River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-10-22
MISCELLANY.
JOHN roDD'S REFORMATION.

1t not unirequently happens that when
prayers, and entreaties, and shame, suf-
fering, and degradation have failed to
check a man in his down-hill course,
some incident seemingly changes the
whole current OF his life. have such an
incident in mind. You may know my
hero as John Tcdd. A few yet living
will know him by another name.
John Todd had sunk very low. Once
he had been gay, handsome and happy.
When lie made Mary Somers his wife,
there was not a Young man in our viii
lage whose prospects seemed brighter.
But the demon Of drink seized him. 1t
was gradual going down. Wife and
children were neglected; true friends
were forsak an; the low and the debased
were his chosen companions, and poverty
and want fell upon his once happy house
hold.
For months and years his friends tried
to save John Todd. They expostulated,
they prayed, they begged, they reasoned,
but all to no avail and at length they
gave it up.
One night, quivering and shaking, with
not penny in his pocket, John Todd en-
tered his dilapidated home and asked his
wife for liquor. She told him there was
not drop in the house. He cursed her
savagely and then commenced to search,
processing TO believe that she had liquor
hidden away somewhere. AT length,
away back on one of the shelves of a
small locker over the fireplace he found
bottle the contents Of which smelled
like rum. As he raised it to his lips his
wife, who had been watching him, sprang
forward and dashed the bottle from his
hand, shivering it upon the hearth.
With fierce oath John Todd smote
his wife to the floor, supne upon the
broken glass, and then staggered away to
bed. He would not 90 out again for he
had no money.
On the following morning his oldest
child, a girl of twelve years, came TO his
bedside.
80, papa, do you know what you did
last night 7"
lie had a dim recollection, but made
no reply.
"You knocked mama down and cut her
badly"
AYE, child, she--she'-
"Shc saved your life, papa. That was
poison in the bottle you were holding to
your lips-a most dreadful poison"
"Poison, child!"
''Yes, don't you remember what grand
ma sent over for mamma to kill bugs
with /? 1t was corrosive sublimate and
alcohol"
John Todd sank back upon his pillow
and did not get up until noon. When he
arose he was very weak and tremulous.
lie dressed himself and went out into the
kitchen, where he saw his wife stand BY
the fireplace, with napkin bound around
her head. He went to her side, and laid
his hand upon her shoulder. She turned
and looked in his face but he did not
speak. lie only kissed her and then went
out.
Only kissed her! What did it mean
Mary Todd caught her hands over her
heart to crush back the sudden, surging
hope. AMI yet, with the impress of the
kiss upon her check, and with the mem.
DRY Of the look that had accompanied it,
she sank upon her knees and wept and
prayed.
John Todd went away into the woods,
where he wandered until nightfall, and
with the last CLEAN of the setting sun he
was upon his knees, his palsied hands
reverently folded, speaking vow to
Heaven that his home should be once
more happy if he could make it so.
Out Of the darkness OF desolation, even
in the midst Of ruin, comes the angel Of
hope and promise to the stricken home.
Mary heard and saw, and took heart and
gave her smile and blessing to the work.
That was twenty years ago. John
Todd has kept the faith from that day to
this. lie is beloved, respected and hon.
ored wherever he is known; and hap.
pier woman than his wife ia not to be
found anywhere.