Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1844-05-09

aud most To be despsed, an empty purse /;
that was q bugbear from which his asso-
ciates shrunk with terror. lie was now
the father of two children, no money, n"
business, "A ruined repeiation what was
TO becon,e of him The though, almost
made him mad, and he had recourse ("
the bottle with this he banished all
thoughts of his condition, his home, and
his wife. and his children. How he
succeeded we shall see.
Four years had elapsed since The con
clusion Of the first part OF nv narrative
In a room in one of the small houses that
are situated in the northern part of our
city, sat an Interesting woman. The
room was small bul very clean, aud had
an mir of comlo, that cleanliness always
gives. The furniture was all for use,
not piece for ornament. In one corner
stood n cradle. in which babe was
sleeping beside il sat an elderly woman
with her foot upon the rocker she was
trying to keep herself awake and the
child asleep by the motion of The cradle,
IL was Maria aud her mother. -Four
Maria's face, hut resignation sat sweeily
on her handsome features her eyes,
though not so bright and sparkling, were
not the less beautiful, though the light
that stone from them was less dazzling
than when first presented To the reader
Her neat figure was cl"thed III dress
oi the plaincsi materials.
Her glossy hair was hidden from view
by a snow-white cap, aud a checked
apron, that had not yet lost lis folds, com
ple,ed her attire. 1t was very late, yet
she was still sewing Indu-trlou'l y. -
when she saw the fatal change that had
come over her husband she uttered no
compliant She did not greet hun with
harsh words on his entrance, but received
him as calmly ~ her misery would per-
init She had given up the pretty home
she had entered With such Joyous pros
poets, anG rented the one that We nov
find her ~. Al that she deemed un
necessary was sold, aud paid the debts
that were rashly incurred by her unlhnk-
ing partner
She called on all who had been friends
10 her prosperity, and requested their
petronage, as she Intended by sewing To
earn hvelihood Tor her family. Her
mother came to 1--we with hei, that she
might devote more of her time 10 labor,
by relieving her Of the house and of the
chidIcr. William still continued his
downward course. He would hire him.
self out for week or two until he got
money for drink. When that was ex-
hausled he would get employment else
where, for a. short time, aud thus hts days
were spent.
"Morher, you had better 60 to bed,
you look sleepy besides you need rest,
y"u have been very busy to-day the
babe will not awaken soou again, aud IT
h" does, | can stu the cradle-do 90 To
bed" "
"No my child, am no, sleepy can
sit up ill You finish. You will 90 then,
will you not 7"
Maria blushed as she answered, "Not
until William comes home ~
"Not until he comes home he may
not he home till day light, and what
thanks will you get for waiting upI lie
will be IN pretty state when he does
come !"
As she spoke, the door opened and he
entered. The mother said the truth. -,
a pretty state he was in--his coat was
torn, his hat was smeared with mud and
his face told that he had been engaged
~ a fight of no slight impor.. lie grum-
IL asked for n light. Maria liz hted one
and handed it 10 him. She followed up
the work she had been previously en-
gagged in, and sal down TO mend the rent
in his coat. She then brushed it and
hung II on peg appropriated for It's use
next she freed the hat from its filthy
covering, and then went out to the shed,
aud brought thence tub, and prepared,
as late as was the hour, to wash the sollcd
G garments. Her mother sat gazing at
her in mute a,tonishment At length she
spoke Maria, are you mad, thus to
C countenance his evil doings Come to
bed--you see how he rewards your for
benrance. Why not take your children
and leave the miserable creature to his
own way ~
"Mother," said she IA she looked up
from her work, "he is my husband the
ialher Of my little ones, and as long as
my strength enables me 10 earn food, he
shall share it when we were first mar
RED he was kind even as you could wish;
i was poor, he was not rich, yet had
enough To make home comfortable Of
that home he made me mistress =
Through bad company he fell into vice,
from which unklndness can lever reclaim
him. ! have borne all four years with
out complaint, but do not suppose without
feeling Oh mother, when | see him
that love come home as he did tonight,
my heart almost breaks. And often, "a
j look back upon our happy days, and
think what William was then, the effort
| make Ia suppress my emotion, can only
br eqnalled by The icrvcncy with which
! pray for resignation" Tears fell from
her eyes as she continued -"Bui | will
never desert him his clothes, though
old, shall be neither ragged nor soied.
] will, ~ far as ! am able, perform my
duty the task il an easy one the only
reward that ] ask, mother, is an approv-
ing conscience. The mother did not
speak she knew Maria was resolute,
A nd n,w tbat har a,citad looI,,us ,..xo