Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1873-10-23
A Deer I'm the Heart.
BY vIReI IA +. TOW SEND.

"Shc was q stern, hard woman. But far away
mp a great many pair of winding stairs in her
heart was = door easily passed by, and on that
door was written WOAAs -CHAkLrs Dickens.
And so IL Is with the drunkard. Far up O
kIeat many pairs of winding stairs in his heart,
isa door. and on that door is W itten MAN. and
you must knock at II once, twice. seven times,
yes, seventy int stven, that IL may open unto
us.-Jons u Gorea.
He was an old man--not SO old either,
for the years OF his life could not have
wrinkled his forehead and whitGned his
hair, and the hands locked together on
the low pine table did not tremble SO with
the weakness OF old age yet very old
aud very miserable looked the solitary
occupant Of that narrow room or entry,
with its faded red curtains. aud its atnos-
phere rendered almost intolerable by the
BARRON into which it opened. A hat
bearing uhmiStakalle evidence of long in.
timacy with brick.bats and CUTTERS"
maintained o safe position on one side OF
the owners head, a pair of lbows thrust
themselves through his coat sleeves 10 re-
.joicing consciousness that they could "af.
ford to DO out" Add to this. reader, q
pair of pants whose original color it would
have been a matter of time aud study to
determine, and Tou have the tout enscm.
bio of the wretched being wlo occupied
the old grog shop which he was allowed to
frequent in all the village of Greenfield.
Aud yet that miserable, solitary, friend
lees creature, sitting there half s%tupeGe6
with the effects Of last nights revel, and
utterly unconscious that, outside, the May
morning of God, with its glorious births
dight of sunshine and dews and bird
songs, has q heart, and "far away, up a
great many pair Of stairs in his heart, is a
door," covered with cobwebs and dust,
and on that door lisa word written. which
Time mud Sin have never been able to eff,
;face-and that word is NAN.
But nobody ever dreamed Of this, and
people shook their heads, and said Billy
Strong's case was a hopeless one. Had
not many kind-hearted persons reasoned
with him earnestly on the evil, of his
= ways Had not the Temperance men,
gene to him with a pledge and promised
him employment if he would sign iii
And all this had been utterly in vain.
All, none Of them had CROPPED their
way up the winding stairs, and read tic
name on the hidden door there,
But, while the unhappy man sat by the
pine t.(le that morning, the bar>keeper
suddenly entered, followed by a lady with
soft, hazel eyes, and a face that a child
would have gone to in any trouble.
The old mau looked up with a vacant
gaze Of wonder, as the bar-keeper offered
the lady a chair, and pointed to the occu.
pant of the other, saving, That's Billy
Strong, madam" and with a lingering
stare Of surprise and curiosity. left the
gentle woman alone with the astonish,
cd and now thoroughly sobcred man.
The soft eye of the lady wandered
with sad, plying expression, over Bill
features, and then, in o low, sweet voice
she asked, Am / rightly informed? Dc
/ address Mr.. William Strong?"
Ali with these words the lady had
gotten further up the winding stairs
nearer the hidden door. than all that boc
gone before her.
.Yes. That il my mama. ma,omn sale
Old Ri, apd be olonced down ot hi,
olj sbabbv ,tt;re md triad 70 L;do N.
elbow which uos neen;no ont the forthest
for 4 mas a ling ,;ms s;nce h. had hoor
oddressed he fiat name and somsbow
n sounded very n,sos,nt 70 him
81 am oloa 10 meet Won Ar Stroro ,
,a;d Tho lsay." have beord INV f'tSe
sneak Of Won 50 often. md Of Tho dav,
when VIM mud bs vero bovs tooethsr ani
Ialmsst feal as If wa ware olj acona;nt,
anees. Won surely cannot have rorcottar
Cborlas Mor,;son;
..No, noi ,yL,rls. and 7 mead % ho al
sron;.s y s.;a ola R,ll Min ! sndSon .n;
nation and a I;Sh, in his ave- such .,
bod No, ham ,hera f,r NAM Jors asosn'
when RIM lent Il n 6tjpl br;llioncv
Ah,,h. ,.a, d,a M, Loou - n0,ho,
,ho .nrsls Ala hat sho baS m'amotod ,tr
800 sna was.oelv sa.I,r ror ,h., nn.
,.sp loor So she wsot :, 81 limos,
I-nrr~n-a -
sayuea ,o''o eee .ao "u spo
Ir yo.t ass" ';V0u'
IN. Hi y;,r y" a.a,u" 81 y', .n.
- Nv NA WIN = 1AVNu VI w OuhSs ~ ~