The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1876-03-18
THE RECLAIMED.

Sweeter than the songs of thrushes,
When the winds are low,
Brighter that the tulips bushes,
Reddening out of snow,
Were the form and face SO fair,
OF the little child at prayer.
Alice Cary.
The only one in the house, little
child, knelt by her bedside praying alone.
Perhaps the experiences of ten years had
laid their weight upon her young heart
she certainly was not older-and were it
not for the impressions which sorrow
always leaves upon its victims she would
have passed for younger child. 1t was
not large house, for there were but
three rooms in it, and, besides herself, it
had but one occupant. He was away;
she knew not where, only that her fears
told her he was where he hit not to be.
She had prepared their .rugal supper
hours ago, and had waited anxiously and
hopefully for her fathers returning foot
steps, but night crept on apace, and he
came not to cheer the solitude or relieve
the anxiety of his waiting child.
Tears had been falling from the bright
blue eyes, dimming their lustre, and sobs
had burst from the roseate lips, telling
her hearts agony; and now near the mid
die of the night, the little one knelt, as
her sainted mother had taught her to do,
and prayed for the absent one.
"Dear God, bless my poor, dear IA
Their. Make him good and holy as my
dear, dead mother was. Keep him from
drinking the wicked brandy any more,
and make him love his little Mary as he
used to-"
This was the burden of her prayer.
But how can we tell the expression OF
her weeping eyes and little hands raised
imploringly to heaven in the earnestness
of her petition? Her golden hair fell
loosely down upon her shoulders, and it
was picture which made glad the
angels who beheld it. They had seen
the picture before, and the Lord had seen
it, and heard the earnest petition of the
blameless one.
Charles Ransom had been prosperous
and wellto-do. He had begun life with
bright prospects, and with loving wife
and interesting children, his home was
one of the bright spots of earth. But
sickness and death came and robbed him
of his hearts jewels-of all but one-and
left him desolate and disconsolate. Truly
he loved Mary, the one left him by a
wise Providence; but his devotion to his
wife had been SO entire and SO absorbing
she had become SO truly a part of his
own existence-that when she was taken
from him life seemed disnl dungeon
and he could see no " vel lining" tC
the clouds which mantled life's sky.
Dependency took possession of him
and, to drown the poignacy of his grief
he resorted to the wine-cup, as many al
unfortunate one has done before him
deluded with false hopes. Having once
began in this way, he soon went to ex
cess. At first the piteous appeals of the
child, and the advice and warnings o
| friends who loved him, seemed to have
some restraining effect; but at length
these gradually lost their power, anc
one by one his friends" gave up hi
case as hopeless, and ceased striving will
him, wrapping themselves in the mantl
of their own fancicd perfection and in
vincible powers to resist temptation, an'
resigned him to his fate.
There was but one who remained fas
and firm, staunch and true to the worl
I of his reformation; and that was hi
heaven-eyed, sunny-crowned Mary. Sh
never faltered in her prayers or her ell
treaties. She needed no rcpulse, AM
was discouraged by ne delay; but witt
the simple face of childhood she KEEP
her eve fixed steadily on the boon 5
fondly desired-the reformation of on
she held most dear on earth.
On this particular night Charles Ran
som had fingered as usual at the dram
shop, and becoming intoxicated, was OF
livious to his home, his waiting child
and everything but his thirst for liquor
This thirst it seemed impossible t
qucnch. His money was Hi gone, and
alas he had reached, too, that othe
certain stage in the drunkard's life whe
his credit at the bar was also gone, We
he implored the landlord for more drink
With his tongue thick and his cyss roll
ing in an idiotic stare, he begged in val
for one more glass 10 satisfy his cravin
thirst. His pleadings at last made tn
riblc oath he answered the poor inebr
ate that if he could not be still l.
would kick him out into the street.
This was the first time in his mad c.