Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-04-14
What Hath God Wrought I!
A TRuR HISTORY.

1t was only shabby-looking man, weak,
bear-eyed, aud with a general stumbling
look of inefiiciency painful to see. No one
Noticed him, no one cared for him. as he
wandered aimlessly along the street. He
ought to have been at his work before this,
but the excuses of the night before had
weakened his bodily and mental powers, and
the headache with which he awoke was Civ
ing way to the raging thirst which drove
him, apparently against his will, in the very
direction he had that morning resolved to
avoid-namely the street of liquor-stores,
which was so familiar with his presence.
All night long in the intervals of tossing
restlessness, he had determined as solemnly
rs man might that never again would he
touch the fatal poison, which had brought
him to the very verge of ruin, and he rose
feeling like free man in the strength of
his purpose
But alas none of the breakfast prepared
by his careful, anxious wife could he eat,
his hand trembled so that he could not carry
the coffeecup to his mouth, and, rising from
the untasted meal, the wretched wreck stag
gered into the street to seek his work, as he
said to his family and himself, the familiar
mouth of hell as he knew in the depths OF
his own consciousness. Almost as if by in-
tuition his feet turned into their accustomed
path, and something to steady my nerves B"
ylittered in the glass grasped by the trem-
bling fingers before he had time to realize
that his resolution was broken once more.
Only a common drunkard, not worthy of
our care or pity Let us in our pursuit OF
business, pleasure, or it may be of religion,
oass by on the other side. But loving eyes
are watching the man from distance, low
ing feet have followed him from his home
and loving heart full of sorrow turns sadly
away to report to the anxious wife and
mother that the usual terminus has come to
fathers resolution to give up drink. Once
more mother and daughter kneel where
.lone help is to be found, and where they
are learning to let "patieuce have her
perfect work" 1t is only lately that the
mother has learned to pray, but it seems
row that her whole life is one extended
prayer for this loved one So the day passed
on, in patient, prayerful waiting on the one
,ide, in reckless yielding to the tyranny of
the basest of low appetites on the other.
The shadows of the winter day deepen, the
evening meal is eaten in silent sadness by
mother aud daughter, for long experience
mas taught them the vanity of waiting for
he fathers return but the best of every
thing is saved for him, and the kettle left
boiling that cup of hot tea may at least
be offered when he does come home. At
M earlier hour than usual the familiar,
,tumbling, uncertain step is heard, and both
The watchers spring with alacrity to greet
ghe wanderer. But something in the wild
terocity of eye and look cause them to
shrink back with dread, and with the air Of
maniac the wretched victim passes unmo-
tested to an upper chamber.
The fact is, this man is on the very verge
| Of delirium tremens, aud knows it. He has
trodden that dark path once before and re-
members its horrors, and another resolution,
born alike of madness and misery, is rapidly
| shaping itself in his disordered brain. There
| is but one way out of this misery, and the
sooner the step is taken the better for all
concerned. So with unsteady hand he opens
drawer in search Of the razor not used
that weary day. 1t is not in its place
thoughtful love has perhaps anticipated the
emergency, but he does not know that and
continues to grope for the object of his
search. While thus engaged his fingers
clasp bundle of papers. Well he knows
what they are-seven temperance pledges
signed at various periods when the manhood
still left within him rose up and struggled
to throw off its CALLING chains. All broken,
ike the beauty and truth of his life, and
the touch only adds new zest to his search
Here is something hard-that must be the
razor no, it is only little worn leather
case containing faded daguerreotype OF
the curly-headed boy taken early to heaven
possibly as the only way of salvation from
an example like this. Well does the father
remember how above that waxen form he
mad vowed to renounce forever the vice
that, if continued in, must preclude the
possibility of ever seeing that boy again
Broken like all the rest and yet at this su
preme moment comes a thought, born, il
may be- of that word heaven. If what
some men, canting preachers he has called
them, say is true, there is one hope for him
left. Shall he try it ? There can be nc
loss. He will.
Smother" says the anxious little watcher
coming hastily from her station on the stairs
father is on his knees praying, asking Goo
to take away the appetite for strong drink
and make him sober man !"
There are those who utterly scott at the
possibility of this nineteenth century mir
acle, who talk about the impossibility Of
restoring diseased and decayed organs ant
the like. But this is veritable history
aud it is fact known to all who are &C
quainted with C. that never from tina
| ulRHl has hdd thp nhkhoeob htoiic "
touch liquor of any form. What makes tn,
case the more remarka able is that it was NOR,
than year before the Holy Spirit touched
his heart as to lead him to seek salvation
He asked for but one thing-asked for it il
utter abandonment of all self.dependence
asked for it almost without faith, but aske,
honestly and got what he sought. The cur
was as complete as it was sudden. Bushes
led him past the places once SO fatal TO hi
resolutions, and he glanced at them will
contempt and scorn. Social life offered it
temptations, backed by the authority o
employers, and he shrank with disgust iron
the proffered glass Those who knew tn
mans past history and know him now, soun,
in mind and body, useful citizen, kin,
husband and father, an intelligent Chris
tian, can only exclaim with WONDER as hi
wife does with praise; "What hath Go