blotted out"
The speaker here paused moment, al
though much affected. Then with q
firm voice he said:
"But something must be said Of my
own case, or l shall fail to make that i'm
preston on your minds that wish to pro-
duce.
"Pictures of real life touch the heart
with real power, while absent present.
ments of truth glitter coldly in the intel
lectual regions of the mind, and then fade
from the perception like figures in dio-
rama.
"Your speaker once stood among the
first members of the bar in neighboring
State. Nay, more than this, he repre-
sented his country for three years in the
assembly of the Commonwealth; and
more than that still, he occupied seat in
Congress for two congressional periods.
Al this period the stiffness of death
porvaded the crowded assembly.
"And yet more than all this he con-
tiuued, his voice sinking into low, thrill
ing tone, he had tender wife and two
sweet children. But all these honors, all
those blessings, have departed from him,
he continued, his voice growing deeper
and louder in his efforts to control him
self. "He was unworthy to retain them
His constituents threw him off because
he had debased himself and disgraced
them. And worse than all-she who
loved him devotedly, she who had borne
him two babes-was forced to abandon
his and seek an asylum at her fathers
house.
"And why l be so changed in few
short years9 What power was there tC
abasc me so that my fellow beings spurn
ed, and even the wife Of my bosom turned
away heart-stricken from me. Alas, my
friends, it was mad indulgence in mocke
ry! A very demon, curse changing u'
into the beasts But for this | were AZ
honorable and useful representative ii
|, Congress, pursuing after my conntry''
good, and blessed in the home circle will
my wife and children. But I have no
told you all; after my wife separated from
me, | sank rapidly. A state Of perfect so
briefly brought me too many sober tho'ts
l therefore drank moro freely, and wa
rarely, if ever, free from the bewitching ef
fects of intoxication. | remained in tn
same village several years but never ono
! saw her. For two years of the time
abandoned myself to the fearful impulse
} of the appetite | had acquired. had no
a week of sobriety during that time-no
, caught glimpse of my children. A
, last became so abandoned in my habit
: that my wife, urged on her by her friends
fled an application for divorce. And a
cause could easily be shown why i
, should be granted, separation was legall
f declared. TO complete my disgrace, n
: the next congressional canvass ] was lef
, off the ticket as unfit to represent my dis
t trict. l left the country and State whey
, l had lived from my boybood up.
: "Then | heard Of this movement, til
/; great temperance cause. AT first sueer
: ed, then wondered, hesitated, and fiuall
f threw myself upon the great wave tina
g was swelling onward, in the hope of bein
@ carried by it far out Of the reach of dar
n ger, and / did not hope with vain hope
: 1t gave me all, and certainly more than
Q could have dreamed of. II SET me ono
= more upon my feet-once more made
/ man Of mo.
S "Three years have passed since thel
Earnest devotion to my profession, an
fervent prayer to Him who alone gives ri
J, to every good resolution, have restored {
,. me much that had been lost: but moi q