American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1855-08-02
NEW SER IEtS5---V0L. 8 / NO. Is 7

\ i'S Hou PihIVu W HiLi W sup ttlo lttfil va
reerwhile he had yet strength, but be had
been offended because she should think
that heswould ever become q drukard. Sc
Alice was afraid 10 speak all her fears =
Yet she essaw with clear eye-all that was
coming. She. saw the broad road upon
which her beloved was travelling, and her
heart was aching. She knew that even
now want was, staring them IN the face!---
1t was autumn and she had asked Malcom
for money to buy warmer clothes for, her
self and children, and he had none to give
her. Only a day before he had brought
home a bucketful Of flour instead of send
ing homo arbarrel.as he used to ddo. He
earned money and where was il? Alas!
poor Alice knew too well Malcom's face,
and she saw that. bis manly beauty was
slowly but surely eaten away, The large
blue eyes We're growing dim, bleared and
bloodshot, the once fair cheeks were be-
coming swollen and bloated, and the lips
looked dry and cracked. No wonder she
knelt down by her bedside and prayed.
q, It was now Saturday evening, and Nal
com was going out, He was to meet some
friends, and Alice knew thathe was to meet
| them at the tavern. He had worked only
three days the past week, and be had the
pay, ,forthese three days work in his pocket.
That money. was needed at home but
where would it be on the morrow?
'Malcom,. 0 do not wholly forget your
fond, loving Alice when you are goneh
But Malcom did not answer. He kiss
ed her not as he used to do, but Kissed her
merely because she asked him to--and
then left his cottage. After he had gone
Alice sat down and wept She could not
help it., He darling boycrcpt By berside,
and placed his arms about her neck. He
asked no questions bnt he asked her not to
cry. His little mind seemed to have some
idea Of the coming Of calamity. Ii must
have ecnyague, but il was clear enough
to prevent him from forcing the dread
thoughts upon his mother. Once more he
asked her not to cry and. then his little
heart burst. and mother and child wcpt
together. This was another drop in the
poor wife's S cup of at1iictiou. On, how
palpable must be tho husband danger!---.
But she could only clasp and pray more
fervcntly. And the little boy when. his
mother had done praying, said, 'Amens'
1t was a clear cold evening, and as Nal
com Warren stepped out into the street he
seemed to shake himself as though he
would shake off the influence Of tile dear
place he was leaving. But he could not
wholly doit. He could not drive from his
mind the fearful coun.enance Of his fond
and faithful wife, nor could he forget the
look Of earnest, simple anguish he had no.
ticed on tie face of lis child. Yet he tried
TO crush the thoughts that were thus
spriuging into life. .Pooh''. said he, as
the image Of his wife forced itself upon
him. 1T is only a little fun and frolie. -
Whose businessis it? Get out with your
nonsense, .@-,.-5...,. IS. so,l =,
And thus speaking, the young husband
and father closed his hands as though he
would hold upon the feelings he had tried
to -repress, and then he FASTENED on. AT
length he REACHED tho tavern, and here lie
found his companions. The laugh and the
joke commenced, and ea,long Malcolm
forgot all abouthis home. He sat il. the
bar-room, and his sharp wit made food for
much merriment. -,t .s..s.,,.i' q. = e,...
who says there's danger in the bowlP
cried a young man. as he raised the glass
to his lips. >, ., ...... .,45 tt-
ITS tho raven S eroak, said another of
his companions. Here's confusion to the
idea.' SS- fs's ~ 3 ra4@ 30
: 'Goodl exclaimed Malcolm Warren, ,pois-
ing his glass. 'Poisonlinthe 'bowl-non-
sense! Look at old Uncle. Adam, now.
Has used it all his lifetime and here he is,
the oldest manin town. Come, here's to
Uncle Adam' s - ~.
The person to whom Malcolm had thus
alluded was an old, wllite-h haired man, who
stood at the bar witha glass of rum in his
hand. His namc was Adam Stanford and
almost ninety years had rolled over, his
forest head. His form was bent, and his
limbs trembled, but sill he lived and his
mind was yet clear He heard the remark
which the carpenter7made, and having set
down bis untouched liquor, he turned and
gazed upon the youthful speaker. He
knew Malcom Warren well.
'Malcom,' lie said, come with me, -
Come alones for 1 alone would speak with
YOU, Come = g5s'Fsf fsa '... - 3 tt. sss7
There was something very deep and
meaning in the old mans voice, and as he
turned towards the door, Malcom arose to
follow Hjlfr +it,'1 s'34-ifffe
g' 'Detain him not, said Adam, as some Of
his companions sought to hinder him.
why should 60 with you?' he asked.
10 please an old man. y, i mean to do
you no harm, Maleyfn Come .'' !:
!, Passing out Of the door. they moved g.
cross the street. t.near by the village church
yard and thither he bent his steps. When
Malcom .hesitated to enter, the old man
said: gss 80 - ls-sai va -e.7AS e.s."f
Come follow me- ~r''i i5as : = i,9
Malcolm went and soon; they stood with !
in the village churcbyard. q, And this
white haired guide was the sexton, who
for more than sixty years had made those
beds for the children Of Immortality. The
pale moon shed its beams upon the place,
and the chilling air sighed mournfully a.
mong the weeping willows that grew by
the hedge. The grayestones stood up like
spectres among the faded grass, and here
and there arose white monument, like
some more powerful spirit that watched