The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1840-02-01

self; should wish to respect you always.
Larry, and in my heart believe no woinan
ever could respect a dru nhard. don'!
want to make you angry: God forbid yon
should ever be cne, and I Eno,c you ar"
not one yet; but sin grows mighty stronr
upon us without or kaow!cdgo. And no
matter what indulgence leads to bad;
we've rig int to think any thing that does
lead to it sinful in the prospect, if not q:
the present"
"You'd have made fine priest, Ellen"
said the young man, determined, if he
could not reason, to laugh her out Of her
resolve.
81 don't think" she replied, archy. "'f
l was priest, that either Of you wouid have
liked to come to me to Confession"
"BGt Ellen, dear Ellen, sure it's not in
positive downright earnest you are; you
can't think of putting me off on account
of that unIucky drop. The least tetste in life
| took at the fair. Iou could not find It
in your heart. Speak for ne. Michael,
speak for NE. Bat / see it's liking You
are. WIZ, Lent 'l!'be on Us in 10 time,
aud then we must wait till Easter; it's ca
sy taking"
Larry" interrupted Ellen, "do not you
talk yourself into a passion: It will do no
good: lie, ~ the world. ] an sire you
love ne, ard i confess brf,re my brother
it will be the delight of my heart to return
that love, and make rlystiii worthy Of you,
if you will only break yourself of that one
habit, which you qualify to your own un-
doing, by fancying, because the least drop
~ life makes YOU what you ought not to
be. that you may still ta! !:c it."
"fl take an oath against the wh;skey.
if that will p!ase ye, til! Christmas"
"And when Christmas comes, get twice
as tipsy as ever, with joy to think your
oath is out: mop
"Pll swaro any thing you plase."
81 don't want youto sware at all; there
is no use in mans taking an oath he IS
anxious to nave chance cf breaking. |
want your reason to be convinced"
"My darling EIlco. all the reason l ever
had in my lie is c)nv:nced."
"Prove il by absta;n;ng from takingeven
a drop, even tie lea&t drep in life, if that
drop can make you ashamed to look your
poor Ellen in the face"
"rIl give it up altogether"
II hope YOU will one Of these days, from
conviction that it is really bad in every
way; but not from cowardice, not because
you dar'nt trust yourself"
ELLEN, I'm sure ye'vc some English
blood in yer veins, ye'le such rcasoner.
Irish women don't often throw boy off
because OF drop; if they did, it's not
many marriage dues his Reverence would
have, winter or summer"
Listen to me, Larry, and believe, that
though spake this way, regard you tru-
ly; and if | did not, I'd not take the
throublc to tell you my mind"
Like Mick Brady's wife, who, whcne-
yer she thrashed him, cried over the blows,
and said they were all for his good" OBJ
served her brother slyly.
"Nonsensew listen to me, say, and I'll
tell you why am 50 rcsolute. It's many
q long day since, going to school, l used to
meet. Michael minds her, too, Pm sure, an
old bent woman; they used to call her
the Witch of BaIlaghton. Stacy was, as
I have said, very old entirely, withered
and white headed, bent nearly double with
age, and she used to be always muddling
about the streams and bitches, gathering
herbs and plants, the girls said to work
charms with; and at first they used to
wa:,::, rather far of. ami if they thought
they lad . Good chance Of escaping her
t,ncu: aucl The stones she flung at them,
they'd cali har an i'll nanc or two and
solnctineS. cid as she was. shed rake a
spring at t3cm Sideways Ike c:a!,. and
howl, and hoot, and Scy"a'o, aai lt"n
they'd be Ill like flock Of pigeons ;i'rili
4 hawk. a:d she'd go On disturbing the
ercc;l-coa,sd waters with her licked
stca, aa,i maliorlng words which n"i:e, II
they h.arI, coull understand. Stacy had
been a w~Ni-,;,Ied woman, and knew u
dale norc ihau any Of us; when mi tor
mented i>y the children, size was mighty
1 L l Isl,