The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1853-09-10
WECLE No 632

had a call for full match OF them, which
refused.
"Why do you come to me to be mar.
ried, my friend" said | to the man!
You are both too poor to live separate
and besides you are both terrible drunk.
ards, ! know you are"
"l hat is just what we want to get
married for, and take the pledge"
cake that first"
"No, We must take all together, moth.
ing else will save u.s.
"Will that!''
I at did one of our friends"
"W ell, then, 60 and bring that friend
here; let me see and hear how much it
saved him, and then will make up nv
mind what to do; if can do you any
good, want to do it,"
! "My friend is at work-he has got a
good job and several hands working for
hlm and is making money, and won't
qnt till night.-Shall | come this even.
ing!'
"Yes, ] will stay at home and wait
| for YOU"
little expected 10 see him again, but
about s o'clock the servant said that a
man and hi, girl, with gentleman and
lady were waiting IN the reception room.
| told him to ask the lady and gentleman
to walk up to the parlor and sit mo-
ment, while | sent the candidates Tor
marriage away, being determined to
never unite another drunken couple,
not dreaming that there was any SYM
patAy between the parties But they
would not come up; they wanted to see
that couple married. So went down
and found the squalidly wretched pair
in company with well dressed labor
ing man, Tor he wore a fine black coat,
silk vest, gold watch chain, clean white
shirt and crayat, polished calf-skin boots;
and his wife was just as neat and hdlly
dressed as any bodv's wife, and her face
beamed with intelligence, and the way
in which she cIung to the arm of her
husband, as she seemed to shrink from
my sight, told that she was a loving az
we'll as pretty wife.
"ThiS couple,' says the gentleman,
"have come to be married"
Yes, know It, but have refused.
Look at them; do they look like fit sub
ects for such holy ordinance! God
never intended those whom he created
in his own image should live in matr-.
mony like this man and woman. cam
not marry them"
Cannot! Why not? You married
us when we were worse of,-mcre dirty
worse clothed. and more intoxicated"
The woman shrunk back little more
out of sight saw she trembled vic.
lently, and put her clean cambria hand
kerchiei up to her eyes.
What could it meant Married them
when worse off! Who are they!
"HIave You forgotten us'' said the
woman, taking my hands IN hers, and
dropping on her knees; have you for
gotten drunken Tom and Magl We
have never forgotten you, but pray for
you every day."
81 you have forgotten them, you have
not forgotten the tW Openly marriage.
No wonder YOU did not know us. |
told Matilda she need not be afraid, or
ashamed, If YOU did not know her. But
| knew You would not. How could
youl We were in rags and dit then.
look at us now. All your work, Sir.
All the blessing of that pledge and the
marriage, and that good advice you gave
us. Look at this suit of clothes, and
her drcss--all Matilda's work, every
stitch of it. Come and look at our
house as neat as she is. Everything in
it make comfortable home; and oh,
Sir, there is q cradle in our bedroom.
Five hundred dollars already in bank,
and / shall add as much more next week
when | finish my job. So much for one
year Of sober life, and faithful, hon.
est good wife. Now, this man is as
good workman as am, only he Is
bound down with the calling letters of
drunkenness, and living with this wo-
man just as | did Now lie thinks he
can reform Just as we'll as me; but he
thinks he must take the pledge OF the
same man, and have his first effort sane
tilted with the same blessing, and then,
with a good resolution, and Matilda and
me to watch over them, | do believe they
will succeed.
SO they did. So may others by the
same means. married them, and as [
shoot, hands with Mr.. Citing, at parting
he left two CONS in my hand, with the
simple remark that there was another
two penny marriage fee, | was in hopes
that it might have been couple Of dol
lars this time, but said nothing, and
we parted with mutual God bless you.
When | went up stairs tossed the coins
into my wife's lap, with the remark,
"two-pennies again, my dear"
''Two pennies! Why, husband, they
arc aoo lns--rpal Golden paples w hat