Litchfield enquirer., 1846-04-30
Temperance Prize Tales,

lCMptTuuCG fTiZt EuItS.
Two prizes, one of $50, and another of
$25, were offered last fall by the publishers
of the New England Washingtonian for the
two best Tales illustrating the nature and
effects of the Washingtonian Reform. OF
| these prizes, the first has been. awarded to
Mrs. Mary Livermore Of Fall River, and
| the second to Harriette III. Carlton Of Dor
chester. .,.
Mrs. Livcrmorc's tale, the E" Trials Of
Charlotte Austin," appeared in the New
| England Washingtonian of week before last
We extract passage from it, promising
that it is founded on facts,-it is the picture
of drunkard's wife.
One wintry afternoon, when huge drifts
of snow blocked up the morrow and irregu-
T lar streets of the city, when the ftful wind
which blew from all points Of the compass
dashed hither and thither through The keen
air the broad snow-fakes, Mrs. Austin,
scantily clad, and lily calculated to brave
the raging tempest, left her home TO seek one
of the numerous seamen's clothing stores,
called "slop Shops" which were scattered
throughout Ann street and its vicinity. In
her hard was a large bundle of work just
completed by herself, George and Emma,
and upon the payment which she was ex-
| pecting for her labor, the family was depend
! ing for their evening meal. During her abb
sence, her husband came home in a shocking
state Of inebreity, when Emma, and Charles
the younger son, were endeavoring to amuse
the infant Charlotte, not yet year old,
who, always 3elicate,was now helpless as in
| fancy itself, nunr aSrrlit severe 1HneSS, anu
] who Law in the cradlewaiiing her mothers alb
sence. AS Mr., Austin approached the lit.
tie one, and raised her in his arms with na,u-
raj kindness which not even Temperance
could Danish from his nature, Emma, una
ware of her fathers deep intoxication, &C
customed as She was TO seeing him more or
less so, constantly, and perceiving thai the
| babe was quiet, ran down stairs to the almost
empty wood shed. where her brother George
was seeking fuel to prepare their supper, and
| Charles followed after her. Mr.. Austin
moved towards the fireplace, and endeay-
ored to seat himself; but losing his balance,
| he fell and in falling, the babe rolled from
his arms, with his face downwards, into the
fiery bed of glowing Goals that lay on the
| hearth stone The child was too much ell
feebled by recent illress TO extrcate itself,
the fath,r so dreadfully intoxicated that
some minutes elapsed before he was fully a
ware of its condition, or could recover his
feet; its cotton garments were then blazing
its tender face, neck and bosom were Kissing
on the hot Goals, and its efforts to Shrek
were only convulsive and agonizcd gasps.
One glance at his infants circulating
situation, drove the fumes of intoxication
from his brain; clearness came to his head
Esteadiness to his hand, and with the quick
ness of lightning he drew the burning babe
from the flames, dashed over it vessel OF
water and was Fastening to the door for as
sistence, when the fleet and anxious foot
steps of his wife sounded on the stairs, and
whittier than the sheeted dead, his tongue
rigid with horror, with the reekine, blister
ed, blackened. form of his babe in his arms
he stood face to face with its mother.
Oh. God who can tell the unspoken ago
nv of the moment paralyzed, rooted to the
floor as if transformed to stone, with parted
lips from whence issuei no sound, her hear
beating loud and heavily, SO that she al
most reeled from the force of its sickenlne
,hrob, she fixed her eyes steadily on he
husband for a moment, as Ito read the whole
tale. and then prompted by the initinct
of her maternal heart, she threw of he
trance of horror, and flew to seek relief.
But the poor little innocent had inhaled
!, the searching gas of its fiery billow, and thu
. severest of its burns, terrible as they wer'
externally. could neither be seen or reached
The small veins of its neck were tense ant
s kno.ted under the quivering flesh its breatl
caused convulsive throw, and rolling up
wards its sightess eyes, spasmodicaH.
clenching its feeble hands, its delicate sinew
frightened with agony, the half-released sou
E that hung quiyering on its lips, was speedily
. freed.
1t was months ere Charlotte Austin coul
throw off from her spirit the horrible torPo
which settled upon her, after the agonizin
. death of her delicate babe. 1t seemed as
paleness wonlt never more leave her cheet
as ifher eye would never more burn steadli
or her voice be cleared of its huskiness, as
. she had forgotten even to smile or conyeIs'
for she moved about as IL all but the anima
!, machinism Of her life were paralyzed.-
= None knew the secret of the accident whic
, had occurred save the parents, and tn
vague reply of Mrs. Austin, that "her bal
fell in the fire during her absence, !" fastene
upon her the charge of carelessness and neg
r lect, both among her neighbors, and in ii
multiform accounts of the occurrence tn;
found their way into the city, She never #
q PEELED the charge, but Christ-like, was col
: tent to bear the sins of him who had SO cr'
ely wronged her and hers, and TO receive Il
odium which he deserved. With the san
meek, accomplishing kindness, she continr
ed to minister to his wants, utteriDg /
- words of harshness. looking no rebuke sa'
what was conveyed by the nournfnl gaze
hep.eye,