The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1885-10-23

One beautiful afternoon in August. there
came to me the heart-broken wife of a
State prison convict. We tried to plan for
his pardon and restoration to home and the
world. 1t was a very sad case. He was
the only surviving son Of a very noble man
one who lived only to serve the poor, the
tempted and the criminal. All he had, all
he was. he gave unresersedly to help
thieves and d~runkards. His house was
their home. His name their bail to save
them from prison. His reward their for
nation. 1t was a happy hour to hear him
tell Of the hundreds he had shielded from
the contamination and evil exam pies Of
prisons, and..of the large proportion he had
good reason to believe permanently saved.
Out of hundreds. lie once told me, only
two left him Il pay their bail. forfeited by
neglect to show themselves in eou ac-
cording to agreement-only two,
Bred under such a roof the son started
in life with a generous heart, noble dreams,
and high purpose. Ten years Of prosper
ity. fairly earned by energy, industry, and
character, ended in a bankruptcy. as is so
often the case in our risky and changing
trade: then came a struggle for business,
for bread-temptation = despair = intern
perance. He could not safely pass the
open doors that tempted him to indulgence,
forgctfulness and crime. How hard his
wife wrought and struggled to shield him
from indulgence and then to save him from
exposure. How long wife, sister and
friends labored to avert conviction and the
State prison, Il would spare him glad
ly,@ wrote the prosecuting attorney, ''if
he would stop drinking. He shall never
90 to prison if he will be a sober man.
But all this Indebtedness and crime comes
from rum"
Manfully did the young man strnggle to
resist the appetite. Again and again did
he promise. and keep his promise a month,
then fall. He could not walk the streets
and earn his bread soberly while SO many
open doors-opcned by men who sought to
coin gold out Of their neighbors vices
lured him to indulgence. So rightfully.
the State pressed on, and he went to prison.
An honored name diSgraced. allowing home
broken up, 4 wide circle of kindred sorely
panied. a worthy. well-meaning man
wrecked. Sorrow and crime .fall comes of
rum, says the keen-sighted lawyer.
As | parted from the sad wife on my
doorstep. I looked beyond, and close by
the laughing sea stood a handsome cot
tage. The grounds We're laid ont expen-
siyely and with great taste. Over the
broad piazza hung lazily an Eastern ham
mock, while all around were richly painted
chairs and lounges of every easy and tempt
ing form. Overhead were quaint vases Of
beautiful flowers. and the delicious lawn
was bordered with them. On tile lawn
itself gaily dressed women laughed merrily
over croquet, and noisy children played
near. \ span of superb horses paved tile
earth impatiently at the gate, while gay
salutations passed between the croquet
players and the fashionable e~quipages that
rolled by. 1t was a comfortable home as
we'll as a luxurious one. Nature. taste.
and wealth had done their best. 1t WAS a
scene Of beauty, comfort. taste, luxury.
and wealth. All came from rum. silks
and diamonds, flowers and equipage. state
y roof and costly ATTENDANCE. ali came
from rum. The owner was one who, in a
great city, coined bis gold out OF the vices
Of his fellow-men.
To me it Is a dlssolying view. Host
sight Of the gay women, the frolicsome
children. the inpatient horses. and the
ocean rolling mp to the lawn. saw in
stead the pale coyict in his cell twelve feet
By nine: the SAD wife going from Judge to
attorney. from court to Governor Council,
begging mercy for her ovcrtempted hus-
band. heard above the children's noise
the croquet. laugh, and the surf waves,
the lawyers stern reason for exacting the
full penalty Of the law-All this comes
from rum Wendell Phillips.