Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1875-05-06

show you how wrong it is and how you
lose your soul and the souls of others
by il. We've come here to pray Satan
out OF this house, if We can.'
Go on says Tom. Pray as much as
you like, only remember this: rum
selling may be "a crime, but it Is ali that
gives me bread for my myehildren. Rum
drinking brings some to sorruw, but
! they'd drink it somewhere, ansi why
not here? l can't tell my wife to ge to
the poor house, and take our littls,
helpless babes with her. Iean't do that.
It's my living you are trying to pray
away, but do it if You ean.'
He perched himself on the counter
then, and folded his arms, and down
they went on their knees, and how
they prayed! Even the old loafers at
the store kept still; and whenzone old
lady lifted up her voice high shrll
over all the rest, and said -
%, God Let one who h2
for the sons of otLer wos-s---s-A
them from the drunhard's lii<
drunkard's grave .
/ heard old Timothy HagahS
wasn't sober once a year, sob a.
baby. ~ 2
Pray, pray, pray. OH they meall
it, all those women, and / think the
Holy Spirit oi the Lord came down
amongst 'em, it seemed so holy all
about them.
All of sudden there was another
woman kneeling there with baby in
her arms, for all the like a picture of
Mary, the mother, with the holy child
on her breast. And above all the voices
rose her voice sweet and strong:
God look down in mercy,' said she,
and wash our hands of this crime.
Let us starve if we must, but don't let
us hurry others TO worse than death;
don't let us be drunkard makers Save
us ! save US save us!'
1t was Fanny Tadford, and / knew
by the look that caI,e into her hus-
bands isce that the praying band
would go away happy from Tadford's.
He rose up TO his feet, Tom Tadford
did.
'Fhe Lord help me- said he, I'll sell
liquor no longer. If perish, / perish,
bat I'll do right. Get up, Fanny, un-
less you are kneeling there to thank
Him, for you've got your way at last.
My men, help me, will you, to pitch
the liquor into the street?'
He did it, radford did, aud every
one helped him, loafers and all. To
be sure, some of 'em went of with bot
ties in their pockets, and old Hagan
filled his old greasy hat with gin, but
out the liquor went, these women
thanking GOd all the time, until they
came to the old barrel of hard cider.
1t took two men to shoulder that,
for it was full. Tadford was one. AS
he lifted it, the big veins started out on
his forehead, and he staggered, bat out
1t went like the rest, and down the yell
low stuff poured into the gutter, and
one old praying lady gave scream of
joy.
And Fanny Tadford gave another
scream, and l seen her run to the spot
where the barrel had stood and pick
up.
Uncle Riggan,' she says TO me,
catch hold of me-I'm turning faint.
I've found 1t 4! I've found itn
And 10 behold, there was old Tad
fOrd's Oil-skin bag in her hands, and in
it the coupon bonds, all safe and sound.
They were ten thousand dollars the
richer for the emptying of that old bar
rel, Tor the bag was just beginning to
rot, and in a little time the coupon
bonds would have been destroyed.
The praying band found out what
bad happened, and there were never
such glad folks before. They are good
doubt of it.
Yes; of course, the old man hid the
bag where it was found, just before he
lied; no doubt about it. And that's
radford over there. No liquor in his
shop now, l tell you. And Fauly has
grown Young and pretty again in this
little while; for the mortgage is paid,
md the miserable drinking she hated
10 much is stopped, and she's happy
Three cheers for the praying
1and say /.