West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1883-08-15
FROM THE FRONT.
The Battle of Ballots for Ohio's.
Homes-Cheering Dispatch.
From Mary Byron Reese.


Z. L.
The interests of our respective
States are so closely allied and in
terwoven, that whatever promotes
the prosperity of Ohio, or strikes at
the happiness of our people, is of
vital Importance to West Virginia,
and rice verso, Then, as co,work-
ers in this glorious cause, our SYM
pathies and affections bind us to-
gether by a three-fold cord, that
cannot be severed.
Then again the w. c. T. L. of
Petersburg is one of my children,
and its activity and promise is GER
tainly source of maternal pride.
Your splendid Young Woman's
Union, of which | read in the col
umnsof the ever-welcome FREEMAN,
is doing splendid work, building
far better than they know.
And now. dear sisters, reading
constantly of your work, and re-
joicing with you in the success of
our dear friend, Jennie Smith, a
noble Ohio woman, | thought per-
haps you would like to hear some
thing of the work in the Buckeye
State.
In my old home in West Virgin
ia, standing on the rivers bank,
have seen the floods rise so ra pidly
that every foot of shore was cover
ed, and people were obliged to flee
or be covered up by the floods.
In the last four weeks, | have
: travelled through seven counties
and held twenty-six meetings in
the interest of constitutional prohi-
bition. To say the tides are rising
is a weak expression. We are in
the midst of a revolution. The
clarion notes are ringing all over
oar State, and grandly are the peo-
, pie responding. County Conyen-
tions, temperance picnics, street
meetings and union services, are
rallying the hosts for the coming
battle, as they never have been
rallied before. On last Friday
evening / held a meeting in the
mining town Of Shawnee, Perry
county. A splendid Glee Club or
gained for the campaign, with or
, gan accompaniment, occupied the
hotel portico, the pariors were fill
f ed with ladies, and the grand au-
dience of men packed the street,
making a living hall between us
and three or four saloons across the
street. The order was splendid
and the results all that could be de-
sired Sabbath afternoon we drove
to Corning, another mining town
eight miles distant and Inaugural
ted the work there in the midst of
thirteen saloons.
Sabbath evening was gala oc-
casion, the spacious Opera House
in Shawnee being filled to its ut
most capacity, by an intelligent
and appreciative audience, whose
enthusiasm was only restrained by
the sacredness of the day.
At Caldwell the young ladies
: spent a day in decorating the
Church, thus advertising the meet
: ing thoroughly. A band of chill
dren were also trained to sing and
added much to the success of the
meeting. In Columbus, the Re-
union Committee rendered the use
of the Grand Stand in front of the
State House, tor our ratification
exercises, and with Revs. Jackson,
Van Cline and Mrs Malloy, of In
diana, we had the honor of address
sing citizens from all parts of our
Common wealth.
But time and space fail.
Home for a few days rest, then
away to the front, for the battle is
on, and if the men of Ohio but do
their duty, the Ides of October will
witness our State free constitutional
ly from the manufacture and sale
of intoxicating liquors AS bever-
age.
j Cannot some of your noble army
of workers, Carter, Young, Warner,
Wilding, johnson and others, come
over and help US? And when our
battle is fought and victory won,
we will 60 over and help West Vir-
ginia.
Yours for the war,