The Rutland County herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1852-1855, 1854-02-24

Ns,rr hluis ess o. ressl
4, ,n, v,-alaua irtrcat.
~ vherr eiuia vs rvc, b. hsvs en' the" ''
rbcy dro,c rapidly, aud talked
miuhiully. aud soon reached ih,ir des- .
t,nniion. thc ballroom of ihr Clo,tr
neck tavern. 10 which that night po-
liiical speech was 90 be- made, Vt wa-
late aud raining Whcu the meeting
broke up and q portion Of ih, as-cm
hIpee adiourued TO The bar-room. lo
talk III ihcir cNriicmcni ani pr,judpe.
We'll boy., said our lrhu, who was
moved to thc highr. pitch Of lly best
humor by ihr politicians ,pccch, Who
chupccd o. inject his ideas rXartly, j
feel "a, f huio drop ct something
would do me good and he.id,- | van,
you 10 Join me IN drinking The health Of
the applc-cnners. Here, be- continued
G, hibi'ipr a bottle TO the circle about
MIN, " ho Of ,ou will take oil lhc head
Of ihi. Lady Anne =
Bat one borlc did not suffice. nor two.
nor three; the spirits OF the company
rose high. Strong and stronger drinks
were called iur--the wood-chupprr pro-
testing that he could stand treat as
VOL o. another, aud especially urging
the liquor upon his friend Ieh, topping
oil with, Darn the expense old fcller;
diiuk aud forget your sorroWs aud Mol
" into the bargain Ieb declined at
Grsl replying that he di1ri care any
thing oboul Molly; but i, would not DO;
hr WIS asked if he feared 10 veN the
/ proudy. aud had SO soon surrendered
[ hi> manhood TO her caprice. Al ns
/ hc yielded 10 the current so strongly
/ set against him. and swearing u great
oath. drank off more brandy thnn might
J safely be taken by the most habitnnl
/ iippler But il is not necessary that
linger on that dreadful night Alas,
for poor /'.h it was night that for
him never had an ending.
The sun was struggling up and the
m-is were rising out OF the ground like
hot steam. when the wuod-choppcr drew
up his cart before the old farm house F..
and arou,iug hi, companion from the
straw in which he lay in fr,ercd aud
maddcnad sleep, assisted him 10 the
ground, balancing him on his feet a.
one might little Child. and ,tcadird
him a. he tried To walk, for he stag.
gercd ieebly one way and the other,
telling the chopper he didn't care darn
who saw him, thai be was just ~ good
as any man, and that Molly Blake was
the preiiest girl ia the world. and he
would fight anybody who said she was
not.
Come, Ztb,' said his companion,
have more pluck don't talk 50 like n
fool ! and passing his arm around him,
he continued, 'br like mc-be Ike a
gentleman And with such encuur-
ngemcnt, hc brought his friend as near
the house as he dared. and lcfl him Ia
make his entrance alone.
"Xebulon Sands, said hi father. meet
ing him AT the door, aud giving the So.
veresi expression to a naturally severe
countenance, ARE you not ashamed to
show your face 10 me wish you
had died before ! saw This day. don't
want 10 see nor speak with you, be
continued. ill sou can behave yourself
better. Ruth stood by, speaking not
a word, but looking her contempt and
Indignation, while Xrb staggered against
the wall, aud with downcast eyes pick
cd the straws ont of his hair. and from
his coat. He heard her laugh derisiye-
~. saw her turn away and when he
called her did not come--perhaps she
did moi hear him. In "a moment all the
imbeciIity of drunkenness was gone-he
knew what he had done, and felt self.
condemnation bulcrcr Than thousand
curses.
The rain came on again after an
hour or two continuing throughout the
day aud Irb creeping into the barn
listened 10 lis falling on the roof halt
wi,hing that some dread accident would
come upon him, whereby reconciia-
ton with his father and sister might be-
brought about. But hour after hour
went by, and the dull aud dreary beat
ing Of The rain Wa all lhni be- heard
ma glram of sunshine broke the gloom
that was about him no ypice bat the
-till. reproSing one Of conscience. did he
hear; 20 the day faded and the night
irh. At last, warn dawn ph, sieally,
and exhausted mentally. he slrpi. wax
ing noi I'LL break OF day, The rain
bad ceased. aud the Wind va- nhiIling
chilly from the norlb. IL rcmcmbef-
ed what his iaibrr had laid TO him and
the conlempluous laugh Of his sister
rang on his ears. II they had booked
kindly on him his hear vould have
melted. be would have asked their for.
giseness and perhaps woald never
again have yielded 10 temptation, made
even stronger By his transient weakness.
Bui ilry bad met him viih 40 kindly
admon.iions. and be had tor much pride
40 seea an opportunity Of haa.bling
himself. - giving ono sorroNful look
az ihe Oh farmhouse. b. pulled the
torn hai otrr his eyes, thrust hi. baud,
inlo BIZ porkeis, and ln frs minute,
iie lill. of home were lo., TO him ior-
ever.
Zb nh..iled a. be reni, not lor
sani oi iioushi. bui a. dfuan g. and
D. nu-L.-a o. ~ a MIN .l-.n 4. -