The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-04-24
JOHN CoshEr1's NOTABLE B1RrH-
DAE. - 80

e&n 2zfh OF December.
john Lad not . very robust oonstitu
tion, md he felt the xinAuenee o.
weather and surrounding circums tances
moro than he would have done had hs
been . stronger man. He knew that il
was to . great extent his own fault thai
he had destroyed the health be once
enjoyed by years of excessive drinking
but this reflection did not make his
trouble any eanier to beax-far frun it.
It was now exactly twelve months
since he had aigned the pledge and
instead of looking back with Joy and
thankfulness upon the happy change
which had taken place in himself, his
family and his home during that time,
he Pefvorssly chose to look ut every
Ting in q light ~ gloomy q that OF
xnh gray. frosty, cheerless Christina
don't see that we're much better
on than we were this time last year,
he said to himself. almost all We
can say is, that we are quite out OF
debt but home isn't much better, that
oan see. Fifty things that we wanted
then to make il comfortable, we want
yet: and I can't see any prospects Of
getting 'em. It has been nothing but
patch, patch, patch, after all our striv-
1rl and there are lots Of things that
'Sife and children want this cold
weather, that can't be got and won't be
got Tor many o day. Then see how i'll
Folly has been, and what . sickly little
might she is still I shouldn't wonder .
bit If We lost her. and think it would
drive me well nigh mad to lose Polly.
Alb, things do look dark, and there
doesent seem much announcement to
keep on. Wife and children don't seem
even to remember that this is the ami
yeEsaEy Of the day ON which I gave up
the DRINK, although it was the hardest
trial of my life TO do it. Not q word
have they said about il, and they don't
eem to cara I suppose If I did just
, Tom Hanv0KB wants me 10 20 much
go and keep Christmas Eve With him
and the rest Of 'em at "The Golden
Goose" Wall, il 1 did it wouldn't be
% bad, after all Haven't I kept the
pledge the whole Year, And that's
moro than many can say. II I did
haxe = bit OF enjoyment tonight, I
could sign again after New Years
Day"
John thrust his cold hands in hispock-
cts, and iingled the silver about in them
that he had just received for wages.
1t seemed as il he tried to look and
feel ~ miserable - he could.
All, John, John I Don't you know
how easy it is to make everything IN
life look as black as night, If We are
bent upon murmuring and repiniug? ?
And don't you know that there is q
sunny side to every cloud, and that
oftentimes things are not nearly 80 bad
"a th0ru -. L. -
"good angel" could have whispered into
your ear Just then. what might You have
heard? Something like this:
Now, John, man, pray reflect upon
what you have been saying. ION are .
deal better of than You were this time
last year. Not only can you hold up
your bead before the whole world, and
say, 81 owe no man penny" but your
money has done many blessed things
besides putting You out of debt. Ger
tt inly there is not SO much to show for
1t yet; but il has kept the children
plentifully supplied with good food all
year it has kept their shoes sound,
and their clothes tidy !; it has brought
many little comforts to your home, and
made your wife o glad and thankful
woman. And though many things are
still wanted, they can be done without,
. little longer, and you will get them in
very good time if You hold on bravely.
Then, although your darling littly Polly
has been so i'll, she is now almost we'll,
You may say. and, with care, may turn
out as strong AS any of the other chill
dren. And If it should please God to
take her. He would surely give you
strength according to your day, and
help you to say. "His will be done, !"
If you look to Him. And as for wife
and children not caring about this i'm
portant anniversary you Just wait .
bit and see. II is because they are
afrsid of letting the cat out of the bag,
as your oldest boy, Arthur, says that
they have not said o word about it dur
ing the past two or three weeks.
Be . man, John Don't be 50 foolish,
nay, wicked, as to go of to "The
Golden Goose" seeking enjoyment !"
You know we'll enough you wouldn't
ind it there. Didn't you Try through
many weary year to get enjoyment in
such places. and after all didn't you
find yourself in the very depths OF
misery and despair And pray don't
let Satan deceive you with the notions
that You would go and sigu the pledge
very easily after New Years day. You
might never sign again, II you want to
only break it now, and then woe, woe,
to yourself and everybody belonging to
on.
Go home, John, go homei Home il
the plsce for the tempted and the
gloom. It ID . haven to run into and
escape shipwreck. II things look dark
to you row, 60 home, and hope for the
shining Of the sun to-morrow
Whether Johns redsctions took .
turn this way know not but certainly
he kept straight on in the direction Of
home, turning not to the right hand
nor to the left, where lay many of his
wellknovn haunts, like man-traps to
ensnare the weak and foolish.
He quickened his steps, for it was in
tensely cold, but before he had gone
far, he saw, long way OF, . little group
turn the corner Of the street, to come
towards him. at wonder where they're
of to-" he said. /" and Polly, too, de-
clare III just step out Of mght, and
follow them whom they pass by" 80 he
stepped up passage close ut hand, and
stayed there, hoping he would not be
noticed. In . few minutes his children
passed-Arthur and Willie, and Polly,
and Susie-an 50 we'll wrapped mp and
SO chatty and merry, that he thought
surely they must be out ON some happy
errand. Before We follow after them
with the father, We win learn what took
place before they started out.
CHAPTER n.
For many day passed little Polly
had been saying anxiously:
"Ob, mother I hope I shall be we'll
enough TO go out with Arthur on fathers
ieetotal birthday. Even il it SHOWS. I
may go, mayn't II A bit of snow
wouldn't hurt, if get q deal better /;
and oh, l do want to help to buy father 8
book"
"No, you'd better not say any more
about it till the day comes" Arthur
said one evening; "for if you keep on
so about it, I know you'll let the cat out
of the bag before father, and that
would inst spoil every thing. And
seven sud sixpence is too much to pay,
after having our plan spoilt. Hi seven
and sixpence, mother" he added, with
. happy laugh, "isn't it lot to give