Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1873-02-15

Tom is atratd to drink, / see" he
said in mocking tone maybe his
wife keeps him in leading strings !; |
did not know before that one of our
number was a COWARD.
The hot blood mounted to Tom
Denton 8 face the hand that rested
on the counter was tightly cline he'd
and he bit his lip, as if to keep back
angry words of reply
Tom ia no coward" spoke up an
other hearty voice Who Was it
that ran right in front of the engine
last summer and risked his life to
save lame little boy playing on the
track Who but Tom | tell YOU he
is no coward T.
No, no, no T. echoed many voices
and the tide began slowly but surely
to turn in Tom Dehton's favor.
A smile of gratitude lit up Toms
honest manly countenance, and turn
ing he was about to leave the saloon
in silence, when several spoke-"Do
as YOU please about the drink, but
make us speech before you 60.
Tom Denton was an uneducated
laboring man, but the heart which
bat within his bosom was noble,
brave and true, and he was not one
to shrink from his duty, or decline
striking a blow for the right when it
was in his power.
You wish to know why l will not
drink with YOU he said in a clear,
loud voice; Il will tell you; l am
prond, yes, proud, but not with the
false pride that would make me think
and feel | was better than my fellow
men. or cause me to withhold the
right hand Of friendship from my COM
rades, but | have the pride that raises
me above all that is little, mean and
low. like a free country, am a free
man and / will not be slave to drink
have good, kind wife and two
healthy children ; we are poor, but |
am trying to save up money enough
to buy US a little home for them and
drink won't hel p me to do that.
want to merit the esteem and re-
spect of those around me ; will drink
help me there? | will not have my
wife pitied and sneered at as the wife
of a drunkard and my two little boys
spoken of as a drunkard's children, -
| do not want any man on his death
bed to say of me II ain lost YOU have
been the cause of il-you set me the
eSample--you gave Inc my first drink
am lost through vour There is a
curse pronounced upon the drunkard
| am afraid in the fear and love Of
God | dare not drink -
And as the finished and stood there
with folded arms and the fire Of truth
in his eyes, though his garments were
coarse and patched, and his hands
brown and hard from toll, he was as
noble as king, and as brave as IA
nous warriors; one of whom the
whole community should lie proud.
There is good and tender chord II
the heart Of every man if We only
know how to touch it, and now til,
drinking saloon rang with the cry
He * right--he is right! tire,
cheers for Tom Denton -
/ And he who possessed the coura Sc
to have the sheer and ridcule of hi:
companions, rather than yield his firm
convictions of right, or countenance ar
evil his whole soul loathed and con
demned, had probably that night sowI
some good seed which might spring W
and bear fruit in after-days.
With a firm, bold tread. be lief. til,
saloon and walked down the street tc
the happy, humble home and cheerful
honsehQl,i awaiting him, whila ort o,
the night ar rang again and again The
tribufe to true bravery
Three cheers Cor Tom Dentou!"
! Fro5tbur" Feb. 10, 1873,