The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-07-22

JOHN Ii. OObGH-
III. was an old man. Not so very
old. either, for the wrinkles that mark
cd his yissace were not the autograph
that times finger had laid there, and
the hand that placed upon the low pine
table the wcll-drained glass did not
tremhle SO with the weakening that
flat are induces; yet very old and very
wreichcd looked the sole occupant of
;h,t narrow room, with its red curtain,
and floor stained with tobacco saliva,
and an atmosphere ahundantly seas
oncd by the bar-rOom into which IL
A haiti must have been intended
one-balf-concealed the owners I'M
combed locks; and unmistakable evil
Cence of a familiar acquaintance WIN
brickbats and the gutter did the same
hat produce. Then there was coat,
ont of whose sleeves peeped a pair OF
elbows i'm rejoicing consciousness that
they "could afford to be out" A Id to
these. reader, tattercd pair of trous-
crs, and you have picture OF the
wretched being who had just COM
menced his daily potatlons IN the only
"grog shop" he was allowed 10 ehter.
And yet the wretched, friendless man
that sat there, under the supplying e1-
fects of his morning dram, had a heart;
and far away up great many PAIR OF
winding stairs in that heart was doof
easily passed by, and on that door, COW
cred with cobwehs of time and neglect,
was written, MAN" But nobody
dreamed of this; and when the temper
ance man had gone to him, and prom
ised him employment and respectable
ty if he would "sign," and others well
meaning mem had rated him soundly
for his evil ways, and he had turned
deaf ear to all these things, and gone
hack with pertinacity to his cups"
everybody said old Bill Strong's case
was a hopeless one. All! none OF these
had patiently CROPPED their way up the
hearts winding stairs ana READ the III
scription on the hidden door there.
But while the unhappy man sat by
thc nine table that morning, the bar
keeper suddenly entered, followed 10y a
lady with pale, high brow, mild, ma
eel eyes, and strangely winning eA-
looked I'D with a vacant stare OF as
Punishment, as the bar-keeper rendered
the lady a seat, and pointed to the 9TH
or. saving, "That's Bill Strong,
ma'am'n and, with a glance that indl-
Gated very plainly his wonder at what
She could want there, left her alone
with file astOunded and now thorough
Iy-sobered man. :,
The soft eyes of the lady wandered
with a sad, plying expression over OLD
BilPs features, End then, i'll a low,
sweet voice, she asked:
Gam | rightly informed? DO L adj
dress Mr.. William Strong""
All, with those few words the lady
had got father up the winding stairs,
and nearer the hidden door than all
who had gone before her. -,
"Yes' that is my name, ma'am,"
said old Bill, and he glanced down ut
his shabby attire, and actually tried to
hide the elbow that was peeplnS out
II was a long time since he had been
addressed as M. William Strong, and
somehow il sounded very pleasant to
him.
al am very glad TO meet you, MIR.
Strong" responded the lady; 81 have
heard my father speak of you so often,
and of the days when you and he were
bows together, that L almost feel as If
we were old acquaintance. lcu sure
" cannot have forgotten Charles Nor
risong'
"Oh, no; Charley and / used to he
great cronics,n said old Bill, with sud-
den animation, and light in his eye,
such as had not shone there TOR long
time, except when rum gave it fitful
brilliancy.
All! the lady did not know, rs per-
hans the angels did, that she had
mounted the stairs and was softly feel
ing for the unseen door; so she went
on:
a almost feel, Mr.. Strong. as if
could see the old spot upon which your
old homestead stood. l have heard
NV father describe it so often. The
hill. with its crown of old oaks at the
back of your house, and the field of yell
low harvest grain that waved in front.
Then there was the green grass before
the front door, with the huge apple
tree that threw its shadows across it;
and the old 'portico,' with the grape
vine that climbed over it, and the
white roses that peeped in ut the bed
room window, and the spring that
went shining and bubbling through the
he'd of green mint at the side OF the
house,
Old Bill moved uneasily in his chair,
and the muscles around his mouth
twitched occasionally, but unmindful
of this, the lady kept on i'll the same
low, melting voice:
"'Many and many were the hours,
so father would say, that Willie and l
used TO pass under the shadow of that
old apple-tree, playing at hide or seek,
or lolling on the grass and telling each
other the great things we meant to do
when we became big men, while Will
lies blue eyes would sparkle with hope
and Happiness and when the sunset
laid a crown of gold on the top of the
oaks Oh the hill, Willic's mother might
br seen standing i'll the portlco, with
her snowy cap and checked apron, and
we would hear her voice calling, Come
boys, come TO supper.
one after another the big, warm, bles-
scd tears went rolling down old Bits
checks, and falling on the pine table
Nh the lady was at the door then.
49, was always at home Wlllle's,
father would say, land used to have
my bowl of fresh milk and bread, too !;
and when these had disappeared, Will
lie would draw his little stool to his
mothers feet, and she would tell him
some pleasant story of David or JO-
scph, or some good boy who after
ward became u great man, and then
She would part Willie's brown curls
from of his forehead, and say in a
trembling voice | can never forget,
Promise me, Willie, when you are a
man, ana the gray hairs of your mo-
thcr are resting in the churchyard
yonder, YOU will never disgrace her
memory. And Willie would draw up
his slight form, lift his blue eyes
proudly to his mother and say, New
cr, dear mother, l will make good
man, and a great one, too;' and then,
after we had said our evening pray
ers, we would so, contented and hap
py rs the bird that nestled in the old
app!e-tree, to rest. Then, just as we
were sinking into some pleasant dream,
we would hear a well-known football
on the stairs, and n kind face bending
over would inquire if we were nicely
tucked up. 1t is long, long time,
father would say, since i hearu from
Willie, but am sure he has never fai-
len into any evil ways. The words OF
lis mother would keep him from
that.'n
Rap, rap! rap. went the words OF
thc lady at The door of old Bills heart.
Crcak, creak! creak! went the door
on its rlsted hinges. The lady could
only subdue hedumn ry but hisme
face in his clasped hands, and VI 2e
L Lon & a