The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-10-27

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that. l should like to make this agree
ment with YOU If you will reckon up
what your profit is from the liquor you sell
father, Charles and l will pay it to you, if
you will promise not to sell him drop for
a year.
HE laughed at my proposition. At
first 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, l didn't know how it
was, as pleaded with him, in my awful
agony L fell upon my knees | clasped my
arms around his feet and fairly bathed
them with my tears, as l begged him not
to ruin my father l told him of my
mothers breaking heart and of little
Helen's prayers. For moment or two he
let me lie there, and then he lifted his foot
and spurned me with his heavy boot. He
kicked me! Cor he said, you crying
baby I'll have none of your pious cant
and womanish tears. Go home and tell
your mother that her son is weak,
snivelling boy, and tell your sister that
not if she crept here on her knees and
prayed to me would l 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 fearful oath
that rings in my ear to this day.
81 do not know how long | wandered
around in the cold, but 1 know that my
tears gushed out like fountains of water,
and that great sobs shook me- l sank
down overcome with grief, and for a time
l lost myself.
When l awakened, my eyes were like
burning Goals, and in place of a heart
felt as if a great stone was in my breast.
Ali the agony of that Homecoming 1
told mother and Charles all that 1 had
experienced. L saw their tears, but 1
never mingled mine with theirs. The
fountain was dry. The great revulsion of
feeling had come and 1 was as dumb ami
nal, feeling sorrow, but with no voice to
utter it. Now, my boy, you know why 1
am called hard-hearted man.
g In my own sorrows, the loss of loved
wife and children, l have stood by their
silent, dead forms, and my eyes have been
dry l could not cry, though my heart.
was breaking. Long years ago | sobbed
out all my emotions on the floor of that.
grog store. The cruelty OF that man,
sense of his Implying nature as pleaded
with him, and as he put his foot upon me,
it froze my heart. My father after awhile
grew to be better man. He became a
Christian.
Zone Sunday morning the minister,
Father Chester we called him, preached
sermon on the text: Nor drundards shall
inherit the kingdom of Cod The sermon
was very powerful, but the prayer that
followed was more powerful, for it was
tenderer. Every one was moved when the
minister raised his arms to pronounce the
benediction; but just then, father stepped
from the pew into the aisle, and, looking
earnestly at the minister, raised his hand,
a signal that he wished to speak. Mr..
Chester, dropping his arms, called out
fathers name, and asked him what he had
to say.
SLOWLY father moved down the aisle,
and when he came to the pulpit platform
he turned around, facing the great congre-
g,tion, and then he spoke, his voice break
ing under his great feeling He confessed
his sin and shame, and solemnly promised
that he would never drink another drop of
liquor. He asked the minister and the
people for their prayers. Every body was
in tears; but |, with my heart swelling
within me, could not Cry.
Father lived years after, a strong
Temperance man, noble Christian. When
he died, | mourned him, but there were no
tears. All they say l never cry, do theys
The agony of not being able to cry has
been the secret sorrow of my life.
II feel for the trials and sadness Of
other lives, but can not express it in any
outward way. So they call me hard
hearted Little do they know what.
turned my heart to stone. Mr., Greggs,
that monster of hard heartedness, is the
cause of all this. He, and men of his pro-
fession brutalize themselves by their
traffic in human souls They are putting
their feet on the necks of proud sons, pray
ing mothers and sisters, and are surely
crushing out the life in them. The
monster, Intemperance, is like a fiery
dragon, breathing It's hot breath upon hui
man hopes, aspirations and loves, and
blighting them forever.
"Ahr' he murmured in a sad tone,
"they call me hard hearted. How little
they know! How little they knowr'
Philip, with his arms around his uncle's
neck, felt tear drop on his cheek. He
looked up and saw that again the fountain
was unlocked. The strong man was weep
ing like child.--udry L. Spaldihg in N. Y.
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