Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1857-01-23
OLD SERIES. VOL. "a, NO. 8.

AV"' ""'' "al braNe, bcautllul boy,
but he was driven out from the ruins Of hi.
home, and my heart ycarn, to know il ho
yet lives. | once had habo-a sweet. ten
der blossom. but my hand destroyed it, and
IL liveih with one who loves children.
Don't b. frightened, | am not mur.
dcrcr IN the common acceptalion Of the term.
ict there is light in my evening .ky. A
spirit mother rcjoiccs over tie return Of her
pr1digal son. The wife smiles upon him
wlo again turns back to virtue and honor.
The chiId.angyl Wits ne at nightlall, and
frc. the hallowed touch Of a tiny palm upon
my icygrish check. Ny brave hoy, II be yet
liyCs, would forgive the sorrowing old man
for the treatment which drove him into the
world, and the blow that MANNED him for
lIrc. Col forgive me for the ruin have
brought upon me and mine"
lie again wircd a tear from her eye. Ny
father watched him with scrangc interest
and a coan'cnlnca unusually pale aud CT.
cited by some strange emotion.
II was once a fanatic, and madly follow.
Cd the malisn light which led me torain. I
was fanatic when sacrificed my wife,
children, happiness and home, 70 the accurs-
cl demon of tho bowl once alurcd tho
gentle being whom | injured 50 DEEPLY.
l was adrunkard From rc,pcctabillty
anl aflucnca | plunged into degradation and
poverty. | dragged my family down with
me. For years saw her check pale, and
her stop grow weary. | left hcralonc amid
the wreck Of her home idols, and rro,cl a,
tho tavern. She never compl,inel. yet ,ho
and The children went hungry or bread
Zone new.yNr's night returned late to
tho hit where charity had given u, a roof.
She was yet up and shiIcring over the Goals.
I demanded food. bat she burst into tears.
and told mc there was none fcrccly or.
darci her to crt s,mc Sho turned her eye.
.adIy upon me, the tcrr' falling fast over her
pale check ~ this moment the child in
thc cradle awokc AMI .ct up a furnishing
wall, startling tie departing mother Ikea
scrpou,'s s,ins.
We have no food, Jame., | have had
none br several day' have had nothing
or the BABE. My one, kind husband must
We s,aryc?'"
THAT sal, pleading t,ec, AMI thosp
streaming cyc., and the fo,ble wall u tho
child mailepcl me-, and I--ye.-I struck
her blow In the face, and she fell forward
upon tho hearth. The furies % he'll boiled
in my bosom, anl with deeper intensity asT
flt had committed wrong hliucycr
struck Mary before, but now som, terrible
impulse bore me On, AMI .toop'l a. well
as I could in my drunken stat, and csachsI
both hand, in her hair"
go GOD of mercy. James - exclaimed ny
wif'. As .hc looked up In my fraish couu.
truaucc, You will M, kill u., you will no.
harm wii!i', and she 'rrans 70 tho cradle,
and srl'r"l him in her embrace. caught
her again by the harr, AMI dragged her 70
the door. and as | lliri ~. latch. the wind
burst in with a cloud Of .n,~ With tho
yell Of a Grni, dras:'I her on, md hur.
rirl her out into tho storm. With Wild
ha' ha' J,.cl a., door and turned tho
button, her pleading means minsins with
n, wall Of th, blast AMI sharp cry or tls
blhc. But my work was not completed.
IL turned to the little hci where lay my
elder son, and .ntichcd him from hi, -lum.
b,rs; AMI against III, halr.uatcncd ,irus.
sl,,, opln,l III, door AMI thrust him out.
In agony Of Tear h1 called me by a nam,
was no longer e, t, boar, AMI l,ckei hi, fin.
ger, into my .Ic pocket. could m,
wrench that frenri.i grasp away, anl With
the coolnc.s ol devil a' wl., shat tho
door upon III, arm, AMI With my knirsssysr-
cI Il At thc wrist"
IN, speaker ceased moment, and buried
his face in his hands, as II to shut out sons
fearful dream, and his chest hcIvcd like a
storm swept So. Ny father halari'c from
his .sa,, and was leaning forward, hi, cOun.
tcuancc blo,dlc,.. and large lrop' standing
cut upon lis brow. Chill, crcP. back to
nay youn; heart, and wished vas at home.
The old man looked up, and never have
since bahcll such mortal agony r eturcd up
on a human face a' there was On his.
I, was morning when awoke, and the
storm hai ceased. bufthc cold was intense.
{ first secured drink Of water, and then
looked IN the accustomed place fos Mary.
. A. | missed hcr fur the iir,s time. ,haiory
sense OF some horrible nightmare besan to
dawn upon my wandering mind | thought
[ had fearful drclm. but | inyolunurily
opened the outside door with a .hudderins
dread. 4. tho d1ot opened, the snow bur',
in followed hy the flll u something acrus,
the threshold, scattering the snow. and
.irrkin, the nor with sharp hmd sound.
Ms blood shot like rel hot arrows through
my veins, and rubbed my eyes to keep out
the sight. IL was-O God, how horrible !
[, was my own injured Mary and her haba
I frozen to Ice The ever true mother, had
bowed herself over her child to shield it, her
own person stark and bear to the storm.
&" She had placed her hair over the face
Of the child, and the slect had frozen il TO
tho white cheeks. The frost wa. white IN
his half opened eyes and upon hi. tiny fu-
gers. knew not what become OF my brave
boy"
Again the old man bowed hi, head and
l. s..,f N.i1l, him