Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1871-04-27
IS A v ED
A TEMPERANCE STORY
BY J. BENSON.


johnson drunk as fiddler; let's
have some fun 4
agreed; he's well primed, amt
he?''
And soon with crowd of
thoughtless boys they gathered
around ma6helplessly elinging to
the fence They piled him with
questions, and the air rung with
their merry laughter at his silly
stammering answers. He was a
young man of noble form, fine fea-
lures, but distorted by drink, and
face haggard from dissipation.
While these lads were engaged in
their wicked sport, pale, sad face
was looking out of the window OF a
plain house just opposite. A young
girl in mourning. A silent appeal
for sympathy could be read in every
motion. But now eyes were flash
ing and brow burning with indigna-
tion at the heartless conduct of the
boys. She was about to raise the
window and speak to them when one
of the more mischievous seized the
hat of the drunken man and laugh
ingly challenged him to a race. He
ran across the street and tauntingly
waved the hat, the poor drunken
victim of their sport started to run
across in front of a large wagon. 1t
was but the work of an instant. He
stumbled and fell, the wagon passed
over him, breaking one of his legs.
The boys were too frightened to
move till the voice oe the girl, who
had witnessed the accident and ran
out, rung out in clear tone of COM
mand, "Charlie, run for the doctor,
and the rest of you try and get him
in the house" With the assistance
of the man driving the wagon, they
carried the bruised and senseless
man in and laid him on the lounge,
then slipped out and hurried off
home. The doctor set the limb and
said it would hardly be safe to move
him at present. Kate, now no long
er brooding over past sorrows or
trials, but energetically busying her
self in the present duty, became the
self-appointed watcher during the
long and weary night. Her mother
tried in vain to get her to lie down,
but she in her firm mild way said,
81 can work, why leave him to suffer
when a little attention may alleviate
his terrible pain
Not only through the night but
during a long sickness she nursed
him and watched over him as if he
had been a brother. Till he was
pronounced out of danger, she did
not relax her unwearied care. But
one day he sat up pale and emacia-
ted, nerves shattered and unstrung,
eyes sunken, and face, oh. SO hag'
gard. He seemed but a shadow of a
man. In his pitiful weakness it was
touching to see how grateful he was
for every little favor. One day he
announced his determination to go.
He felt he had burdened them too
long already, and now he would
leave. Kate sat down by him and
said that what she had done had
been only fulfilling the commands OF
our Saviour. But now she felt that
a word of parting advice and eoun-
sci would be fitting. She had scru-
pulously avoided talking to him OF
home, as it had always seemed to
make him melancholy, but now she
said:
where will you go? Have you
not a mother or sister to care fol
your"
A shade seemed to fall upon his
face as ne answered:
mo father, no mother, no broth
er, no sister, no home, friendless and
an outcast."
| She looked up with tear in hel
eve. "Friendless? Am l not YOU
friend?"
Forgive me-" he said, II haG
known so little what friendship was
It'll / met you, / almost doubted the
existence of any such a thing as
true friendship. l have been al
outcast-all way of reform hedget
up by so called Christians, till in my
bitterness cursed God, myself ant
religion, and lost all self-respect til
your care and self devotion saved
me. l want to be better man, anC
by Gods help will - r
| She said: yI w Gbi =
Remember if all the world i.
against you, you have one friend tina
will always pray for you. In God:
name let me entreat you, touch not
taste not, handle not the accurset
bowl. Oh what a curse it has beer
to me, drowning my life of love ant
happiness, crushing my spirit art
turning intos gall and bitterness
f every joyous anticipation of m,
happy childhood. Sorrow made m,
a woman in suffering while but I
child in years. A loving father
had, as kind and generous as an,
child could wish. Yet one grievou
fault, he loved wine. 1 had dar
ling brother two years older thai
myself. Oh! he was dearer to M
than life. We shared our sport
and pleasures; he never spoke al
unkind word to me; he was so gen
tie and thoughtful for my happi
, ness. / idolned him. But he &C
quired love for wine at home, ant
o when he left US he met with evil as
sociates and fell. One night h
came home intoxicated Father
a who had beendrinking, ordered hin
from the house. He refused to &C
4 which infuriated father, and h
. struck him. Willie, not himself
struck back. Father seized chaiI
and struck him to the floor, dead
n When father saw that he did no
move, the thought that he had kille,
his boy sobered him, and pale an,
r tremblingly he knelt to raise hi
head. Then the truth burst upo
him, and he buried his face in hi
hands and cried:
"My son, my son, oh, Willie, m
darling boy, that you should dl
S thus, slain by your fathers hand
your father that loved You so. OIL
Willie, Willie, it was not your fath
# er's hand, but the cursed Wine; oil
my son, my son. His frame wa
conYnlsed. and strong man as h