Newspaper Page Text
20 TH
The Family
WHAT I SAW.
J-ate one night, the inoon so brightly
shone
From cloudless sky, looked from his lofty
throne
On earth, so full of sorrow and of woe,
Robbed of her peace by sin, her greatest
foe.
in many shapes in many ways it came,
And in its steps brought misery and
shame..
One serpent among others, grew and
grew,
From harmless pet, to all-consuming foe,
It's name was drink, and from its name
I shrink,
When of its heinous deeds I stop to
think.
On mem'rys page was written clear and
bold,
Some scenes of anguish, of woe untold.
I saw a child with face so pure and
sweet,
He had just learned to walk, his little
feet
Ran tottering to his father at his call,
Who said "We'll have some fun now
arter all."
He took the child .and put it on his knee.
Then made him drink some whiskey under
glee.
The next I saw, a boy not yet fifteen,
His face distorted, agony and shame
Was plainly written there, when guarded
by
Two servants of the law, they passed me
by.
He groaned in anguish far beyond control,
"My wretched father is the fault of all."
Again I saw a home where dark despair
Had put its seal upon the faces there,
The little ones were crying hard for
bread.
And in the cradle lay the baby dead?..
mi? A 1 ?i ?? ?
i iie lamei?wuere was ne: in tne saloon,
The answer came from hopeless mother
soon,
He took the very last of halfworn clothes.
To pawn for whiskey for his burning
throat.
But, oh, my heart will break when I
think.
He also took my boy to teach him drink.
Again I saw a scene so sad and drear,
In friendship strong, that nothing could
severe,
I saw two friends together closely bound, .
'Pill V*r V? Jolrmr nnmA *-- ?? - J ,A - *1
x 111 ?r uium,j v amc nuu - lurutju 11 ail
around,
And In a moment?dead lay for his arm,
The friend, who last of all he meant to
harm.
* Again I saw?but no?I will retreat,
And nothing more of what I saw repeat?
It fills my heart with agonizing pain,
To hear that word again and then again.
That it is harmful, take the drink away,
E PRESBYTERIAN OF THE SOUT
And let the prohibition have its sway.
O, if you knew how many a mother's
heart
Has broken, where the whiskey had a
part,
How many tears and sorrows never told,
The whole wide world yet in its bosom
fold?
You as one man would lift the banner
high,
And loud for prohibition you would cry.
?T. N. A.
HOW MEENIE WENT TO SWITZERLAND.
Frances Harmer.
(From the Christian Register.)
The noon recess seemed verv slow in
coming that morning. It semed to be
slow in coming to Margaret Lane, who
did not know her lessons, and who was
not enjoying her class in consequence. It
seemed slow in coming to Lottie Spencer,
because Meenie's dancing eyes declared
that she had something important
to tell. To Meenie herself it seemed
slowest of all because she wanted so
badly to hear what Lottie would say.
But time can not stand still, and recess
did come. The three girls ran together.
"I hate geography," cried Margaret. "I
wish I needn't take it."
"Meenie, what is it"? demanded Lottie.
"You never, never will believe," said
Meenie. "At least, not till I'm really
CAP o Thnn ??H1 W?? ??"1 1
B???. >ucu juu mil, uckauBe yuu ii nave
to."
"Tell us," cried Margaret and Lottie,
In a breath.
"I'm going to Switzerland for six
whole weeks."
"Oh, no"! cried Margaret, a little jealously.
"How de-light-ful"! exclaimed Lottie,
joyously.
"I am"! Meenie drew the girls down
upon the steps one on each side of her.
"Father's sister. Aunt Meenie (I was
named after her), lives in Switzerland
now, with two ladies. They study art
and go to Paris sometimes, and Aunt
Meenie takes care of them. She will be
alone in the Swiss home for six weeks
because they are going away to Scotland.
nuu sue ubitea iamer to send me to tier.
It will only be my fare, and father thinks
he can manage that."
She paused, out of breath.
"You couldn't travel all that way
alone"? said Margaret. "You see, you'd
have to cross the Atlantic, and get to
France, and then go through Italy to Germany
to get to Switzerland."
She looked angry as the .two girls
shook with laughter.
"Don't worry about taking geography,
Meg," said Lottie. "You really don't,
you know."
"I couldn't go alone, of course," explained
Meenie. "A lady Aunt Meenie
knows sails next week, and I am to go
with her."
"Oh! Oh"!
They held their breath after those
"Oh's." It seemed so wonderful.
"I wish Cousin Kitty lived In Boston,"
said Meenie, as they walked back to the
~j\
H. July 28, 1909.
school. "I do so love talking things over
with her. But I don't know, she'd long
so to go"!
"Still, she'd hardly like to leave her
mother alone; it's not as if she had a
father," remarked Lottie.
"That's true," said Meenie. "I cau't
really picture her and Aunt Mary apart."
That was Meenie's last day at school.
She was excused on account of her preparations.
Dressmakers had to be visited,
a sewing girl was engaged for a week. It
was delightful to have so many pretty
things and a new tailored suit for travel.
ing, besides a hat, a silk umbrella, and a
Rajah coat, with dark blue velvet collar
and cuffs.
Rut only two days before the ship was
to sail, there came a telegram from Aunt
Mary. Meenie's mother uttered a cry
and let the yellow paper fall to the
ground. Meenie picked it up, and she,
too, cried out.
"Kitty run over by trolley car, doctors
give no hope. Come at once.
Mary."
"Oh, how can I go"? cried Meenie.
But she did not say, "I can't go."
Kitty lived only an hour's ride away.
That evening her mother returned to
Meenie, and the girl said eagerly: ?
"Oh, poor, poor Kitty. How is she?
Cftn'f I flpQ Ho** tnnoAr-/>??" *>
"Wait till I have talked matters over
with your father," was her mother's sad
reply. "Poor Kitty wouldn't know you,
dear."
Meenie, Margaret, and Lottie sat on
the veranda steps, sad* and silent. Lottie,
her friend, said what Meenie had
thought:
"It's quite spoiling your trip, Meenie."
And Meenie, very sorry for her cousin,
was sorry for herself, too!
"Meenie"!
At the sound of her father's grave
voice the others bade her a hurried
good-night. Meenie went into the library.
"My child," said her father, "we have
good news for you, and bad. Kitty will
"Oh," cried Meenie, Joyfully.
"But the doctor fears that she will be
hopelessly crippled, not merely lame, but
always compelled to lie on her back."
"Oh," said Ueenie, in a lower voice.
"The doctor recommended a great
specialist. His fee for consultation has
taken every cent I can spare, rte say3
there is one chance for Kitty, only
one."
"Yes," Meenie's breath came quickly.
Her thoughts travelled fast. No, sho
could not, she could not, give up her
visit to Switzerland.
"He suggests a course of* treatment
which will mean the bi-weekly visits of a
specialist. The treatment will cost?
your Journey money, Meenle."
The silence that fell upon father, mother,
and daughter was so intense that it '
?eemed as if the little clock upon the
mantel-piece suddenly shouted its ticks.
The people outside moved heavily and
talked loudly. " Noise was everywhere
but in the little circle of silence, that
seemed to enclose Meenie as in a prison.
?. ... ..