The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1870-08-11


no better than mine had been once fol
my mother had told me how noble my
father couldxbesif rum were not ir hi.
way.
a. Time passed on and | was eight year;
|old, and those eight years had been years
iof sach sorrow and suffering as l pray
God II may nev ex again experience. AT
lenpth one coldliD 5rning, in the dead 81
winter, nv father was not at home He
had not been at home through the night
My mother sent me to the tavern to
see if could find him.
1 had gone half the way when / saw
something in the snow by the side of the
road. stopped and a shudder ran
Ftlirough me, for it looked like a human
form | went up to It and turned the
head over and. brushed the snow from his
face. It was my father, and he was stiff
and cold IA I laid my hand on his pale
brow and it was cold, and it was like
solid marble He was dead!A agoI#
I went to The tavern and told the peo-
pie there what | had found, and the land
lord sent two Of his men to carry the
frozen body of my father home oh,
shipmates, cannot tell you how my poor
mother wept and groaned. She sank
dc wn upon her knees, and clasped that
icy corpse to her heart, as though she
would. have given life from the warmth
of her own breast Sheloved her husband
through ali his errcrs, AID her love was
all-powerful now. The two men went
away and LEFT the body still on the floor.
My mother whispered to me to come and
kneel by her side. 49, p953s2
MY child" she said to me, and the big
tears were yet rolling down her cheeks,
re you know what has caused all Chis
This man was once as noble and happy
land true as man can be, but oh see how
| he has been stricken down. Promise me,
my child. oh! promise, here before God
and your dead father, and your broken
hearted mother, that you will never, new
1er touch drop of the fatal poison that
has wrought for US all this misery" 91
Shipmates, did promise all my moth
Ter asked, and God knows that to this mo-
ment that promise has never been broken
My father was buried, and some good
| kind neighbors helped us through the
winter When the next spring came
lcould work and earned something fol
tmy mother Not for the wealth of the
whole world would I break the pledge
gave my mother and my God on thai
dark, cold morning. That sail, ship
i mates. Let ne go now and you may en-
lioy yourselves alone, for dotnot believe
THAT you will again urge me to drink.
i AS Jack thus spoke he turned towards
the door, but one of US stopped him.
/" Hold on, Jack" said he, wiping hi
eyes, "y you shan't go alone. have got 1
mother, and love her as well as you love
yours, and your mother shall not be hap
pier than mine; for swear that sh'
shall never have a drunken son, III
drink no more 80, 49,. -.
aGive me your hand old fellow p ex
claimed the rest of us in chorus, starting
4 from our seats; and before many minute
y we all agreed to initiate Jacks noble re
solution. We called for pen, ink ant
paper, and made Jack draw up pledge
He signed it first and we followed him
and when the deed was done ! knew W
were far happier than we had been TO
years. The wine slpon the table was no
touched, and the liquor we had dranl
; during the forenoon was now all gone j
its effect. ~ s....,,,.'..
!. Toward evening we returned to tn
rlship. There was . frown upon the car
tain's brow as we came over the side, TO
Z he had never known us to come off fror
days liberty sober. But when we al
! came over the side and reported ourselve
to him his countenance lighted up. III
, could hardly give credit to the evideuc
/ Of hic own cou0pc
{ Boy" said h he, Il. what what ! does thi
mean 2" e3sat Ko.t 49,. -. e ~. 'f..sl
: "Show him the paper" whispered
: Jack had our pledge, and without speak
{ ing he handed it to the captain. Fl
. took 1T and read it., and his face change
J its expression several times. At lengt
!, saw tear start to his eye. bai ba
: "Boys," said he, as ne folded up til
= paper, let mekeep this, and if you site
!, to your noble resolution you shall neYe
!, want a friend while j live" ezra.
: We let the captain keep the pape
I and when he had put it in his pocket h
: came and took us each in turn by til
/ hand. He was much affected, and / kne,
) that the circumstance made him happy
: From that day our prospects frightened
: Jack Small no more had our envy; for b
sltook hold and taught us IN navigation
! and we were proud of him, On the mex
! voyage we all six rated as able seame
! and received full wages, and we left no
! that noble-hearted captain until we LEI
!. to become officers on board other ships.
Jack Small is now one of the best mas
: tiers in the world, and believe. the res
of our party are still living, honorabl
and respected men. Three years ago W
| all met, the whole six Of US, at dime
! again, and not one of us had broken tina
!, pledge which we made &C the hotel q
lI2;o HMn hod oil nfI1nl, 20 tho CA an.