"THE LITTLE SHOES DID IT."

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2876, 4 May 1878, Page 4

"THE LITTLE SHOES DID IT."

A young man, who had been reclaimed from intemperance, was called upon to tell how he was led to give up drinking. He arose, but he looked for a moment very confused. All he could .say was, " The Littlo Shoes did it." With a thick voice, as if his heart was in his throat, he kept repeating this. There was a stare of perplexity on every face, and at length some thoughtless young people began to titter. The man, in all his embarrassment, heard this sound, and rallied at once. , The light came into his eyes with a flash—he drew himself up and addressed the audience; the choking went from his throat. .

■•• Yes, friends," he said, in a voice that cut its way, clear as a deep-toned bell, "whatever you may think,of it, I've told ;you the truth—a little shoe did it. I was a brute and a fool; strong drink had made me both, and starred me into .iJie bargain. I suffered ;"I deserved to suffer; ■ but I did hot suffer alone—no man does ■ who has a-wife and, child, for women get the first share, But I am no speaker to enlarge on that; I'll stick to the little shoes. It was one night, when I was almost done for, the saloon keeper's child, holding out her feet for her father to look at her new shoes. It was a simple thing; but, friends, no fist ever struck me such a blow as those little new shoes. They kicked reason into me. What business had Ito help to clothe others with fineries, and- to. provide not even coarse clothing for ny .own, ! but let them go bare? said I; and 1 there, outside, was ny shivering , wife and blue-ohilledt Qhild, on a bitter cold night. I took hold of the little one with a grip, and saw her cold feet. Men h fathers!. if the little shoes smote me,, what must the little feet do ; I put them* cold as ice, to my breast; they pierced me through. Yes, the little ' feet walked right into my h&rt,- and away walked my selfishness. ' 1 had a trifle of money left, and I went into a store and bought a loaf of bread and a thin pair of little shoes. I never tasted anything but a bit of that bread all that Sabbath dar// and went to work like mad on MondY.y, and from that day, 1 have spent no xp.ore money at the public-house.;,. That is all I've got to say—it was the little shoes that did it."