Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1853-04-12
.IilssIlsH.1 lysall s. EE1EssDEA.I sE.I a01slaa,
THE mUsBAND's PRESENT.
by A JoURNEYMAN PRINTER.

- i u
fourth of December. The snow lay damp
" upon the frozen earth, and the bright moon,
, riding half way up the heaven, lent crys-
taline luslre 10 The scene. In the high road (,
q aishor distance from quiet, reposing vii
: lage, stood the form of human being.
His garments were scant and iallered--by
far too insufficient to keep OUT the biting
frost; his frame shook and ,rembled like
the icebound boughs of the weeping-wil-
low that grew near him, and his face as the
moon.beams danced upon it, exhibited all
The fearful footprints Of the demon-lN-
a. TEMPERANCE. Poor, wrelched, debased, he
- looked--apd speh,, ip .ru.ly, he was.
Before him, OF the end Of q neatly fenced
and lrellised enclosure, stood a small cot.
,age. Twas elegant in its simple nealness,
and just such an ore as the humble lover OF
true comfort and joy would seek for a
home. The tears rolled down the bloaied
cheeks Of The poor inebriale, as he gazed
upon the cottage, and, q. length, as he
% clasped his hands in agony, he mur-
mured:
ESQ "Oh, thou fond homo Of my happier
days, thou lookest like heaven of the
past! Beneath that roof, was married to
The idol of my soul, nnd within thy peace.
ful walls, God gave me Two blessed chill.
dren. There, peace and plenty were mine,
and love and joy were mine. My wife
God bless her gentle sou-was happy then;
and my chidren--may heaven protect
them - laughed and played in gleesome
pleasure. Gadness played upon US then.
and every hour was session Of bliss. But
los, them. as a fool looselh his own saliva.
alion! Six years have passed since the de-.
mon that took 10 my heart drove me from
yon she'lering roof. And those six years!
Oh. what misery, what anguish, what sor.
rows, and what degradation, have they not
brought upon me. and my poor family
Home. health, wealth, peace, Joy, and
friends. all gone-uI, all gone! Oh, thou
fatal cup!-no, will not blame thee. Ii
,.- was II who did it. Year after year,
o., ,ampered with Thy deadly sting, when
knew that destruction lurked in thy smile.
But, but" and The poor nan raised his eyes
10 heaven, as he spoke, "There is room on
earth for anolher man-and will be lha,
manl' ....
Within The only aparmen, of misera
Bile and almost broken. down hovel, sat a
woman and two chiIdren--a boy and girl,
The cold wind found It's entrance through a
hundred crevices and, as is biting gusts
swept through the room, the mother and
children crouched near to the few embcrs
that still slumbered upon The hearth. The
only furniture were four poor stools, q
- rickety table, and scanti,y. recovered bed
whl'c, in one corner, nearest 10 the fire
pace, was hemp of straw and ,alered
blankets, which served as q resung.placo
Tor The brother and sister. Part of tai.
low candle was burning upon the table
and, by its dim light, one might have seen
that wreIched mothers counlerance. i
was pale, and wan, and wet with tears
o.. The faces Of her children were both buried
In her lap, and they seemed 10 sleep peace
fully under her prayerful guardianship.
Al length, the sound Of footsteps on the
snow.crusI, struck upon the mothers ears
and, hastily arousing her children, she hur
rled them TO their owey bed; and hard,
had they crouched away beneqlh the ,hir
blankets. when the door was opened, anc
The man, whom we have already seen be
lore the pretty cottage, entered the place
With fearful and trembling look, the wife
gazed up into her husbands face, ant
seemed ready 10 crouch back from, his an
proach, when the mark of a tear drop upor
his cheek, caught her eye. Could it be
thought she, that the Peurly drop was. il
ruth, a iearl No, perhaps a snowflake
had fallen there, and melted.
Once or twice, Thomas wilkins seemed
upon the point Of speaking some word tc
his wife; but, at length, he turned slowI,
away and silently undressed himself, AM
very soon alter his weary limbs had louche
81 the bed, he was sound asleep.
' ''' Long and earnestly did Mrs. Wilkin
gaze upon the features Of her husband
: aher he had IulIen asleep. There wa
= something strange in his manner some
thing unaccounlable; surely, he had nc
been drinking, for his counlenance hat
none OF those vacant, wild, demoniac look.
" that usually rested there. His features wer
rather sad and thoughtful, than otherwise
and-Oh, heavens, is il possible!-a smil
\ played about his mouth, and sound, as
-,aoi prayer, issued from his lips, while he We
Il 7tslepll b. gs5 ,.s. rs,er
fF@saf-'r'N' "oPet ING 'ne misty Vap0f oil ap
preaching morn, hiied before The hear
4 broken wife. But she could moi grasp it,
| n and had no foundation for il; and, with
| II deep groan, she lei The phantom pass. Sh
| went 10 her children, and drew the clothe
more closely about them; she then kne. b
| their side, and, after imprintng on The
] cheeks mothers kiss, uttered a reryer
prayer in their BEHALF and sought the rt
pose Of the piliow, ~ q
! % Long before the morning dawned, Thon
as Wilkins arose from his bed. dressed hin
sell, and left the house. His poor wi
\ awoke, just as he was going oul, and 81
= would have called to him, but she dar,
not. She would have told him that 81
had no fuel, no bread-not anything wi
which TO Warm and feed the children; bu,
was gone, and she sank back upon her pi
dow, and wep,. ~ M :
: eds The light Of morning came, at lOnpt
bu, Mrs. Wilkins had not risen from q
sher resling.place. A sound of foots,c
siwas heard from Without accompanied by
poise. as though light sled were bel,
dragged through the snow. Tho do
. " onened, and the husband entered He In