Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1873-02-08
ICoulppaieat,d !
Lreat ). ei.. and Conversation.


The night was cold and stormy and
two men paused for moment before
q drinking saloon stream Of warm
light came from the windows AID
half-opened door of this building,
fitted up with every appliance to
tempt and decoy unwary victims :;
and the jingling Of glasses, mingled
with merry jests and laughter, reach
ed two men without.
The first speaker turned and laid
his hand upon the shoulder Of his
companion, exclaiming in tone of
surprise and ridicule, Turning re-
ligious, eh, Jim p
Walk on with me bit John, and
we II have a talk, was the reply.
John Haldon cast a lingering
glance at the saloon with half-reluc-
tant footsteps, followed his friend.
What Jim Bonnar, his boon compan-
ion, who, before the sickness from
which hs had just come out, was such
q good fellow, always ready to stand
treat and up for a frolic, that he
should refuse to join his old compan-
ions in social drink was mystery
he desired to solve.
You know pretty much about me,
John, began Jim Bonnar in low
voice, how was brought up in tEe
country and married there a pretty
tidy girl, and had as happy a home
as one could wish to see, until | got
tired otthe slow way of making mon
ey andl came up here to live Then
I got COOL work and high wages, but
these drinking saloons, John they are
the things that ruin a fellow and
drag him down, body and soul, to
hell. Many a time have | cursed
the day that | even came to this
place, or went into one of these dens
Of drink. | began with taking glass
Of beer nd then a thimDle- full of
sqoa whlskey, and | kept my place
aud worked on steady, but my wife
saw what it was coming to pomaen see
further into some things and more
quickly, too than men, John J She
begged me to stop | only laughed at
her told her knew what l was
about, and a man to be man, must
take drink. Day after day l went
down, DOM, DOWN Well, t lost nv
place who would employ man who
was drunk half of his Time? Then I
grew desperate; there seemed no help
for me on earth OF in heaven No
body offered to help me, mark that,
John, it seems the way the world
goes that when man falls instead of
helping him up, it tries to kick him a
little Iower Your gentlemen drunk
ards looked at me and laughed good
moral men passed BY on the other
side. l expect folks don't know that
sometimes hearty wor |, kind look
and smile, does deal more good than
money: Nobody said Step, you are on
the road to ruln-here is work-be-
gin life afresh. My wife, poor wife,
never said word after the first she
thought it was no use. She had to
work hard to keep the wolf from the
door; my cheerful home was sad and
lonesome now. | c. uld see my wife
dreaded to have me come hack, and
no wonder. NV little bow nv pet
always SO fond of me, grew otIoid
and when l called him would run crv-
ing to his mother One night half
mad with bad whisky, was stagger-
ing along the street, when | fell on
the ice and was carried home insensi-
bic My wife nursed. me as best she
could and never said one hard word,
but there was no money for med
icine and food and fire. AS I lay
there On my sick bed | saw it all,
J John, the awful picture-l had almost
broken my poor wits heart, beggared
my child and ruined myself, for arhot ?
Often | turned my face
to the wall and would have wished to
die had l not been afraid Of what
was to come after death If it was
trne as the preachers say and the BIZ
bic reads, that there was hell, and
it was worse than the he'll had lust
passed through the last four weeks,
how could ! bear it? i drove me al
most mad to think there might be a
FIRE worse than that in my heart, then
| felt as if | must Curse God and
die, and still nobody came to help.
Well, one day the door opened and
some one came in, lady, John, but
not one Of yopr fine ladies in a silk
dress and flowers She looked lust
like an angel in our little dark room.
She spoke to my wife, took my little
boy up in her arms for minute and
then came over and stood by nv bed
side. ! thought she would be fright
aned at nv rough face and wild eyes
but no, she only said 0, so kind W
! am sorry to see you so sick can |
10 any thing for you p
| was sic k body and soul and some
BODY had come to help me. John, it
has been many year since ! shed q
tear, but burst out crying and what
should she do but Law her little white
hand on mine; ct was not full of
rings only one; NY wife had q we'd
ding ring once, but she had to sell it
when | was drinking so hari.) l
was vile and fallen, but she WASH t
afraid to touch me, She looked right
INTO my eyes and believe she read
my heart and pitied me- l wish you