Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-01-01
.ruOlishcd by Request
An Appeal TO the Women Of Springfield
Let no Woman fail to Read 1t.
Nnnen nf snrino1inLl. nm slstlr..

a, t,,.aal +o tle Women of ~Dyi,,rileIF-
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Women OF Springfield, my sisters, my
. misery Ina, become greater than can bear
know not which way to turn have no
. one to whom can 90 for redress for pro
tection-nO one hut God. | am a drunk
ards wife. Thi, to those who have had
the experience explains all. and tells my
, pitiful tale better than amy words ! can
command. For those are surrounded
with the same difficulties, til" same trials,
and lacking the same helps that Ito. They
have indeed their lives and hearts 50 full
of their own misery that they have no
room for mine. and if they had are as help
less as | myself am to alleviate their own
SORROWS without thought of helping
others.
Ny story j, Il brief one and 80 like hun
drcd> and thousands of others that YOU
hear daily. till they have become Il mat
ter of Indifference to YOU. that | fear YOU
will pass ii by mhccded
Yet. oh. | pray Won. for Gods sake, lis
ten to me. 1 was once Young and GAY
and happy Il any of Vuu are. was rails
ed respectfully and tcndrrly. and held my
place in the best circle of society. When
| welded "A man whom | loved. iutclli-
9cnt. upright. honorable. Sobcr-a~
Thoughtful had never sen him drink and
did not know he ever tasted ANYTHING that
would mtoxicatc. We started in our own
happv home with Iri"ht prospects for the
future. So BRIGHT and hanpv were those
day-. cone forever. But alas. | directly
found that my husband. when he met hi,
old associates. would come home with the
smell Of liquor on his breath | viii not
weary You with a repetition of the common
story of NEGLECTED. business the roing
down. down. the loss of our little Eden.
the Gradual change of INV husbands ma
turc from one of the most tender and lov-
mo. to a moody. morosp. abusive husband
and father. 50 changed. 50 bo-otte,. and
imbruted has ne been made bv this con-um-
mo appetite that he is an object of loath-
inr ana terror 10 those who once were
thrilled with delight at the sound of his
approaching footsteps. So low have we
sunk that miserable hoye in one of the
lowest quarters of the citv furnishes Us
not home. that word formc and my help
less children has no lonrer any meaning.
hut Il precariouS shelter from ttle Gle
mcut- SO destitute have we bccomc that
tie poorest of fare barely saves IL from
Starvation
Our cIo,hin" /, so uopr and -csnt that
my children are no longer fit to attend
school. and if they were the older ones are
becoming unable To- hrar the ttunt~ and
jecr- Of the other more forttmat" children
who call their father drunkarl and them
drunkard's children. We hear the sweet
music of the sabbath bells calling the hap
py. the wealthy, the fortunate to Sabbath
school and the sanctuary. But not tor u
do they chime forth on the still. halmy air
of these beautiful Sabbath mornings No
place there for the drunkord family, Ii
We should attempt to 20 in i'm our fidrd
and patched garments. yo'!, my sisters. to
whom | make this appeal. cNtort'd by the
depths Of misery and woe. would be- :"
shocked and horriIicd ae 60 show 1t. and
add to oar modification and distress. ior
our condition makes uS sensitive and Keen
ly alive to every such manifestation. No
peaceful NahbathdaNS for Us, though we are
in Christian city boa>tin@ nearly TWEEN
ty churches, with their Respectable, we'll
dressed audiences. Oh. 'jo ministers of
Christ ever remind You that While (pu SIT
there 50 comfortably listening TO the sweet
sounds OF the gospel. there are men and
women who never enter the churches :;
who. while You are PRAYING and praieimg
in the sanctuary are living in the midst Of
scenes of drunken bgawiS and sabbath
dc~ecl@dion? oh, do these ministers re