Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1846-05-21
Temnerance Prize Tales.

Two prizes, one of $50 and another Of S25
were offered last fall by the publishers Of the New
England Washngtonian for the two best Tales il.
Illustrating the nature aud effects OF the Washing
tonian Reform. oflhese prizes, the first has been
awarded to Mrs Mary Lvermore Of Fall River,
and the second TO Harrie,te NJ Carlton Of Dor
chester
Mrs Liyermore's tale, the Trials of Charlotte
Austin" appeared in the New England Washing
louian oflast week. We extract passage from it
promising that it is founded an facts lit is the pic
ture Of drunkard's wife.
One winiry afternoon, when huge drifts Of snow
blocked up the narrow and irregular streets Of the
CITY, when the ftlul wind which blew from all points
OF the compass dashed hither and thiiher through
the keen air the broad snow-hakes, Mrs Austin,
scaniily clad and lily calculated to brave the rag
ing tempest left her home TO seek one Of the numer-
Gus seamen's clothing stores, called "slop shops"
which were scattered throughout Ann street aud
its vicinity. In her hand was large bundle Of work
Just completed by herself, George and Emma, aud
upon the payment which she expecting for her
labor, the family was depending for their evening
meal During her absence, her husband staggered
hOmewards in shocking state OF lnebrety, where
Emma and Charles the younger son, en-
deavoring to amuse the infant Charlotte, not yet
as infancy ITSELF from a recent severe Illness and
who lay in the cradle, wailing her mother absence
As Mr. Austin approached the little one, and raised
her in his arms with the natural kindness which
not even intemperance could Danish from his ma.
ture, Emma, unaware Of her fathers deep intox-
icaton, accustomed as she TO seeing him more
less so, constantly and perceving that the babe
was quiet, ran down stairs TO the almost empty
wood-shed, where her brother George was seeking
! al f,ll
after her. Mr. Austin moved towards the fireplace
and endeayored to seat himself but losing his bal
ance, he fell aud in falling, the babe rolled from
his arms with its face downwards, into the fiery
bed of glowing Goals that lay on the hearth stone.
( The child was too much enfeebed by recent illness
to exlrcate itself the father so dreadflly inioxi-
Gated that some minutes elapsed before he was
| fully aware Of its condition, or could recover his
! feet; its cotton garments were then blazing, It's
tender face, neck and bosom were Kissing ON the hot
Goals, and its efforts to shrek were only convulsiye
and agonized gasps
One glance at his infants excruciating situation,
drove the fumes of intoxicalon from his brain;
clearness came to his hend steadIness 10 his hand,
| and with the quickness Of lightning he drew the
! burning babe from the flames, dashed over 1t a
vessel Of water and fastening to the door for
assistance, when the fleet and anxious footsteps OF
his wife sounded on the stairs and whittier than
the sheeted dead his tongue rigid with horror, with
the reeking, blsiered backened, form ofh babe
| in his arms, he stood face TO face with its moth
er
| Oh God who can tell the unspoken agony of
the moment paralyzed rooted to the floor il
transformed TO stone, with parted lips from whence
issued no sound, her heart beating loud and heavily
so that she almost reeled from the force of its sick
eninr throb she fixed her eyes steadily on her hus.
band for a moment, as tito read the whole tale,
and then prompted by she instincts of her maternal
heart, she threw of her trance of horror, and flew
to seek relief
But the poor little innocent had inhaled the
scorchnq gas of its fiery billow, and the severesI
of its burns, terrible as they were externally could
neither be seen or reached. The small veins oft
neck we're tense and knoiled under the quvering
flesh its every breath caused conyulsiye throes and
rolling upwards its sighlless eyes, spasmodicay
cenching its feeble hands, its delicate snews tight
ened with agony the hal-released soul that hung
quiveriug on its lips, was speedily freed.
II was months ere Charlotte Austin could throw
of from her spirit the horrible torpor which settled
upon her, after the agonizing death of her delicate
babe. 1t seemed as il paeness would never more
: leave her cheek, as if her eye would never more
burn steadily, her voice be cleared Of It's husk
ress as ifshe had forgotten even to smile or con
verse, for she moved about if all but the ANNA
mechanism Of her life were plrslyzed. None knew
the secret Of the accident which had occurred save
the parents, and the vague reply OF Mrs Austin
that "her babe fell in the fire during her absence,
fastened upon her the charge of carelessness ant
! neglect both among her neghbors, and IN tn
: muliiform accounts of the occurrence that loun'
their way into the city. She never rePeled tn
charge, but Chst-like, content TO bear the sin
+ of him who had so cruelty wronged her and hers
e and to receive the odium which he deserved
. With the same meek uncomplaining kindness, sh
e continued to minister TO his wants, uttering n
r words of harshness, looking rebuke save wha
= was conveyed by the mournful gaze of her eye