The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1846-07-04
The Fruits of Intemperance.


Years passed away and numerous and va
ried were the changes wrought by the finger
of time; Mr. and Mrs. Blaisdell were gathered
to their fathers, and the rest ofthe grave was
sweet to them, as they went down TO it, laden
with years and infrmities. Children cluster
ed around the hearth stone of Charles and
Charlotte Austin, bearing the large hazel eyes,
the curled coal black hair, and the imperious
brow of the father, or they were azure eyed,
soft checked, and golden haired, like the
mother. Four were they in number, and the
youngest, the little Charlotte, soft, fair, ten
der nursing, lay in its mothers arms, and
nestled in her bosom. The same roof was
over the children that sheltered the mothers
days of childhood and infancy, and the state
ly and ancient furniture, upon which her eyes
had first fallen, and which her hands had first
handled, stood around her little ones. The
old family Bible lay still in its wonted place,
looking yet more worn and soiled by use than
formerly, and had its pages been closely scru-
tiniZed, they would have been found to be
stained here and there with tears. One
might also have missed from various places
about the house, articles of value, formerly
conspicuous, and though the lutte ones were
arrayed in garments most scrupulously clean,
yet their worn, faded, and repaired appear
ance, told of poverty. The ceilings of the II
pnrtments had also been neglected, and nee
ded to be white washed; the wainscoting was
dark for the lack ola new coat of paint, the
china tiles about the lambs of the fire place,
were here and there broken out, the windows
were cracked g. awkwardly mended, as ifby
an unsllilful hand, the shingles had in some
places fallen off the roof, and the paling was
reeing and tottering,as fit would fall to the
earth. All in and about the house told ofde-
c.,Y ~, vtrttoorln with EVpn
on the mistress of this dwelling, the bright
and beaming bride of ten years before, had
the blight fallen. The roses were washed
from her cheeks by frequent baths of tears,
sorrow had followed deep caves i'll her blue
eyes, and attenuated her symmetrical figure
her voice always soft and slvery, had learned
a cadence of sadness, and the very smile that
fitted over her wan face, had i'll it something
mournful and touching.
Alas, the demon of intemperance had here
commenced work of rum and death, and
the solemn vows of the husband pronounced
on this marriage night, were so far forgotten,
that he yielded to the tempter he once ablured
and was fast breaking the heart of his wife
and beggaring both her aud her children.
During the first few years of his married life,
Charles Austin battled successfully with all
the temptations that beset him, and in those
days of Iawless, unbridied indulgence, they
were not few, nor easily resisted. Vainly did
his companions raise the trimming cup to
his lips, vainly did the dramshop open to him
its enticing doors, and exhibit to him the i'm
posing furniture of its bar room. A beauti-
full boy, his first born babe, was laid in his
arms, and pressed to his heart, and just as the
little one was stepping from infantile help
lessness to lisping, leaping, prattling boyhood,
he gaZed on the velvet cheek, and heaven
dyed ewes of a second babe, an infant daugh-
ter These awoke within his heart new
spring of happiness, and weak and helpless
as they were, they bound him with more than
adamantine strength to his fire side, his duties
and his God. Charlotte, the youthful wife
and mother, became more and more the light
other husbands dwelling, and the idol of his
heart; and as he beheld her with the boldly
and darkly beautiful George beside her. and
the softer featured Emma at her bosom, he
envied no man his wealth, or happiness. The
DAYS that came and went, We're noted only
by the delights they waited to that happy
family, by the pure and unalloyed enjoyments
which they ministered.
But time came when desolating sickness
passed over their threshold; the aged parents,
Mr. and Mrs Blaisdell, fRst yielded to the
over of disease, and then for many days and
nights the little ones lowered at the graves
mouth; and hardly were they won from the
valley ofthe shadow of death, when the faith
err was seized by waning fever, which so
prostrated him, that but for the feeble and I'M
steady trembling ofhis heart, and the faint
light ofhis halfclosed eye, it could not be
said that he lived Only by the most watch