The Red Cloud chief., 1886-02-12
MY fathers business did no, pr..-

my fathers business did moi, prss-
per well for the f.w years succeeding
my marriage. and soon I began . know
that he was drinking heavily. Which
was cau-. and which eG.c; ] did no;
know. but the two went together. and
the down-hill course wAs rsrsd. Fnsl-
Nv the erash came-our old bom. With
ali It's wealth Of adornment MAS sold
under the hammer. Nv parents came
TO nv ON temporarily. tni they
never had another. Father drank TO
such excess that IN . few months he
| died Of dclirium trcm-ns; and mother.
hesrt-broken. survived him bu; = short
time.
While my children were We; very
young l saw unmistskabie evidence
tina: the thirst for drink Was born in
them From their birth I tired TO
guard against every avenue II danger.
hoping 20 save them by preventing
their learning the taste of the poison.
But their fs,ier's own hand mixed for
them the deadly drAugh,- lie was in
tosicatcd ut the time or he never would
have done IL lhad lofI the diniog-room
for 4 few moments and came back just
IN season to see the younger ii nv two
little boys smacking his lips oycA the
sugar in the bottom Of the ,umbler.
Lik. a mad Woman | seized the bottle
for OF course IL WAS nesr-and hurled
II through the open window. Then |
half dragged my boys Ia my own room.
telling them they had taken poison. and
treated them IS h.roica!ly ~ though
II had been arsenic or sirychnine. As
] passed out of the door my husband
laughed a drunken laugh. saving:
Seems 10 IN. you W changed your
mind since you taught me To drink
When my third baby was laid in
my arms. | prayed-for had learned
To pray then-tha, he might b. spared
from the curse. A. | held him 10 my
breast ! thought 81 the poor ave
mother who gave laudanum 10 her
child and let il sleep To death in her
arms that it might not know the bond
age 81 slavery. and I understood. For
j. not the victim o! Slcohol a slaye2
What bondage so cruel. what fet,crs so
CALLING? Far better that y body should
be loaded with chains and scourged
with the lash than tina u soul should
be fettered and SCARED with sin. %
God ] prayed. remove the curse II IL
be possible. but il not. oh. take him To
Thyselfr God heard my prayers. Only
a day my baby stayed. aud then my
arms were empty"
Tears were streaming down the pale
face. but a glow Of solemn glsdness
rested there.
.'Oh. friends," she continued. '.of
my three children, the one who never
knew his mothers love has been nv
greatest comfort; l know he is safe
with God.
MY older BOYS I tried with all my
power To keep from strong drink. |
taught them Of the ruin which would
surely follow its use. They had their
fathers example to shun. They
seemed to understand and want "a do
right, but the fire was in their natures
it could not be kept down. Willie.
my first born, went to 4 drunkaIds
grave before he was twenty-five.
my husband. in one of his seasons Of
despair and remorsc. took his own life.
"And Frank. my Frank-can l tel
you' A brighter. fairer. SUMNER
tempered boy never gladdened \
ulotiitI = uedft- II' I'l rs ulu HIS
father-d Comdn placed the Winc cup 10
has bps. Under the influence of wine
he committed "A crime. and to-day he is
behind the prison bars ut Sing Sing.
q victim of Ulne. WINE.
"And can ! sit idly by and hear you
say that wine is good and harmless?
You can see my whitcned hair and
haggard face. Would that for one mo-
ment you could see the agony Of soul
that has made me what I am and learn
a lesson. kh! he spake truly who said:
Wine is a mocker. strong drink il
raging and whatsoever is deceived
thereby is not wise"
There were few dry eyes when the
lady ceased speaking. But one Of the
teachers drew from her reiiculc a copy
Of the Murphy pledge and passed it
around. 1t was an opportune move
ment. 4 stroke while the iron was hot.
The bit of paper was warmly well
coined. and at the head of a long list
was the name Of the g~irl-arti-t who was
so positive that wine was harmless
Jennie HoUard BrOCH. IN ChrtStian at
Work.
AN cNt