Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1885-10-10
The DRUNKARD SCHOLAR.
BY NJ. E. wINsLow.

"He's often that way" said my in
formant. 81 seed him and all his folks
druk together last week. Why, there's
lots of fellows that drink rum-real
little ones. Yer see, it's cheap" said
he with the precocious wisdom of the
pace, "and the mother gave it to the
babies to stop them bawling.,
/ would not believe it, yet | must
for it was true. His curly hair mat
ted around his dirty face, his small
head dropped forward his almost baby,
person in that brutalized state Of insen-
sibility which we are accustomed to
view with disgust in those far gone in
years and degradation, and he not yet
nine years old
eyes, teacher, [ was drunk" said
Johnnie, when few days later, |
called at the cellar where his parents
slept, and where he sometimes spent
his night when, as was more frequently
the case, he did not prefer a doormat
in the sheltered recess Of some area
door. 81 didn't mean to let you see
me, cause [ kind O love yer, but |
couldn't help it; I've got used to it,
and | can't stop; I've tried lots O
times"
In vain, as it seemed, l reasoned
with my boy-showed him the danger
Gus path he was treading so early, and
the consequences which must surely
follow he knew it and them better
than I did, had been brought up in
their very atmosphere. and while
reasoning with an acuteness which was
painful in the extreme, as marking one
so young, ended every statement with
the remark: eyer see; I've got so
used to it, | can't stop now. | got
fond of drink" continued Johnnie,
confdentially, when used to run of
Grants for Mike Dooley that keeps the
liquor store down in Willard street.
He never gave me no pennies, but he
let me lick out the bottom of the
glasses, where the sugar was Golly,
wasn't it nice though and now | feel
so gone here" suiting an expressive
action to the words, chat | must have
liquor to make me feel good" At
length, seeing the tears in my eyes and
the unaffected sorrow in my whole
countenance, he said: "Do yer really
care so much? If | thought it would
make yer feel better, | blieve I'd most
make up my mind ter stop, eff l could.
Less see, mustn't | drink no beer ?"
mo"
"Nor ginger pop? Where's the harm
in ginger popY
''If you drink that you'll want some
thing else"
"That's so. l always does. Nor
baccy2 Is'pose not that always makes
me awful thirsty. Well, with long
sigh, an promise never to touch any
of them for your sake
at ought to be for Jesus, sake John
ME. Don't you remember how often
/ have told you what He did and ,suf-
fered because of His great love to
your"
Johnnie looked sheepish, and did
not answer, and | feared | had ventured
too far, when he suddenly said
Don't you think He-He that yer
told me about-will help me to keep
that promise don't believe, after
all, can. Can't yer just ask Him
now?"
Such request could not be made in
vain, and we knelt together, this little
street boy and |, while | earnestly i'm
plofed that mighty Saviour, in whom
alone lay my strength, to shield and
strengthen this little waif in his new
resolution.
81 guess II! ask Him now myself"
said Johnnie; and, still kneeling, he
said, slowly and reverently, but in his
own vernacu'ar: Lord Jesus up in
Heaven, look down and help a fellar
that wants ter be good, and don't let
him never drink rum no more, cause
yer know yer died on the cross to save
him. Amen"
Did ever the angels, who gather up
as incense the prayers of the saints,
bring more acceptable offering from
the most finished liturgical service than
that presented that day to God in the
quaint words of that mission-school
boy
After this / had no more trouble
with Johnnie Reeves. He was punctual
and attentive. / heard a good account
of him in the streets, though he still
persisted in his habits of running away
and sleeping in the open air, saying,
in answer to my expostulations: Il
didn't promise yer that, teacher now
you're asking too much" And when
/ saw the home from which he so often
ran away, came to the conclusion
that, in his circumstances, l should do
likewise.
After about ten months, through the
Children's Aid Society, procured
place for Johnnie in the country, fit
ting him out nicely, and giving him, at
his own request, a jack-knife, in re-
membrance, as he said, of his promise.
This was about year ago. The other
day received letter written in
clear, school-boy hand-for my street
watt is happy school-boy now
describing his home and occupation,
and in closing he said Teacher,
have kept my promise, and never
touched drop of any kind of liquor
since that day; but | could not have
done it myself, and | want you to
thank the dear Lord Jesus for me, and
ask Him to makeNand keep me tenn
perance boy and Christian forever"
Can be Had N Wanted.