The Lincoln County herald., 1868-05-28
Al EyCIfRa SCENE,

A tsnpsraaes meeting eo~e ysars sea
vss = b tsld sas svss;sg in-ehureh,
where the spssl,sn vsrs, as usual, to b
rsfornes druakards. An sstimsbls wo.
fnaa, whom ~ will call Alice, was inducd
to atsssd. When The meeting was some.
what advasced, late member Of Congress
arose with apparent sadnsss aud hesits.
tion and said:
"Thoush had coasentsd, a your ur.
gent solicitation, 70 address this assembly
to night" he said, "yss have felt great
reluctance in doing 20, 90 that IL has
been with Tie utmost difficulty that !
eould drag nysslf forward. AZ to rels.
ting my experience that I do not think
could venture upon. The past I cannot
recall. could wish that the memory oi
ten years Of ny life were blottsd cut. ,
He paused moment much affected, and
then added idS Anal voice, Something
must BE- said Of my own csse, or I fail to
make the impression on your minds that
wish to produce.
"Yous speaker once stood among the
respected members Of the bar. Nay,
more than that, he occupied seat in Con.
grcss for two Congressional periods. And
more than that" he continued, bis voice
sinking into . tone expressive Of deep
emotion, "ho once had tenderly loved
wife and two sweet children. But all
these honors, oil these blessings, have de.
parted from him. He Was unworthy to
retain them; his constituents thew him Of
because he had debased himself and dis
graesd them. Aud more than all, she
who had loved him devotedly, the mother
Of his two babes, Was forced to abandon
him and seek an asylum in her fathers
house. And Why? Could I become so
changed in 90 fcw short ysarsP What
power was there to so debase that my fel.
low beings spurned, and even the wife Of
my bosom turned away heart-stricken
from me2 Alas, my friends, II was mad
indulgence in intoxicating drinks. But
for THE, we're an honorable and useful
representative in the balls Of legislation,
and blessed with home and wife aud chill.
dren.
"But I have not told you oil. After
my wife was separated from me, sank
rapidly. A state Of sobriety brought too
many dreadful thoughts; I drank more
deeply, and was rarely, If ever, free from
the bowildcrfng effects Of partial intoxi.
cation. At last l became SO abandoned
that my wife, urged by her friends, NO
doubt, fled an application for divorce,
and - cause could be readily shown why
it should bo granted, separation was le.
gally declared; and to complete my dis
grace, at the Congressional canvass I was
left off the ticket, as unit to represent
the district.
"Whcn I heard Of this new movement,
the great temperance cause, at Grst l
sncered, then wondered, listened at last,
and finally throw myself on the great wave
that was rolling onward iu hope Of being
carried fur out Of the reach Of danger.
Z did not hope with vain hopo. It did
for mo oil, and more than I could have
desired. It set me once more upon my
feet-once more made man Of me. A
year Of sobriety, carueet devotion to my
profession, and ferveut prayer to Him
who alono gives strength in every good
resolution, restored me to much that I
had lost; but not all-uot the richest
treasure-that havo proved myself un.
worthy to retain mot my wife and chill.
dren. Between myself and these the law
had laid its stern, impossible interdictions.
have no longer wife, no longer chill.
drsnr though my heart goes towards these
loved ones with the tsudorest yearnings.
Pictures Of our early days Of welded love
are ever lingering in my Imagination. I
dream Of the sweet 6reside circle, I SEQ
ever before mo tho placid faco Of my Alice,
as her eyes looked into mine with intel.
ligsnt confidence; the music Of her voice
is ever sounding in my cars"
Here the speakers emotion overcame
him; bis uttsrancs became ohoked, and
he stood silent with Bowed head and trsm.
bling limbs. The dsate mass Of people
we're hushsd into au oppressive stiffness,
that xas brskea hsre and there by hall
stided spbs.
Atthis moment there was movement
in the crowd. A single female figure,
kafora vhem eyery one appeared instinct.