Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-04-03
WHAT A CHILD DID WITH GODS
HELP.

Gem, tells the following pathetic story,
which should be read by all our little
folks.
"Go 'wayl We won't play with
you. Your father gets drunk" A
group of children had gathered by the
roadside to play. The speaker was n
girl of about twelve years. The one
addressed was girl of about the same
age. Her eyes filled with tears, and
her cheeks flushed with shame and
wounded pride Mt the cruel words.
al know father drinks, but | ain't
to blame for that" said she.
"Well, we won't play with YOU any
way, will we girls? p said the first
speaker.
NO" answered the others in
chorus.
There! you heard that, didn't
you =" said she to the child Of the
drunkard. 81 hope it satisfies you
that We mean to have nothing to do
with you. My mother says it is u dis
grace to have such children in school" :"
The girl covered her face with her
hands and began to cry. Somewhat
ashamed of what they had done. the
Others stole away and left her. When
she found she was alone, she turned
and went back slowly to the little,
miserable house she called home.
Whats the matter with my little
girl 2" her mother asked, noticing her
tears.
Il went out to play with the girls,
and they wouldn't let me, cause
father drinks she answered, burying
her face in her mothers lap, and sob
bing rs if her heart was breaking.
Poor child" was what her mother
said. She had no words of comfort
to give, and she had learned from n
long and hard experience that tears
were of little avail.
Mother, do you s'pose fnthcr'll
crer stop drinking?" Mary asked, by
and by.
Il don't know" her mother an
swered with sigh. 81 hope so. |
have prayed he might, but if God
heard my prayer, he has not answered
it. We can only hope and pray, and
leave it all to Him."
" can't 90 to school, and the chill
dren won't play with me, cause father
drinks, and we can't do anything like
other folks" Mary said with such a
sigh as Is always most sorrowful when
coming from a child.
my poor little girl" Mrs. Deane
said sorrowfully, with her hand upon
her child's head. at is very hard to
see your life darkcned in this way.
Oh, if your father only ,ro,tH leave
off that terrible habit,'
The words held the pathos and
sublimity of Il prayer.
"What makes Mr.. Strong sell
liquor ?" asked Mary.
Because he can make money by
doing so, SUPPOSE her mother au-
swered.
IL wonder if anybody ever asked
him to give up such wicked business ~
Mary asked. Maybe he do-cn't
think how much sorrow he causes.
Do you think he'd stop if we asked
him toY"
I'm afraid not" her mother re-
piled. Then she got up and went
about her work. Mary sat and thought
for some time. Then she made up her
mind rs to the course she should pur-
sue, aud without saying anything to
her mother she started down the road.
When she got out of sight of her
home, she turned of the road, aud
knelt down among some bushes and
prayed. 1t was simple little prayer,
but there was something very touching
in it, for all that.
"Dear Jesus" said she, "please
help me. I'm going to try to save
father. / don't want to be called n
drunkard's child, I want to 20 to
school, and mother wants to 90 to
meeting, and we can't if father keeps
on drinking. Please. Jesus, help me,
and make Mr.. Strong stop selling
liquor. Amen"
Then she got up and went on.
The first person she met, when she
reached the village, was merchant
of whom they often bought things.
Are you going to the store?" he
asked.
"No. sir" answered Mary.
"All right then," said he, II didn't
know but YOU came after something. |
Thought I'd tell you that you couldn't
have any more till your father pays
what he owes us. He drinks up enough
in week to pay his debt to u.s."
She went on until she came TO the
place where, in great gilt letters, she
read:
sALooN.
This, then, was what people called
"Strong's He'll" Here was where
death and ruin to the soul was sold