Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1857-05-09

led into the house, the children crouched
close to their mother, and even she shrank
away, for sometimes her husband was angry
when thus intoxicated.
o, how that man had changed within
two years Once there was not finer
looking man in the village. In frame he
had been tall, stout, compact and perfect.
ly formed, while his face bore tho very
beau ideal of manly beauty. His noble
form was now bent, his limbs shrunken,
and tremulous, and his face all bloated
and disfgured. He was not the man who
had once been the fond husband and doat-
ing father, The loving wife had prayed
and wept and implored, but all to no pur-
pose; the husband was bound to his drink
ing companions Of the bar-room, and he
would not break the bonds.
That evening, Mary Nelson ate no sup
per, for all the food she had in the house
there was not more than enough for her
husband and children; but when her hus-
band had gone, she went out and picked
q few berries, and thus kept her vital en-
ergy alive. That night the poor woman
prayed long and earnestly, and her little
ones prayed with her.
| On the following morning, Charles Nell
son sought the bar.room as soon as he
arose, but he was sick ond faint, and the
liquor would not revive him, for it would
not remain on his stomach. He had drank
very deeply the night before, and he felt
miserable.
AT length, however, he managed to keep
| down few glasses of hot sling, but the
close atmosphere of the bar-room seemed
to stihc him, and he went out.
| The poor man had just cuse enough to
know that if he could sleep he should feel
better, and he had just feeling enough to
wish to keep away from home; so he wan.
l dered off towards wood not far from the
village, and sunk down by the side of a
stone wall, snd was soon buried in o pro-
found slumber. When he awoke, the sun
was shining hot upon him, and raising
himself to sitting posture, he gazed about
, him, He knew that it was afternoon, ft3
the sun was turning towards the west He
was just upon the point of rising when his
) motion was arrested by the sound Of voices
near at hand. He looked through chink
in the wall, and just upon the other side
he saw his two children picking berries,
while little further off were two more
girls, the children of the carpenter who had
lately moved into the village.
, "Come, Katy" said one of these latter
girls to her companion, "let's 60 away from
here, because if anybody should see US with
!, those girls they'd think we played with
n them. Come"
: "But the berries are thick here" re.
S monstrated the other.
d "Never mind-well come out some time
y when these little ragged drunkard's girl.
n are not here.
So the two favored ones went away
e hand in hand, and Nelly and Nancy Mel
Il son sat down upon the grass and cried
IS "Dont cry, Nancy" said the eldes
y throwing her arms around her sisters neck
> "But you are crying, Nelly"
A 80, 1 can't help it," sobbed the strick
l. en- one.
: "Why do they blame us :" murmuret
Nancy, gazing up in her sisters face. =
y so, we are not to blame. We are goo'
Ii and kind, and loving, and we never hur
lo anybody. o, wish somebody would lov
"a US; | should be SO happy"
'e "But we arc loved, Nancy. Only thin
y, of our noble mother. Who could love u
}! as she does"
ID 81 know--I know, Nelly; but tina
Ut aren't all. Why don't papa love US as h
ID used to ;! Don't you remember when h
as used to kiss US and make us so happy p
70 o, how wish he could be SO good to U
ig once more. He is not''-
I'd "sh, sissy don't say anything more
w He may be good to us again; if he kno
ID how we loved him, l know he would. An
IL then believe God is good, and he surel
ne will help do something, for mother pray
us to him every day."
er "Yes," answered Nancy, ~ know 81
'h does; and God must be our father somC
n time"
n He is our father now, sissy
en- 81 know it; but he must be all we sha
to have by and by, for don't your remembC
es that mother told US that cold finger WI
II laid upon her heart, and that she migl
ed leave US one OF these days, and-and-"
er Ssh. Don't, don't, Nancy; you'll"-
y The words were choked with sobs an
taars and the sistnrs wont Iono toootbo