St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-11-05
Temperance.


Temperance.
Little Lizzie.
"If they wouldn't let him have it -
said Mrs. Leslie. weeping: ''Oh. if
they would not sell him liquor. there'd
men when he doesn't drink. He never
I brings liquor into the house and he
tiles hard. | know. t" keep sober. but
he cannot pass jerks tavern.
Ms. Leslie was talking with Il SYM
pathlzimg neighhor, VIII" responded 10y
saving. Its II downright shame
Will. This comN cr>ation wa> going on.
a little giIl. not over ten Years old. sat
listening attrmtiNcly. After Il while
she went quietly from the room. and
took her WAY. un"h>crNrd 10y her moth
CT. down the road. There WAS Il pur-
post. on hcI mind she had started ON
Il mission. 'Oh. if they wouldn't sell
him Liquor - Those earnest words ut
her mother had illlrd her thoughts. If
Mr.. jerks wouldn't sell her father
drink. there would be II" more trouble.
How simple the remedy She would
90 to Mr. Jerks. and ask him not to let
hcr father have amy more liquor. and
all would he we'll again. Artle,>, III
noccnt child
The tavern kept 10y jerks the la
zic>t man in MilamNiIc he WAS to"
laZN To work stood nearly Il quarter of
IL mile from the tenement occupied 10y
the Lc>lic>. Toward this point. under
Il hot sun. Lizzie made her way. her
mind 81 filled with i1> purpose that she
MAS unconscious of heat 81 fatigue.
Not long before. Il Traveller alighted Al
the door. AttrI giving directions to
have his horst. fed. he entered the bar
room. and tu where jerks stood behind
the counter. ''llavc something Ia
drink ," inquired the landlord.
I'm take "A glass of water. il You
please.
jerks could not hide the indifference
at once felt toward the stranger. Very
deliberately he set Il pitcher and Il glass
upon the counter. and then turned part
~ away. The stranger poured out :.
full tumbleI of water. and then drank
1t of with IN iii OF satisfaction.
Good water. that of yours. land
lord"
'ls il ," asked jerks.
Il call il good water. don't you -
"Ncvcr drink water 10y itself. A.
jerks said tins, hc winked t" one of his
customers. who wa~ l"unging on he
bar. In fact II is 81 long since drank
any water that | forget how it tastes.
Don't You. Leslie -
The man To whom this was addressed
was not 81 fan lost To shame ~ jerks.
He hluSiicd and looked confused. he
replied
lit might Ice better for some of us. il
We had not lost our relish foI pure
water.
a true word spoken. my friend -
said The stranger. turning to the man.
whose swollen vi>agc. and patched,
thrcadl'dIc garments to" plainly told
the story of his life. Nv ateI. pure
water. bright water. i my motto. it,
attendants are health. thrift and happI-
ness. 1t takes not away the children :
bread. nor the t"iliug Witc> garments.
There were two al three customers at
the bar ht>idc> Leslie. To- whom this
WIS addressed. and all of them. III spite
of the landloId'> angry and >mccrimg
countcuamrc. heated the stranger with
attention and respect Seeing this.
jerks could not restrain himself 50.
advancin" To his side and laying his
hand rudclN ON his >houldrl. said. in IL
pcrrmpfuIN MANNER: "Sce here. my
friend. il YOU are about To make Il trn-
pelancc lecture. You can adjourn to the
/ town hall or Methodist chapel.
| The stranger moved aside Il pace on
/ two. - that the hand OF jerks might
fall from his person. and then said.
mildly: There must he something
| wrong here. if Il man may not speak III
praise of water without giving offence"
/ Il said you could adjourn your lect
uie." The landlords face WIS now
fiery red. and he spoke with in>olcnce
and passion.
"Oh. well. as ynu are president of the
meeting. | suppose We must let you ca
erci>e an arbitrary power of Judgment"
said the stranger Il didn't think any
one had 50 strong Il dislike of water as
to consider its praise an insult.
| Al this moment child stepped into
the hal-room. She glanced neither to
the right nor left. but walked up to the
landlord lifted to him her sweet Young
face. and said, in tones that thrilled
every heart hut his. PLEASE. MI. jerks,
don't sell papa amy more liquor
"Otf home with you this instant.
exclaimed jerks. A. he spoke. he ad
vanced toward the child with uplifted
hand i'll IL threatening attitude.
PLEASE don't. Mr.. jerks. persisted
| the child. not moving nor taking her
eyes from the landlords countenance.
'.Mnther says if You would not sell him
liquor. thcre'd lie no trouble Hes
kind and good 10 u> all when he does
not drink"
"Of. say :" shouted jerks. now
maddcucd beyond >elt-control. and his
/ hand was about t" descend upon the
little one. when the stranger caught her
/ in his hands. eXclaimimg as he did so.
with deep emotion. tod bless the
child No. no, precious one ', he adj
died.. 'd"n't fear him. Plead for Your
father. plead for y"ur home. Your pc
tition must prevail, He cannot say nav
to the little ones. whose angels do al
ways behold the face of their Father in
heaven. God bless the child - added
the stranger. in Il choking voice. 40
that the father for whom She has come
Oh this touching erIand were present
now II there were anything of man
hood vet left in his nature. this would
awaken him from palsied sleep"
Papa oh. papa ', now cried the
child. stretching forth her hand. In
the next moment she was clinging to
the breast of her father. who. with his
arms clasped tightly around her. stood
weeping and mingliny his teaI> with
those now raining from the little ones
eyes.
} What an oppressive stiffness pre-