The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-09-13

hts Whch hl last he altlitt AMI ihn dOotOr
hoped there would DO no lasting miA6hicf tto
pratle went on w his sleep, I'LL hia mother
prayed that he might become silent, and look
Ike himself again. Ile booaHle silent. but ho
never more looked like himself Amer he
seemed 90 h. we'll, be dropped one pretty
word ailor another--yery slOwly--Week by
week, for long months; but tho end OF Il was
that hegruw up dUmb idiot.
Ills father had heart and conscience enough
10 be touched by this "a the point Of relorna.
ton For some months he never went down
into the valley az ALI except 10 church, for
fear OF being tempted 10 drink, lie suffered
cruelty, IN body as we'll a. mind Cor time,
and Janet wished u had pleased God 60 take
the child at once, hs she inarod hor husband
would never recover hiasplrlts with that sad
spectacle always before his eyes Yet she
did not venture TO propose any change Of
scene or amusement, for fear oC the consr-
quenee. She did her utmost 90 promote
chcorfnlness at home; but Il was a .greAt day
~ NOT Wiiru nackhouse, paying mn rVrtnr
visit, with bic pack, produced among the
''haadhills of gllleh he aaA tho hAMker. one
which announced a temperance meeting in
the next vale. The temperance movement
had reached these secluded wales NJ last, where
" was only too much wanted; and 90 retired
had been the life Of the family Of the High
] N's"Nfh'g HttA NhA NNfil nfNNn 4itAi~w
They hrard much OF IL now; for Backhouso
had sold good many ribbons aud gay shawls
among members who were about 60 attend
temperance festivals. When lac told of pro-
cesslonsi aud bands OF music, and pubic tea
drinkinRs aud speeches, and capping, with
plenty OF laughter, and here aud there even
danoingtor pie-nio on a mountain, Janet
thought ~ the gnycst news she had ever
heard Hers would be change, aud sOciOly,
and amusement for her hushand--not only
without danger, but the very object of senir-
ing him from danger. Raven was 90 heartily
willing, that the whole household made a
grand day ofit--laborer, OF cowboy and all
The cows were MIXED early, and for once
len for few hours Tho house was shut up,
the children carried down by father & moth
or and after merry afternoon, the whole par
~ came home, pledged tcelotailcrS
lhis event made great change IN Ra-
vcnH life. ile could go down among his old
acquaintances now, for he considered himself
safe man; and Janet could encourage his
going, and bc easy about his return; for she
too considered all danger over. Both were
deserved as to the. KIDD aud degree of safety
caused by vow.
! Tho vow was good.n NJ Ear as II prevented
the introduction Of drink at home, and gave
I opportunity far -thn smell. and the habit, and
the thoGgl,of drink 10 die out 1t was good
I a. a reason for refusing whUu buyer or seii-
I erin the vale, Offered TO seal bargain with n
dram. IL was good as keeping all knowledge
OF drinking from the next generation in the
7 ASusa. 1t zaa good hs giYing a man a char
actcr in the eyes OF his ncigh6ors and his pas
tor. But, was it certainly aud invariably
good in every crisis Of temptation Would
it act as n charm when weak man--a man
weak in health, weak IN old associations weak
/ ss, AL al,.II a.. A..
ry company of old comrades, with fumes of
sisstszs r~ury Understanding his
mind before drop had passed his lips Ra.
Won came 20 know, as many had learned be-
fore him, that self-rcstraint is too serious
thing To lie attained at a ship, in n moment,
I by taking an oath; and that reform must have
gone deeper, and risen higher, than any pro-
cess ofsudden conversion, before man should
venture upon Rvow; and in such case, a
vow is not needed. Aud il man is not
strong enough for the work OF moral restraint
his vow may become snare, aud plunge him
! into two sins instead 0r one. A Temperatures
pledge is an admirable convenience for the
4,secure; but it must always be doubtful whcth-
or II will prove a safeguard OF snare TO the
inhrm. II they trust wholly to IL, IL will, too
probably, becomo n snaro--and thus it was
with poor Raven. When the temperance
lecturer was gone, and the festival was over,
and the iiags were put away, and the enthusi-
asm passed. while his descents among his old
companions were continued, without fear
or prccaution, he was in circumstances too
hard for vow the newncss OF which had ia
ded. He hardly knew how it happened. He
was, as the neighbors said, overcome Ills
senses oncc opened TO the old charm, the sew
en- devils Of drink rushed into the swept and
garnished house, and the poor sinner was left
in worse state than ever before.
Farworse for now his acN respect was
entirely gone There is no need TO dwell on
the next ycars--the increase OF the mortgare
the decrease OF the stock--the dilapidation
of house, barn and stable,--tho iii-health and
discomfort at home, and the growing mofose-
nCss OF him who caused the misery.
No more festivals now 10 talk TO the chill
dren Of future dances and so few purchases
OF Backhousc, that he ceased TO come, and the
household were almost in rags. No more go
ing to church, therefore, for anybody When
the wind was in the right direction for bring
ing to the 'uplands the din-dinniug OF the
chapel bell, Janet fixed to hear Il though il
was no summons 10 her 10 listen TO the prom
ises. The very sound revived the promises
in her u,ind. But what conld she mako of
them now2 An incident unspeakably fearful
TO her, suddenly showed her how she Ought to
view them. The eldest girl was nursing her
bfOtucNb ~ utF WntiG tNe
younger children were at atplay,when the poor
fellow pestled close to her. ulH
"Poor Ban = said she. "You can't play
about and be merry, like the Others but I
will always take care of you, poor DAM
Little Willy heard this and stopped his
play. In another moment his face flushed, |
his eyes flashed, he clenched his hands, he e. |
ven stamped, as he cried out,
sMotheF it's too bad why did God mako
Dan different from the rest 2" ,-
His panic-stricken mother clapped her
hand over his mouth. But this was no answer
to his question, She thought she must be |
wicked mother that q child Uf hurs should ask + +
such question as that It was not often that
she wepG but she wept sorely now 1t bfot I
her back tS the old lesson Of seed-time and
harvest 20 The promise here, too, failed, be-
cause the conditions were not ful6lied The
hope had been brekep by a collision with the
great natural laws, under which alone all L
prumife can be fulfilled. But how 10 explain 1
this tn Wiiiyp How teach him that the Heav- +
anlv EaAhfr had uaafiu Dan aai xohle Ettla