The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1881-12-09

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to retire FROM q business you blush
to own you are engaged in before
your fellow men, and enter one that
will not only be profitable to your.
self, but to your fellow creatures
also. You will excuse me if have
spoken too plainly, but 1 could not
help it when | thought of the mise,
ry aud unhappiness it has caused
ms.n
"Madame, | am not offended he
answered, In a voice husky with
emotion, "but thank you from my
very heart for what you have said.i
"Mamma,r said the child, who,
meantime had been spoken to by
some Of the gentlemen present, Ia
king hold of her mothers hand,
these gentlemen wish me to sing
Little Bessie for them. Shall
| do soi'
"Yes, darling, il you wish to-"
| They all joined in the request,
and placing herin q chair, she sang
in a sweet, childlike voice the fol.
lowing beautiful song:
Out in the gloomy night sadly roam,
! have no mother dear, no pleasant home
No one cares for me, no Que would cry,
Even If poor little Bessie should die.
Weary and tired I've been wandering all
day.
Asking fer work, but I'm too small they
On the damp ground ] must now lay my
Father is a drunkard and mother Is dead
We were so happy till father drank rum,
Then all our sorrow and trouble begun;
Mother grew pale aud wept every day
Babies and were too hungry to play;
Slowly they faded till one summer night,
Found their dead faces all silent and white;
Then with big tears slowly dropping !
said,
Fathers drunkard and mother is dead.
Oh, If the temperance men only could
find,
Poor wretched father, and talk very kind:
II they should stop him from drinking
then,
should be very happy again.
Is 1t too late. temperance men ! please
| Or poor little Bessie must soon starve and
| die;
All the day long I've been begging for
bread,
Fathers drunkard and mother is dead. y
The games of billiards were lett
unfinished, and the cards were
thrown aside, and the unemptied
glass remained on the counter all
had pressed near, some with curiosi.
ty; some with sadness, and some
with pity beamiug In their eyes,
entranced with musical voice aud
beauty of the child who seemed
better fit to be with angels above
than in such a place.
The scene shall never forget to
my dying day, and the sweet Ca
dence OF her musical voice still
rings in my ear, and every word OF
the song, as if dropped from her
lips, sank deep into the hearts OF
those gathered around her.
With the golden hair falling care.
lessly around her shoulders, her
face of almost ETHEREAL beauty, aud
looking so trustingly aud comfort.
iDgly upon the men around, her
beautiful eyes illuminated with q
light that seemed not of earth, she
formed picture of purity AMI in
nocence worthy the genius of poet
or painter.
At the close of the song many
were weeping, men who had not
shed tear for years now wept like
children. One young man who had
scorned the pleadings of a loving
mother and the entreaties of friends
to strive to lead better lite, to de-
sist from course that was wasting
his fortune and running his health,
now approached the little child, and
taking both her little hands in his,
while tears streamed down his pale
cheeks, exclaimed with deep emo
ton:
"God bless you, my little angel.
You have saved me from ruin and
disgrace, from poverty and u
drunkard's grave. II there were
ever angels on earth, you are one,
God bless you.n and putting a bill
in the hand of the mother, said,
"Please accept this tribe as q token
OF my regard and esteem, for your
little girl has done me a kindness /
eau never repay. And remember,
whenever you are in want you will
ever find in me true friend,n at
the same time giving her his name
and address.
Taking her child by the hand she
turned to 60, pausing at the door
and said:
"God bless you, gentlemen. Ac-
cept the heartfelt thanks of a poor,
frlendless woman for the kindness
and courtesy you have shown her."
Before any one could reply she was
gone.
A silence of several minutes en-
sued, which was at length broken
by the proprietor, who exclaimed;
"Gentleman, that lady is right,
and / have sold my last glass OF
whiskey; If any of You want more,
you win have to go elsewhere
"And have drank my last glass
of whlskey,n said the young man
who had long been given mp as ut
terly beyond the reach of those
who had q deep interest in his well
fare---as sunk too low ever to re-
form. "Tbere Is q temperance or
ganization In this city called TEN
pie Of Honor, and at their next