San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1886-09-09

on you faool Why, what In tho matter
with Jonnio9 The doctor did not tell me
that" "No, ho promised not TO speak OF
II, but now DO not caro-, NIL pride, yca,
and hopos too arc gone. Last night Fred
caIne homo drunk, and using tho vilest lan-
guago, Jonnio saidi Papa; God won't love
you II you say bad Words That seemed
to enrago him moro, and no grabbed whiT
that tho children Ind boon playing with
and began striking him ovor tho head and
face seized him by tho arm and begged
him not to kill tho little follow. He strucl
me in the faoo with his fist and threw me
backwards. and then threw Jonnio agoins'
tho rocker OF tho crib, cutting his face ia
the bono from his temple to his chin and
knocking him senseless. Ho thon staggered
OF to bed. Birdio has boon very sick for
several days and tho fright madc her worse
Arthur and Ned went for Doctor Ray, wo
worked with both children all night"
"where is Mr.. Thurston" asked Mrs.
Wilson,
al think ho n at the doctors Office, ho Ii
trying to sobor him. Mrs. Wilson, II had
listened to you ] beliovo ull this misery
could havo boon prevented. I'll mover
know another minuto's peace. This ro.
morse 10 terrible"
Mrs. Wilson tried to lead her away from
bor sorrows to the CROSS of Christ. While
she was talking, Mods eyes had grown
bright with hopo and no asked, Mrs. Viii
son If 1 pray for God to make papa quit got
ting drunk win ho do it2" She hesitatcd
and said, II hope SO, Ned" With o heart
full of faith, he fell ON his knees and few
such prayers have ever boon offered up In
behalf of drunken father as fell from the
child's lips.
Mrs. Wilson feared for the poor mothorf
reason, but tho prayer did what oil hei
misery could not do, for she bowed he,
head above her dying child and sobbed
aloud.
Morning came and tho wreck of once
noblo man stood looking down on tho still,
white face of his dead child then over Of
suffering Jamie. With cry of anguish he
knelt by tho little coffin and solomnly vowed
before God mover TO touch tho aocursod
drink again.
1t was with feelings akin to joy that Mrs
Thurston saw the body of hcr child lowered
into tho grave, for she knew her darling
had gono to God, and sho believed her
death would DO tho means of roclaiming her
husband.
Jonnie struggled back to life, but tho dis
figuring scars remained.
Fred Thurstons reformation was only
temporary, for in less than two years he
filed o drunkard's grave.
Mrs. Thurston boro up under hor sor-
rows, hoping to bo able to train her boys to
bo useful men. But Arthur had inherited
the love for drink, and before no arrived OF
manhood was killed in drunken brawl.
Then the mother's heart broke, and she
was laid beside her loved ones in tho church
yard.
Ned's faith was terribly shaken by TINT
unanswered prayer For years he groped
amid doubts and fears and suffered untold
agony. But light came. He learned to do
his self-appointed work, trusting tho Father
with child like faith; knowing, even II he
could not understand now, that ''He doeth
oil things we'll"
" Each lifes etornal upward roll
Holds somewhere that dread victory,
Saved by its scars, each human soul
Must first find its own Gsthsemaue."
When tho noted temperance lecturer rose
before his audiences thoy were shocked by
his disfgurod face, for he was the once lit
tic Jonnie. But they soon forgot their dis
gust for as thoreod is swayed by the wind
SO were they by his eloquenco. Eyory word
he uttered seemed TO be living thing. IL
thrilled and quiverod with intensity Of feel
ing. His face lighted up, and his oycs
seemed kindled by inspiration as he, in ton
der tones or earnest expostulation, pleaded
the causo of temperance against the evils of
Drunkenness.
This grand man knew naught Of the hap
piness that belongs to homo, the love of
wife and little children; but his joys were
akin to those Of heaven, for thoy arose from
self sacrifice aud consecration to tho service
of God. Like his Master Of old he went
about doing good. And when death freed
him from his marred body, no doubt no
was accompanied by host Of rejoicing an
gels in his homeward flight, and his well
come there was. "well done, thou good and
faithful servant" X.