The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-06-17
John Todd's Reformation.

when prayers, and entreaties, and shame,
suffering, and degradation, have failed
to check man III his down-hill course,
some incident seemingly changes the
whole current of his ljte. / have
such an incident in mind. You may
know my hero as John Todd. A few
yet living will know him Ivy another
name.
John Todd had sunk very low. Once
he had been gay, handsome, and happy.
| When he made Mary Somers his wife,
| there was not young man in our village
whoseprospects seemed brighter. But
the demon of drink seized him. It was
gradual growing of appetite, and o
gradual going down. Wife and children
were neglected true friends were for
saken; the low and the debased were
his chosen companions, and poverty and
want fell upon his household.
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 n penny in his pocket, John
Todd entered his dilspidated home, and
asked his wife for liquor. She told him
there was not drop in the house. He
cursed her savagely. and then COM
menced to search, protesting to believe
that she had liquor hidden away some
where. At length, away back on one of
the shelves of 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, shpine upon the
broken glass, and then staggered away
to his bed. He would not go out again,
for he had no money.
On the following morning his oldest
child, girl of twelve years, came to his
bedside.
go, papa, do you know what you did
last night 2"
He had dim recollection, but made
no reply.
"You knocked poor mamma down,
and cut her badly"
"Aye, child, she-she -
"She saved your life, papa. That was
poison in the bottle you were holding to
your lips-a most dreadful poison"
"Poison, child2"
eyes; don't you remember what
grandma sent over for mamma to kill
bugs withl 1t was corrosive sublimate
and alcohol"
John Todd sank back upon his pill
low, and did not get up until noon.
When he arose he was very weak and
tremulous. He dressed himself and
went out into the kitchen, where he saw
his wife standing by the fireplace, with
a napkin bound around her head. He
went to her side, and laid his hand upon
her shoulder. She turned and looked
into his face, but he did not speak. He
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, surg
| ing hope. 1t were madness to hope
now. And yet, with the impress of the
kiss upon her cheek, and with memory
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 cleaning 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. He is beloved, respected, and
honored wherever he is known; and a
happier woman than his wife is not to
be found nywhere.-Ledger.