The Story of a Dark Plot; Or, Tyranny on the Frontier (Paperback)

Paperback. PREVIOUS EVENTS WHICH LED TO THE ASSAULT.There are few communities, however small, that have not been arousedand stirred into action, by some uncommon event, or where opposingparties have never rejoiced, and mourned over a triumph of one at the other'sexpense, and often have men andwomen, unappreciated by the many, bravelysuffered for their fidelity to a good and beloved cause. Thus the little Countyof Brome has been stirred to the depths of its soul by the actions of con-tending parties, and especially by a deliberate attempt to hinder the workand destroy the life of a law-abiding citizen. Mr. William W. Smith, thehero of this dark plot, was a native of the county which had always beenhis home, and had been during about fifteen years the Agent of the Cana-dian Pacific Railway Company at Sutton Junction. During those years, hehad been a man of the world, fond of pleasure, and not objecting to a socialglass, and it is not surprising that, amid all the temptations of railroad life, hehad already felt the awful power of an appetite for strong drink. But he wasled to see his danger and to flee from it, largely through the influence of hisbeloved companion, a faithful Christian, who rests from her labor, and herworks do follow her. Breaking his bonds by the power of God, he became3 A.L.O.C.not only a temperance man, but a Christian, and in his great joy and grati-tude for his own salvation was filled with a desire to warn and rescue others, whose feet were treading the same slippery paths. He then began holdingGospel Temperance Meetings, as he had opportunity in many places mostlywithin the County of Brome. This county has long held an honored posi-tion as being one of the leading temperance counties in the Dominion ofCanada, because during many years no license to sell intoxicating liquor as abeverage has been granted within its borders, and a temperance law knownas the Scott Act had been in force for eight years previous to 1893, when thesecond attempt was made by the liquor party to obtain its repeal. Like theserpent in the Garden of Eden, the liquor sellers of the present day are re-markable for their subtility, and many are the innocent victims entangled inthe meshes of the net woven by their deceptive tongues; therefore, it neednot seem strange that they should display great power and influence, even ina so-called temperance community. In the spring of 1893, the liquor partyin Brome, having decided that they had been troubled by an anti-license actquite long enough, sent out their agents to various parts of the county withinnocent looking papers to which they wished to obtain signatures. Theycalled upon all the known supporters of their party, and also upon thatdoubtful class of persons which sometimes proves to be among their besthelpers, although counted as temperance people. To this doubtful class theycarefully explained that the petition they bore did not ask for the repeal ofthe Scott Act, but only requested that an election be held for the purpose ofbringing the matter before the people, and determining their minds uponthe subject. Therefore, they were told the signing of this petition was in noway equivalent to voting against the Scott Act, nor would they be bound tovote against that Act if an election was brought about. Many names wereappended to the petition, the desired election took place, and very hard didthe liquor men work to obtain a result that should favor their When a reformed man t Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…