Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1860-12-14

breast this, at such times, j would Indig-
nantly refuse. Then there would be a
commotion, "Nurse, my mother would
say, "what shall we do with him p The
nurse was stout, hearty old woman, who
always made a practice of tasting what
over was provided for her charge. Her
sovereign remedy vas liquor. | was TAX
en-, and a spoonful administered at a time
At first | rebelled--I stranglcd, kicked,
and coughed. The firm hand held the
spoon to my little tongue, and down went
its contents in spite of me. Little by lit
tie the dose was increased soon liked
it. In my thirsty moments | cried for it,
1t was given me readily, for after few
moments of wild glee, fell into drunk
en- stupor, which gave my attendants ma
ny opportunities of enjoying themselves,
as my sleep was sure tobe long and sound.
cat length mania a potu assailcd me.
During my whole life no one had ever
thought of giving me a single spoonful Of
water | had craved-the cooling, cheer
ing, refreshing drop of water! Now, | no
longer care for it. In my widest fren-
zies | was accused of having the collie ;
down, as usual went the fiery drink, until
finally | was literally burnt out. | was
nothing but a cinder within, she'll with
out, My stomach was cooked to a crisp,
my intestines were shriyclled-my lungs
no longer filled with pure all, ,belehed forth
only the fiery fumes that had consumed
me. | died. was good for nothing. [
hope whatever form my dust is destined
to take on earth, it will not be watered,
as when | inhabited it, with alcohol.
''As this speaker ceased, there arose a
wall ofsympathy, such as had first attrae-
ed me to the pandcmoniac chamber; as it
subsidized, another little figure had taken
the stand
My legs" he said" brought me out Of
the world. My mother labored under the
strange delusion that the child was born a
Highland laddic of American parents and
in America. | was dressed, or left un-
dressed rather, III short plaid stockings,
reaching to the calf of my leg, and an ell
egant kilt reaching just to the knee. My
limbs were moulded in eherubic forms,
and when exposed in the nursery were
pretty. But the nursery was to narrow
a field in which to display my beauty
On bitter cold days | was walked out over
the icy streets, the keen wind chappiue my
flesh and chilling my blood till my Knees
looked like twin nutmeg graters painted
purple. | used to look at my mother :
+ long comfortable skirts and thick leegins
drawn up over warm hose, and wondered
if she could survive fashion such as |
wore if adopted by herself. | became at
lictcd with inhamatory rheumatism, aud
unable to endure the pain, gave up the
Ghost
:" | felt" said my grandmother, 8 that
this victim was sacrifice to a fashion
started since my day. | know that your
father was never dressed in such u riaieu-
lous style when little boy, for with my
own hands | knit his warm WOODEN stock
ings, and saw that his comfortable little
trousers came we'll over the imstep Of his
little calfskin shoes.
" The next speaker was dream faced
little girl, who trcmbled as she arose and
said -
Il am an opium-cater Ny dcath-war-
rant was written on the label of the first
bottle of Godfrcy's Cordial brought into
my mothers house. \ few drops al first
sutficed to hush my feeble cries. Then
Godfrey's Cordial would not do. y few
drops Of pure laudanum was administered
Soon could not 20 to sleep without it
Then my nurse would give me a small
opium pill in my panala. OF course
was but littetrouble. was a deep sleep
er, but my digestion became impaired; toe
much sleep weakened me, and | knew nc
natural slumbcr. My eyes became like
those of a slccp-walker, full Of dream,
when wide awake. | lost my appetite
my head grew full of pain my baby
heart was always aching. closed my
eye, one day forever ON the home where
tclt could be but little loved, when my
low walls were never permitted to appeaI
to those around me, but were hushed al
once where my blue eyes were scarcely
ever permitted to look around in the
world in which they had been opened,
and where, instead of proper care and
food and exercise, the baletul pill and en-
crvating sleep was all that was offered me
There are many parents who seem &c
think Children must pass their childhood
out of the way. and only get IN the
way when they have becomc,in spite of all
sorts Of ilI-treatment, useful or ornamen'
tai members of society
This child was still speaking" said
nv grandmother" when | rushed out
had been a mother once, and | could
not listen to these innoccnts in that fear
ful wailng chamber, recapitulatlng the
woes that had sent them there, any lon
ger
Il felt impclled to revisit earth. |
came. La 10 light could | make myself
visible to you until your tallow candle
was brought in
My dear, remember what | have told
you. Some of these days you may be
mother. Be more than careful of the sa'
cred charge of little children. Think tog
them-fccl for them. Do not, to ease
your cares, sink them in to unnatural
slumbcrs, or give them over to selfish nur-
scs. Upon you hangs their lives-ln a
greater measure their happiness, both
here andhereafter-I beg you will give
Just ut this moment the cock crew loud
". The voice at my elbow was still. /
looked around-the rocking chair was
o,,,t,- ihn e,host ho1 yanis shed