Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-10-21
John TOdd's Reformation.

|
IT not unfrequently happens that when
prayers and entreaties and shame and
| suffering and degradation have failed to
check man in his down hill course some
incident seemingly changes the whole
current of his life. | have such an Incl
dent in mind. You may know nv hero
as John Todd. 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 he made Mary Somers his wife
there was not a young man in our village
whose prospects seemed brighter. But
the demon of drink seized him. 1t was
gradual growing of appetites and a grad
ual going down. Wife and children were
neglected, the low and debased were his
| chosen companions, and poverty and want
fell upon his once happy 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 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,
protesting to believe that she had liquor
hidden away somewhere. At length,
4 boo 80 a. u
small locker over the fireplace, he found
a 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, supine 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-a girl of twelve years-came to his
bedside
ooh! papa, do you know what you did
last night?"
He had dim recollection but made nc
reply.
You knocked mamma down and cut
her badly"
! GAY, 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, childg"
Yes; don't you remember what grand
ma sent over to mamma to kill bugs with
1t was corrosive-sub,imate 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.
He dressed himself and went out into
the kitchen, where he saw his wife stand
ing by the fireplace with napkin bound
round her head. He went to her side and
laid his hand upon her shoulder. She
| turned and looked into his face, but 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, SURFING
hope. 1t was madness to hope now And
yet, with the impress of the kiss upon her
cheek, and with the memory of the look
| that 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 once more
be 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.
POSTMASTER JAMES, of New York CITY, |
has ordered that hereafter all letters adj |
dressed to his city marked poste restante,
g to be called for" or words to that effect,
shall be retained for three months, subject
to the call of the persons addressed, be-
fore sending them to the Dead Letter Office