The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-10-24
A TOUCHING INCIDENT.

u
Miserable Drunkard.
The quiet influence of child has been
the means of saving a parent. Iremem-
Der little history related to me many
years ago by Christian abstainer. He
said he would give me the facts that led
to his reform and the circumstances
that arrested him in his career of sin.
Two maiden ladies who lived in
village often noticed scantily-clad girl
passing their house with tin pail. On
one occasion one of these ladies accosted
her:
Little girl, what have you got in
that pail"'
"Whisky ma'am."
"Where do you live?" +
"Down in the hollow"
"Tll go home with you"
They soon came to wretched howell
in the hollow, just outside the village.
A pale, iaded, WORKOUT woman met them
at the door. Inside was man, dirty,
maudlin and offensive. The lady, adj
dressing the woman, said:
rs this your little girl?"
"Yes"
DOeS Sne go TO ScnOOl?
mo; she has no other clothes than
what you see."
Does she go to Sunday-school?'
"Sunday-school-in these rags! Oh,
mol"
"If furnish her with suitable clothes
can she go?'
1T is Of no use giving her clothes.
He would steal them and sell them for
whisky. Better let the girl alone.
There is no hope for her or for u.s."
But she ought to go to school,"
An arrangement was entered into
whereby the child should call at tho
lady's house Sunday morning, be clothed
for tho school, and after the school was
dismissed call again, and change her
garments for home.
The little creature was very teach
able, and soon became a favorite with
her teacher, who gave her little
Testament, probably the first present
the child had ever received. She was
very proud of her Testament, exhibit
ing it on all occasions, with the de-
lighted EXPLANATIONS:
That's my little Testament-my
own"
She would take it with her at night,
clasping it in her hands till she fell
asleep on the wretched rags called a
bed. The child was taken i'll. The
doctor, provided by her benefactors, de-
clared she would die. Her friends
furnished her with what comforts they
could, and watched the father lest he
A.,
whisky.
The gentleman then continued the
narrative in the first person:
"One day l went to her bedside.
was mad tor a drink. | had taken every
thing could lay my hands on.
II looked round the room. There
was nothing left, nothing to dispose of.
Yet 1 must have drink. / would have
sold my child; would have sold myself
for whisky. The little creature lay on
the bed, with the Testament claspcd in
her hand, partly doing. As sat there,
slse fell asleep and the book slipped
from her fingers and lay on the
coverlet of the bed. Stealthily
looking round the room, l stretched
out my shaking hand, seized the Tesla.
ment, and hastily thrust it into my
bosom. Isoon sneaked out. like a guilty
thing, to the grog-shop. All l could get
for it was half a pint of whisky. 1t was
a poor little book. drank the DEVILS
drink almost at draught and soon felt
relieved from the burning thirst. Tho
stagnant blood in the diseased vessels
of my stomach was stimulated by the
fiery fluid and felt better. What took
me back to my child L can not tell, but
sat again by her side. She still seemed
| to be sleeping, and L sat there with the
horrible craving stayed for q time by
| the whisky l had drunk, whom she
opened her eyes slowly and saw me.
Reaching out her hand to touch mine,
she said: Papa, listen. l am going to
die, and when die ] shall 20 to Jesus,
for He told little children to come to
Him. And l shall go Heaven, for He
said that little children were of tho
kingdom of Heaven. learned that out
of my Testament. Papa, when go to
Heaven, if Jesus should ask me what you
did with my little Testament. o. papa! o,
papa! what shall tell Him?' 1t struck
me like lightning. sat few moments,
and then fell down on my knees by the
bedside of my child, crying: God be
oEfce t6 TIL e defeRdant in said bin and warm
ng her to appear in this Court in person or
" solicitor on or before the 18th day of No
'ember, 1880, to show cause, if any she has
Why decree shall not pass as prayed.
S4-4t E. y, TOWER,