Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-03-21
MY Friends Secret.


Quiet and gentlemanly in his manner,
unobtrusvely he went about doing good
in his own peculiar but effectual way
Singularly enough that way was to frequent
the saloons and bar-rooms, or more strictly
their neighborhood and waiting his oppor-
tunity, to persuade young men and old away
from these haunts And many did this ear
nest, iudicious worker save. Many to-day
remember his kindly face, his tall, STOPPING
form. In his clear blue eye there was pa
thetic, pleading power, nearly resistless
With face clearly shaven, his hair perfectly
white, falling down to his shoulders, he left
picture one could not forget. Many young,
middle aged, and even old men had he led
home from drunken debauch, kindly caring
for them-and when they were sobered and
realized his kindness, he would plead with
them to leave their evil ways. There Were
many on earth that blessed him. and be-
lieve many in heaven. He very rarely re-
ferred to his past life.
We had been brought together from com
mon sympathy in case of peculiar interest.
One of our neighbors had become raving
from the effects of rum. My friend volun-
teered to spend a night with me at the
house, to protect an invalid MOTHER and
helpless children, from their half-maniac
father. Fortunately the exhausted man
slept nearly all the night. And it was that
night he told me his story.
Thirty years ago was a mechanic, re.
ceiving good pay, and was master of my
business. | owned cottage that | had
built myself, and might have been happy
with my wife and little boy. But gradually
the habit of drinking had been gaining upon
me, and had to a considerable extent af-
fected my business. My wife, never strong,
was sadly and slowly sinking in health, which
fact strangely did not realize. One night
after had been idle for few weeks, / re-
turned home to find her unusually feeble,
and was myself morose and partially intox-
icated. She was so i'll that she had been
unable to prepare supper. Upon going to
the cupboard found the decanter of liquor
that | kept there, empty. The thirst for
rum was upon me with all its power, for
was but partially recovered from weeks
severe dissipation. Calling my little boy,
noble little fellow of twelve years, | ordered
him to go to the nearest grocery and obtain a
bottle of liquor. The little fellow pleaded
against going; but | was memorable, and
harshly forbade his questioning, and the
dutiful little fellow with tears in his eyes
coming to me for kiss, which | refused,
NtHJ vi lut tlIdllu NHlCL COSl MN Hlb me
Had | known that night what happened
while | waited with sullen Impotence for
his return, my life would have been a very
different one, and his would have been
saved, and perhaps his mothers. | had
always been very strict with him about
quarrels with the rude boys on the street.
aud had once severely punished him for
one with the threat that if he ever engaged
in another, severer one should be the con
sequence
THAT you may understand his part in
the events that | am to relate, | will tell you
what did not then know, what befel him
on that sad errand.
Blinded with tears of shame and sor-
row. he made his way to the place to which
| had sent him, which proved to be full OF
loafers of all ages. Although he could not
hide the traces of his tears, in his manly
way he executed his degrading errand. As
he turned from the place, their drunken
chatting and banter was turned pitilessly
upon him. One drunken fellow who hated
me for my success in business, coward that
he was, called out;
"' Say, Bob, how do you like doing er.
rands for a drunkard ?
Burning with shame, little Robbie hur-
ried along, followed by two or three boys
older than himself bent upon the fun that
the cowardly brute had begun.
"'Let's daub his clean clothes, take down
his pride a little, and get swig of his
fathers rum said the leader as they fol-
lowed close upon Robbie in the gathering
darkness.
The boy had been a favorite with his
teachers and at the head of his class, much
to the chagrin of these fellows, and under
my instruction had not noticed the insults
they had heaped upon him. Now they had
him where they could revenge themselves.
Rushing across an open lot, they came
upon an unfrequented place that he must
pass.
:" What's your hurry, Bob, amt you goin'
to speak ter fellers 2 said the leader as they
ranged across his way.
:" Boys, | wish you would let me go
along. | haven't troubled you
"'Give us swig from that black bottle
and we will
Boys, can't, it would not be right, and
am in a hurry and must not delay
"' Oh no can't delay. Say Bob, amt il
bout time ter stop tryin' ter be gentle
man, when We have ter go and fetch rum for
a drunkardf Delay Talks big, don't he,
Jim 2
"The next instant this young bully was
sprawling in the street, from a blow that
Rob gave him full in the face. The rest
fell upon him and in the struggle that fol
lowed, his bottle was broken and he consid
erably bruised and smeared with dirt, which
really was what they wanted to do, more
than to harm him.
"All this while | was sullenly waiting
wondering at his long absence.
4" In my partially drunken state when he
returned was exasperated at the loss OF
the liquor and was annoyed that he had de
scended to blow with those low fellows
had promised to punish him severely fol
this same offence, And when he refused to
tell me why he had fought with the boys
determined that he should tell me. The
boy loved me- had not fallen below his
respect. ! was not a gutter drunkard
was still a gentleman to the world, and ,
kind though strict father TO him.
SO Father, | can't tell said he. cannot
detail the sickening scene that followed, II
that state, | punished that brave boy t.
make him tell what he had fought for.
" His only words were a piteous Father
| can't tell punished him until he fel
fainting.
any wife pleaded with me. Brutally
asked if she would make him more stubborn
! While | talked with him, he would clinl