Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1877-04-21

From the Temperance Album

uno9IIuoeIy no Went .aoous uOin& 8VOu
In Ia own peculiar but effectual way
Sinaularly enough that way was to fire
Quem the saloons and Dar-rooms, o.
more strictly their neighborhood, ant
waiting his opportunity. to persuad
Young men and old away from thes.
haunts. And many did this earnest, ju
dicious worker save Many. to-day re
member his kindly face, his tall. shopping
form. In his clear blue eye there was {
pathetic, pleading power nearly resist
less. With face cleanly shaven, his hall
perfectly white, falling down to his
shoulders, be left q 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 sober ana re-
allied his kindness, be would plead wltn
them TO leave their evil ways. mere
were many on earth that blessed MIN,
and believe mauy In heaven, de very
rarely referred to his past lile'
We had been brought together from
common sympathy in the case OF pecu-
liar interest. One OF our neignDors mad
become raving from the enects Oh rum.
NV friend volunteered TO spend the night
with me at the house, to protect an In
valid mother and helpless children from
their half-frantic father. Fortunately
The exhausted man slept nearly all the
night. And it was that night he told
me his story.
We had been sitting long without
speaking. A sadness could be felt set
tied upon my companion. He sat with
bowed head in the light OF the open fire,
and as he sat Twas filled with an intense
desire to know what had prematurely
whitened his hair and bent his form.
Intuitively knew 1t would wound him
to refer to it. Mine could not be the
hand to pitilessly pull the cloth from the
face of his dead. And l think that be
loved me for respecting his sorrow.
was burning with desire to know, yet
was careful not to let my unavoidable IN
terest be degraded into mere curiosty.
That night my forbearance to question
was rewarded.
liz was a little after midnight, the
whole house was quiet, when after long
silence he turned toward me with far
OFF look In luis eyes, and said ball dream
lily:
have never questioned me about the
causes that led to my peculiar life" Is
IL should no more intrude question
upon your personal sorrows or misfOr-
tunes, than 1 should 60 unbidden into
your house." replied l, hardly knowing
what to say. ff.
was not disappointed, for after a few
moments of silence he continued:
Thirty years ago l was a mechanic, re-
ceiying good pay. and was master of my
business. owned a cottage that had
built myself, and might have been happy
with my wife anu little boy. But grad.
ually the habit of drinking had been
gaining upon me, and had To consider
able extent affected my business. My
wife, never strong, was sadly and slowly
sinking in health, which fact strangely |
did not realize. One night, after l had
beer idle for few weeks, l returned
home to find her unusually feeble. and
was myself morOse and partially intOxi
Gated. She was so i'll that she had been
unable to prepare supper. Upon going
TO the cupboard found the declnter of
liquor that had kept there. empty. The
thirst for rum WAS upon me with all its
power. for was but partially recovered |
from weeks severe dissipation. Call
ng my little boy, noble little fellow Of
IL years, I ordered him to 20 to the
nearest grocery and obtain bottle OF
LIQUOR. The little fellow pleaded against \
going; but was ineXhOrable, and harsh |
ly forbade his questioning, and the duti-
full little fellow with tears in his eyes
coming to me Tor kiss, which L refused,
went on the errand which cost him bis
life. Had known that night what hap
pened while l waited with sullen impa-
thence for his return, my life would have
been very different one, and his would
have been saved, and perhaps his moth
er's. bad al ways been very strict with
him about street quarrels with rude boys
on the street, and had once severely pun
ished him for one, with the threat that II
he ever engaged in another, IA severer
one should be the consequence.
That you may understand his part in
the events that l am to relate. l will tell
YOU what did not then know, what be-
fell him on that sad errand. rs Sod o.
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 bis manly way he executed the de-
grading errand. AS he turned from the
place. their drunken chatting and banter
MAS plbiACcciy dPOA OhC
drunken fellow who hated me for my
called out:
'.Say, Bob, how do you like doing er-
rands for drunkard ~ HjIiJ
Burning with shame, little Robbie hur-
ued along, followed by two or three
bows older than himself, bent upon the
fun that the cowardly brute had begun.
bic nlnan alnfhaS fnka
down his pride a little. and get swig OF
his fathers rum" said the leader, as they
followed close upon Robbie In the gath
ering darkness.
The bow had been favorite with his
teachers and at the head OF his class,
much to the chagrin of these fellows,
and under my Instructions had not no
ticed 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.
aWhat's your hurry, Bob, amt you
goin' to speak ter fellers 7" said the lead
er, as they ranged across his way.
"Boys, wish you would let me go
along. / haven't troubled YOU"
'Give us a swig from that black bottle.
and we will" & 4 Is Il. - i
"Boys, / can't, it would not be right,
and am in hurry and must not de-
lay"
"Oh, no. can't delay. Say. Bob, amt
1t bout time to stop tryin' ter be gem
tleman, when We have ter 60 and fetch
rum for drunkard? Delay! Talks big,
don't he, Jim?"
Inc next instant this young bully was
drawing in the street, from a blow that |
Bob gave him full i'm the face. The rest |
ieii upon him, and in the struggle that
followed, his bottle was broken and he |