The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-09-08
MISCELLANE E0 US.
THE OLD MANS LESSON.
u. A TEMPERANCE SKETCH.

/ "Malcolm, wouldn't 90 on, tonight
Come. stay with me this evening" 49,
"Noi This evpnina, Aiiso. ] havo ProuI.
ised 10 NEE, some fiel,ds this evening, aud
| must keep my word. will be at home
in good season
- had hoped that should have your
company this evening. Come, why cant
you see IL caunot make you as happy as
! III, Sc companions whom yon are 10 meet =
Just this once, Malcolm, o, This once ".
"No, no, Alice. am going oul. What
crying! Now what's the use Of thai J.
Can't fellow 20 out once in while with
on, leaving crying wife!" .
81 can't help i, Malcolm. Blu, here -
kiss me beiuIe you 20" - ..y'
Thus spoke Malcolm Warren aud his
young wife Malcolm was young man,
iwenly.seven years Of age, and carpenter
by trade. His wife was one OF the sweetest
disposiloned girls in the town, and she
made one Of the best OF wives. She loved
her husband with the whole energy OF her
pure soul, and she knew that she was be.
love! in return. And yet there was cloud
upon her heart. Her two children, a boy
and girl, often saw her shed LEAFS when they
were alone with her in her snug little sill
liny room, aud the boy was old enough TO
ask what made his mother cry, but she dared
not tell him.
Malcolm Warren owned the little cottage
in which he lived, aud he had paid for il
out of his own hard earnings, while Alice
had borne her share Of the burden, by pur-
chasing all The iurhiture. Malcolm was
stout and healthy, and all excellent work.
man, and he had never yet seen the hour
when he needed TO lay idle for The want Of
work. A better. hearted youth lived not m
the town, and when he took the gentle Alice
for his wife, there was many n fair maiden
whose bosom gave place 10 kindly, wisi-
ful envy. They would not have robbed
Alice Ui her prize, but they only hoped that
their own lois might be a. fortunate. Why,
then, should cloud come upon that house
Why should Alice weep! Ah, for The same
reason that thousands Of our tairesl daugh.
iers weep. For the same reason that tears
are ever crying out their silent appeals Tor
mercy - Tears lha, run, and run, unlil they
make food that fairly shIieks as il rolls
over our land.
MALCOLM Warren had highly social ma
lure - his society was priced by all who
could secure lt-and he had been indulgins'
in the false smiles Of the wne-cup. For
the last year he had been allowing his ap-.
petite TO gain strength. Al firs, il was only
an occasional glass, then II was "a
glass, or so, ouce III a while,"- and then
one or two glasses day." Blu, lately he
had gone so far as 10 spend his earnings
away from home, aud ioI nearly two mon hs
past, he had spent all his money with his
jovial companions. Alice saw all lhs, and
she knew full well where it would end if
i, was not stopped. She knew her husbands
nature, aud she knew how, surely nc was
falling. SHE had whispered 10 him her
iears, and he had tried 10 laugh them OIL as
idle whims. She, had prayed TO him 10 stop
the fatal career while he yet hal strength,
pu, he had been offended because she should
think that he would ever become a drunk.
ard. So Alice was afraid to speak all her
fears. Ye she saw with clear eye all
that was coming. She saw the broad road
upon which her dear beloved was travelling.
aud her heart was aching. She knew ,ha,
even now WANT was staring them IN The
lace !, was autumn, and she had asked
Malcolm for mouey to buy warmer clothing
Tor herself aud children, and he had none
10 give her. Only a day before he had
brought home a small bucket Of Hour, in
stead Of sending hume a barrel, Us he used
to do He earned money, and where was
ii! Alas, poor Alice knew Too well. Aud
then sometimes Alice looked up in Mai
&C Inns face, aud she saw that lis manly
beauty was, beiny slowly but surely ealei'
away. The large blue eyes were grow ing
dim, bleared and blood-shoi, the once falr
cheeks were becoming swollen and bloaied,
and H. o lips looked dry and crackleJ. No
wonder she knell down by her bedside aud
wept
il was now Saturday evening, and NAL
coin. was going out. He was 10 meet some
OF his friends, aud Alice knew he was TO
NEE, them ut the tavern. He had worked
only three days during the past week, and
he had the pay Tor those three days work
| M his pocket. Tha, money was needed nj
home, bu, where would j, be OH the NOR.
row! '. .. ID. .
I" Malcolm, o do no, wholly forget your
fond, loving Alice, while you are gone!"
hut Malcolm did not answer. He kissed
mi. wife, however kissed her no. US he
used 10 DO, bul kissed hei merely because
she had asked hun to - and Alice sat down
and wept. She could moi help il. Her
darling boy crep, 10 her side, aud placed
his aims around her bended neck. He
asked no questions, but no asked her mol TO
cry. Ils LILLE mini seemed 10 have some
idea OF the coming Of a calamity. II must
have been vague, but Il was clear enough
10 preven, him forcing heihoughis upon his
mother. 0uce more be asked her not 10
cry, and then his own lille heart burst, and
the mother and child wep, together. This
was another drop in the poor wiie's cup Of
stilic,ion. Oh, how palpable now mus, be
her husbands course when even The pratt.
Ting child knew the danger But she
could ouly clasp her boy more tightly to her
paiu.sirickelI bosom, and pray uore ferven,.
| ". Aad The liuie boy, when his mother
had done Praying, said Amen" ID llp.y
1t was a clear cool evening, aud as NAL
colin Wauen stepped out inlo the street, he
seemed 10 shake himself. rs though he
would shake otf The influence Of the dear
place he was leaving. But he could not
wholly do il. He could no, Dive ,frcm his
mind the fearful counienance OF his fond
AMI faithful wife, nor could he forget the
look OF earnest, simple anguish ,hn, he had
uoiiced upon the IA, . Of The child. . YET he
tried TO crush the thoughts ,ha, were thus
lsptinging into lie. "Pooh ~ he said, rs