Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-02-16


out into the street.
This was the first time in his mad
career that Charles Ransom had ever
received such a threat, and, bewildered
and stupid as he was, his native pride
and self-respect began to be aroused.
The bar-room was almost full of men,
many of them his acquaintance, and
to be rebuf'ed in this manner, and
before them, made the degradation
doubly poignant.
He staggered to his feet and caught
a chair, but ere his faltering arms
could raise it high enough for the OBJ
ject at which he aimed, the Infatuated
dram seller hurled a decanter, with
such unerring precision that it felled
the besotted man to the floor with his
head gashed, and the blood oozing from
it frightfully.
"Get out of my house, you vaga-
bond," cried the landlord, as, not con-
tent with seeing his victim helpless on
the floor, he applied kick after kick to
his PROSTATE body.
'SGet out with your villainous car
cass, l tell We, and get off to your pau
per howell andiyour crying brat, and new
er put foot inside this door again, or,
by -, I'll kill ye"
This brutal speech sobered the
drunken man almost as magic, and,
with bound which surprised thelook-
ers-on and made them stand back, he
rushed upon his assailant and strangled
him till he cried, " Help, men, for the
love of God The fend is numbering
me p
The Infatuated man loosened his grasp
and broke forth:
cob, yes, Bill Jackson, you thought
| was killing you, because you knew
you richly deserved it, not only from
me, but hundreds of others. You sold
LIE drink, and encouraged me to drink;
you said it would not hurt me, that it
would do me good, that it would drive
sorrow far from me and make me for
get my griefs. You were the one who,
when / said my temperament was one
that could not stand much drink, told
me there was no danger; that l should
get used to it as yourself had done;
and you lured me on and on, from one
stageto another, until you got all my
money and nearly all [ could turn into
money and now when have nothing,
and am poor, and degraded, and low
and sunken into the gutter where you
have dragged me, you spurn me from
your house, you kick and beat me, and,
worse than all, you call my child,
whom, with all my degration and sin,
love better than my life-you call my
child a Drawing brat Curse you, Bill
Jackson, for the ruin you have wrought.
But will go from your house; / will
go home to my poor child, and may
the good God whom have so grievous-
ly offended give me the strength to re-
sist the temptation ever to enter your
house or any other liquor shop again as
long as / have BREATH" .
The penitent man was assisted to his
home by some of his companions; and,
upon entering the house, there they
saw that frail, fair child still kneeling
ON the bare floor by her little bed She
had fallen asleep in that position after
praying long and earnestly for her
absent father. But she awoke at their
coming, and with startled cry she ran
to her father, and asked what was the
matter.
With her own hands she dressed his
wound, and, pressing her to his heart,
he told her he would try not to drink
any more. e5s
80, dear papa p she cried, II thought
God would answer my prayer. I have
prayed SO much for you, and mamma
used to teach me that my prayers
would be heard and answered when
God thought it was best. Oh, won't
mamma be happy, up in heaven, to
know that you won't drink any more :?
and little brother Jamie And I know
OON VIII o1C0o yOlt, oOd1 I1tCllcI, aIlu
make you strong"
May he bless you, sweet child, and
make me worthy of such a precious
treasure. Oh, what a sinner I have
been May God be merciful unto
me p
| There was little sleep in that house
that night. Charles Ransom was
thoroughly aroused from the torpor
into which he had plunged SO long, and
he marveled that he had ever fallen so
low. He had been snatched as brand
from the burning, but not by his own
efforts; the grace Of God, so unwearied-
ly invoked in his behalf by his
praying child, had at last come to his
rescue. He saw how near the gate of
destruction he had approached, and in
this hour of penitence he resolved no
longer to rely on his own strength, but
to seek the aid of divine grace to help
him battle with sorrow land adver-
! Sitv for he had saan that g vain woe tho