The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1852-12-25

and anguish into the peaceful bosom o
their homes, and the gray hairs of thei
parents IN sorrow to the tomb
One bitter night of cold and storm
did Mrs. Neville and her daughter Lu
cy wait long and anxiously the re
turn home Of their beloved Charles
He had never remained out so late be
fore. Eleven twelve! midnight came
and went, and his we'll known footstep:
echoed not in the hall. Anxiety. dis
tress, nameless fear agitated Their
minds.
Lucy. my child" said Mrs. Neville
step to the door, and see if youl
brother is not coming, for l cannot en-,
dure this suspense
Lucy cast her eyes up and down the
long line of glittering lamps, but nc
human being could be seen, except a
solitary guardian of the night" who,
at the moment, cried out, "AIl's we'll ni
Oh, no alFs not well,' else would
our Charles be here" she exclaimed in
despair.
A dread of-they knew not what,
now fell upon these wearied watchers,
and they wept, clasped in each others
arms.
The sonorous peal of the "Hall Clock''
proclaimed the second hour of morning,
when Lucy, starting up, cried:
"Oh, mother! mother! l hear the
sound of voices, footsteps-hark! the
bell! he comesw With one bound she
gained the door, and as she swung it
open
Push him in," were the words she
heard in rough tones-"push him in
boys" and the senseless form of Charles
lay extended in the vestibule.
The rays of the lamp fell full upon
him, as Lucy, with her mothers aid
gently raised him from the floor. and
revealed the red and swollen features.
Woe woe to them at this sad sight
The truth, in its full force, had burst
upon them.
With exceeding difficulty they bore
him to a sofa, when they sat down be-
side him TO watch, and mourn over the
terrible change few hours had wrought
in the current of their hitherto peaceful
existence. The anguish endured by
them can only be appreciated by those
who have suffered from the same cause.
There lay the unconscious son and
brother. so lately the pride of their
hearts-the hope of their future wears
now loathsome inebriate, degraded.
lost! His certain ruin stared them in
the face; and through the seemingly
long hours of that mournful night. did
Mrs. Neville and Lucy paint, in imagi-
nation, too truly, the coming miseries
Of the future.
Never had they witnessed such
scene as this-never had the pure heart
Of the young maiden been shocked by
such a revelation from the shrine of
Bacchus. How fervently did their
prayers ascend on high, that the Father
't the Fatherless, and the widows God. |
would grant them power to arrest the
poor wanderers course, and lead him TO
repentance and reformation.
The early daylight was Just peeping
n at the curtained window, when |
Charles awoke, and with a half-con-
'cionsness, turned his eyes on his almost
'roken-hearted watchers. not knowing
low he came in his present position
With no recollection of the past night,
beyond the threshold OF the Club-room'
lie covered his eyes, and essayed to
rather his scattered aculties-when
he vision of the gambling iable-the
oss OF his money-and the Bacchana-
ian revery broke by degrees upon his
memory.
Mother! sisterw he at length cried.
come hither. Forgive. oh! forgive
ne; and if it be possible, forgive this
egrading spectacle"
With their arms clasped around him,
I'D the dear parent and beloved sister
he'd tears of forgiveness upon his head.
'ervent was the mothers prayer-soul-
tirrlng were the appeals that sister
1ade to his conscience; and he prom
'ed-yes, in penitence he promised to
'rsake the career he had commenced
to abandon his wicked associates. and
We hencefofth for their happiness
lone.
But Charles dared not disclose TO them
is real situation-how he had spent
is salary in dissipation and gambling,
nd encroached upon his inheritance
ow he had loaned sum after sum to
IS friend Philip, which was never in
ended to be repaid. He dared not in.
,rm them of the recent dissatisfaction {;
his employers, for he perceived that {
le truth was unknown to them-that
vii reports had been kindly averted
ON the domestic hearth of his home.
CHAPTER ".
For several weeks succeeding the I
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