The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-03-21


was twelve years old, and he was now
tRenty-hve. Tom had been pass6d
Through ali the tempeYassee societiess He
was q sbache1crsi perhaps because he had
mot been sober long envnga To seek wife |
n, lie liz When hs gss ~ 81 I'M II ~ y work
even for gin 50 one night he mysteriously
Disappeared He YVES 80 well known about
the town, that every body missed him, and
there was general inquiry MS to his fate.
II was the nth day after his disappear
ance when Tom turned up on the steps
of tavern about ten miles distant from his
native town, He was penEiless, so the
landlord had turned him out of door. He
was s sober as ever he had been in his
life. a man in d rough coat acosted him
sS w hat are you doing here, my man W
b ssWaiting for some one 10 sisk me to drink.
Perhaps you're the chap WAS Toms reply.
The rough looking man sfaiied, and said,
3 ..You look as ityyon had taken drink enough
In your life. = - ~ - q
y Tin awful dry. Have1,s had d drop to-
IL j find yoii as much as you can drink,
will You 60 with me ~ inquired the man.
- Yes, and stay with you tin the stock is
out answered Tom, jumping mp. 1850 =
Get into my wagon, then, 2 SAID the man..
Tom was driven Ave miles into the ooen-
try, and was set down in farm yard.
90 This Isl our Ilori1e,n said his new friend.
Tom thought It d queer place to get as
much as he could drink, but said nothing,
The gentleman led him to a fine stone house,
| gave him seat In the porch, and ordered
I q boy to bring pail of water, which he did.
I Help yourself, said tGeg gentleman 80 1t
/ is good, and you will stay with me a long
/ time before yon DRINK the spring dry.n
Tom thongtt his friend was facetious,
SO he chuckfed and asked, ssBut the liquor Z"
\ "Wha liquor ~ asked the other, aston
tsl, oh
+ f"But you told me, if went with you
/ should have all could drinks lily
$50 you shall-the spring never gets dry,
and the dairy is large" 49, 3af y
/ s" I'm not used to it,
| 3 "I know that well" replied the farmer,
now--ssupper is ready.
Tom was not unwilling to try good sup.
! per, and SO restrained his temper.
4 AT bedtime be was conducted to q neat
room, and locked in, In the morning Tom
found himself q prisoner, and begun ifuri-
I" w hats all this noise ~ said the farmer.
! 81 want to come out, - cried Tom.
4 Yon are my prisoner said the farmer.
ar can keep you here as long ms please I;
4 bnt if yon promise not to go off the farm
| for three months, yon shall be .wen fed and
/ b tsIll do II, cried Tom, eagerly, pleased
4 to think that the farmer manifested 80 much
1 confidence In his integrity. 80
4 8 In o day or TIVE Tom saw that the farmers
only object was TO do him good, and for six
| monkhs he worked on the farm sober man.
i At this onf'uf twelve months from the night
LOT his Imprisonment, the farmer said, !"
am going to take q ride to-day, Thomas.
You will 60 with me. )
i At the town where the farmer met Tom,
he conducted him TO . shop and had him
tfrieGcd outr IN a handsome suit of clothes,
4 and paid him for his years work. /.
Il Now you viii 50 with me to Your native
1 town. j shall call you Mr.. Brown,
II q Why, sir 3" asked Tom.
\ g Yon win see Hhen you get there; but
j you must be . stranger to overy ONE
Il aHAnything you say, SIR replied Tom.
!, Arriving at the village, Mr.. Brown wsG
introduced to the principal citizens. Ths
u farmer was generally known and respected
i He was invited with the farmer 10 dine
with the magistrate before whom he haG
been arTaigned as q drunken yagrant. H'
; knew every body, but nobody knew him, TO
) Mr.. Brown was no more like Toni Toperly
than q well-dressed temperate man Is liz
| q ragged, bloated street drunkard. !.
al fsI believe said the farmer, IL is abou
! a year since poor drunken fellow names
: Toperly disappeared from the village. Ha
! there ever been any tidings of him
! y" Not q word, y said the magistrate.
= is strange. Tom was good fellow, but b
! would do nothing but drink gin. Whom h
could he begged it, and he -nexe~ Mnnli
4 work except TO get money to buy it. = =
: During this speech Mr.. Browns lace I'M
derwent variety of singular expressions
4 | The farmer, watching MIN, replied, "He wa
!. at my house alter he left here, as fond Q
| drink as ever" -
. I'm warrant it, 3 returned the magistrate
: fsI've no doubt he died like "a beast in :
!. ditch" -
Tom could stand it no longer. Jumpin
q Up, to the astonishment of the magistrate
4 he cried, . Ne, he didn't Hero ne is
: ana Tom Toperlyi Don't Mr.. Brown m
: any more. You kicked and cufEed ms abeu
4 this town, and was going to send me to tn
: | workhouse, and called me nothing Blu
+ drunken TsHa bat this farmer made m
4 think was something Of man, and nov
4 | I ana not ragged and dirty and bloated."
!. g CLAD Of it, Tom--glad of i'll We'r
|. / having temperance meetings, and you eha
3 give Us o speech tell them your story
g 4 Ton, You are gentleman, and you sha
= \ etay in my house as long as You are
= town. exclaimed the magistrate, shakin
+ him BY the hand until his shoulder aehet
- n IL. q H.