The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1870-11-24

eyes, darling, if they wish you to-"
They all joined in the request and placing
her in a chair she sang in sweet childish
voice, the following beautiful and touching
song:
"Out in the gloomy night sadly / roam;
l have no mother dear, no pleasant home;
Nobody cares for me- no enc would cry,
Even if poor little Bessie should die.
Weary and tired I've been wandering all day.
Asking for work, but I'm too small they say:
On the damp ground must lay my head, j.
Fathers drunkard and mother is dead
We were SO happy till father drank rum,
Then all our sorrow and trouble begun;
| Mother grew pale and wept every day
Baby and I were too hungry to play
Slowly they faded till one summer night
| Found their dead faces all silent and white;
| Then with big tears slowly dropping said:
| Fathers drunkand and mother is dead.
| Oh, if the temperance men only would find
| Poor wretched father, and talk very kind
| If they would stop him from drinking why then,
l should be so very happy again.
Is ittoo late, temperance men? please try
| Or poor little Bessie must soon starve and die;
| All the day long I've been begging for bread,
Fathers drunkard, and mother is doad'
| The scene l shall never forget to my dying
day, and the sweet cadence Of her musical
voice still rings in my ears, and every word
Of the song, as it dropped from her lips, sunk
deep into the hearts OF those gathered around
her. With her golden curls falling carelessly
around her little shoulders, her face Of almost
ETHEREAL beauty, and looking SO trustingly and
confidently upon the men around, her beauti-
full blue eyes lighted UP with light that
seemed not Of this earth, formed picture
worthy the pen Of a poet or painter although
a statue of purity and innocence. The un-
finished games Of billiards were laid by, the
cards thrown aside, the unemptied glass re-
NAMED upon the counter, and all pressed
near, some with curiosity, some with sadness,
and some with pity beamng from their eyes,
entranced with the musical voice and beauty
of a child, who seemed better fit to be with
| the angels above than in such place.
| At the close OF the song many were weep
ing-men who had not shed tear for years,
now wept like child. One young man who
had resisted with scorn the pleadings of a
! loving mother and dear friends to lead bet
ter life, to desist from course that was vast
ing his fortune, and running his health. now
approached the child, and taking her hand
while tears streamed down his palo cheek ex-
cleimed with deep emotion
"God bless you, my little angel, you have
saved me from ruin and disgrace pow
erty and drunkard's grave. IF there were
ever angels on earth you are one; God bless
you," and placing bill in the hand of the
| mother, said, please accept this trife as a to-
ken Of my regards and esteem, for your little
girl has done me kindness no wealth can
ever repay. And remember whenever you are
in want you will ever find me true friend"
at the same time giving her his name aud ad-
dress. Taking her child by the hand she
turned to so, but pausing at the door, said !:
"God bless you, gentlemen, and please ac-
cept the heartfelt thanks Of poor and friend
| less woman for the kindness and courtesy you
have shown her, and before any one could
| reply, she was gone.
A silence Of several minutes ensued, which
was at last broken by the proprietor excaim-
| ing:
''Gentlemen, that lady is right, and 7 have
sold my last glass of whiskoy, and if any Of
you want any more you will have to go else
where"
| "And have drank my last glass of whis-
key" said a young man who had not long
| been given up as utterly beyond the reach of
those who had a deep interest in his welfare
| that he had sunk too low to ever reform
"There is a temperance organization in this
city called the Temple Of Honor, and at their
| next meeting shall send up my name to be
| admitted. Who will 60 with me?"
! 81 1! [ and ~ several exclaimed in
a chorus, and fifteen names were added to
his
True to his word, the owner Of the saloon
| where this strange scene was enacted dispos-
ed of his entire stock the next day, aud is
now engaged in an honorable business. Would
| to Heaven that lady could have gone into cv-
cry hamlet, and town, and city throughout
our country, and met with the same cheering
| result.
| Yes, it is the mothers and wives, and sis
ers OF the drunkard that can tell what wills
key has done and is doing. You need not fol-
low him to the sumtuous and brilliant palace
erected by King Alcohol and his confederate
to lure him from the paths Of virtue and use
fulness, to that of ruin and disgrace. You
need not follow him when his money is gone
and he is thrust from the more fashionable re-
sorts to those less respectable. You need not
follow him to the lowest dens of crime and in
iquity; as he daily reels home or lies in the
gutter In condition lower than the 5rutes of
the field. No! but follow him to the place he
calls home and the hollow cheeks, the dim
med eyes, the tear that rolls down the patient,
care worn face Of the forsaken wife, and the
cries Of the starving children tell their own
story in language indispensable in words.
| HARD ON ED1ToRs.- Soon after Chief
Justice Chase assumed the gubernatorial chair
of Ohio, he issued his proclamation appoint
ing Thanksgiving Day. To make sure Of
being orthodox, the Governor composed his
proclamation almost entirely from the Bible
which he did not designate as quotations
presuming that every one would recognize
them, and admire the fitness of the words as
we'll as the taste in their selection. The proc
| lonoo no 81 II A..