Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-02-26
MLLERsBURe, HOLMES COUNTY, o. THURSDAY FEB 26 1874

n the old man said, though the scene is
vivid before me as any ever witnesse
e "My friends. 1 am a stranger
: your village, and 1 trust may call ye
; friends. A new star has risen, ar
d there is a hope in the dark night, whic
a hangs like pail of gloom over OF
country"
With a thrilling depth OF voice, til
5 speaker continued:
40, God, thou that lookest with CON
passion upon the most erring of earth
children, 1 thank thee that a braze
serpent has been lifted, upon which tn
drunkard can look and be helped; tina
a beacon has burst out upon the dark
ness that surrounds him, which shal
guide back to honor and to heaven tn
bruised and weary wanderer."
1t is strange what power there is il
some voices. The speaker was SLOW
and unmoved, but a tear trembled il
every eye, and before knew why,
tear dropped upon my hand, followed b.
others like rain drops. The old maj
brushed one from his owneye and con
tinued. r =
HMen and Christians. You have jus
heard that ! was vagrant and fanatic
l am not. As God knows my own sac
heart, 1 came here to do good. Heal
me, and be just:''
81 am an old man and standing alone
at the end of life's journey; there is 9
sorrow in my heart, and tears in my
eyes. 1 have journeyed over a dark and
beaconless ocean, and all life's hopes
have been wrecked. l am without
friends, home or kindred upon earth,
and look with longing to the rest of the
night of death. Without friends, kin
dred, or home! 1t was not so once"
No one could stand the pathos Of the
old man. l noticed tear trembling on
the lid of my fathers eye, and 1 was no
more ashamed of my own.
''No, my friends it was not so once
Away over the dark waves which haye
wrecked my hopes, there is blessed
light OF happiness and home; 1 reach
again convulsively for the shrines of
the household idols that once were, but
are mine no more"
The old man seemed looking through
fancy at some bright vision, his lips
apart and his fingers extended. in
voluntarily looked in the direction
where it was pointed, dreading to see
some shadow invoked by its move
ments.
81 had once mother. With her heart
crushed with sorrow, she went down to
the grave. 1 once had wife-a fair
gentle creature as ever smiled in an
earthly home. Her eyes as mild as a
summer sky, and her heart as faithful
and true as ever guarded husbands
love. Her blue eyes grew dim as the |
floods of sorrow washed away their |
and the living heart was
wrung until every fiber was broken. Il
had once noble, a brave and beauti-
full boy, but he was driven out from |
the ruins Of his home and my old heart
yearns to know if he yet lives. 1 once
had babe-a sweet tender blossom,
but my own hand destroyed it, and it
lived with one who loves children
ode not be startled friends; am not
4 murderer in the common acceptation
Of the term. Yet there is light in my
sky. A spirit mother rejoices over the
return of the prodigal son. The wife
smiles upon him who again turns back
TO virtue and honor. The child angel
visits me at nightfall, and feel the
touch of tiny hand upon
ny feverish cheek. My brave boy, if
he yet lives, would forgive the SORROW
ng old man for the treatment which
lrove him into the world, and the blow
hat MANNED him for life. God forgive
ne for the ruin have brought upon
ne and mine."
He again wiped tear from his eye.
Ny father watched him with a strange
interest, and with countenance unu-
ually pale and excited by strange
''I once was fanatic, and madly fol-
owed the malign light which led me to
'uin. was fanatic when sacrificed
ny wife, children, happiness and home,
o the accursed demon of the bowl. l
'nce adored the gentle being whom l
injured so deeply"
81 was drunkard. From respecta-
'ility and afiluence, plunged into deg
adatien and poverty. I dragged my
amiIy down with me. For years saw
Ter cheeks pale, and her steps grow
weary. I left her alone amid the wreck
# her home idols, and rioted at the
avern. She never complained yet she
nd the children were hungry for ,
,read."
"One New Years night l returned
ate to the hut where charity had given
IS roof. She was yet up and shiver-
ng over the Goals. I demanded food,
'ut she burst into tears and teld me ,
here was none. I fiercely ordered her
o get some. She turned her eyes sad !
y upon me, the tears falling over her |
ale cheek. At this moment the child
n the cradle awoke and set up fam {
shing wall, startling the despairing /
mother like serpent's sting" 7
"We have no food, james; Ihave had 9
one for several days, l have nothing
or the poor baby. Oh, my once kind l
must We indeed starve?" l.
'That sad, pleading face, and those |
eyes, and the feeble wall Of
he child maddsned me, and I-yes II
truck her fierce blow in the face and
he fell forward upon the hearth. The
uries of hell boiled in my bosom and {
With deeper intensity as felt had |
ommitted wrong: had never struck
dary before, but now some terrible i'm (,
'ulse drove me on, and l stopped as
veil as could in my drunken state,
md 1 clenched both my hands in her
lair.''
"God of mercy, James," exclaimed
ny wife, as she looked up into my
lendish countenance, "you will not kill
Is, you will not harm Willie" And