The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-10-27
TEMPERANCE.
A "HARD-HEARTED" MAN,
Why He Was Never Known to Shed a
Tear-The Secret sorrow of His Life.

A man who has no sympathy with the sor-
row of other people, and strangely lacking
in feeling when trouble comes to your
own home"
These words were addressed by young
man to one much his senior in years and
experience. His name was John Andrews;
and one would have compared him to
George Washington. There was the same
kingly erectness of form, the same
firm, commanding bearing and voice.
His forehead was high and broad,
an index of great intellect. Heavy
brows shaded a pair of steel-gray
eyes, noticeable for their expression of
controlled force. The lower part of his
face, especially his squarely built chin,
told of an iron will and an inhexible
nature. AS he walked the street, many
gazed after this courtly man, and ownet
that his influence counted for much in the
town where he chad grown up; but the
same thing was always said about him:
His heart is as hard as Pharaoh's."
The young man, Philip, who uttered the
above words, was favorite nephew of Mr..
Andrews. He was fine, manly fellow,
just entering college.
Philip had been stung to the quick by
the oft-repeated opinions of people in re-
gard to this Uncle Johns "hard-heart-
edDess," and one day he followed him into
his Office, and, before he could choose his
sentences or soften the words, spoke his
heart out in this heavy accusation of
others.
Looking up quickly to note the effect he
was panied to see a look of anguish settle
like dark cloud over his uncle's face
"Whyr' he exclaimed, edo you mean to
say, Uncle John, that you have never
heard what people say of you9 l heard
man declare to-day that he never knew of
your shedding tear in your life"
Mr.. Andrews stood by his desk with his
hand shading his eyes. In the bright sun
light which flooded the office his hair was
almost white, and deep lines were fur
rowed in his face that Philip had never
noticed before. HIS form was bowed, and
his whole appearance was expressive of
extreme agony, as if from the shock of
sudden blow.
He raised his head, gazing long and
earnestly at his nephew's bright, young
face. And this he said, in a voice that
trembled, us the sentence that my old
friends have pronounced upon mel l am
a 'hard-hearted man. and yet 1 have
been a good citizen thank God! a good
Christian, l trust; a good husband and
father. All, my boy, it is too true that
have not shed tear since was your own
age. There is a secret of my life which
others have never known l have always
kept it buried in the depths of my heart;
but your hand has unlocked the door; you
shall know why no one has ever seen me
shed tear or show any emotion. When
was boy of sixteen l was not unlike
you, Philip. | had your quick sensibili-
ties, your warm, impetuous disposition.
/ had brother, your Uncle Charles, who
was five or six years older than l, ana we
were as fond and loving of each other and
of your Aunt Helen as any brothers could
be-
She was then a young girl of twelve,
and it seemed TO us that there never was
daintier, sweeter sister in all the world.
She had a timid, clinging nature, that ap-
pealed to US for protection. We We're all
the more tender because she shared the
family trouble; our skeleton in the closet
was known to her. How many nights have
/ seen her with her dear, sweet face
pressed against the window, peering into
the darkness for a familiar form shutting
home at night from the grog- store around
the corner
GOTTEN l would take her into my arms
and tell her to leave Charlie and me to
watch for father; but she always insisted
that she could wait on him when he came
in, and, perhaps, comfort mother.
Things grew from worse to worse, until
we would not allow Helen to see father
when he came home. His language was
often abusive and cruel.
Our family had never been poor until
then, but we soon commenced to feel that
ia lher was drinking up all the earnings
Charles had position in village acad-
envy on a small salary, and was clerk in
bank. Even with what we boys could
earn we had hard work to make both ends
meet. / could not bear to have Helen do
SO much and see her growing paler and
thinner every day, My heart was broken
as | sometimes heard mother cry.
zone day a thunderbolt fell upon US in
the shape of a big bill from Greggs, the
owner of the grog store We did not know
what to do. In those days men were put
in Jail for debt. We talked of that,
mother wringing her hands at the thought
Of it. Well your Uncle Charles and l at
last succeeded in getting enough money,
and took it to Mr. Greggs, with the firm
resolve in my heart that father should
never get another drop of liquor at that
place.
sit was hard for me to enter the store.
There was on the walk outside group Of
half-drunken men. They were lowering
near like moths round a flame. | was
ashamed to go into the ghtly-lighted
room, where there was another group of
men, who were taking their 'night-caps' as
they called the final drink. The fumes of
the liquors made me sick, and | wanted to
rush out into the free air again, and forget
what brought me to such a place AS
stood before the bar, my eye followed the
revolving faces around me. turned away
with loathing from the profane, obscene
jokes that filled the room. And yet | was
in the place whore 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: We'll,
my lad, what can do for you3 Is there
any thing in my line of business that will
hit your taste! Perhaps your father has
sent you for little drop to warm him up
this cold night
Imagine how my pride was reused at
those jeering words The hot blood rushed
to my temples; the halfdrunken men
watched me with drunken glee. 1t was all
fun to them. At last, holding up my head,
walked past them all, close up to the
desk. held out the bill and the money to
Mr.. Greggs. 'Ahp he said, with greedy
eye on the money, your dad is paying up
brisk this time, ehl'