Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-05-11
SPIRIT oF.TFIE AGE.-..Devo ted to Temperance Litera

her, when I saw he had but a little while to
live. She noticed my grave countenance,
and catching me by the arm, exclaimed
.sOhi Doctor. cannot you save my boy? My
darling treasure OH save himl He is all
! have to make me happyr' You know, Al
lie, her husband is a drunkard, and treats
her cruelty. He was not there even then,
when his child was dying. did all ! could,
but | knew I could not save him. In two
hours that bright little fellow was dead. y!
my dear wifs I thought of our own precious
babe, bow We would feel if God took him
from US. andyet we could sympathize with
each other. But that poor oman-worse
than a widow-had no one to whom she
could turn in her sorrow for communion
He who should have comforted her or at least
shared her grief, was in the village at the
tavern. drunk. [ met him as | came home,
and bade him 60 to his wife. | told him OF
| the death of his child. 1t sobered him, | be-
llieve. Would to God it may be the means
of reforming him. O! Allie, is this not a
curse this intemperancei But, my dear
wife. you will go with me this afternoon, and
take what is necessary-you will know-for
they are very needy. Will you not? But
I see dinner is waiting, and there is my dar-
ling. Come here, Harry, you little rogue!
and kiss Papa"
Dinner over, and now they start in the
Doctors buggy to see poor Mrs. Lee. They
found her in the deepest distress, sitting by
the side of her dead boy, and refusing to be
comforted because he was not" She would
not leave him for some time, but Allie spoke
soothing words of comfort, and at last pre-
vailed on the afflicted, heart-broken creature
to take a little nourishment and then to lie
2 down. Their leaning his head upon his
hands, at the miserable man, the father of
The child. Who can describe the workings
of his heart as he sat thus? Repentance, re-
morse, sorrow, were raging there.
"Conscienco hath q thousand several tongues,
And every tongue brings in a several tale,
And every tale condemns me for a villain"
After remaining thus for hours, he started
suddenly from his seat, and hastily approach
ed his wife, as if he was afraid be would lose
his courage if he did not then. 'Fannie, my
poor wife, forgive me; l have been very crue
toward you, but I will try-d you hear me
Fanny? / am resolved, here in the presenct
of my poor dead boy-never, mever again t
touch a drop of liquor: I will join tn,
Sons, and never will break my pledge, sohell
me God!"
How comforting was this to the sorrow
stricken wife !! She blessed him in her graf
itude, and hope was kindled once more i
her bosom. DR.. Walton grasped him warn
ly by the hand, and spoke kind words of er
couragement, for he felt that surely out /
evil had proceeded good. He believed Nj
Lee to be in earnest, and promised him hi
aid wheneysg he should require it.
The little cottage in which they reside
had once been pretty. A green plat in fror
had once been cultivated in flowers, and tt
,o,rIc o4foohol fa tho. ho1,ca oo,eo uiol1o
all their wants. Mr.. Lee was an excellel
carpenter, and in years now gone, had ev'
. ready employment, The little cottage hon
was a happy one then. "Calm, rich, hushe
: content" dwelt among them, bringing wit
: it that "blessedness'' which is never know
without it. Two children, the eldest a g
: of eight years, and who was now residir
with her aunt in a neighboring village; al
. the pale, cold form now lying motionless,
child of five summers. Just two years sine
!. they were envied by many of their neighbol
: their lovely little nome and beautiful ch
dren. Fannie was an industrious, kind-heal
ed little woman, with a sunny, cheerful tel
per, and devoted to her husband and childre
But, alas the tempter came. One who G
We'd Mr.. Lee his prosperity, secretly, grs
ually but surely gained his confidence a
thus worked his ruin. At first he took b
'H@ 1 JIG q VII His II civ SWIM A"o
called for more, and for a year, a long, wea
!. year to his poor wife, he had been a drur
| ard. Cruel to his wife and children he
came, till the little ones would shrink W
terror to their mothers side, when their
Tiers footsteps-once so joyfully WELDON
by them-sounded on the door-sill. Til
J! cottage suffered. The garden, no lon
cared for, became choked up with weeds
Fannie cared no more for her once treasu
flowers. Indeed, she had no leisure to attic
! to them, for she dearly earned her childre
t bread. Many times, she thought she co
e not, would not bear it any longer, wher
s his intoxication he struck her but for
). children's sake she resolved to bear eve
It. thing. She never tainted or reproached
J for she knew it would but make mat
8 worse.
On the morrow, a little freshly m
mound told of the spot where all that
r earthly of the little boy was buried.
l.. spirit was with his God.
Who has NOT felt how desolate, how Il
st ly is the housesTwhens one of its loved
e has been taken away and laid beneath
!, sod? Thus it was in that little cottag
e. Well was it that Mr.. Lee kept his VOW,
ut his wife would have sunk under this g
e trial. Twas this mercy, which given to
le in her sorest need, sustained her, and
7, had yet something for which to live.
u now while we are writing of them, we
say, he kept his VOW sacredly, and ere
Id the cottage home wore its former look of
ed fort and happiness.
n Allie and her husband were loved b.
IS They were ever ready to comfort the dist
ed "to rejoice with those who ~rejoiced,
weep with those who wept." And
dear reader, for a while, we leave them
y, seek another home where there was
Ia luxury, more splendor; but alas! but
% happiness.
at fro m conr,srvn
to
=. Utah-The Mormons.