Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1860-03-01
3nyntertstlngS Skettb,
THE POWER OF MUSIC-A
TEMPERANCE STORY.
BY T. y. ARTHUR.

p 'Dcar sa,her.' said Mary Edwards, don't
go ont this EVENING" and the young girl,
who had scarcely numbered fourteen years,
laid her hand upon the arm Of her parent.
But Mr.. Edwards shook her off inpatient
". muttering as he did So 4T". .- r
Cant, GO where please!' 't f-7.
'Oh, yes, father urged Mary, drawing up
to him again, notwithstanding her repuse.
'But there is going TO be storm, and !
wouldn't go OUT Hr.I"I I..' .'.T" re-.
Storm! Nonsense! That's only your pre-
tence. But IN be home soon--long before
the rain, il it comes at all il"..hi. s,.
And snying this, Mr.. Edwards turned
from his daughter, and left the house. As
soon as she was alone, Mary sat down and
commenced weeping. There had been sad
changes since she was ten years old. In
that her father had fallen into habits Of in
temperance, and NOT only wasted his sub
stance, bat abused his family; and sadder
still, her mother had died broken.hearted
leaving her alone in the world with drunk
| en- father. .. l...' ysH It...r .r
The young gir's trials, under these pain
.ful circumstances, were great Night alter
night her father would come LONE intuxi-
Gated, aud il Was so rare a thing, toiget a
kind word from hm, that a tone ol.aiiec-
ton from his lips Won d move her instantly
to tears, II Daily the work Of declension
went on. Drunkenness ledgto idleness ,and
gradually Mr. Edwards and his child sunk
lower aud lower in The scale of, comfort -
\ The pleasant home where they bad lived
for years was given up, aud m small, poorly
furnished rooms they hid themselves from
observation. After this ohunge Mr.. Ed
wards moved along his downward way more
rapidly; earning less, and drinking more.
Mary grew old fast. Under severe iriali
and yfliclions, her mind rapidly nialured
and her affections for her iathat grew strong
er and stronger, as she realized more ant
i, more fully the dreadful nature and ultimate
4 tendency of the ainiutuation BY which Jht
was led. y,9glai alaW coi saisHi gluuy -c1
At last, in the anguish of her concern
she ventured, upon dremoRstrance. boz hi;
brought only angry repulse,l adding bitter
ness to her cup OF sorrow. The appearane'
to which We have alluded, gave Mary al
excuse for urging her father not to 60 out
+ How her remembrance was received hai
: been seen. While the poor girl sat weep
ing, the distant rolling of thunder indicated
the spproach Of the storm to which she ha'
referred. But she cared little toritl now
Her father had gone out. She had spoke
; Of it only with the hope that he might hav
been induced to remain with her. Nov
that he was away, the agitation within wa
. too great to have any concern for the tur
d bulent elements without. q V
u On leaving his home. Mr.. Edwsrds, VIII
had not taken any liquor for three or lou
hours and whose appetite, was Hsharpene
for the accustomed stimulus, walked quieki
. in the dire elton of drinking house wher
he usually spent his evenings. On enterin
: he found that there was little .comlno,io
' in The bar-room. A certain individual nc
' over friendly 10 the landlords had introduce
himself; and his character being known,tb