Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-04-11
Whole Number 1866.

Our appearance upon the street
soon attracted attention. PeOpl,
'poke hurriedly and excitedly to
gether.
p "By thunder, it's broke ont here?'
heard one man exclaim. "Where
will they strike frst?"
The news spread fast, and soon
we had ample but nondescripit fol-
owing. Still the crowd was re-
'pectful. The worst man had caught
glimpse of Mrs. Elliott's face
;ould not have been otherwise.
By turning 4 corner we came sud
lenly upon the entrance of Hilrs
saloon. There was a hustle within
as if they would lock the door against
IS, but we were too prompt for
Them, and entered. The crowd
thrOnged in after us, and with those
rlready there, filled the place COM
pIetely.
Mrs. Elliott advanced at ONCE to
the bar and we grouped ourselves
around her, and such a group as had
lever been seen in our city before.
"Where is Mr.. Hill?" asked our
leader in a firm voice.
The bartender stared at her 4
moment in blank dismay, and
5hen called out:
''ALr. Hill, here, quick, for Gods
slke?'
eyes, tell him to come for Gods
sake and humanity's," said Mrs. Ell
lott, giving deep meaning to the
fellows profanity.
"What the devil does this mean?"
asked Mr.. Hill, appearing from an
inner room with a face on which
surprise and anger contended for the
mastery. He was Il forid, low
brOwed thick set man, showily dress
ed, and with a hard sinister eye
After one glance at him l hoped lit
lie from Mrs. Elliott's appeal.
turned to look at the crowd for a
moment in order to see on whose
side their sympathy would assert it
self, but the expression at this time
was one of eager curiosity and ex-
citement. But imagine my unmeas-
ured surprise when | saw a side
door open and Vinton Elliott ap-
pearing over the scene, with
white, appalled, face. But all were
too intent upon the scene before
them to note his entrance, for with
i voice that trembled, and yet with
dignity, Mrs. Elliott commenced
speaking.
''Mr. Hill you have the form and
semblance of u man and we give you
the credit of possessing the heart Of
one. You cannot realize the results
Of your traffic as we poor women
can whose homes. you are destroy
ing, whose hearts you are breaking.
What is life to us if our fathers, our
brothers, our sons, our husbands
| (oh how her voice thrilled at that
word) 90 down into the darkness
and infamy of a drunkard's grave!
Can you not see that such life would
be to us but living death and pro-
longed agony ? And yet not for
ourselves we are pleading, but for
those you are destroying. Perhaps
we can find a heaven hereafter, but
they cannot. You poison body and
soul at once. We are desperate in
view of the peril of those we love.
Yesterday there was not in all this
city, a more proud and happy wO-
man than L! happy in my home!
happy in my husband! happy in my
hopes of the future! proud of his
rich promise and good name! But
now my heart is breaking; oh how
it has ached since you sent him stag
gering to me long past midnight!
What but hell-broth could have so
changed my noble, manly husband?
Yesterday, all honored him. To-
day the finger of the town Will be
pointed at him. Oh! believe me,
sir, few dollars cannot repay you
for inficting all this shame and mis-
cry. l beseech you, sir, promise
me that YOU will never sell another
drop of the accursed poison"
There was a momentary and a
death-like silence, and then Hill,
with difficulty, found his brazen
voice.
"Now, look here, madam" he
began, dive got my rights as well
as you and other people. This Is my
business. You've no right here in
terfering with it. These are my
premises. You've no right here
without nv consent. You all make
Yourselves liable to Indictment for
treSpaSs. Besides, it amt the right
thing Tor ladies to 90 tramping
through the streets followed by
rabble, and meddIing with thugs
that do not concern them. 1t isn't
lady-like. It's fanat-"
"Hush! in a word, answer me.
cried Mrs. Elliott in a voice th't
went to every heart like an arrow.
"WIll you not promise ne never to
sell my husband another glass oI
liquor?"
"Noln shouted Hill. ''nor any
other woman's husband. / will
promise to sell to all who'll pay"
There was sudden hoarSe mur
muring on the part of the crowd but
in 4 moment it was hushed, for the
iusulted wife had knelt on the floor
before the bar. We all dropped on
our knees around her.
"Oh Cod" she pleaded in a tone
that must have thrilled the very soul
of the most hardened present, ''shalI
human love and human anguish
plead before thee in vain? Art
thou not a God of mercy, and yet
cruelty is crushing us? Art thou
not a God of justice, and yet we
are being robbed of all that makes
life endurablc? Thou didSt stop
the mouth of lions. Here in ouI
Christian land are human hearts
more savage. Thou didst preserve
in the furnace seven times heated
Beneath our church spires burns
the more remorSeless and destructive
passion Of avarice. Wilt thou not
break the stony heart before us, ana
III n. .,,iL,rD will TO thine