Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1844-11-29
THE FIRST GLASS!
A TALE OF THE MIDDLE WALKS OF LIFE
ny D. b., OF LOUISIANA.
Taste not the wine within the cup
Let not that curse be thiue s---a sflis


IT'S rich and red, but grief and woe f,.i
Are hid in its rosy depths below-WILLIs.
ELLEN CANNING had, when yet mere
child, plighted her troth ito love and honor"
talented though dissonte young man, of
slender income and expensive habits In
vain her relatives argued that such an union
could promise nought save misery; but the
warm-hearted girl had pleaded so earnestly,
that since Harry Marston had separated
himself from his former gay companions, he
no longer frequented theatres, bar-rooms.
clubs or biliard-rooms," as TO draw reuc-
tant consent from her father, though the old
gentleman limited that the loss of his situa-
ton as book-keeper for the extensive western
commisson-house Of the BIS was ow-
ing to his sad propensity for tipling.-
Though Ellen could not defend the past, she
spoke with proud security of the future, in
the simple appeal, "but he has Joined
Temperance SOeiety, now papa"
Alas, poor girl she knew not that he
whose cause she was so warmly pleading
had often before signed the temperance
pledge, and so often unable to resist tempta-
ton, back-sidden from his promise, atho'
he felt it ensranged him from the esteem
and confidence of kindrid and friends For
the first few months after their marriage
Marston's conduct babe fair to fulfil bis
wife's prophecy for the future; but again,
strange iniatuationl he, without any par
ticuar cause or inducement, tried another
first glass, and, by way of indemnIfying him
self for past abstinence, drank to such ex-
cess as TO lose his employment of book
keeper and once more ALLEVIATE the respect
and confidence Of his (rends-aIl save one.
that one, his patient, accomplishing wife
she still remained the same
Soon they were reduced from respecta-
BILE competence to poverty, and, by as rapid
Transition, from poverty to absolute penury /;
and Ellen with an infant daughter, was at
last compelled, by the fear of seeing her
babe die from want Of the care and COM
forts she might secure to it beneath her
fathers roof, to accept for il and herself that
asylum which was not extended to her
drunkard husband.
Although MIR. Canning refused to admit
Marston an inmate of his family, still for
EIlen's sake he furnished the miserable and
now thoroughly repentant man with respect
able clothing, (even his clothes had been
pawned at the o0bdretS for drains J and in
consideration of his onve more signing the
temperance pledge, under solemn promise
not to violate it, he furnished him also with
letters to respectable mercantile house in
Cincinnati He left New Orleans immedi-
ately, and was shortly after his arrival in
stalled in Cincinnati as book-keeper TO the
firm to whom he was recommended. For a
year his conduct gave entire satisfaction ;
out Of his salary he sent regular remittances
to new Orleans, to pay off the debts con-
tracted during his terms of inebriety Dur
ing the year his regular upright conduct and
attention to business so pleased his employ
ers that, unsolicited, they raised his salary
inasmuch that he ventured to write to Mr..
Canning, to whom he had promised neither
to write to his wife nor by any yer bal mes
sage endeavor to induce her 10 Join him.
He now wrote, confident in his present up
right course and tried abstinence, praying
that Ellen might be permitted to come, 70
him. A kind answer was returned, and in
another month Ellen rejoined him in Cincin-
natl.
Another year passed, and Marston was
left, comparatively wealthy by the death oil
his father, "a coffee Nsnter in the West In.
} dies) and had entered the commercial house
of which he had been book-keeper, as a
partner During that year his farniIy had
received the addition OF a boy, a beautiful
healthy child, and Marston might ever be
seen, when returned from his office, carry.
ing the rosy boy in his arms, his favorts
pride and plaything. What though he fell
fathers pride in his eldest child, the beau
tfnI little Althea, with her deep blue eye,
and dark curling hair, still was she to hin
more as stranger and he never replied tc
question of her age. that she was foui
years old, without signing inyoluntarily a
RI the thought of how small portion Of tina
time she had been permitted TO know him
} None Of those narrowing recollectlons were
his, as he tossed his little rosy, laughing boz
on high, or nightly whisted him to sleep.
And Ellen was happy-happy in the az
fectionate kindness of the man whom she
had never upbraided in his folly and degra
datiop, now that he was restored to her, t
himself and society. She once more, as il
days when grief alone by name she knew
felt thankful forhis reformation, and dreames
, that haDcyou days were yet in store for her.
|, Alas that the brightest dream of fon'
J wife and mothers existence should b.
: broken, rudely and forever, by that fata
curse-one more first glass.-Yet SO il wa
with poor Ellen's dream Of hope and hap
: piness
| On returning home from his Office on
evening, Marston, being caught in Shove
: stopped in a tavern, where were ASSEMBLIES
many Of his acquaintance, some reading tn
papers, others talking politics around III
bar. Marston complained of being wei
and was advised to take glass of brandy