The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1870-01-27
John Jarvis, the Halter,
Hope for the Hopeless.


plainly that she-was the drunkard's wife.
Not shilling, John Surely you will
not waste a shilling of my hard earnings
when you know tn can scarcely get
food for the children?
AS the wife said this she looked up in
to her husbands face, with sad, appeal
ing expression. go. It5- -
II must have shilling, Jane, was the
firm reply. : oao'@ ~ - ''.
90, John! remember our little ones.
| The cold weather will soon be here, and
I have not yet been able to get them
shoes. If you will not do anything your
self, do not waste the little my hard la
Dor can procure Will not sixpense do?
Surely that is enough for you to spend
for
Nothing will do but shilling, Jane,
and that must have, was the prompt
and somewhat earnest reply.
Mrs Jarvis laid aside her work me
chanically, and rising, went to her draw
| er, and from a cup containtaing four shil-
l,ngs, her little all, took out one, and
turning to her husband said, as she hand
ed tito him: - tsA
l91t Remember, John, that you arestaking
the bread out OF our ch'ldren's mouths !"
- Not so bad as that hope, Jane,' The
drunkard replied, as he clutched the
money eagerly, something like feeble
smile fitting across his disigured and
distorted countenance. i'@
80 Yes, and worser was the response,
in sadder tone than that in which his
wife had at first spoken. s.N1 ts"
How worse, Jane?'
/ John and the wife spoke with asud-
den energy, while her countenance light
ed up with strange sgleam-' John,
cannot bear this much longerl And you
who pledged yourself. aA67
Here the voice of the poor woman
gave way. and covering her face with her
hands she bent her head upon her bosom
and sobbed and wept bitterly.
The drunkard looked at her for a mo-
ment, and then turning hurriedly, passed
from the room. For some moments after
the door had closed upon the husband,
did Mrs JAWS stand, sobbing and weep
ing. Then slowly returning TO her chair
near the window, she resumed her work,
with an expression of counte1ance that
was sad and hopeless.
In the meantime the poor creature who
painful restitution, after turning away
from his door, walked slowly along the
street with his head bowed down, as if
engaged in, to him, altogether new en-
ploymenS, Ghat of,self communion. All at
once, a hand was laid Familiarity upon his
shoulders, and well known voice said !:
. Come, John, let's heve drink i5A
jaws looked up with bewildered air,
and the first thing that caught his eye,
alter it glanced away from the face OF
one of his drinking cronies, was a sign
with bright gold letters, bearing the
word Eagle That sion was as familiar
to him as the face ot one OF his children.
At the same moment that his eye rested
npon this, creating a voluntary impulse
to move towaId the tavern door, his old
crony caught hold of his coat collar, and
gave him a pull in the same direction
| But, much to TIE SUI prise of the latter
Jarvis resisted this attempt to give bis
steps direction that would lead him
into his old accustomed haunt.
wont you drink this bank Jaryis?'
asked the other, with look of surprise
There was evidently powerful strug
gle going on in the mind of the drunk
ard This lasted only moment or two,
when he said loudly and emphatically,
MOI And Instantly broke from his old
boon companion, and hurried on hJs wav.
+ A lound laugh followed him, but he
needed it not. Ten minutes walk brought
him to the store of a respectable trades
man. a@f I.l 8oG ~
is Mr. Robinson in?' he asked as he
entered. II Eg91
Back at the desk, )" was the reply
And Jarvis walked back with resoluee
air. sasi9 bee
Mr.. Robinson, 1 want to sign the
pledge. ~ 89ia
You, JarvisP' Mr.. Robinson said, in a
tone of gratifed surprise
yes, me, Mr.. Robinson It's almost a
hopeless case with me, know, but I
really wish to do better' 4
Are you fully sensible of what you are
about doing, Jarvis? 1924
| I think | am, Mr.. Robinson I've drank
nothing since yesterday morning, and
W It'll the help of Him above, I am deter
mined never to drink another drop as
long as I live! So let me sign
i Mr.. Robinson turned at once to the
declaration of the Washington Temper
ance Society, and read: ~
s"We, the undersigned, do pledge our
selves to each other, as gentlemen that
we will not, hereafter, drink any spir.u-
Gus liquors, wine, malt, or cider, unless
in sickness and under the prescri ption of
aphysician" 90
Jarvis took the pen in his hand that
trembled SO he could scarcely make a
straight mark on the paper, and enrolled
his name among the hundreds of those
who, like him, had resolved to be men
once more. This done he laid down the
shilling, which he had obtained from his
wife. As he turned away, his step war