St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-01-28

Chuck full all the time. Iid rather
run than walk in them days. Used to
go over a fence, at bound, and then
go back to have it over again. A
bright clear day'd just set me a dancing
and tingling inside. Never had much
to do with schOOlin.' Couldn't be
spared from the farm, and then l never
took much to it. l was always a lark
in, was a bother to the marin, an a
hindrance to the children. Things grew
so hard at the farm, that l ran away.
Took a sloOp from here and landed in
New York. Didn't know soul. Had
just one quarter in my pocket. How ]
lived | don't know. DeacOn'd always
given me good feed and plenty; so l
found starvin' hard work. l wasn't
used to it. Boys is always hungry, you
know. l couldn't steal at first. Wasn't
no mistake in some of the deacon's
teachings, L tell yer. Boys remember
more of such things than folks give 'em
credit for. But by and by, little by
little got in with bad company, tool
to sWeariD, cursiD;, drHkiD, then
stole. Vas fresh hand at the bHsi-
ness, and got caught. Was sent up
along with thew Ns MAA vnAAe vNNNvN
\ aud such y NSe NWsNuess. N\eavN1 NANv'
in them days in prison than I'd like t
! tell .yOH. MOre'D FU ever forget
Then / married.; anil just made up
my mind to quit evil ways and live ON
the square. My wife? SHE'S the best
woman this side O heaven an \ don't
know as they've many up there even
that can beat her in patience, or &c
ahead of her in just digging away at
the good there is in a fellow, and a
bringing that up, an encouraging him
on that score, and fOrgettin' his evil
nesses.
tried at first, God knows 1 did and
she having SO much of God in her,
knew it too; and them twO's the only
ones, guess that'd believe how hard
it was. Down on the docks-I was a
longshoreman then-fellars was treatin
constant like rumshops on every cor
ner, with hot drinks on cold wet days
and a warm bright stove; and cold
drinks on hot days, am a cool shady
room. Well, l drank. Couldn't tend
to work, an the boss discharged me.
An then | let go everything, an the
devil, he just took me, an | tell you,
marin, it was sharp nip and tuck tween
him and my wife for nigh on twelve
months Bob was a little fellow then.
It's nigh ten years ago now. I'd pawn
ed my nice clothes for drink the bed,
the clock, even my wife's clothes went
for rum, | was soaked in the evil spirit.
An my wife, she'd never a cross word.
She took to goin' out scrubbiu' offices
an such and when she'd come home,
I'd beat her, and take the money and
drink; and come home and tear round
like a devil till morning. My wife
she'd been goin' to the Mission Chapel
regular, and before | was so low I'd go
too along of her cOaxin' me so.
Well, one night when | was bad, Bot
was sleepin' through all. / took him
to fondle him like, and let him fall on
the hearth. After that he began tC
grow puny and to cry when we'd raise
him, an pretty soon the lump came
between his shoulders, and then he
couldn't walk any more, an his legs
grew thin and spindly and hung down
useless, an the color went out from his
checks. Along then about that time
there used to come after us lady from
the Bible Mission. She'd been very
kind to my wife in givin' her work, an
dOin' things for Bob. | never saw hel
if could help it. If she'd a jawed me
| could stood it, but she was just like
my wife, she only pitied me, and thai
almost killed me. One day she came il
and found me with little Bob in my
arms, was pretty sober, an I'd beer
a crying over him. My wife was out
Then she sets down, an holdin' poo
| little Bob up to her sweet lady face
she gave me a talkin'. But twas al
about Bob said as how she'd been tC
see a doctor about him, an her carriag,
was at the door, and would | go witt
her and let the doctor see what coulC
be done. She left note with the frs
| floor front askin' of her for to head OF
my wife when she'd be comm; in an
give it to her, least she'd be scared t.
| find the place empty of the both of us
Bob KEEP sayin, Daddy, I've salt
the Lords Prayer over ten times eve
so many days. Do you think God 7
gi' me the use O. me legs again p He''
say it soft into me ear like. An all
could say was 'Mebbe, Bob
Well, the doctor he took to Bob, an
Bob to him: an the next day Bob wen
to kind O. hospital to stay till he wa
better. An what | am to-day come
along o. BOb's sayin' when l left hir
there that mornin,' soft like again in m
ear, Daddy, I'll ask God to help yO
be sober lots. You're so good, Daddy
when the drinks off. I'd rather hav
you than me legs; an I'll tell the Lor
so. I'll say his prayer over for yer tie
times a day, an yer'll come up an sc
me when yeI're steady, an come Otter
wont yer, Daddyf
| didn't go home that night. l jus
walked, walked, walked. Up throug
the Park and out where it was still
sayin' over, Lead me from evil, and d,
| liver me from temptation; an the
| back again like l was singin' it; 'Dt
liver me from evil and lead me fro
t temptation Well, | went home sicl
) weak, exhausted. | was that white al
D worn that my wife thought I'd been G
t some awful spree. She'd a cup of b,
coffee for me and kind word, and
broke all down and told her.
[ Then set about for work. Steady hou
came hard to man like me; but Il
e people at the Mission got me jobs he
= and there, an KEEP sayin' my part
h Bob's prayer, AM it was heard. Who
t summer came Bob was better. Cou
walk on crutches and the doctor sa
). he'd be gettin' well faster if he was
l the country. So l thought of this pla
e and how I'd like Bob to see the tree
a and the sky, and the grass that he love
t to hear of. | tramped up here ol
week, and found work right ava
!. Twas harvest time, and | hadn't fO
t gotten my hand at the field jobs. The
it the doctor he knowed the captain o. Il
e sloOp, an he fixed it to send the wi