Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1871-04-28
rum; and to day we have literally

resolved to reform, and at such times
has sought among his former friends
for employment. But the very ones
who led him into temptation, who
caused his downfall, now treat him
with contempt and scorn and so,
frequently, has he been driven back
to the wine cup in very desperation,
until now he Is rarely himself.
"But for all this cannot forsake
him. He is my husband STILL
When I became his wife / loved
him with my whole heart. and, rich
and happy in the blessedness of his
manly love, I stood with him before
Gods altar and there promised that
| would love and cleave to him so
long as we both should live, and with
the Fathers help will keep that
promise. And there is something
whispers to my soul that this love
shall not be In vain, that the pray.
ers which Charlie and have uttered
through all these dark years for his
reclamation--uttered i'm childlike g
faith and trust, amid all our dark
ness and despair--shall not be In
vain, that plying angelsswill bear
them to the All,loving, and he will
eventually send us answers Of peace
and joy" ..
GOD helping me, He shall, my
blessed wife !" came to us in broken
sobs from the dark corner of the
room, where the husband, awakened
from his long sleep 10y my entrance,
had arisen unnoticed by us, and hal
overheard our conversation, and tot
teriug forward, his trembling hands
clasped mine, as he cried:
"Oh, help me, sir, to be once more
a man Ito be again a husband and
father to my wife and child" ...
Then, dropping my hands, he
turned to his wife:
MARY, my precious. darling wife,
forgive and trust me still. III
But he could say no more. Weak
and exhausted from long intoxica-
tion and fasting, he dropped his head
upon his faithful wife's bosom,
where he sobbed and cried like lit
tie child.
Oh, If angels ever smile upon
scenes of earth-if they ever tune
their harps to hymns of praise, In
their rejoicings over the repentant
one, they must have done SO now!
Feeling that tho scene was too sa-
cred for strangers eyes, quietly
withdrew, and left for O while this
re united family.
Six years have passed since then,
and would you know how Mr.. Las
mont succeeded in keeping the noble
resolution he formed on that Sab
bath afternoon, just call at our store
on any day during business hours,
and inquire for the junior member
of our firm. All, there Is no totter-
, ing, no weakness, no unsteadinees
/ in that firm, manly step, as he ad
[ vances to greet you. Quiet, digni.
, fed, self-respectful, trust worthy In
every respect, we look upon Mr.. La
mont as one Of the most reliable and
valuable members of our firm, and /
believe that nothing, not even the
thought that ii might save him from
death would tempt this man to taste
a drop of liquor.
And our private cierk-but recent.
ly appointed, but already the general
favorite of all dear to me rs my
own son-is none other than our lit
tie match. boy Charlie. Nor will 1t
be strange, judging from present om-
inous signs, If he be indeed my son
In few years more. Well, / know
OF no one to whom | would sooner
intrust the happiness of my sunny
haired laughter loving. merry heart.
ed Kate-when she must leave her
old father--than Charlie Lamont.
, And almost any afternoon that
You are pleased to follow our friends
to certain little brown French roof
Z ed cottage in the suburbs of the city,
you will see sweet, loving face
watching their coming, and will not
wonder, as she opens the door to
, greet them. that the husbands face
lights up with a deeper joy as he
folds her to his heart, whispering.
"God bless you, Mary, dear, true,
faithful wife and helper.
i frequently think, as I join this
, happy home circle, now type OF
Heaven below, that If there were
more wives like Mary Lamont, there
would be far less drunken husbands
in the world. And is 1t not so, dear
reader?