Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-08-24
#iseellamu.
Father Hyatt's story.

aIter nad nnIShed the account written ii
haste and partaken of the confusion of the
hour, the letter dropped from my hands
and l sat in the gathering darkness of the
summer twilight, rehearsing to myself the
story of his life, and the sad, sad story oi
his tragic death. Years have passed since
but the whole is impressed upon my mem.
ory in figures that time cannot fade. If
were an artist. could paint his portrait, ]
am sure, as / see him even now. Such a
grand, open-hearted, whole-souled fellow as
he was.
1t was about year before that first
saw him in my church. His peculiar gait
as he walked up the center aisle, first at
tracted my attention. He carried stout
cane and walked little lame. His wife
was with him. Indeed, except at his Office,
/ rarely saw them apart. She loved him
with an almost idolatrous affection, as well
she might, for he was the most lovable man
i ever knew and be loved her with a
tenderness almost womanly. think he
never for a moment forgot that it was her
assiduous nursing which saved his life.
His face attracted me from the first, and
rather think that / called on the new
comers that very week. At all events we
soon became fast friends, and at the very
next communion husband and wife united
with my church, by letter from -, but
no matter where; had best give neither
names nor dates. They lived in a quiet,
simple way, going but little into society
for they were society to each other. They
rarely spent an evening out, if L except
the weekly prayer-meeting They came
fhor 10 4bof Ia int
the Sabbath-sehool. A Bible-class of
young people gathered about him as if by
magic. He had just the genial way, the
social qualities, and the personal magnetism
to draw the young to him. l used to look
about sometimes with kind of envy at the
eager attentive faces of his class.
Judge of my surprise when, one day,
warm friend of Charles came to me pri-
vately and said, Charley p. is drinking
Impossible, said 1.
ALAS y said he, it is too true. have
talked with him time and again. He prom
Uses reform, but keeps no promise. His
wife is almost broken-hearted, but carries
her burden alone. You have influence
with him, more than any one else think.
/ want you to see him and talk with him.
promised, of course. made the effort,
but without success. l called once or twice
at his Office. He was always immersed in
business. called at his house. But l
never could see him alone. was really
sperplexed when he relieved me of my
perplexity. Perhaps he suspected my de-
sign. At all events one morning he sur
prised me by call at my study. He
opened the subject at once himself.
l. II L. IL
l-~isi- -L~... -~vsAIf am bringing /
shame on the Church and disgrace on my |
family. You know all about it. Every ybody
-krcs=s&4 about it. / wonder that the child
rem do not point at me in the street as 60
along. Oh my poor wife my poor wife
what shall do?'
He was intensely excited. L suspected
chat he had been drinking to nerve himself
70 what he regarded as disagreeable but
unavoidable duty. / calmed him as well
as / could, and he told me his story.
He was formerly temperate though
never a total abstinence man. He was
employed on railroad in some capacity
express messenger L think. The cars
ran off the track. That in which he was
sitting was thrown down an embankment.
He was dreadfully bruised and mangled,
and was taken up for dead. 1t seemed at
first as though he had hardly whole bone
in his body; but by one of those marvellous
freaks, as we account for them, which de-
feat all physicians calculations, hesurvived.
Gradually he rallied. For twelve months
he lived on stimulants. His wife's assldu-
GUS nursing through these twelve months
of anxiety prostrated her upon bed of
sickness. From his couch he rose, as he
supposed. to 60 through life on crutches.
But returning strength had enabled him to
substitute a cane. Her attack of typhoid
fever left her an invalid, never to be strong
again. Alas his twelve months use of
stimulants had kindled fire within him
which it seemed impossible to quench.
Il cannot do my work. said he, with
out little, and little is enough to over
set me. l am not a hard drinker, Pastor,
indeed / am not. But half glass of
liquor will sometimes almost craze me-
/ told him he must give up the little.
For him there was but one course of safety,
that of total abstinence. He was reluctant
to come to it. His fathers sideboard was
never empty. 1t was hard to put aside
the notions of hospitality he had learned
in his childhood, and adopt the principles
of total abstinence, which he had always
been taught to ridicule. However, he
resolved bravely, and went away from
my study as fondly hoped, saved man.
had not then learned, as have since,
the meaning of the declaration, the spirit
indeed is willing but the flesh is weak
saw him every few days. He never
showed any signs of liquor. | asked him
casually, as had opportunity, how be was
getting along. He always answered, Well
l -nnded others cautiously. No one
him of any evil habit. / con-
ofuded he had conquered it. Though did
not lose him from my thoughts or prayers,
/ grew less anxious. He kept his Bible
class, which grew in numbers and in inter-
est. Spring came, and relaxed little
my labors, as that climate-no matter
where it was, to me the climate was bad
enough-requiredi it. Despite the caution
the subtle malara laid hold of me. l fought
for three weeks hard battle with disease
When l arose from my bed the doctor for
bade all study and all work for six weeks
at least. No minister can rest in his own
parish. My people understood that as
parishes do not always. One bright spring
day, one of my deacons called, and put a
sealed envelope into my hand to be opened
when he had left. 1t contained a check
for my travelling expenses, and an official
note from the officers of the church bid
ding me 90 and spend it. In three days l
was on my way to Lake Superior. 1t was
there nv wife's hurried note told me the
story of Charles death. And this was
it.
The habit had proved too strong for his
weak. will He had resumed drinking No