West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1881-03-16
VIII They Heed Petitions!
BY A. HEATH, oBERLIN, o.

From broken hearted mothers, in agonizing
prayer!
Beseeching legislators to close the open door
Which lures to sure destruction their sons
forevermore!
They've fought the subtle spoiler-the SER
FL pent OF the still
And tried, by moral suasion, to bend his
stubborn WILL
But, spurning all entreaties and disregardiug
truth,
the youth.
No wonder loving mothers are seeking, day
by day,
For some successful measure 10 drive their
To see :the serpent coiling Ground the sons
they love,
Would simply be appalling, II they should
reckless provei
And can the tender father dispassionately
His sons by dissipation consigned TO infamys
Would he allow the upas to wave its deadly
crown,
If he could but approach 1t, 30 cut the terror
down?
All, no! He'd ply, with vengeance, redou-
bled stroke on stroke,
AS, when amid the forest, ne felled the nigh
ty oak,
To let the sun OF heaven shine on the virgin
soil,
That food might soon be given, as the reward
OF toll.
puf w Mt is food ar rnitpnnt ~ alcohol nre.
vail?
Which always leaves destruction and sorrow
in its trail
And viii our Legislators be deaf to womans
Imploring them to shelter the children OF
her care?
She's sought, in meek submission, her enemy
| to quell,
| To save from dark perdition those whom she
loves so well?
She's wept and prayed in secret, for disspa-
| ted souls
And now she asks permission to try it at the
polls
I'll venture prediction Leta1l who choose
take note
Wen have few drunken husbands when wo-
men tOiIt W Nole
For, though some women cherish that which
debases all,
There are enough who spurn 1t, to drive it to.
the WALL
Allow the injured women the victory to,
swell,
And they'll conflne the tempter beyond tho
reach smell
OF cherished sons and husbands whom he,
has led astray;
In other Words they'll manage to keep their
foe at bay.
Now, II our legislators don't wish to have
this done,
Let them exclude the women from voting,
every one!
What! mothers vote for license to let their
neighbor sell
Their own dear sons ard husbands, the
beverage of hell?
The prudent, loving mother can never stoop
to this,
TwouId seem akin to Judas betrayine with
kiss!
But what avails the effort to legislate on rum,
If half our legislators indulge in taking sonnet
The half could never carry, however strong
their zeal,
Ii all the rest were wary, insisting on repeal
Excuse the homely fgure-I use it to ex-
plain
Wemust have moral vigor, or legislate in vaint
How foolish the attempt to legislate on meat,
To dictate to the people what sort of food to
eat;
Unless the moral sense were thoroughly
imprest
That every thing prescribed was surely for
the best?
Let legislators join in framing wholesome
laws!
They'll prove useless coin, as valueless as
straws,
Except they be maintained and rigidly en-
forced
There's really nothing gained, their union is
divorced!
When, as of the Egyptians, of us it shall be
said,
"There's not a house for sectionl in which
there's not one dead"
Perhaps our legislators, like Pharaoh, will
To talk of Local OPTION" to save their near
est kin.
"Woman's Influence" and other
communications, are
crowded over to next week.