Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1867-05-22


mers only object was to do him a good
service, by taking from him his love of
gin The good nature to which appeals
had been made by the farmer would not
allow him to be ungrateful, and for six
months Tom worked on the farm sober
man. Then the farmer trusted him to go
TO the nearest town. He came back at
the appointed time sober. He had learn
ed to work and be useful
At the end Of twelve months from the
night of his imprisonment the farmer
said to him
Il am going to take ride to-day,
Thomas. You will go with me.''
AT the town where the farmer met Tom,
he conducted him to shop and had him
''rigged OUT in a handsome suit of
clothes, and then paid him in addition for
all the work he had performed Toms
amazement at this proceeding we would
not attempt to describe, but it did not
abate in the least when the farmer said
"Now you will 60 with ME to the town
where you was known as sot. | shall
call you Mr. Brown"
"Why, sir?" yentured Tom his eyes
full of tears
You will see when you get there, but
you must be stranger to every body
returned the farmer.
Anything you say. sir" replied Tom,
more deeply amazed than he had yet been.
Arriving at the village, Mr.. Brown was
introduced to the principal citizens. The
farmer was generally known and respects
ed. Mr.. Brown was we'll dressed and
made fine appearance. He was invited
with the farmer to dine with the magisz
trate, man before whom he had often
been arraigned as drunken vagrant:
Had he been suddenly transported to ths
Moon, to Venus, or to Mars, he had not
been more decidedly astonished. He
knew nearly everybody, why did nobody
know him Because, Mr.. Brown was
no more like Tom Toperly, than a we'll
dressed temperance man is anywhere like
ragged, bloated street drunkard.
At dinner, looking at the magistrate,
the farmer said
Il believe it is about year since
poor drunken wretch, we'll named Tom
Toperly, disappeared from the village.
Has there ever been any tidings of him?"
"Not word," said the magistrate.
at is strange. Tom was a good fellow,
but he would do nothing but drink gin
when he could, he begged it, and he
never would work only to get money to
buy it. During this speech Browns face
passed through multitude Of singular ex-
pressions. The farmer watching him;
replied to the magistrate
''H was at my house after he left here,
as fond of drink as ever"
"Ill warrant it, returned the magis.
trate; "Ive no doubt he died like beast
in ditch"
Mr.. Brown could endure it no longer
Jumping up to the CONSERVATION of the
magistrate, throwing the table over, he
cried
"No he didn't! Here he is T am,
Tom Toperly Don't Mr. Brown me any
more. ! ou kIcked and cu11eu me ABOUT
this town and was going to send me to
the work htu e, and Cal d me nothing but
drunken Tom, but this farmer made me
think was something of man, and now
[ am not ragged and dirty, and bloated,
but I've got good clothes to wear and
money in my pocket, and | know how to
earn more, and you have taken me for a
gentleman.
"Glad of it Tom glad of it +! We're
having temperance meetings, and you
shall give US speech--tell EN- your story,
Tom. You are gentleman, and you
shall stay in my house as long as you are
in town." exclaimed the magistrate, shak-
ing him by the hand until his shoulder
ached.
"Make man think he is somebody, if
your have to lock him up to make him
do it that is the way to reform say |,
cried Tom.
''The farmers confidence in my simple
word, that nobody would trust, made q
man of me-"
Tom told his story to all his old ''chums,"
cot number Of them to follow his exar1-
pie, went back home with the farmer, in
due course of time became his son-in-law,
and died, leaving a number of children,
who, though they inherited the unpromis-
ing name of Toperly, have eve, been sob
erly.
CURIOUS HISTORY OF A STATE.-The
territory now known as Wisconsin was
claimed by France, on the ground of dis