The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1874-03-27
SeIette0 Storp.
GENTLE WOMAN ROUSED.
A Story Of the Temperance Move
ment in the West.
BY REV. E. P. ROE.
TRE STORY IN FuLL.

TIE STORY IN FULL.
4 think such action is unladylike,
unwomanly, and altogether wrong,
said Mrs Elliott warmly. The idea
Of women marching in bands through
the streets. followed by rabble of
rude men and boys-the idea of re-
fined ladies forcing their way into
some filthy bar room, full of obscene,
lguzzling, ill-omened looking loafers,
land kneeling on the tobacco-stained
floor; in audible prayer. These TEN
lperSnce movements always tend to
lfanaticism, but this is a little worse
than anything 1 have heard of yet.
Must woman unsex herselfand brave
the most disgusting phase of public
lity? Must the pearls of religious
feeling, even in the most sacred form
lof prayer, be cast before the swine
THAT infest these low densY
The speaker was q young and pret-
ty lady, who had lived in our town
about year. Indeed she had not
been married much longer than that,
having come to Us a bride. She was
aifne type Of the New England girl,
quite ready and brilliant in conver-
sation, very refined and high cultur-
led, little opinionated, but intense
in her disgust, at the pronounced
phase Of 'Woman's rights Home is
Woman's highest, sphere, she was
won't to say, and there she can be
the power behind and above the
throne AS we came to know her
well, We found that she possessed a
warm heart and Christian principles,
Though not very obtrusiye in mani
Testing either. Something of the
GOODNESS and repression Of New En-
Iglsnd society, tinetured her manner,
land made her seem little formal at
lhrst, In contrast with our free, hear
lty Western style. Like too many of
Iher sisters, instead of gaining hardi-
mess from the bleak hills and chill
winds Of her early home, she appear
ed frail blossom that would ever
lneed the shelter of the tenderest love
land care.
Her husband was a western man,
lone who had grown up in our young
lefty. He was well connected, of re-
cognized ability as a lawyer, and
with future before him of the fair
lest promise. It had occasionally
lbeen whispered that he drank rather
freely, but no one had ever seen him
Itbe worse for it. His lovely young
wife seemed to have boundless in
Ifuence over him, and for the greater
lpart of the first year of married life,
lhe had been very domestic. But of
Hate he had spent his evenings out,
more frequently, excusing his alb
Isence by saying there were parties
that could be seen in the way of bu-
Isiness better at night than during
1.-THE day.
1 had my fears, but the wife sus-
lpected nothing.
Two or three of US were sitting so
lciably with our work in her pretty
lparlor one afternoon, when some re-
mark on the strange temperance
movement that had lately been de-
lveloped led to Mrs Elliott's decided
depression of opinions with which l
Ihave commenced this brief record of
an experience so different from my
usual quiet life.
| Twill merely say to the reader that
II am a middle-aged widow lady,
lquite alone in the world. My home
lis next door to that of Mrs Elliott's,
and from secret affinity we had be-
come quite intimate. Years before
} my natural heart treasures had slip
lped from me, and in my loneliness
found it very easy to love my young
neighbor as daughter. Through a
, side entrance We ran in and out of
each others homes with perfect free
dom, and often sat with our work
together.
This afternoon, Mrs Judge Ash
man, another intimate friend, was al
so with US. Her only immediate re-
Isponse to Mrs Elliott's words was a
ldeep sigh. At last she said:
The evil grows 80 desperate 1 can
lscarcely wonder at any effort to coun
Iteract it,though must say with you
that can scarcely understand this
lone. / do not see how a lady can
igo to such places as you describe,
suppose, only too truly. But the
itrouble is the mischief is not done
at these dens. Many of our drink.
ling saloons are elegant in all their
= appointments. and are frequented by
: gentlemen
No matter answered Mrs Elliott
, almost hotly, 'womanly delicacy for
: bids, that she should go to such {
> place. They are frequented by rouei
Z and gamblers also, who differ from
) the ragged loafers only in being bet
: tier dressed. In each case she is lia
d Bile to insult and to see and hea
t things which, to a pure, refined wo
y man, are worse than blows. I'd rstf
: er meet the coarse brutality of th'
'dens than the contemptuous leeri
'1and mocking smiles of the gilded sa
looms
What you say, my dear, seem
Iperfectly true, and l have always fel
ne so myself. But oh! what can we do
what can we do2 It's dreadful to 81
~ still with folded hands, and wltnes
the dread havoc these pls ,es are ms
kingr
- The pathos and distress in Mr.
Ashman's voice were too deep to b
~ caused by merely general apprecif
Of ton Of the evils Of intemperanee.
at had read the secret of the mother
sg- trouble in the flushed and bioate
:; face Of one of her sons. MrS Ellio