The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-03-04

| ICilCinDGF now COiu ana CneeElSSS Inc
winter used to be. We had no fire, no
clothes, no food, no JOY, no nothing
/ nothing but misery Oh ! how my poor
/ mother prayed to God for her husband
and |, who could but prattle, learned TO
pray too.
''iY hen | grew older | had TO 90 out
and beg for bread. All cold and shiver-
! ing, | waded through the deep snow, with
my clothes in tatters, and my freezing
feet almost bare. | saw other children of
| my own age dressed warm and comforta-
bic, and L knew they were happy for
they laughed and sang as they bounded
along toward school. Those boys had
| sober fathers. | knew their fathers were
no better than mine had been once for
my mother had told me how noble my
| father could be if rum were not in his
| way.
Time passed on, and l was eight
years old-and those eight years had been
| years Of such sorrow and suffering as |
pray God l may never again experience.
Al length one cold morning in the dead
of winter, my father was not at home -
He had not been at home through the
night My mother sent me TO the tavern
TO see if l could find him. | had gone
halt the way when | saw something in tie
snow by the side of the road. | stopped
and sudden thrill ran through me, for it
looked like a human FORM | went no TO
it and turned the head over and brushed
the snow from the face. 1t was my
father, and he was stiff and cold | laid
s,ar,l -
like solid marble. He was dead
Il went to the tavern and iold the peo-
pie there what had found, and the land
lord sent two of his men to carry the fro
zen body OF my poor father home. Oh,
sbiPmates l cannot tell how my poor
mother wept and groaned. She sank
| down upon her knees and clasped that icy
| corpse to her heart, as though she would
have given ii life from the warmth of her
own breast. She loved her husband
| through all bis errors, and her love was
all powerful now. The two men went
away and left Tia dead body still on The
/ tlJor. DIy mother whispered to me to
come and kueel by her side. | did 50 =
! My child, she said TO me, and the big
tears wero yet rolling down her checks,
! you know what has caused all ,his. This
man was once as noble and happy and
! true as main can be but OH see how he
/ has been stricken down. Promise me,
my child, Oh promise, here, before God
and your dead father, and your broken
| hearted mother, that you will never, never,
never touch a single drop Of The fatal poi
son that has wrought for US all this mis-
erYH
''s5hipmates, l did promise all my
mother asked, and God knows that to this
moment that promise has never been bros
ken. My father was buried, and some
good, kind neighbOrs helped US through
the winter. When the next spring came,
| could work, and earned something for
my mother. AT length found a chance
to ship; and every time go home | have
some money tor my mother Not for the
wealth OF the whole world would | break
the pledge | gave my mother and my
God on that dark, cold morning. This
is all, shipma:es. Let me 90 now, and
you may enjoy yourselves alone for do
not believe that you will again urge me to
drink"
As Jack thus spoke he turned toward
the door, but one of us stopped him.
''HoId OH, Jack, said he, wiping his
eyes. ''You shan't go alone I've got
a mother, and l love her as well as you
| love yours, and your mother shall not be
happier than mine for | swear that she
shall never have drunken son. I'll
drink no more !"
"GYc me your hand, old fellow y ex-
claimed the rest of US IN chorus, starting
from our seats; and before many minutes
we all agreed TO initiate Jack noble res
oIurion. We called for pen, ink and
paper, and made Jack draw up a pledge.
He signed it first, and we followed him,
aud when the deed was done, | know we
were far happier than we had been before
for years. The wine upon the table was
not touched, and the liquor we had drank
during the forenoon was now all gone in
It's effect.
Toward evening we returned to the ship
There was a frown on the captains brow
as we came over the side, for he had
never known US to come off from u days
liberty sober. Bat when we all came
over the side and reported ourselves to
him, his counrenance lighted up. He
could hardly give credit TO the evidence of
his own senses.
Boys" said he, "what does this
mean }"
''Show him the paper" whispered.
Jack bad our pledge and without speak,
ing he handed it to the captain. He took
it and read it, and his face changed its
expression several times. At length,
saw tear start 10 the captains eye.
''Boys," he said, as he folded up the
paper, ''lei me keep this, and if you stick
to your noble resolution you shall never
want friend while live
We let the captain keep the paper and
when he had put IL in his pocket. he came