Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1856-03-21

Augusta, 1856.

but as l sat in my very warm and p leasant
room. on stormy cheerless day. and look
ed into the street below, saw that many
(either from choice OF necessity ,)were for
cling their way through the drifted and
drifting snow. Some were young and
vigorous and wish saeir young blood
coursing quickly through their veins i'm.
parting life and activity to every move
mcnt, seemed to make it a matter of sport
and went tumbling, jumping and forcing
their way joyfully along. Then c,.'ne the
strong man (rigged from head to fo,t)
like noble ship prepared TO buffe. any
s'orm that may oveEtake her. so he went
cheerfuly along with strong and steady
steps. And so they passed in pursu. of
pleasure or business as the case might be.
The sto-m increases in violence, the air is
full of the slecty drifting snow, the street
seems forsakcn and l, tired of the same
ness Of the scene am about turning from
the window, when far up the street dark
object seems moving slowly and tire 'ome-
" along, a, Zines the hard deep drifts and
6tfuI gusts Of wind seem to impede its
iarther progress. and then again it msvcs
along. I watch it with increased inter-
est ard as it draws nearer perceive i. IS
a woman. Yes, VT IN, . tender deli
cate woman! Sire had a sr !. bundle in
her nand. and as she moved slowly and
wearily past my window, she CHANGED to
turn her face towar the place where l
was standing. T should judge she was
about 40 years Of as and must have
been beautiful when young Bat on.
what a volume of care and misery and
Disappointed hopes could be read in that
face. But she passed along and I sat
down 20 med .a.c. Who is sh,o Where
is she gong? What can have taken her
out on such day as this? Has she a
husband? Has she children? were qucs-
tions that alternately forced themselves
into my mind; these questions of cou rse
| could not answer bu. story which l
heard related few nights since by one Of
the (proscribed) Clergymen Of this place
seemed to answer my questions. 1t was
as follows, S near as can recollect. In
one Of his p ,siorM visits he went into a
house by the window sat middle aged
woman, &" careworn and weary assidu-
ously plying her needle, seemingly to
grudge every moment Of time. that she
had to devote to aught save her health
destroying labor. He tried to ascertain
the cause Of her sorrow and extreme des :
titution, but was unable to gain the de-
sired information at that time. 4 few
weeks after his FIRST visit, he called again.
This time also she was working as though
her life depended upon the amount per-
formed. And why? All! the reason
was but too obvious. Around her stood
FIVE or six little ones whom she loved bet
ter than her own life, and as she looked at
their scanty clothing and bare feet, and
thought Of tho cold dreary winter just
commenced. and when sho thought Of the
high price Of provision and wood, and all
dep ending on the labor Of one needle. and
tha, piled By poor sorrow stricken sick
ly woman; l say, when she looked upon
those tender babes, and ,hought Of all
these things, can we wonder that pans af:
ter pang should follow in quick success
ion through her bleeding heart. And
wha' was the cause of all this sorrow 7
She had seen better days, she had had
enough and to spare 1t can be told
in few words: Her husband was drunk.
ard! Would to God this was the only
case. but no, this is but one of ten thou
sand cases Of sorrow, misery and death
caused by rum, and many Of them in this
Maine Law State. Go. ys um drink
ing Senators and Representatives Go
ye Governors and Councillors! Go into
these places and see instances Of Pdren-
tai care then 60 into ON rum and brandy
drinking public houses, an see Fathers,
Brothers and sons, while under the Pa
rentalcare Of landlords having the liquid
poison dealt out TO them under the law
recommended by the Governor, and as
you see its workings, beware how yon
raise hand or voice in favor Of such a
law, (for your own fathers, brothers OF
sons may become its victims,) for if you
do, be sure that for all these things God
will bring you into judgment" And as
l continued to think upon these thugs
fell into reverie, or dream, and op" from
whose countenance shone every virtue
touched me and said "wouldst thou X Tow