Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-06-11

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tho lovclost VILLAGES in the South. 1t was there
he saw Idella Chandler. She was Just seven
teen; and such was the gentleness and amlabil-
itv of her disposition that few months asso-
citation was sufficient to win his affections. He
wooed her and was successful. They were as
happy pair as ever knelt before the bridal altar;
and none that gazed upon him, as he stood in
the manliness of his youth, or upon her, as she
trembled beneath robe of purest white, (beau-
ti(uI emblem of spotless hearty and were unit
ed in the most haowed relation on earth,
would have dreamed that shadows would ever
darken the brightness of that path on whose
Aowery threshold they were then SHADING.
At the time our story opens, they were living
in retired cottage house, short distance from
town Two years had glided by since their
marriage and the morn of their welded love had
been unclouded The frank ingenious nature
of William Pemberton, made him the easy sui
ect of temptation and unfortunately his resis-
lance was but too unsuccessful For some
weeks he had returned home late at night, main
tanning throughout the evening "A silent and mo-
rose manner He gave as his excuse, that the
opening of his fall stock of goods required his
unceasing attention. and the confding Idella, with
crcdulity nseparable from true affection, doubt
ed it not. Perhaps if she had marked closely
the expression of his eye, or had narrowly watch
ed his step, the wildness of the one and the I'M
steadiness of the other, would have revealed
with too dreadful a certainty, the fearful peril to
which he was exposed, She knew he was not
as he once was, but the voice of affection whis-
percd an excuse for him, in the worldly cares by
which he was surrounded OF his absence, she
had not as yet complained but when her babe
sckened, she ventured to plead for the company
of her husband, and she prevailed. The recov-
cry Of Agnes was rapid During the evenings
which William passed at home, it seemed as if
All his former tenderness returned. He read
to his wife, and hung around the couch of the
little invalid, with husbands kindness and a
fathers love. When the child had recovered
entirely, William spent his evenings with his
family, for time, in rambling or reading 1t
was season of quietude and peace. Gradually,
however, he returned to his former habits
drank deeper and deeper into the wine cup, I'M
til it cast off the bonds Of moral restraint, and
bound him in its damning vassalage. ldeIIa-
the gentle the devoted IdelIa-was the last to
believe William Pemberton drunkard
1t was wild stormy night in the winter Of
1910. The wind blew in fitfu gusts, and the
snow fell through the cIapboard roof Of miser-
able hoyel in one ofthe streets Of. Gathered
around a handful Of wasting embers in tina
wretched hut was pale woman and two chill
dren one daughter about fourteen, the othe
a son seemingly about six years old. The moth
er was sewing by the feeble light of an Of,
lamp fastened to the wall, while the daughte
read the experience of reformed drunk ard
which had been slipped under the craggy doc
shutter, by some unknown friend This wa
the once happy IdeIlu Pemberron, and her wors
than orphan children. Her husband had dranl
until he was sot-nay more, he wa<
paper.
His property was gone, his kindness wa
gone, and upon the feeble IdelIa and her daugh
ter fell the support Of the family. She was
combined with those Of the body, were wasting
her away 1t was apparent that without chang
she would soon be beyond the griels that wer
Ipreying on her BOSOM Yet she murmured moi
Amid the want that poured upon her, and tn
reproaches of her husband, she was uncomplau
ing. Her trust was in God. To him she ha
committed her cause, and upon him she reste
for support,
'Oh, mother, what shall we do! Is there IL
hope for my dear fa-, exclaimed Agnes lay
ing down the tract, and sobbng as finer hear
would break
Yes, my child, there is hope in God. II
has said, call upon me in the day of trouble an
| will deliver thee In him have confidec
and in him do l still hope He has never 70
saken us altogether, nor will he while we tru
in him.
Dear mother how can bear it! You ar
dying every day, and when you are gone VIII
will become Of me and my poor little brotht
Willie? Oh, mother, can we get father to sig
the pledge!'
Be calm my child. The Lord is good al
should he take me, he will provide for you an
your brother You must go before him with {
your wants. Take your fathers cause befol
him through Jesus Christ. Remember the pror
Use is, that if you ask you shall receive. Ca
your burden on him and he will sustain you
- My dear mother, let us go to him nowi-
Let us kneel before him here | feel as if
would answer our prayers. | know he will
8. Oh mother; lei US try and prove him he
now"
And in that lonely hour, while the wild wiz
was moaning piteously without, and coldne
was pinching the sufferers within, did that 9
and her mother bow low before God to test
-, faithiuIness. And never did purer aspiratio
''u ascend to Heaven, than the pleadings of Il
.eq suffering band. Never did angel watcht
assist by their ministrations in holier cause
ns' 1t was the agony of breaking heart as it gro;
'le ed under the accumulated wrongs of years.
!" The vision of the past swept before the wretc
you ed Idallo and hnr co,,I eoornoJ ,o o,,I,,I,