Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-02-01

The next dag l staid round and drank
cider until was drunk as a fool. When
he came into dinner, he gave me a good
scolding and said, he never had much
from his house and not disgrace it. That
was three years ago. and you see me now,
l needn't say much more. Just after /
came to Providence, I came across the
woman who brought you here. She is
the dcacon's daughter, and she says her
fathers cider has ruined her husband and
both of her sons. They are all straight
Just now, but she would sooner bury them,
than see them go up to TO visit her
folks. 1t will kill her sometime, for her
boys have got the real drunkard's craving
for strong drink, and they'll go under yet.
She is interested in me, because she knows
her father is to blame, and if could be
saved, I'll work to help her, though l do
hate her father so awfully.
Who is this man here. did you ask
oh, he is most dead, killed by rum. He
pulled mo off the railroad track once
when was drunk; he used to be Meth
odist class leader, but he lived in the
country and drank cider and it was too
much for him, religion and ALL When
he came down here, he was all ripe for
whisky. Oh, my, won't there be some
queer stories told at the judgment? You
know they say, the hairs of our head are
numbered-do you suppose the Almighty
has kept account of the gallons of cider
Deacon --- has drank? Why it must
be good many barrels by this time, for
he could take the biggest swallows, and
swallow the quickest of any man ever
knew. Ifhe is going to Heaven, booked
right through, then the Bible is lie, and
God isn't just. You say, perhaps he
doesn't understand for Gods sake, don't
excuse him, his conscience may be dead
ened by the long use of cider but IteU yow,
that man knors better, but he wouldn't
give up his cider, to save his daughters
family and all the young men of the place.
That mans influence and example will
send more than a dozen souls to hell.
Don't speak so;' we'll it's the truth. If
l could be Christian again, thousand
times better than ever was before. could
never forgive that man." | have given
his words some Of them, for could not
seem to put the story in words of my own
choosing. How / wish l had something
good to tell at the close. On the last day
of the old year the poor man, who had
been n class-leadcr, breathed his last. lie
never rallied enough to pray or to know
he was prayed for. The other has had no
really sober day since, and the only chance
of saving him would seem to be that if he
should be arrested and sentenced, he might
be kept sober long enough to "como to
himself" The poor woman, who still
cares for him as best she can, says plead
ingly, "Oh don't give him up, my father
will have enough to answe: for without
his blood" As we talked in her own poor
home one day, she told of her physical suf-
fering, and could see that the shadow of
death seemed before her. Looking into
my face, with her great wistGul eyes, she
said "when die l don't want to be car
ried up to the old home; don't want my
children linked in any way to it. How
hate it, and all because of the cider.n
And so another New England town has
lis representatives in our city! Docs the
MESSENGER ge into the place? and if so,
will some one hand copy of this letter to
tho deacon, or any other cider-drnking
church member whose influence and ex.
ample are against total abstainers and
sobricty. God help us all to "deiver our
souls"
Mis-. j. X. BARNEY.
Providence, r. |.