The national whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1847, 1847-07-24
\ CAPITALSs Story.
MY MOTHERss GOLD RING.
BY L.. M. SARGENT Eq.

little children has one Of the kindest fathers
IN the country. was thought the luck
lest girl in the parish, when c. tt
made me his wife: Thought SO myself.
Our wedding and il was happy on
was but an indifferent sample OF those days
ofrational happiness and uninterrupted hare
mony, which we were permitted TO enjoy
together, Tor the space Of six years. And al
though for the last three years Of our lives,
we have been as happy as we were at the
beginning, il makes my heart sick 10 think
OF those long, dark days and sad nights, that
came between; for, two years Of our union
were years Of misery. well recollect the
first glass of ardent spirit, that my husband
ever drank. lie had been at the grocery
TO purchase alille lea and sugar for the fam.
lily; there were three cents coming to HMM
change: and unluckIy, the Deacon, who
keeps the shop, had nothing but silver in
The till; and, as it was sharp, frosty NOR
ming, he persuaded my good man to take
his money worth of rum, for It was Just the
price OF a glass. lie came home in wonder
iul spirits, and told me he meant TO have
me aud the children better dressed, and as
neighbor Barton talked Of selling his horse
and chaisc, he thonghtof buying them both
and, when j said to him, g George we are
dressed as well as we canalIord, and hope
you will not think ofa horse and chaisc, till
we have paid offthe Squirrels mortgage" he
gave me harsh look and bitter word
/ shall never forgetthat day, for they were
the first ne ever gave me in his life When
he saw me shedding tears, and holding
my apron TO my face, he said lie was sorry,
and came to kiss me, and discovered that
ne had been drinking and it glieved me to
the heart. In a short time after, while Twas
washing up the breakfast things, | heard
our little Robert, who was only FIVE years
old, crying bitterly; and, going 10 learn the.
cause, met him running towards me with
his face alt covered with blood. 4
He said his father had taken him OIL his
knee, and was PLAYING with him, bur had
given him blow in the face, only because
he had said, when he kissed him, {. Dear
| papa you smell like old Isaac, the drunken
Fiddler" My husband was very cross 10
us all through the whole of that day; but
the next morning, though he said little, he
was evidently ashamed and humbled; and
he went about his work very industriously
and was particularly kind 10 little Robert.
| prayed constantly Cor my good man,
and that God would be pleased to guide his
heart Alright; and, more than week having
4 gone by, without any similar occurrence, ]
fattered myself n that he never would
do 60 again. But, in very little time, Ell
ther the Deacon was short Of change, as
before, or some tempting occasion presented
itself, which my husband could not resist,
and he returned home once more under the
influence Qfliquor. never shall forgetthe
expression Of his countenance, when he
came in, that night We had waited sup
per full hour, for his. return: the teapot
was standing at the FIRE, and the bannocks
were untouched upon the hearth, and the
smaller children were beginning 10 murmur
for their supper. There was ain understandable
Repression Of defiance on his conntenance,
as though he were conscious Of having
ldone wrong, and resolved to brave il out
We sat down silently to supper, and he
scarcely raised his eyes upon any Of us, du-
ring this unhappy repast. He soon went tn
bed and fell asleep; and after had laid our
It'll cones, forest, kneltat the foot the bed
on which mypoor misguided husband was
sleeping, and pourei out my very soulto
God, while my eyes we're scalded with the
bittcrest tears i had ever shed. For lhenl
loresaw, that, unless some remedy could be
employed, my best earthly friend, the father
Of my little children would become a drum
kard. The next morning, after breakfast, /
ventured to speak with him on The subject
in mild way; and, though could mol re-
train my tears, neither my words nor mys
weeping appeared TO have any effect, and |
saw that he was becoming hardened, and
careless Of US all. How many winter
nights have ! waited, weeping alone, at my
once happy fireside, listening for the lifting
latch, and wishing, YET dreading, TO hear his
steps at the door
| After ibis state Of things had continued,
or rather grown worse, for nearly three
months, put on my bonnet one morning,
after my husband had gone to his work, and
1 went to the Deacon's store; and finding him
alone,l stated my husbands, case, and beg
ged him earnestly TO sell him no more
He told me itwould do no good, for, ifhe did
not sell il, some other person would sell il
land he doubted if my husband took more
than was good for him. He quoted scrip
ture show, that it was wife's duty 10
keep at home, and submit herself 10 her
husband and not NEEDLE with things, which
did not belong TO IIer province AT this
fine two or three customers called for rum
and the Deacon civilly advised me to go
home, and look after my children.
4 went out Nth heavy heart 1t seem
edas if the tide,of evil was setting against
me. As was passing farmer Johnson's
on my way home, they called me in.
sat down and rested myself, Tor a few min