Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1873-08-30

SS%N@SJ 1 sfM ~ r z
EMSIO, no, Jim; it is no use to per-
Elm s,lade ME. L am no teetotstIer
GGS Three glasses day is my rule
S1T3 and good Que it is too. JUS
enough to make a fellow feel lively
without upsetting him in the least.
leave signing the pledge to those who
fear to trust themselves. No danger OF
Bill james being seen rolling in the
Streets" 4 Il
ssBut we have such fearful examples
before us, William" urged his friend.
who was endeaveringt to persuade yotrne
James to join the Good TemDlars, and
pledge himself to total abstinence.
''There is but one safe course for to
pursue "
"For You perhaps, but not for me, y
was the Frepiy. Every man Is his ewn
best Judge. Don't be offended. Jim
your counsel is well meant, and 1 thank
you for it. But you magnify the danger.
Here is my little -wife.;. she is not afraid
to trust me withent signinga pie edse.
Say, Lizzie, my uarling?'
Lizzie had been wife but one short
month. and it was hard for her IoHsay
anything which might seem to differ
from the opinion which her husband bad
advanced; but she was very trutlifui,
and Jim was an old friend, so that his
presence was but little restraint, and
She answered frankly =. > II 30
"No, William, l ain not afraid to trust
you; and yet / rather you would join
the Tenpiars, and resolve never 10
taste another drop of liquor, unless the
doctor ordered it. Make me a present of
the three glasses day ."f}5 aAl8F !
''Indeed, l will not. my dear, for l
could not get along without an oecas-
ional drop of the useful. If yon wish
for present, You must ask for some
thing else.'' ......s-
"Nothing else will do, replied Liz
zie, smilingly.
"Only hear that Jim," said the young
husband in a jesting tone. "Nothing
less than three glasses day will serve
my little wife as present. You had
better persuade her to join your society.
But never mind, Lizzie, it shall never
be said that l treated myself better than
I did my wife and, therefore, promise
to allow you three glasses day as long
as take them myself. Bear witness,
Jim, every evening on my return from
work, L will hand to my dear little wife
the price of three glasses, and she may
eat, drink or wear it, jast as she likes
s'You are sad fellow, Bill, or you
would give her what she asks for,,' said
his friend, as he bade them good night
t'And you are very unreasonable, OF
you would see that I have done so,,
replied William, langhingly, at the same
time rendering thirty cents to lizzie,
which she seemed inclined at, first to re-
ject, but ON second thought She, accepted
saying quietly: fssry ...
- 7 Al
advocate of temperance, looking back
as he passed through the gate to the
main street. stake myadvice, and keep
all you can, get. Three glasses aday has
brought many a man to want"
"Jim is raven, and. you must not
mind his croaking," remarked the hus-
band, as the two re-entered the cottage.
The full moon shed a pleasant lustre
through the clustering vines that shad-
ed the easement, and made the little
room, with its pretty, though simple
furDiture, look even more attractive
than was it's wont. 1t was the honey.
moon, besides; therefore no one can
wonder that Lizzie should think, as she
looked around, that it was the very soft
est and most lovely 0moenligh6she had
pever beheld, and that the little cottage
and all it contained, husbandincluded
were among the most choice of Gods
blessings. And no one can wonder thai
she slipped her little hand into William.
broad palm, and nestled close to his side
rs she whispered: ~
1T would take more than ravens
croaking to shake my faith in you, deal
WILL" .s-.. -....- ....'.,
Her husband drew her still closer tt
his bosom, and pressed q. kiss on he
xxhi hsIt hn=
speak. and for awhile they sat ,togethel
in that pleasant stiffness, busy with theil
own.thoughts. AT length, Lizzie agair
broke the silence, by saying in slight
| ly trcmulous voice:
"And yet 1 wonld rather that yol
would not meddle with edged tools, m,
dear husband"
"Still harping on that subject, my lit
tie wife. l thought not Jim's'i Idle tall
would affect you SO much."
'sIt was not alone what he said, dea
William; but his words brought sad re
membranes to mind-nly own misera
BILE childhood, my poor heart-brokel
mother, and more to be pitied than all
my wretched. misguided father. AM
yet my mother has often told me of tn
first happy years of her married hfe-o
a kind husband and a pleasant home
Intemperance changed her happiness I
lmisery, and harsh treatment from hin
lshe loved, brought her to an early grave
and left me the lonely being that l wa
until knew you, dear WIFI No won
der that dread the sound of even thre
glasses day." o. %
Deep feelings had given to the ono
simple village maiden an unusual dc
gree of eloquence. Herblue eyes bean
ed upon her husband with such earne.
and imploring tenderness, that III
sterner nature could scarcely resist til
appeal. But false pride came to his aid
he had withstood the arguments of h
friends. and he would not yield to TIL
pleadings of his wife. That others ha
fallen, proved not that he would do I'll
same. AS man, he would stand fort
and prove 10 all that the moderate drinl
er and the drunkard were not to be elias
ed together; that one might stand c
the brink of precipice without dang
of plunging in the abyss below.
And thus in his own vain strength
stood. Human strength! Alas! it is b
weakness! The powee to resist evil
nay, tie very consciousness thatevil e
lists, and the desire to shun it, belon
not to man. In God also must we tru.
My tale lies but in humble village lii
William James was the Blacksmith
the pleasant little village which b
been his birthplace, and which was e
deared to him by all the tender and e
dearing associations ofinfancy, boyhe
and youth. His father had pursued t
, same occupation, and it was with pri
and pleasure that he placed the hamn
in the hands of his son, and directed
first attempt at the anvil. Z ~ ga
''It is "a respectable and useful trat
Billy" he would often say, "and @
which will always insure you an hon
living. This is all you want; the la
ne yers and doctors could desire no NOR,
So William grew to manhood as tn
ough blacksmith as his father; and
due time, as the old mans health decl
ed, the business came altogether into
hands, and the old gentleman was G
tent to smoke his pipe, and watch
progress of the work in which he
once taken SO active part
"WhatSaas blessing 1T lis, osshezwo
sometimes say to his wife, "that
Bill is Il sober. industrious lad,
works at the forge as we'll as could
myself. A good trade is worth all
new-fangled notions that the boys h
nowadays" Z 6ezss -. -
1t wassa joyfnlday switha the old fl
when sweet Lizzie was introduced
them as Williams future wife. 1t
/! at first proposed that, they shoult
II -