THE CLOSING SCENE AT THE "SICKLE AND SHEAF."
On the day that succeeded the evening of this fearful tragedy,placards were to be seen all over the village, announcing a massmeeting at the "Sickle and Sheaf" that night.
By early twilight, the people commenced assembling. The bar, whichhad been closed all day, was now thrown open, and lighted; and inthis room, where so much of evil had been originated, encouragedand consummated, a crowd of earnest-looking men were soongathered. Among them I saw the fine person of Mr. Hargrove. JoeMorgan--or rather, Mr. Morgan--was also one of the number. Thelatter I would scarcely have recognized, had not some one near mecalled him by name. He was well dressed, stood erect, and thoughthere were many deep lines on his thoughtful countenance, alltraces of his former habits were gone. While I was observing him,he arose, and addressing a few words to the assemblage, nominatedMr. Hargrove as chairman of the meeting. To this a unanimousassent was given.
On taking the chair, Mr. Hargrove made a brief address, somethingto this effect.
"Ten years ago," said he, his voice evincing a slight unsteadinessas he began, but growing firmer as he proceeded, "there was not ahappier spot in Bolton county than Cedarville. Now, the marks ofruin are everywhere. Ten years ago, there was a kind-hearted,industrious miller in Cedarville, liked by every one, and asharmless as a little child. Now, his bloated, disfigured body liesin that room. His death was violent, and by the hand of his ownson!"
Mr. Hargrove's words fell slowly, distinctly, and marked by themost forcible emphasis. There was scarcely one present who did notfeel a low shudder run along his nerves, as the last words werespoken in a husky whisper.
"Ten years ago," he proceeded, "the miller had a happy wife, andtwo innocent, glad-hearted children. Now, his wife, bereft ofreason, is in a mad-house, and his son the occupant of a felon'scell, charged with the awful crime of parricide!"
Briefly he paused, while his audience stood gazing upon him withhalf-suspended respiration.
"Ten years ago," he went on, "Judge Hammond was accounted therichest man in Cedarville. Yesterday he was carried, a friendlesspauper, to the Alms-house; and to-day he is the unmourned occupantof a pauper's grave! Ten years ago, his wife was the proud,hopeful, loving mother of a most promising son. I need notdescribe what Willy Hammond was. All here knew him well. Ah! whatshattered the fine intellect of that noble-minded woman? Why didher heart break? Where is she? Where is Willy Hammond?"
A low, half-repressed groan answered the speaker.
"Ten years ago, you, sir," pointing to a sad-looking old man, andcalling him by name, "had two sons--generous, promising, manly-hearted boys. What are they now? You need not answer the question.Too well is their history and your sorrow known. Ten years ago, Ihad a son,--amiable, kind, loving, but weak. Heaven knows how Isought to guard and protect him! But he fell also. The arrows ofdestruction darkened the very air of our once secure and happyvillage. And who is safe? Not mine, nor yours!
"Shall I go on? Shall I call up and pass in review before you, oneafter another, all the wretched victims who have fallen inCedarville during the last ten years? Time does not permit. Itwould take hours for the enumeration! No; I will not throwadditional darkness into the picture. Heaven knows it is blackenough already! But what is the root of this great evil? Wherelies the fearful secret? Who understands the disease? A direfulpestilence is in the air--it walketh in darkness, and wasteth atnoonday. It is slaying the first-born in our houses, and the cryof anguish is swelling on every gale. Is there no remedy?"
"Yes! yes! There is a remedy!" was the spontaneous answer frommany voices.
"Be it our task, then, to find and apply it this night," answeredthe chairman, as he took his seat.
"And there is but one remedy," said Morgan, as Mr. Hargrove satdown. "The accursed traffic must cease among us. You must cut offthe fountain, if you would dry up the stream. If you would savethe young, the weak, and the innocent--on you God has laid thesolemn duty of their protection--you must cover them from thetempter. Evil is strong, wily, fierce, and active in the pursuitof its ends. The young, the weak, and the innocent can no moreresist its assaults, than the lamb can resist the wolf. They arehelpless, if you abandon them to the powers of evil. Men andbrethren! as one who has himself been well-nigh lost--as one who,daily, feels and trembles at the dangers that beset his path--I doconjure you to stay the fiery stream that is bearing every thinggood and beautiful among you to destruction. Fathers! for the sakeof your young children, be up now and doing. Think of WillyHammond, Frank Slade, and a dozen more whose names I could repeat,and hesitate no longer! Let us resolve, this night, that fromhenceforth the traffic shall cease in Cedarville. Is there not alarge majority of citizens in favor of such a measure? And whoserights or interests can be affected by such a restriction? Who, infact, has any right to sow disease and death in our community? Theliberty, under sufferance, to do so, wrongs the individual whouses it, as well as those who become his victims. Do you wantproof of this? Look at Simon Slade, the happy, kind-heartedmiller; and at Simon Slade, the tavern-keeper. Was he benefited bythe liberty to work harm to his neighbor? No! no! In heaven'sname, then, let the traffic cease! To this end, I offer theseresolutions:--
"Be it resolved by the inhabitants of Cedarville, That from thisday henceforth, no more intoxicating drink shall be sold withinthe limits of the corporation.
"Resolved, further, That all the liquors in the 'Sickle and Sheaf'be forthwith destroyed, and that a fund be raised to pay thecreditors of Simon Slade therefor, should they demandcompensation.
"Resolved, That in closing up all other places where liquor issold, regard shall be had to the right of property which the lawsecures to every man.
"Resolved, That with the consent of the legal authorities, all theliquor for sale in Cedarville be destroyed, provided the ownersthereof be paid its full value out of a fund specially raised forthat purpose."
But for the calm yet resolute opposition of one or two men, theseresolutions would have passed by acclamation. A little soberargument showed the excited company that no good end is eversecured by the adoption of wrong means.
There were, in Cedarville, regularly constituted authorities,which alone had the power to determine public measures, or to saywhat business might or might not be pursued by individuals. Andthrough these authorities they must act in an orderly way.
There was some little chafing at this view of the case. But goodsense and reason prevailed. Somewhat modified, the resolutionspassed, and the more ultra-inclined contented themselves withcarrying out the second resolution, to destroy forthwith all theliquor to be found on the premises; which was immediately done.After which the people dispersed to their homes, each with alighter heart, and better hopes for the future of their village.
On the next day, as I entered the stage that was to bear me fromCedarville, I saw a man strike his sharp axe into the worn, faded,and leaning post that had, for so many years, borne aloft the"Sickle and Sheaf"; and, just as the driver gave word to hishorses, the false emblem which had invited so many to enter theway of destruction, fell crashing to the earth.
THE END.
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