The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1871-06-22
The mysterious Woman.

The Mysterious Woman.
Governor Briggs, Of Massachusetts, in a
spesch a. Albany, many years ago, related
the following thrilling incident:
"At q certain town meeting in Pennsyl-
vanis, the question came up wesher any
person should be licensed to sell rum
The clergyman, .he deacon. andphys''lau.
strange as it may now appear. all favored
it. One man only spoke against it, be-
cause Of the mischiefit did. The question
was about to be put. when all at once there
arose from one corner Of tue room amiser-
able female. She was thiuly clad, and her
appearance indicated the utmost wresched.
ness, and that her mortal career was almost
closed. After moment Of silence, and
all eyes being fixed npon her, she stretched
her attenua.cd body to its utmost height,
and then her long arms to their greatest
lenght, and, raising her voice to q thrill
pitch, she called to all to look upon her.
"'Yes." she said, look npon me, and
the then hear nc. All THAT the last speak.
er has said relative to temperate drinking,
as being tho father ofdrunkeuness. is true.
All practice. all experience, declare its
truth. All drinking Of alcoholic poison,
as beverage, in health. is excess. Look
upon me. You all know mo, or once did.
You all know was once the mistress Of
the best farm in the town. You all know.
I had fue, noble hearted, industrious boys
Where are they uowi Doctor, where are
they now? You oil know. You all know
they lie in row, side by side, in yonder
church. yard; all-every one Of them-fll-
ing the drunkard's grave! They were all
taught to believe that temperate drinking
was safe-excess alone ought to be avoid.
ed; and they never acknowledged excess
They qouted you, and you, and you, point
ing with her shred Of q finger to the priest,
deacon, and doctor, as authority. They
thought themselves safe under such teach.
crs But | saw the gradual change COM
ing over my family aud prospects with dis
may and horror I felt wo were oil to be
overwhelmed in one common ruin. ltrled
10 ward of the blow. I tried to break the
spell, the delusive spell, in which the idea
Of tho benefits Of temperate drinking bad
involved NY husband .spd. anD. hl1l w.
Ii pfaySd; but the odds we're against me.
The minister said the poision that vas des-
troying my husband and boys was good
creature Of God: the deacon (who sits un.
der the pulpit there, and took our farm to
pay bis rum bills) sold them the poislon;
the doctor said that little was good. and
excess ought to be avoided My poor hus'
band and my dear boys fell into the snare,
aud they could not escape, and one after
another was conveyed to the sorrovfal
grave Of the drunkard. Now look at me
again. You probably see me for the last
.ime-my sand has almost rum have
dragged my exhausted frame from my pres
eut home, your poor.bouse, to warn you
deacon-to warn you false teacher Of
Gods Word! And with her arms high
auug, and her tall form stretched to its
utmost, and her voice raised to 90 uuearth.
" pitch, she exclaimed:
al shall soon stand before tho judg-
mcut seat Of God. l shall meet you there,
you false guides, and be q witness against
you allp
"The miserable female vauished-a
dead silence pervaded the assembly-the
priest, deacon, and physician hung their
heads-aud when the president Of the
meeting put the question, Shall any licen.
scs be granted for the sslo Of splrituous
liquorsT tho response was unanimous
MOI"
An exchange says: The worstj0ke that