Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-03-06

drove me almost to madness. Unconscious
ly [ went to the railway station, tTOin
was coming in, and aboard of it noticed
n company of soldiers, going to join their
regiment at the place of rendezvous. When
the train started, L found myself aboard
and was soon speeding on, cared not
WHITTIER. When had ridden an hour or
more i noticed that the captain of the
aforesaid company was sitting near me. l
entered. into conversation with him, and
ended by enlisting in his company. was
three long aud wearisome years in the sell
vice never once hearing from home. 1t is
needless for me to relate the marches, bat
ties and hardships which endured during
that time. It,would be but repetition OF
anoft told tale. When l first enlisted L
took a solemn oath on my pended knees
that / would never touch another
drop of Intoxicating drink. and called
upon God to witness my oatn. 1 soon
gained the confidence Of officers and men,
and as soon as could be, l was made SER
geant in my company. / saved every cent
of money which received, determined
tnat should ever be spared to go back to
my wife and babes that would not go
back empty handed. My comrades noticed
that / wrote no letters nor received any,
and,Were little curious to know something
of my history, but all attempts to draw me
out on this point failed. On the subject of
home and friends was dumb. At last our
time was up, and we were mustered out
Upon counting my savings found that [
had something over six hundred dollars
with wbichI inteLded to begin the world
anew. / intended to go to my wife, i'm
iplore her forgiveness, and again strive
lmanfully with the world for another home,
and neutrality-suspicious.. In spite of the pleas
lure that / anticipated from meeting those
who were adearer to me than all the world
beside, Il felt an inward misgiving that all
Aa-.s 70
lmyself that I1eft her among friends, those
who were able, and felt sure whould be
lwilling,to render her any assistance in
their power Notwithstanding, L still
feared that all had not gone well with
them during the three long years of my self
imposed penance for the wrong had done
them. When [ at last arrived at the village
before mentioned, / made inquiries about
them, and was soon made acquainted with
the story of their sufferings, and the reali-
Zation of my own future misery Here
the narrator was so overcome by his feel
ings that he was unable to proceed for sew
eral N oments. After recovering he again
proceeded as follows i "My wife, on hear
ing of nv losses and departure, was taken
dangerously i'll, and fingered between life
and death tor several weeks; at last she re-
solved to live for the sake of the children.
and from that day grew better During
her Illness she had been watched over by
kind friends, but now that she was well
again, she refused all their kind offices.
She moved to the village and rented a
small room, where she took in sewing to
earn the necessaries of life. Many of her
old friends visited her and desired to- lend
her a helping hand, but their presents
were invariably returned. She was too
proud to receive charity. In the winter OF
'63 little Tommy took sick and died; she
had scarcely buried him when Lizzie too
ioly nd affor Sh0rt Illness died
also. Many were the weary nights she had
watched all alone at their bedsides, and
now they were dead, che had nothing more
to live for. Worn out and sick at heart,
she knelt by the lonely bedside and prayed
to God to take away that life which she no
longer desired. Together, with burying
her darlings and paying the doctors bill,
she had nothing left. 1t was bitter cold
weather, she was out of fuel and out OF
bread, sick and unable to go for either. A
little girl that used to be playmate OF
Lizzies, called to see her and found her
lying on the bed, feverish and no fire in the
room; the little girl desired to have one
made for her, and asked her if she might
bring hor a cup of tea; she refused both.
and said she would get along very well un-
til morning, and then if she did, not feel
better that she might do as she wished
But alas her bright eyes never saw the
+ light of another morning. Her gentle
SplrlG EnaQ. HOWL To In0 OOu VIII gave
+ it.. When the little girl entered the
room the, next morning, she found her
/ stark and stiff upon the bed, with
one hand holding photographs of the
children, and in the other was tightly
clasped gold watch / had given her for q
. Christmas present when we were first mar
ried. Yes, she had starved and frozen tC
death. and was the cause, through my
appetite for the cursed rum. Oh! the
( thought of it maddens me even now
/ When it was told me that she was dead, my
brain reeled and fell to the floor. | went
/ into brain fever, and lay for weeks no
expected tO live; however, against my owl
/ wishes, and as soon as was able to travel
I left the spot where / could no longe
+ endure to stay. came to Hannibal, since
I which have made every effort in my pow
+ er for the ecause of Temperance, andsagains
my old enemy, Alcohol. never expect t
be as happy again as 1 was once. But
am always thrilled witha a joy inexpressi
/ BILE whenever, through any effort of mine
young man is induced to renOunce th
Intoxicating bowl forever, or, when l sue
ceed in reclaiming fallen wretch to him
self and family" f,e.,-r s,,f* ,si - 8 --