Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1867-04-04

That there IL sphere of influence pos
sessed by every one, not even excepting
the child, was affectingly illustrated in
the following incident:
"Some years ago." said the late Ben
iamin Rotch, in one Of his telling speech
es, ~ was addressing public meeting
in the neighborhood of Aylesbury; and
i'm the course of my remarks / cndeaver-
ed to enforce individual duty, and the
right exercise of individual influence
There sat, on the front form, a fino-look-
ing but weather-beaten railway 'navvie,'
who paid very earnest attention to me-
He had, sitting on his knee, q little girl
about five years old. BY way of refuting
the common excuse for Incidence, Il have
no influence remarked that the little
girl sitting on the working-man's knee,
in front of me, even she, had influence.
The man, as If acting under some magic
spell, jumped on his legs, put the child
on the floor, and then striking his hand
against his thigh exclaimed, That's
truep This singular interruption some
what disconnected ME. The man, evil
dehtly embarrassed at what he had done,
took his seat, reinstated his little girl on
his knee, and again drank i'm the truths
delivered to the meeting. AS ] WAS leav-
ing the room this man was waiting at the
door. 1 said to him, Now, my good man,
tell me what induced you to conduct
yourself in the way you did?' Some
| time ago. said he, i was employed on
the railway, and was in the habit of GO
ing every night to a beer-shop, from
which seldom returned sober. l had,'
said he with the big tear glistening in
his eye), at that time daughter nine
| teen years of age; she was dutiful child
with a warm and affectionate heart She
used to come after me to the beer-shop
but she would never go inside, though
sometimes pressed her to do SO. She
+. would wait outside the door, i'm the cold
and wet, until came out that she might
conduct me home. She was afraid, if
left to myself, might fall into some pit,
or down some precipice, and lose my life.
BY this conduct, poor thing, she caught
a severe cold. 1t turned to consumption,
and she died. felt her death very much,
though still went to the beer-shop but
somehow or other Inever, after her death,
liked to go that way alone, especially in
the night; and for the sake of company,
/ used to take with me the little girl
whom you saw sitting on my knee to-
night. But one night he continued, Il
was walking along with the little girl,
she holding by my coat-tail; and when
we got very near the beer-shop there was
great noise within, and my little girl
| Dttth anu Iutttft NDt Z
goW VeXed with her I took her up in
my arms and proceeded; but just as l
was entering the beer-house door / felt a
scalding hot tear fall from her eyes. 1t
went to my heart. / turned my back
upon the public house. 1t is now twelve
months ago, and have never tasted a
drink since. Icould not help getting up
and doing as I did but hope, Sir, you
will forgive me-"
| A father bore upon his arm
A girl of tender years;
TO-, She shiver'd sadly with the cold,
| Her eyes were full of tears.
paused to see why she should weep
A girl so young and fair
And why her father wore a look
OF horror or despair.
| did not need to tarry long
| Her tears to understand,
| For on a gin-shop's half-shut door
The father laid his hand.
Loud was the wintry wind without
Loud was the noise within;
But DER them all / heard her words,
"Oh! father, don't go in!"
He turned him sterny from the door
And strobe along the street,
Thanking his young deiverer
With words and kisses sweet.
Strong were the few and gentle words
| The little girl did speak;
But stranger far the silent tear
That tricked down her cheek!