The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1869-05-14
FRIDAY, MAYA. 1869.
lady as Mistress Jenkins doing wash.

I
sir" r
Mr.. Jenkins resumed: 'They were
Jabout to build the Stats-house IL
S., and aTewaEd Of several hundred
dollars was offered for the best plan o
building suitable for the purposes 70
which It was designed. At the tim,
this advetisement appeared I was sober
not because l had ceased to love liquor
but because i was too poor to get it
My wife knew that ] was e good arehi
tect, and she encouraged me to try fo
the reward. She said she. knew / coulC
get the reward if would only keel
sober. She said, Lyman (she useC
to call me by my Christian name then,
if you will only keep sober 8 week
you can get that reward as we'll as not.
We'll, said !, TO please you I viii try.
IkneW l must have a clear head K
make my plans, and steady hand K
make my dTsughts; and so ] shut my
self up in a room with my instrument
and paper, and in a few days / had il
all finished and sent to the committte
"Several others had tried, but the
committee were unanimous in pro
nouncing my plans superior to all the
rest. ought to have said that l bad
also made estimates of the cost Of the
building, from the foundation to the
ItOp-stone. None of my neighbors knew
what / was doing, for my wife and my
self determined to say nothing to any
one. .
Among Others who tried for the re-
ward was a son of my old boss who was
then carrying on business at v.
He and l never had agreed very well
He was known quite well through all
the region, and he confidently expected
to obtain the reward. But as l have
said, the committee awarded it to me
One of them was acquainted with the
son of my boss, and was passing through
the place on his way home. Ny com
petitor was Of course anxious to know
who was the successful man. The
gentleman replied, "A man by the name
of Lyman Jenkins, who lives here in
" 'WhstP said be, "has that
poor miserable cuss got the reward 2
He is drunk every day of his life.' fAs
to that he replied, i know nothing {.
Drunk or sober, he has surpassed all the
others. 1 am now going to see him and
find out whether he will take the job Of
building it.
81 knew nothing about this then. I
was at home, splitting wood in the back
yard, and my wife stood over the wash
tub. One of my little girls was on the
back-door step, studying her Sunday
lesson. She was committing to mem
ory the verse, lean do all thing through
Christ who strengheneth me- All at
once it came into my head, Christ has
strengthened me to abstain ever since
l commenced drawing the plan. He
can do it still l will trust in him and
drink no more. Before this / had
thought that, if l obtained the reward,
| would have a good spree, and make
up for the days I had been without
liquor.
''Full of this new idea, I went into
.he house, and took my pen, and wrote,
IN the fy-leaf of the Bible, Through
Christ who strengtheneth me, I win
never drink any more liquor, AmeuP
md sighed my name to it. / held it
lp for my wife to read. She burst in
o tears. put away the Bible, and
vent into the backyard, and worked at
ny wood.
81 had worked but few moments
yhen the member of the committee
apped at the door. He inquired if
lyman jenkins lived there, and was
hown in. Ny wife came and told me.
When I entered, he said, is your name
enkins !, told him it was. Did you
raw up these plausp He handed me
be papels L had prepared. I told
i'm 1 did. He added, Your plans ex-
ibit a good deal of genius. l was
by the committee to engage
ou TO superintend the construction Of
he building. Since 1 came to the
lace, however, I have learned that
ou are Incorporate and unreliable, |
nd this leads me to question whether
ought In aDOaOa Won II
" Try him, said my wife, he isn't
Ding to drink any more could say
othing. She got the Bible and open
i it to where l had written my pledge.
Ie read it, and said, .Mr. jenkins, do
gu mean thatP 1 replied that I did
Well, then,' said he we will try you.
-ere are five hundred dollars for the /
IAN. Your salary will be two thou /
md dollars per year. You will 90 and ]
lgsge stone, and timber, and men; Il
I'd we shall have the foundation laid /
lis fall. But remember that if you ]
-eak that pledge, you will lose your a
b. rl Ii
ale went away. This is how 1 be- '
me a teetotsleT. That was more than a
yenty years ago. | haven't drunk 7
'op since, I have the same pledge a
ire in book, and I hope those Of you s
ho have not signed it will do 50" 9
King walked up and signed it. III
81 am glad to see your name there, t
ing" b
Robert 0'Neill then presented him h
II, and said, ''Misther Jinkins, it's not il
9 likes of me that can write, but ye a
ay put my name Oh, and by all the S
ints I'll kape itn ID
Mr.Jenkins put his name op, and said, r,
Eobert if you keep that, it viii be the u
akiDg of you" He was followed by ts
the others who had not previously B,
med. d
SOoH the tea-party, which had been v
pleasant and profitable, broke up, cs
d the visitors returned to their homes, llo
temperance Advocats. al
Prize Ring Items.
Tom Allen Of this city, has finally :,
de a match to fight Mike AcGoole, : !.
ST. Louis, and viii 90 into training !.
coming week at LatoDia Springs, ~ ~
Those who claim to know !. =
. =