The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-03-14


sang as they bounded along towards
school. Those boys had sober fathers.
| knew that their fathers were no bet
ter than mine had been once; for my
mother had told me how noble my
father could be if the accursed demon
rum were not in his way but the fatal
power was upon him, and though he
often promised, and though he often
tried, yet he could not escape.
"Time passed on and was eight
years old, and those eight years had
been years of such sorrow and suffer
ing as l pray God may never again
experience. At length, one cold morn
ing, in the dead of winter, my father
was not at home. He had not been
home through the night. My mother
sent me to the tavern to see if l
could find him. had gone half the
way when saw something in the snow
by the side of the road. stopped,
and shudder ran through me, for it
looked like human form. / went up
to it, and turned the head over and
brushed the snow from the face. 1t
was my father, and be was stiff and
cold i! l laid my hand upon his pale
brow, and it was like solid marble. He
was dead! ..
"Poor Jack stopped moment and
wiped his eyes. Not one of US spoke,
for we had become too deeply moved,
But he soon went on:
"I went to the tavern and told the
people there what I had found, and the
landlord sent two of his men to carry
the frozen body of my father home.
o, shipmates, l cannot tell you, how
my poor mother wept and groaned.
She sank down upon her knees and
clasped that icy corpse to her beating
bosom, as though she would have given
it life from the warmth of her own
breast. She loved her husband through
all his errors, and her love was all-pow-
erful now. The two men went away
and left the dead body still on the
floor. My mother whispered to me to
come and kneel by her side. / did so.
"My chilli" she said to me, and the
big tears were yet rolling down her
cheeks, "you know what has caused
all this. This man was once as noble
and happy and true as man can be
but oh, see how he has been stricken
down Promise me, my child, oh,
promise here, before God and your
dead father and your broken hearted
mother, that you will never, never,
never, touch single drop of the fatal
poison that has wrought for us all this
misery !"
go shipmates, did promise, then
and there, all my mother asked, and
God knows that to this moment that
promise has never been broken. My
father was buried, and some good kind
neighbors helped us through the win
ter. When the next spring came !
could work, and earned something
for my mother. At length l found a
chance to ship, and l did SO, and every
time 60 home I have some money for
my mother. Not for the wealth of the
whole world would l break the pledge
l gave to my mother and my God on
that dark cold morning. And even
had not made such a pledge, l would
not touch the fatal cup, for know
that l have fond, doting mother that
would be made miserable by my dis.
honor, and / would rather die than to
bring more sorrow upon her head
Perhaps you have no mothers and il
you have, perhaps they do not look tt
you for support, but l know you toe
well to believe that either of you
would ever bring down loving moth
ers gray hairs in sorrow to the grave
That is all shipmates. Let me go, now
and you may enjoy yourselves alone
for | do not believe that you will agair
urge the wine-cup upon me-.
Gas Jack thus spoke, he turned to
wards the door, but Tim Black stopped
him.
"'Hold on, jack cried Tim, wiplnl
his eyes and starting from his chair
"You sha'n't go alone. have got
mother, and l love her as well as yo,
love yours, and your mother shall no
be happier than mine for, by the low
| bear her, here pledge myself tha
she shall never have a drunken son.
will drink no more!"
"'Give us your hand, Tim,' crie'
Sam Pratt, I'll go with you.
81 waited no more, but quickly start
ing from my chair joined the othe
two, and ere long the whole five Of u
had joined with Jack Small in his no
BILE life plan. We called for pen ant
ink and paper, and made Jack draw VI
a pledge He signed it first and W
followed him, and when the deed wa
done | knew we We're far happier tha
we had been before for years. Tn,
wine upon the table was not touched
and tho liquor we had drank durin,
the forenoon was now all gone in it
effects,
Towards evening we returned t
the ship. There was frown upon tn
captains brow as we came over tn
side, for he had never known us t
come off from days liberty sobe
But when we all came over the sid
and reported ourselves to him, h
countenance changed. He could hare
ly give credit to the evidence of h
own senses.
Look here, boys he said, after
had examined us thoroughly, 'whi
does this mean
"Show him the paper, whispered l.
"Jack had our pledge, and withor
speaking he handed it to the captai
He took it and read it, and his faC
changed its expression several time
At length | saw tear start to h
eye.
Boys, he said, as he folded up Il
paper, let me keep tins, and if y,
stick to your noble resolution you shs
never want friend while | live.'
"We lei the captain keep the papt
and when he had put it in his pock
he came and took us each in turn
the hand. He was much affected, al
| knew that the circumstances ma
him happy, From that day our pre-
poets frightened, Jack Small no lo
= ger had our envy for he took hold a
+ taught us in navigation, and we We
nrau1 NJ him On tho nayt yovo