Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-04-09
THE WOHENS WAR 4 LAY OF THE
LAST CRUSADE
BY EUGENE ]. HALL.

LdoI In OEodDh.
BY EUGENE j. HALL.
Well, Amos I've been TO the meetin', we held it at
Barker's tonight;
tell you the Lord is comm in all o. His power
an might.
The glad songs o. Zion are ringin', in places not
used to the sound,
Where our boys have been wastin' their evenin's,
in drinkin' an loafin' around.
All over the land that we live in, in country an
town, everywhere,
Were goin' to give Mr.. Tyndall test o. the pow
er o. prayer.
I've been to the meetn at Barker's, we give him
sudden surprise;
When he looked up an seen Us comm L tell you
he opened his eyes.
He stared at us over the counter, each eye looked
as big as the moon,
But we wa1't to be frightened in that way we
walked right into the saloon.
He didn't attempt to oppose Us, he was williD' to
He looked all around him an chuckled, but never
a word did he say.
There were lots o. young men there a loafn',
reckon dozen or more;
When some on 'em seen US comm they slid out
the leete back door.
Some stood by the counter drinkin'; they hadn't
atom O. shame
An those who were playin' at billiards went on
with their proftless game.
The rest on 'em sot there a sippin' their whisky,
their brandy an gin,
lookin leerin', winkin', an waitin' for us to
begin.
gazed at the bright-lookin' bottles behind he
tall counter displayed;
/ thought O. the lives they had wasted l thought
o. the graves they mad made.
/ thought O. the boys they had ruined, by leadln'
EN- widely astray;
o. the wrongs they had wrought on the helpless by
stean their substance away;
An all o. the power within me swept over my
soul like a storm,
An, liftn my hands up to Heaven, prayed for
speedy reform.
While out o. the mouths o. the sisters, who sol
emily knelt by me there,
A hundred impressive responses fined in with my
passionate prayer.
Then we sung that glad hymn o. salvation, " o
turn ye, for why will ye die;''
An it seemed TO my soul in that moment Gods
glory comm so nigh.
We sang O. the lOWly Redeemer, an those that lie
persisted to save,
An when the last stanza was ended, the room
still as the grave.
Bill Barker looked over his counter, the prospect
he didn't enjoy;
Twas plain to be seen he was thinkin' o. those he
had helped to destroy.
He glanced at the o. bright bottles before his
broad mirror arrayed,
Like one who is proud o. his power, nor cares for
the wrecks he has made.
But soon DER his hard-ookin' features a kinder
an softer look stole;
Perhaps some good angel was tryin' to soften his
He looked sort O troubled an worried, an still he
had nothin' to say;
he seemed to be quietly Wishln' we women were
out o. the way.
All was still till wild-lookin' woman, with
face Jest us white shrOud
Crept steathily out o. corner an stood in the
midst o. the crowd
Her boiler checks spoke o starvation her sunken
eyes told o. distress;
Her quiverin' lips o. mute anguish no language o.
mine can express.
She lifted her talon-like fingers high over her head
in despair,
An walkn srraight up to the counter, she gazed
at the rumseler there.
He looked at her pale, haggard features, an
turned with shudder away;
he spoke not word, but he listened TO hear what
the woman would say
:. Look LookI on your work here, Bill Barker
she cried, with passionate WALL
" You have ruined my home an my husband, and
sent both my young boys to jail.
They say am mad do you wonder? Your liquor
has brought all my woe;
tell you your time Is comm, GODS judgment IS
certain out SLOt0 ~
Then turnin' away from the counter she silently
passed from the place;
The rumseller's conscience was troubled, he
showed it all over his face
His mind seemed to be all unsettled, his feelin's
he couldn't control;
knew that a powerful struggle was then goin'
on in his soul.
An, Amos, reckon, no language can piCtur' the
way that he felt;
He looked kind o. sorry an tumble, like one jest
begiRnin' to melt.
An when, in a few moments after, we fined in q
season o. prayer.
He silently came round the counter an noiselessly
knet by us there.
The men had all finished their playin an drinkin',
and stood by the wall,
An over their rough-lookin' faces the tears were
beginnin' To fall.
The sounds o. the rcvel were over. the air seemed
pure and serene;
An all on felt in that moment the presence o.
angels unseen.
As soon as we finished our prayin Bill Barker rose
up from the floor,
A rar,s rfaI
an opened the door.
Then, takin' barrel o. liquor, he rolled it along
with his feet;
He knocked out its head with Ratchet an split
it out into the street.
Then all on us turned in an helped him to finish
what he had begun;
He emptied his brighi-lookin' bottles nor paused
till the good work was done
Then turnin' he said, I'm goin' to close up my
business tonight.
I've made up my mind to be honest, mean to try
hard an do right
I've sent more young men to destruction than any
Twin III town,
But I'm goin' to put up my shutters, an tear my
old liquor sign down.
I'm going to work, an, God willin', I'll be re-
spectacle man;
Go on with the good work you're dom, I'll help
you much as / can"
Then when he was through with his speakin' we
all commenced singin' again,
An Nearer my God TO Thee, nearer to Thee, >
our joyful refrain.
An those who had been there a drinkin' seemed
moved by the power o prayer,
An sang with the deepest O. feelin' the words O.
that heavenly air.
An, Amos, l can't help belieyin' that music went
up to the sky,
To be Chanted an echoed in Heaven, by beautiful
angels on high.
Yes, Amos, I've been to the meetin', you needn't
look smilin' nor queer
That we are goiR' to conquer haven't doubt
nor fear.
You may laugh an may say that we women are
rayVQ m ont n ~
That we'd better be darnin our stockin's, sweep
in or maxim the beds
But we're gOin' right into the battle, nor will we
give up in despair;
If we only go at it in earnest, there's a wonderful
power in prayer.
Our FireSide Friend
THE UNDERTAKER.