Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-08-18


III cowskin you. Cor
And he was about to lay bis hand on Erskine,
when the latter stepped backwards pace or
two, saying, as he did So
"Dnn', touch me, Bill Grimes! I've got the
devil in me now, and had as lief kill you as
look at you! So don't tempt me-"
"B,h" calculated the landlord, contemptu-
onsly, advancing again upon the inebriate and
making on attempt, as he did 80, to grasp him
by the collar, for the purpose of choking him in
TO submission. His hand had scarcely touched
the person Of E-skne, ere the latter. with de-
moniac cry, sprung upon him with so sudden
shock as to bear him TO the Anor As the land
lord fell beneath his assailant, the grip Of the
latter was on his throat. To free himself from
this, he deemed an easy thing but for once he
was in error. He was not now dealing, as he
supposed, with nerveless and exhausted drunk
ard whom child might overcome. The poor,
despsed wretch was suddenly transformed, by
an influx of malignant passions into the disor-
dered elements Of his mind, TO fierce wild beast.
There was an iron grip in his hand, as it tight
ened on the throat of his PROSTATE victim while
the terrible expires sion of his eyes and face too
clearly indicated his purpose to commit murder.
And fatal would have been the result, had not
the timely entrance Of a third person prevented
the catastrophe.
Il told you the devil was in me. i" said Erskine,
as he shook himself free from the hands of the
man who had dragged him from the fallen body
of the landlord, and stood glaring fiendlike de-
fance on the now thoroughly irigtened Grimes.
q" | meant to have killed you and feel doing it
yet. 1t would be nothing more than a just ret
rburon. You beggar and destroy, body and
SOUL poor wretch, while he has money to pay
you for the hellish work but, when every SIX
pence he had in the world lies safely in your tl
you would thrus, him out with biting insult, even
though he stands shivering in. nervous exhaus
ton before you, and almost begs for a muuhful
of stimulant to save hin from horrible madness.
Bill Grimes you NAV be thankful for your es-
cape now, but the work shall be done more sure
ly, if ever my hand reaches your accursed throat
again. Give me some brandy"
The last words were uttered in loud fierce,
commanding voice. Grimes waited not for their
repetition, but hurried into his bar and taking
} decanIer OF brandy placed it upon the counter.
This was sezrd by lrskine, and large glass
filled more than halt full Of the drugged and tie
, ry Ionnr ,hot pnsnpod ,vh, ,Ia ~ ravaroJ tho sy.
; ten. AT a single drau ht this disappeared, and
!, his hand was on the dccanter again. when both
the landlord aud The person who had just enter
ed inerposed TO prevent bis drinking any farther
Madly he resisted this Interference, but there
were two against him now, and. though he strug-
gled desperately, he was soon hurled into the
road, and the door barred against him.
flomeward the degraded man soon after turned
his steps. Homeward Had he home! Reader,
ten years have passed since you heard his mel
low tones swelling upwaIds on The evening air.
in beart.gushing thankfuIness for a home. He
was nan, then. A noble minded, unselfsh,
love inspired man, into whose arms, and upon
whose bosom, were folded household treasuers,
more priced than all worldly wealth or donors.
You saw The vine and flower wreathed cottage
Nesting benen'h the old ems, where Joyous
reunion took place after brief absence. You
entered, and gazed upon the happy gronp within,
and called that home an earthly paradise.
Go home with Henry Ersklne again. Only
ten bret years have passed. Is he still in the
cottage under The elns? No. no. render. You
will not find him there. Long, long. ago, his
wife and children passed weeping from its door.
Bat yondsr in that old, dingy hovr, the windows
shattered, The little enclosure broken down, and
every sign ofvegetation, except rank weeds,g ,e
there you will find the wrctched family Of Henry
Erskine An! no less changed are they. You
will look in vain, on their cosntenances for slgns
of gentle, loving affections. In the fall Of hun,
to whom they clunQ, they have also fallen-not
into the debasing slough of sensualny where he
lies PROSTATE and almost po~erless; but evil af
fec,ions have gradually prevailed, until the gar
den # their minds is overrun with thorns and
brars.
You enter the wretched habitation. Surely,
there must be some mistake In twice ten years
transformation such as this could hardly have
eyed woman who sits idle, and broodlng there,
as if all hope IN life had faded, cannot be tho
once glad hearted Mrs. Erkskne of Elm Cot
tage?" These hungry, miserable clad, prema-
turely old looking children-are they the same
we saw in that pleasant home, SO gay and glad
with their happy father? 1t is incredible. This
cannot be The home Of man. Alas, no ! 1t is
the abode OF demon. And, sne he enters
now, the dwelling accurscd by his presence.
Not as man comes he, with blessings for the
beloved inmates, but as demon, scattering
curses. The mother starts up, the children
shrink away-all feel the shadow that rests upon
their spirits grow darker.
From some cause the wretched being Is IN an
unwonted state of excitement. There IS some
,hirg fearful to look upon his face--a demon'ac
expression that appals. He is angry with hi'n-
self angry with everything. 10 bic heart Is
fierce desire TO commit violence.
sHa! wha, are you doing here?" he cries,
on discovering that his oldest boy is in the room.
/" Why have you come home?"
The frightened lad stamners out something
about having offended his master, and being
turned away from his place. Really lnnocen.
of any deliberate fault is the boy He is not
the wronger but the wronged. He has tried
TO please hard exacling master, but failed il
the etfrt. All this the mother comprehends.
But the insane father takes everything for
granted against his son. SEEKING him cruelty
BY the hair, he strikes him with his cllnched 6st.