Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-10-10

lux nun NAc PASAaAc. ODoCcuc lOhc5
| that oiled the room. And yet was in
the place where my father was most at
home-a father who was once my
pride.
"Mr. Greggs looked up when he saw
me enter, and asked in a jocular tone:
Wen, my lad, what can l do for you?
Is there anything In my line OF business
that will hit your tastel Perhaps your
father has sent you for a lit le drop to
warm him up this cold night
"Imagine how my pride was reused
at those ieering words. The hot blood
rushed to my temples; the half-drunken
men watched me with noisy glee- Ii
was all fun to them. AT last, holding
/ up my head, walked past them all,
/ close up to the desk 1 held out the
bill and the money to MIR. Greggs.
/ 'Ahp he said with greedy eye on the
money, 'youz dad IS paying up brisk,
this time, eh?'
"Mr. Greggs,' 1 said, in as firm a
voice as 1 could muster, L have come
to pay the money my father owes yon
for last year. Here it is. You can
count 1t and see that every cent Is here,
and may !t be the last
"And now my spirit was up. went
nearer the man. l thought OF mother
and Helen. 1 spoke low and firmly.
said, MIR. Greggs, have one thing
to ask you: VIII you promise me that
you will never sell father another
drop?'
"HumphI' he replied, you had bet
ter go about your business, young man.
Don't be spelling my trade. Your dad
is too good a customer TO give up as
easy as thls.'
THE tears sprang to my eyes, but l
IIasIaI hahfnH
the bar, said to him in a lower voice:
Mr.. Greggs, 1 know that father pays
you a good deal OF money. 1 have
thought OF that. 1 should like to make
this agreement with you; If you will
reckon up what your profit is from the
liquor you sell father, Charles and 1
Will pay it to you, if you will promise
not to sell him a drop for year.
''He laughed at my proposition AT
first l was angry. l could have struck
him in my passion, but somehow L was
so filled with pity for mother and
Helen, and even for father, that my
anger all melted away. / was broken
in heart, and thought to soften this
man by our great sorrow. Somehow.
/ don't know how it was, as l pleaded
with him In my awful agony fell upon
my knees. / clasped my arms around
Ills ltCl, anu bhLlCA 1ACL-A WIN
my tears, as / begged him not TO ruin
my father. l told him OF my mother IS
breaking heart, and OF little Helen's
prayers. For a moment or two he let
me lie there, and then he lifted his
foot and spurned me with his heavy
; boot. He kicked me, COP he said,
you crying baby. III have none OF
your pious can't and womanish tears
Go home and tell your mother that her
son is a weak, snivelllng boy, and tel
: your sister that II she crept here on
, her knees aud prayed to me, would
not stop giving your old dad all the
drink he wants.
; "When these cruel words were out,
he gave me push and drove me out
into the street, following me with a
fearful oath that rings in my ears to
this day.
II don't know how long l wandered
, around in the cold. but L know that
/ my tears gushed out like fountains OF
5 water, and that great sobs shook me.
| sank down overcome with grief, and
for time l lost myself.
] "When l awakened, my eyes were
Ike burning Goals. and in place of q
! heart felt as if a great stone was IN my
: breast. Ahl the agony OF that home
comingl i told mother and Charlie:
all that / had experienced. l saw
J their tears, but l never mingled mine
J with theirs. The fountain was dry
| The great revulsion OF feeling had
: come, and l was as a dumb animal
feeling a sorrOw, but with no voice t.
D utter it. Now, my boy, you know why
e | am called a hard-hearted man.
I SIN my own sOrrows, the loss OF {
T loved wife and children, have STOOD
4 D III I.aaaH fnrnna nv
T eyes have been dry. l could not cry
j though my heart was breaking. LODl
q years ago 1 sobbed out all my emotion:
L on the door of that grog-shop. Th'
e cruelty OF that man, sense OF hi
: Implying nature as j Headed Will
: him, and as he put his foot upon me
e il froze my heart. My father, afte
5 awhile, grew to be a better man. He
i became Christian
I lone Sunday morning the minister
Father Chester we called him =
}, preached a sermon on the text: NO
r drunkards shall inherit the kingdom o
e God The sermon was very powerful
= but the prayer that followed was NOR
i powerful, for it was teuderer. Ever.
e one was moved when the mlnlste
T raised his arms to pronounce the bene
o diction; but just then father steppe'
"a pew ALlO NAAC AASAO, eIN ACON
4 ing earnestly at the minister. raised hi
e hand, a signal that he wished to speak
g MT. Chester, dropping his arms, calle'
p ont fathers name and asked him wha
he had to say.
y "Slowly father moved down thu
d aisle, and when he came to the pulpi
5 platform he turned around. facing tn
n great congregation, and then he spoke
t hts voice breaking under his grea
feeling. lie confessed his sin AM
:, shame, and solemnly promised that b
e would never drink another drop o
l. liquor. He asked the minister and th
people for their prayers. Everybod
IT was in tears; but L, with my hear
o swelling within me, could not cry.
e Father lived years after, a stron
a temperance man, a noble Christian
d When he died, 1 mourned him, ou
n there were no tears Ah! they say
d never cry, do theyr The agony or nc
q being able to cry, has been the secre
4, SORROW of my life.
II al feel for the trials and sadness c
other lives, but 1 cannot express 1t
any outward way. SO they call N
Is shartI-hearted.' Little do they kno'
5, what turned my heart to stone. Nj
ID Greggs. that monster OF hard-heartec
5, ness. is the cause OF all this. He an
Te men of his profession brutaliZe then
er selves by their traffic in human soul
II They are putting their feet on Il
d necks OF proud sons, praying mothel
* and sisters, and are surely crushing OF
re the life In them. This monster, lnten
er persnce, is like a fiery dragon, breatl
At ing its hot breath upon human hope
aspirations and loves, and bhghtir
he them forever.
It "AhI'' he murmured in a sad ton
n ssthey call me hard-heartedl How lit
hs they know. How little they knowP'
go Philip, with his arms around
re uncle's neck, felt tear drop on b
lo cheek. He looked up, and saw tn
ey again the fountain was unlocked II
OF strong man was weeping like child.
n Cranks are a prolific race.