The Westerly echo, & Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1854-1858, 1858-01-21
RICHARD HOFFMAN,.
TALE OF LOVE AND RErRIpUrIoN.

AtlSAn n AtD HnOE ~ w ANs
TALE OF LOVE AND RETRIpUTIoN.
Rachel Bently, the lovely daughter
Of one Of tho richest merchant. Of Lon
don, having married George Hofsan,
one Of her fathers clerks, during the
old mans absence in India, he on his
return disinheritsd her and discharged
George. The latter being overwhelmed
by disappointment, took to drink and in
few years became babitual drunk
ard /; his wife supporting herself and
two cbildren-Rcbard, now = 6ne boy
in his thirteenth year, and Mary, =
sweet child Of .ix-by selling, one after
another, the remnants of her once coat
y wardrobe and jewolry.
On the las. day of December Of the
year in which our story opens, Rachel
was without food, liz BIT or fire, and tina:
very day the rent must be paid.
Little Mary WAS moaning for bread,
and crying with cold.
The drunken fathor was at the dram
shop.
The agoni1ed mother had but one
more article Of value lslt-a locket con-
tanning lock Of her fathers hair. She
had hoped to be able 10 save this, the
last neHsnto Of her once happy home
But gosdsd by little Msry's cries for
food she seized the lockst, rushsd to \
psrnbroker's, obtained few shillings,
put by the amount OF the rent and with
the rest purchased little bread and
milk for her children, and then set out,
With them, to visit the old confidential
clerk Of her father, Peter Masgles, who
had ever been kind to her, to consult
hin about send Richard away frsm the
communicating influences with which he
was surrounded.
On returning home late on N.w Year,
eve from her fruitles. visit, for tho old
clerk va, not At home, Rachel discov-
cred that her. husband had been home
aud stolen the sum she had put BY for
the rent frem the the place where she
had concealed it, and gsae off the place
where she had concealed it, and gone Of
agair to The Grown and Magpie tav-
orn to waste it in drunkenness. Little
Mary, chilled and hungry, began to cry
for food, and the suffering mother, in
hopes of regainirg portion Of the mon
ey taken by her husband, set out with
her children to the haunt Of vice with
er George Holman had gone.
i There was great crowd at the bar
Of The Grown and Maggie The land
lady-a stout, vulgar looking woman,
with red ribbon, in her cap, profusion
of falls. curls, heavy gold chain round
her neck, aud numerous rings on her fat
fngcrs-was busily engaged in pouring
out gin for her customers; tho regular
ones she was trcating--for it must not
; ; be forgotten that it was New Years
eve.
Such was tho scene of vice and dissi
patton which met the eye and sickened
, the heart of Rachel when, with little
) Mary in her arms, and protected by the
presence Of her son, she vcn.ured into
, the house.
is Mr.. Hoffman bore = she inquirot
: family.
The question had to be repeated sew
: srsl tim,s before she could get any an
sner.
} Cant tell the nauss Of any Of my
customers replied the mistress OF Th'
. Grown and Maggie snappi,hly.
Perhaps yoa will obige he by as
cersaining.'
Too busy, ms'am I! Hot water, Sal
ly! Three and si.ht-pencc, sir. Hall
D and half directly =
p You can't 60 in there y shouted th
/, landlady, as Rachel was making her va
c towards the parlor. Mine is rsspec
table house allow no females beyon
f the bar
5 But am Mr.. Ho6fnan's wife
I So they all say answered the wo.
1; an, with snssr.
t There was a coarse, mocking laugl
| from tho crowd Of half drunken wretch
!, es standing near. The eyes of Richar
k flashed angrily; but the voice and st
b more implsriug look Of bis mother re
Y strained him.
It Let US return home, she said, in
d dsspairiug tsn'. / feol faint and sic
J. at heart.
k And leaning on the arm Of her son
u the unhappy wife tottsred rather ths
y Wakes from the place.
u The keen, frosty air partially restore
;, her strength, ana Rachel proceeded wit
u her childrcn tlll she reached the Tho