The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-07-06
An OLD MANs5 ; 5T6aXs.

-. a ..ss . y
Many years ago, q Temperance meeting
vas held in aoertain village. A little
boy who lived In the village, was very
anxious to 60, and pursuaded his father
to take him. The boy never forgot
that meeting, and-he wrote tho account
of it years afterwards. One Of fhe speak
ers at the meeting was an old man.
His hair was white, and his brow furrow.
ed with ago and sorrow. When he arose
to speak he said M
"My friends, I am an old man, stand
ing alone at the end Of life's journey,
Tears are in my eyes and deep sorrow is
in my heart. / am without friends, or
home, or kindred on earth. It was not
always so. Once had mother. With
her old heart crushed with sorrow, she
went down to her grave, I once had a
wife-a fair, angel hearted creature as
ever smiled in an earthly home. Her
blue eyes grew dim, as the foods Of
sorrow washed away its brightness and
her tender heart I wrung till every fibre
was broken. I once had noble boy {;
but he was driven from the ruins Of
his home and yet my old heart yearns
to know if he yet lives. once had q
babe sweet lovely babe but these
hands destroyed it, and now it lives
with Him who ]oveth the little ones.-.
DO not spurn me, my fricnds," continu-
ed the old man. "There is light in nv
evening sky. The spirit of my mother
rejoices over the return of her prodigal
son. The injured wife smiles upon him
who turns back to virtue and HONOR
The child angel meets me at night fall
and | seem to feel his tiny hands upon
my feaverish cheek. My brave boy, if he
yet lives would forgive the sorrowing
old man for treatment that drove him
out into the world, aud the blow that
manned him for life. God forgive me
forgive me for the ruin I have brought
upon all that were about me.
81 was drunkard. From wealth and
respectability, plunged into poverty
and shame. dragged my family down
with me. For years saw the cheek of
my wife grow pale, and her steps grew
weary. / left her alone to struggle for
the children, while was drinking and
ri6ting at the tavern. She never COM
planned though she and the children,
often went hungry to bed.
"Oue New Years night, I returned
late to tho hut where charity had given
US shelter. My wife was still up, and
shivering over the GOALS. I demanded
food. She told me there was none, and
then burst into tears. I fiercely order.
ed her to get me some. She turned her
eyes sadly upon me, the tears fall
II. ;"c fest ovor her pale cheek. At this
moment the child in the cradle awoke,
and uttered cry Of hunger, startling
the desparing mother, and making new
sorrow in her breaking heart.
"Wc have no food, James; we have
had none for several days. have moth
ing for tho babe. o! my once kind
husband, must we starve 2"
"That sad, pleading face, and those
streaming eyes, and tho feeble wall of
the child, maddoncd me and I-yes, / |
struck her fierce blow in the face, and
she fell forward upon the hearth. 1t
seemed as the furies of hell were raging
in my bosom, and the feeling of the
wrong I had committed added fuel to
the flames. l had never struck my wife |
before, but now some terrible impulse
drove me on, and / stopped down, as
we'll as I could in my drunken state,
and clinchod both Of my hands in her
hair.
"For mcrcy's sake, James p exclaim.
ed my wife, rs she looked up in my
fendish countenance, "you will not kill
US ? You will not kill us You will not
hurt Willie 2" And she sprang to the
cradle and graspcd him in her arms /
caught hor again by the hair and drag
gcd bcr to tho door, and as I lifted the
latch, the wind burst in with a cloud of
snow. With icndish yoll I still drag
gcd her on, and hurled her out amid the
darkness and storm. Then with wild
laugh I closed the door and fastened it.
Her pleading means and the sharp
cry Of her babo mingled with tho wall Of
the blast. But my horrible work was
not complete.
II turned to the bed where my eldest
son was lying, snatchcd him from his
slumbers, and against his halfawak enod
oponed the door and thrust
him out. In the agony Of fear no ut
tered that sacred name was no longer
worthy to bear. lie called mc-FATnER
aud locked his fingers in my side pocket.
1 could not wrench the gasp away but
with the cruelty of ficnd, / shut tho
door upon his arm, and, seizing my knife
severed it at the wrist"
"It was morning when awoke, and
the storm had ceased. looked around
to the accustomed place for my wife.
As missed her, dim dark sccne, as of
some horrible nightmare, came over me-
[ thought it must be fearful dream,
but involuntarily opened the door with
q shuddcriug dread. AS the door open.
cd tho snow burst in, and something
fell across tho threshold with dull
heavy sound. My blood shot like melt
cd lava through my veins, and 1 covered
my eyes to shut out the sight. 1t was
20 God how horriblc--it was my
loving wife and her babe, frozen to
death /! With true mothers love, she
had bowed herself over the child to
shio)d il, and wrappod all hor clothing