The Columbian fountain., 1845-11-11

room for the blessing of tears. N a.a
Mr.. Graham wasa merchant of high stand
ing in Philadelphia, where, for many wears,
he had been engaged extensively in the East
India trade Six beautiful ships foated for
years upon the ocean, returning at regular
intervals, freighted with the rich produce Of
the East and filing his Golfers, until thew
overiowed, with accumulating wealth. But
it was not wealth alone. that gave to Mr..
Graham the elevated social position that he
held. His strong intelligence, and the high
moral tone of his character, gave him an
estimation far above what he derived from
his great riches. In the education of his
children, four in number, he had been gov
erned by a wise regard to the effect which
that education would have upon them as
members of society. He early instilled into
their minds desire to be useful to Others,
and taught them the difference between an
estimation of individuals, founded upon their
wealth and position in society, and an esti-
nation derived from intrinsic excellence of
character. The consequence of all this was,
TO make him beloved by his family purely
and tenderly beloved, because there was
added 10 the natural affection for one in his
position, the power Of deep respect for his
character and principles.
Atthe time of his introduction to the reader,
Mr. Graham was forty five years old. Alfred,
his Oldest child, was twenty-onc; Mary,
nineteen; Ellen eighteen; and Anna Just en-
tering her sixteenth year. Up to this time,
or nearly to this time, a happier family cir
cled no hearth in the city. But now an evil
wing was lowering over them, the shadow
from which had already been perceived by
the mothers heart, as it fell coldly and darkly
upon it, causing it to shrink and tremble
with gloomy apprehensions. From early
manhood up, it had been the custom Of Mr..
Graham to use wines and brandies as literally
as he desired, without the most remote suspi-
cion once crossing his mind that any danger
to him could attend the indulgence But to
the eye OF his wife, whose suspicious had of
late been aroused, and her perceptions rem
dered, in consequence, doubly acute, it had
become apparent that the habit was gaining
a fatal predominance over him. She noted,
with painful emotions, that as each evening
returned, there wee to her eye too evident
indications that he had been indulging so
freely in the use of liquors, as to have his
m nd greatly obscured His disposition, too,
was changing; and he was becoming less
cheerful in his family, and less Interested in
the pleasures and pursuits of his children
Alfred, whom he had, UP to this time, regar-
ded with an earnest and careful solicitudc,
was now almost entirely left to his own
guidance, at an age, too, when he needed
more than ever the direction of his fathers
matured experience.
All these exhibitions of charge so un-
looked for, and SO terrible for IA wife and
mother to contemplate, might well dcpress
the spirits Of Mrs. Graham, and fill her with
deep and anxious solicitude. For some
weeks previous to the evening on which our
story opens, MIR. Graham had shown strong
symptoms almost every day-symptoms ap-
parent, however, in the family, only to the
eye OF his wife-of drunkenness. Towards
the close of each day, as the hour for his
return from business drew near, her feelings
would become oppressed under the fearful
apprehension that when he came home, it
would be in state of intoxication. This
she dreaded on many accounts Particular
ly was she anxious to conceal the fathers
alterations from his children. She could not
bear the thought that respect for onenow so
deeply honoured by them, should be dInin-
ished in their bosoms. She felt, too keenly,
the reproach that would rest upon his name,
should the vice that was now entangling,
obtain full possession of him, and entirely
destroy his manly, rational freedom of ac-
ton. OF consequences to herself and chill
drcn, resulting from changed external cir
cumstances, she did not dream Her hus-
bands wealth was immense and, therefore,
even if he should so far abandon himself as
to have to relinquish business, there would
be enough, and moro than enough, to sustain
them in amy position in society they might
choose to occupy.
On the occasion to which we have already
referred her heart was throbbng with suspense
as the hour drew nigh for his return, when,
sooner than she expected him, Mr.. Graham
opened the hall-door, and instead ofcntering
the parlour, as usual, proceeded at once to
his chamber. The quick ear of his wife de-
tected something wrong in the sound of his
footsteps--thc cause she knew too well.
Oh, how deeply she felt, while she strove
all in her power to seem unmoved while in the
presence Of her children Anxious to know
.bo ,y,r,t bo e,,y, ,o,ro1 a., hoe koo, eoo,