The weekly echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1868-1876, 1876-04-06

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With his tongue thick and his eyss roll
/ ing IN an idi0tic stare, be begged in vain
/ foT cre more Elass to satisfy his craving
thirst. HIS pIeadiugs st last made the
virtuous landlord angry, and with ter
/ rfble cath be answered the poor inebri~
ate that If he could not be stlll he
would kick him out into the ssreet.
This vas the irst time IN his mad ca
reer that Charles Ransom hsd ever re-
ceived such 8 threat, and, bswiidered
and ztRpifed as he was, his native pride
and seli-respect began to be aroused.
The bar-roOm was almost full Of men,
many Of them his acquaintanoes, and to
be rgbufed in this manner, and before
them, made the degradation doubly
! poignant.
He staggered to his feet and caught
chair, but ere his faltering arms could
raise it high enough for the object at
which he aimed, the Infatuated dram
seller hurled q decanter, with such I'M
erring precision that it felled the besotted
man to the foor 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
HE v.v0~trata body-
{" Get out with your villainOus car
cas-, I tell ye, and get off to your pau
per howell and your crying brat, and never
put foot inside this door again, or, by,
III kill ye."
This brutal speech sobered the drunken
man almost as by magic, and, with bound
which surprised the loOkers-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 mev'
The infatuated man Ioosened his grasp
and broke forth:
"Oh, yes, Bill Jackson, you thought |
l was killing you, because you knew you
richly deserved it, not only from me,
but hundreds of others. You sold me
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 forget
my griek. You were the one who, when
| said my temperament was one that
could not stand much drink, told me
here was no danger; that I should get
used to it as yourself had done; and you
ured me on and on, from one stage to an
'ther, until you got all my money and
nearly all could turn into money; and
low when / have nothing, and am poor,
md degraded, and low and sunken into
he gutter where you have dragged me,
,ou spurn me from your house, you kick
md beat me, and, worse than all, you
all my child, whom, with all my degrade
ion and sin, love better than my life
,ou call my child a brawling brat
Jurge you, Bill jackson, for the ruin
,Ou have wrought. But I will go from
our house; ! will 90 home to my poor
hid, and may the God whom have 80 {
rievously offended give nae the strength
D resist the temptation ever to enter :
our house or any other liquor shop I
gain as long as ! have breath"
The penitent man was assisted to his
ONE by some of his companions; and, \
pom entering the house, there they saw
nat frail, fair child still kneeling on the q
are floor by her little bed. She had
lien asleep in that position after praying .
ing and earnestly for her absent father. I
ut she awOke at their coming, and with \
startled cry she ran to her father, and =
lKed what was the matter. =
With her own hands she dressed his :,
ound, and, pressing her to his heart, he :,
Id her he would try not to drink any 6
ore. 8
30, dear papal" she cried, ~ thought =
cd would answer my prayer. Ihaye :
,ayed 80 much for you, and mamma .
'ed to teach me that my prayers would :
! heard and answered when God thought :
was best. Oh, won't mamma be happy, a
p IN heaven, to know that you won't "
ink any more? and little brother D
lmieg And know God viii bless you,
ar father, and make you strong" o
May be bless you, sweet child, and e