Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1858-01-19
Richard HoR man.
TALE OF LOVE AND RErRIRur1oU.

| Rachel Bently, the lovely daughter of
one Of the richest merchants of London,
having married George Hoffman, one of
her fathers clerks, during the old mans
absence in India, he on his return disin-
herited her and discharged George. The
latter being overwhelmed by disappoint-
ment, took TO drink, and in few years
became a habitual drunkard his wife
supporting herself and two children
Richard, now fine boy in his thirteenth
/ year, and Mary, a sweet child Of six
selling, one after another, the remnants
of her once costly wardrobe and iewelry
On the last day of December of the
year in which our story opens, Rachel
was without food, light or fire, and that
very day the rent must be paid.
Little Mary was moaning for bread,
and crying with cold.
The drunken father was at the dram
shop.
The agonized mother had but one more
article Of value left--a loCket containing
a lock of her fathers hair. She had hop
ed to be able to save this, the last memen-
to of her once happy home. But goaded
by little Mary's cries for food she seized
the lociset, rushed to a pawnbroker's, OBJ
tanned few shillings, put by the amount
of the rent and with the rest purchased a
little bread and milk for her children,
and tbs n set out, with them, to visit the
old confidential clerk of her father, Peter,
Mangles, who had ever been kind to her.
to consult him about sending Richard
away from the contaminating influences
With which he was surrounded
On returnining home late on New
Years eve from her fruitless visit, for the
old clerk was not at home, Rachel dIscov-
cred her husband had been home and
stolen the sum she had put by for the
rent from the place where she had cons
cealed 1t, and gone off again to " The
Grown AMI Magpie" tavern to waste it
in drunkenness. Little Mary, chilled and
hungry, began to cry for food, and the
suffering mother, in hopes of regaining
a portion of the money taken by her hus-
band, out with her children to the haunt
of vice whittier George Hoffman had
gone.
There was a great crowd at the bar of
The Grown and Magpie." The land
lady-a stout, vulgar-loolling woman,
with red ribbons in her cap, profusion
Of false curls, a heavy gold chain round
her neck, and numerous rings on her
fat ingers-was buisly engaged in pour
ing out gin for her customers; the regu-
lar ones she was treating-for it must not
be forgotten that il was New Years eve.
Such was the scene of vice and dissipa-
ton which met the eye and sickened the
heart of Rachel when, with little Mary
in her arms, and protected by he pres
ence of her SOP, she ventured into the
house.
''Is Mr.. Hoffman here" she inquired
family.
The question had to he repeated sever
al times before she could get an answer
"Can't,ell the name of any of my
customers" replied the mistress OF '' The
Crown and Magpie,' = snappishly.
"Perhaps you will obIige ne by ascer-
taining.''
Too busy, ma'am! Hot water Sally!
Three and eight-pence, sir. Half and
half directly -
You can't go in there - shouted the
landlady, as Rachel was making her way
towards the parlor. Mine is a respect
able house; I allow no females beyond
the bar
:" But am Mr.. EonInan's wife"
" So they all say" answered the wo-
man, with a sneer.
There was coarse, mockiug laugh
from the crowd OF half drunken wretches
standing near. The eyes of Richard
flashed angrily; but the voice, and sill
more, the implorng look Of his mother
/ restrained him.
"Let Us return home," she said, in a
despairing tone. 81 feel faint and sick
at heart"
And leaning on the arm of her son, the
unhappy wife iottered rather Than walked
from the place,
The keen frosty a partially restored
her strength and Rachel proceeded with
her children till she reached the thorough
fare leading through ST. Margaret s
church-yard towards the Almonry, when
la faint moan from Mary, whom she still