The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-10-24
A Wife's SOrrOwful Appeal.

at the hotel, was conducted from sa-
loon to his room in the third story. Here
he jumped from the window and was
picked up only to meet a drunkard's
doom, crying most piteously for pardon.
Ills wife has made the following touch
ing appeal Ito whom it may concern
From my lonely, sorrowful home, 1
feel impeled to send forth note of
warning to those who uphold the wills
ky traffic by their influence or patron
age.
A picture hangs upon the wall look
ing down at me with clear, steady eyes.
A tall erect form that speaks of proud
Independent manhood, high, well-de-
veloped forehead, firm, but gentle
mouth, clear cut features, beaming with
health, hope and ambition. How
brightly life opened up tor him at
twenty-one What visions of honor,
wealth and happiness spread ont be-
fore the dark clear eyes. How eager,
how confident of success he looks. But
another picture, dark, sorrowful con-
trast comes before me, and remember
that the buds of promise never unfold
ed, they were blighted and destroyed
by that enemy of mankind, strong
drink.
Last August, before the frosts had
nipped the robes of summer, or fitted
the year for such sense of sadness, he
lay at the Arlington, bruised aud man.
gled, dying. The face was Scared with
lines age never would have left. The
spirit tortured with anguish, that only
a proud, sensitive nature, enslaved by
a demon, could feel.
Robbed of his manhood, robbed of
his hopes, his happiness, and now OF
his life, which he feels ebbing away at
every breath. No wonder he cries in
agony of remorse "Pm in sackloth and
ashes. I've not done what ! intended
10 do, but must die. Die and leave my
boy fatherless and die this way. |
could have met death any other way,
but to have brought it upon myself in
this manner, it is too bad, too bad"
A nobler or more sensitive man new
err lived, but appetite caused him to de-
grade himself again and again, though
lie suffered shame and remorse untold
after each debauch. lie fully realized
the degradation and danger of his
course, but also realized hopeless en-
slavement, and said W hen some one re-
marked to him, "This will be lesson,
you'll never drink again" 81 shall
make no promise" He knew too well
how weak he was in this, though firm
and manly in all else.
A kinder, more thoughtful and afiec-
Tomato husband never blessed a wo-
mans life, and he would have suffered
anything rather than caused me an
hours pain or uneasiness, but through
drink he tortured me constantly, be-
cause he was its slave. His idolatrous
love for his baby was the remark of all
who knew him, and he bewailed its
early orphanage more than all else, yet
drink caused him to run all risks and
finally brought about the unhappy
event that left it fatherless. Can any
one in the face of this think that the
appetite for strong drink is not strong.
er than all else? Seven years experience
has proved to me that it is terrible
thing, stronger than all but the death
towards which it hastens its victims.
Where are these appetites fostered
Nine-tenths oc them at the saloon? 1t
is the hotbed, the nursery, where the
drunkards are made. Everyone knows
this-knOws that the saloon keeper
makes his place inviting with games
and amusements to entice the youth,
the Young men or any others that wish
to pass away the time. They mix thel
drinks to suit the taste that revolts from
the fiery fluid, and by and by there is
no need of games, the appetite is
formed and the work done that the
| inf Ia 10
now of his victim, sure of the money
he earns, though wife and children
starve and he go down to ruin head
long.
When this is an admitted fact, why IL
heavens name are there not some eff
feclive measures put forth to wipe them
out of existence? If there is no law tC
put them down, or a law that can be
twisted until it is of no effect, then the
sooner there is one that will do the
work, the better. The temperance peo
pie do nothing while a saloon flirts III
sign in their faces. All the churches
or the temperance bands cannot destroy
their work when well done. Is it no
the course of wisdom to destroy tn,
source of the evil, that in the years t
come the effect may be destroyed? "A
long as they remain their terrible eff
rects will be seen and felt all over tn,
land.
The women of cur land have work
ed, plead and prayed. Are they to b.
= UNDECIDED? No wonder, when pressed
t to desperation by the bold detiers o
, those protected curses, that the,
demand the ballot as a means of self
? protection, No wonder their heart
) grow bitter toward makers, whel
? one of them (who is now engaged il
2 fighting saloon-keeper's battes] said t.
the broken-hearted wife that ordere'
e that no saloon-keeper insult her wit
2 his presence as she watched beside tn
t wreck they had caused; "Don't tall
I that way, you may need help befor
} you get away from here, and the
D would be the first to give you fifty dol
= lars" Fifty dollars! How paltry an,
insignificant all their ill-gotten gains
beside what they had taken from me.
have no fight to make against men, bu
if they are the generous souls he pic