The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-03-09
TEMPERANCE NOTES.
THE LITTLE BROWN JUG.
A Pretty Little story of "a Drinking Farm
er's Reform.

er's Reform.
am beauty now, l know, with my
delicate azure tint and spray of apple
blossoms, that little Maggie painted on
me last summer and the gilded words
whom all blessing flow Mother Sey-
mour's suggestion that was), and this
lovely Knot of ribbon that decoratns
the handle Yes, I'm beauty, and am
glad and thankful for all my good for
tune, but l am going to do as some
smarter people have done before mel
am going to astonish you with my ear
u history.
was not always this lovely decorat-
ed jug. standing on the handsome,
draped mantel, a petted ornament in a
happy home. | was a homely little
brown fellow among my brothers in a
dark corner of a grocery, down town.
Father Seymour bought me for his
water jug to carry out to the field when
he lived on his farm. A handsome farm
ne owned then. But little by little the
farm went to ruin. Father Seymour
would take me to town with him and
have me filled with whisky to take
home. How ashamed and degraded /
felt; for could see by the harm it was
doing the Seymour family and the APP
pearancc of the men in the whisky
shop, that | was in terribly bad busi-
ness and disgracing myself.
The farm was finally sold on mort
gage, and the family moved into a
dreary, mean little house in town. where
matters only went on from bad to
worse. know there was dreadful suf-
fering and shame, and | was often about
the only sort of dish in the house that
had anything in it; and what had was
poison. Often / had heard Father Sey-
mour promise his wife that he would
drink no more, but it would not be
long before he would take me to the
whisky shop and be as bad as ever
But one day Father Seymour came in
and sat down trembling, and said:
Mother, l am going to have a chance
now to be man. They carried no.
license at the last election, and the rum
shops are all closed, and won't have
to stand the temptation of them any
more. And, mother, now by Gods help,
and your help, am going to try once
more to be the man | ought"
How she cried and kissed him, and
how Maggie and Tommy shouted for
Joy, "No license! Oh, goody, goodyw
And this old jug of yours, now,
papa" said Tommy, don't you want
me to smash it so it can't harm you any
more?"
And thought my days were over just
as their good days were beginning. But
Mother Seymour said: mo, dear we
will put it to good use just as we will
make good use of our lives hereafter. The
jug may live to do all the good it can to
make up for its past record. What can
Tommy do with that jug, father, that
will be of good to us? Could you give
him little money to get some milk to
go with our bread for supper?"
So Tommy washed me sweet and
clean from the filthy, poison whisky,
and went and got me filed with fresh,
rich milk at Il good neighbours. How
proud I was, and how happy all the
family grew. Father Seymour soon was
able to move his family to better home
with many comforts, and to keep a COW,
so that was no longer needed to carry
milk. Father Seymour always looked
at me with sad look, as if he would
like to have me give him back the years
wasted in shame and sin when almost
all he had went for drink.
Mother Seymour noticed it and she
thought of n plan which she and Mag
gle carried out; with the help of Mag
gie's paints and brushes, ! was made
the pretty thing you see This bow is
ribbon Mother Seymour had worn
when she was married, one her husband
specially liked, and a gilded stopper and
the motto in fancy letters made me
pretty enough.
When Father Seymour came home
that night and saw it, his lips quivered
and his eyes filled with tears as he
said, Mother, we will consecrate that
jug to giving blessings as long as we
live. Every day we will spare some
money to put into it for the temperance
cause. ! wish / had million dollars
10 put into it now. But here goes one,
all in little dimes, SO they will shake
out easy.
Yes" said mamma, there are lots
of ways that money can help on the
temperance work Well share our
blessings all we can with others"
~ know what is the very best bless
ing can happen to everybody" said
Tommy to himself. as he went dancing
I al. :. L 4
whisky jugs painted up just fine, with
flowers and all, so they will hold tenn
perancc money instead of saloon
whisky, and everybody be glad. won
der if Maggie and could not paint up
few more for some OF the folks |
know that need to have them painted
so bad. I'm just going to ask her"
Eva Jones. in Union Signal.
NILIGKN OGjMG ITG GpIP