The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-11-18

tSosAy AoEmoO, Wuti0 MS IhCo DOro u
very beau ideal of manly beauty. 81
noble form was now bent, his liml
shrunken and tremulous, and his fac
all bloated and disfgured. He was nc
the man who had once been the fond hu,
band and doatipg father. The lovin
wife had prayed and wept and imploret
but all to no purpose the husband wa
bound to his drinking companions of tn
-bar.rooin, and he would not break th
bonds.
That evening, Mary N Nelson ate no sup
per, for all the food she had In tie b GUS
there was not more than enough for he
husband and children; but when hel
husband had gone, she went out and
picked few berries, and thus kept heI
vital energy alive. That night the poor
woman prayed long and earnestly, and
her little ones prayed with her.
On the following morning, Charles
Nelson sought the bar-room as soou as
he arose, but be was sick and faint, and
the. liquor would not revive him, for it
would rot remain on his stomach. He
had drank very deeply the night before.
and be felt miserable.
At length, however, he managed to
keep down few glasses of hot sling, hut
the close atmosphere of the bar.room
seemed to stile him, and be went out.
The poor man had just sense enoul b
to know that if he could sleep he should
feel better, and he bad just feeling
enough to wish to keep away from home;
90 he wandered, of towards wood not.
far from the village, and sunk down by
tho side of . stone wall, aud was soon
buried in profound slumber. When
he awoke, the sun was shining hot upon
him, and raising himself to q sitting
posture, he goEed about him. He knew
that itewas afternoon, for the sun was
turning towards the west. He was just
upon the point of rising when his mo-
ton was arrested by the sound of voices
near at land. He looked through
chirk in the wall, and just upon the 9TH
er side he saw his two children picking
berries, while little further off were
two more girls, the children of the car.
penter who had latoly moved into the
village.
"Come, Katy" said one Of these lat |
ter girls to her companion, let's go away
from here, because if anybody should
see rs with those girls they'd think We
played with them. Come" .r,,-
"But the berries are thick here" re-
monstrated The other. '-'-''----,
"Never mind-we'll come out some
time when these little ragged druDkard's
girls are not here" a. .'----..,,-..
So the two favored ones went away
hand in hand, and Nelly and Nancy Mel
son sat down upon the grass and cried.
Don't cry, Nancy" said the eldest,
throwing her arms around her sisters
neck. : - .-..-.--.........
r "But you are crying, Nelly"
80, can't kelp it, sObbed the
stricken one. e1f...s.... .-,-
"Why do they blame us?" murmured
Nancy, gazing up in her sisters face
20, We are not to blame We are good
snd kind, and loving. and We never hurt
anybody. o. 1 wish somebody would
love US; should be so happy.
"But We are loved, Nancy. Only
think of our noble mother. Who could
love us as she does ?''ael ...........
T 81 know-I know, Nelly; but that
aren't all. Why don't papa love US as
be used tor Don't you remember when
he used to kiss US and make US SO hap
py? o, how wish he could be SO good
to Us once more. He is not )lT5J
-"sh sissy don't say anything more.
He m6y tegood to us again; if be knew
how we loved him, know he would =
And then 1 believe God is good, and he
surely will help do sometime, for mother
prayssto him every day" -.
Eyes" answered Nancy, II know she
does and God must be our father some.
lime.r
f"Hs 10 our father now, sissy. n 81
II Know it; but he must be all we
hall have by and by, for don} you re-
member that mother told US that cold
niger was laid upon her heart. and that
he might leave us one of these days.
Ssh. Don't, don't, Nancy; you II
2 Tho words were chokcd with sobs and
ears, and the sisters wept long together:
1t length they arose and went away. Z
or they saw moro children coming. s
AS soon as the little ones were out OF |
ipht. Charles Nelson started to his feet.
lis hands were clenched, and his eyes G
rere fixed upon vacant point with an
sger gaze. sJ1s7ag az4-nf-A .ratl9 4 !,
my God l'' be gasped. "1what q
illain ami Look at me nowl What {
state am in, and what have ] sacri, /
eed to bring myself to i'll And they a
owe me yet. and pray for mel" ia is
He said no more, but fer some mo- /
aents he stood With his hands still /
and eyes fixed. At length his t
,aae was turned upward, and his elapsed 9
lands we're raised above bis head. Alt