The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1880-07-29
III
/ GnlpGranGG.
A Thrilling Story.

At Il certain town meeting iii Penn
/ sylvania, the question came up wheth
er any person should be licenced to sci
rum. The clergyman, the deacon, tn,
/ physician, strange as II may no4y ri!
pear, ali favored it. One man only
i spoke against it because Of the mischief
II did. The question was about to bt
put, when there arose from one corner
Of the room q miserable woman. She
was thinly clad, and her appearance
indicated the utmost Wrctchedncss,a and
that her mortal career was almost
closed. After Il moments silcnc; and
all eyes being fixed upon her, she
stretched her attenuated body to lis
utmost height, and then her long arms
to their greatest length and raising her
vo ce to shriI pitch, she called to all
TO look upon her,
Yes p she said, ''Iook upon me,
and then hear me. All that the last
speaker has said relative 10 temperate
drinking, as being the father Of drunk
enness, IS true. All practice, all cx-
PcUience, declare its truth. All drink
ing Of alcoholic poison, as Il beverage
IN health is excess. Look upon me
You all know me, or once did. You
all know l was mistress Of the best
farm III the town; you all knew, too,
my l. and. You all know had fine,
noble h artcd, industrious BOYS. Where
are they now? You all know. You
all know they lie in a row, side by side
IN yonder church-yard; aI-everyone
Of them filling the drunkard's grave!
They were all taught to believe that
temcr&te drinking WAS sate-that ex-
cess. They quoted you, (pcint1ng
with her shred Of Il finger to the min
ister, deacon, and DOCTOR as authori-
ty- They thought themselves safe
under such teachers. But l saw the
gradual change coming over my fami.
" and It's prospects with dismay and |
horror. ] felt We were all to be over
whelmed III ore common ruin. I tried |
to ward off the blow; l tried to break |
the spell, the delusive spell, in which |
the idea Of the benefits Of temperate |.
had involved my husband !
md sons. 1 begged, I prayed but
5ie oIGs were against me.
''The minister said the poison that
vas destroying my husband and boys
vas Il good creature Of God; the dca-
,On who sits under the pulpit there,
.ook our farm to pay his rum bills,
odd them the poison; the doctor said
l little was the excess only ought TO be
avoided. My poor husband and my
lear boys fell into the snare, and they
'ould not escape; and one after an
other was conveyed to the sorrowfuI
grave Of the drunkard. Now look at
ne again. You probably zee me for
he last time. NJ Y sands have almost
,un. l have dragged my exhausted
rame from my present home-vour
100r h0Use-to warn you all to warn
-Ou deacon! to warn your, YOU, false
eacher of Gods word - And with
Ter arms flung high and her tall form
tretched to Its utmost, and her voice
aiscd 10 an unearthly pitch, she ex-
Iaimed, = shall soon stand before the
Of God. 1 shall meet
-ou there, you false guides, and be a
witness against you all !"
The miserable woman vanished. A
cad silence prevaded the assembly:
he minister, the deacon, and physician
ung their heads and when the prcsi-
ent Of the meeting put the question,
Shall any licenses be granted for the
2le Of spirituOus liqu0rs% the unan;-
1ous response was Mop