The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-10-14
Visited Upon our Children.
BY THE REV. JOHN HALL, D. D.

On a trip up the Hudson this emf
nent divine saw an affecting sight, a
tipsy man at whom the crowds were
laughing. A decent, middle-aged man
looked on so pityingly that the doctor
drew him out, and at last he told his
own story about as follows:
He was born and bred-I use almost
his own language-on farm in Ulster,
Ireland. He married wife, nice
girl. who had served her time in--,toa
dressmaker, who shared his feeling, and
they set up a little business. 1t was In
the market town close by his own place.
"My people," said he, "were respecta-
Bile and / got credit to start with; but l
did not know the ways of the trade. My
old neighbors used to drop in, and my
wife and myself wished to be kindly,
and we had dealing of treating, and
this cost monev and we soon ran behind
in rent, in our bills, in every way.
81 could not bear to go down there,
and we managed to sell out, pay part
and promise the rest, for our creditors
knew who we were, and we moved to
Glasgow. Were you ever in Glusgow 7"
"Yes," / said, 81 know Glasgow very
we'll"
nell YOU hlOW AOn AiiAAS5
works. and shops it has, and how crowd
ed the people are together. You may
| think the change it was to us to go into
two rooms in the High Street, and have
nothing but these to ourselves. But
necessity has no law. | got work, and
we paid little of our debt, and was
getting a raise in wages, and we had
| two nice children. They have in Glas-
gov what they call the Fair every
July; for week little work is done
pleasure is the only thing; and Ol 1t Is
too often pleasure like that poor fellow s
drinking, men and women, aye, and
children. Why, / have seen men and
women in the broad daylight lying dead
drunk on Glasgow Green, and nobody
seeming to mind it! Somebody had to
STAY at the works this week, and L was
/ glad to earn the money. At six | came
home nearing to take Bessie-that was
her name-a walk; but when l came
home she was out, and the two children
were by themselves and crying dread
i fully. / did the best l could, put then
in bed, and went out to look for Bessie
found her Like that man
onlv worse. She did not know me-
could not speak. The women with he
we're drunk too.
sIf somebody had run knife int
me it could not have been so bad. Ihel
found from the publican that it wa
not the first time. | had bills to pay
t and it was not the last. l used to tax
, a drink myself, not to be drunk, bu
f this stopped me. / never tasted 1t again
please God, l never will.
| From that on it grew worse-mone
| | it seemed bought little or nothing.
' had no heart to work, no heart to com
e home. no heart to look at the children
' but yearned anditried lard with Bessie
b | got a minister to come, got her
! promise against it, got her clothes to
Tout; but it was no use. If she wa
doing better awhile one of these drinl
ing times, when everybody seemed to g
that way, would come, and things woul
d be as bad as ever.
n "Then / thought If | left the plac
b and come here to America it would +
n better, and she promised me it woult
n / saved the money. / sold my watc
d. and we came. 1t was useless. Ii seen
re ed as if she had become another womal
n Her natural affection left her. 81
j. would take her children's clothes an
:. sell them for drink. 1t made her ma
Il and it killed her We had little bo
or our baby; and she was found dead whe
o. / was at work with the chiid-we calls
fy him Thomas for my father-sitting {
K the floor by her trying awaken her.
o- He took longer to tell this than ha'
a. done. for he could not keep back Il
er tears. expressed my sympathy wi
ny him.
lw aThank you, sir" he replied. "Tha
ch wears ago, but can't forget it yet. On
py there's one thing, never said ha
in word to Bessie; thank God never did
on said he. and could well believe it as
In looked at the honest face. But
be when / think Of her going before h
lot Maker in that wayT he added wi
so- flowing tears.
Is. AWell, hope / said, "the childr
will be comfort to you"
1e. There was long pause before
smoke. and then it was with so mu
q evident pain that regretted my wor'
an aOne. said be, s'the second, is; she
ov : cood child. The oldest is not stead
Drs I can do nothing with her; and my b
i / the Iittle boY told y0u about, cant
he kent from drink. That's my trouble nc
nd | / ~ ~ up the place had In jersey, an
An poinx ouf to Ohio, to town VIII
EFT / m fold liquor Is not to be had, to !
and ave him. II breaks my hear
ed. secoud time: and / can't altogetl
of blame Him. Tor IS tho time took s0I
and lii motIfeE took TOO much, and
Iookn - II Il ~ pat into his v
n1fnro so that he couldn't help Is
|et- / -. hc naid, turning u mo directlys I
hSecuinn elooocut Ii kis vohcnent q
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