Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1861-12-05

nothing but little wine party. We had
a glorious time. | wish you had been
there"
At first thought would say no more;
but was it not my duty? knew his ma
ture better than he knew himself His
appetitcs and pleasures bounde his visi-
ion. | knew how kind and generous he
was---alas! too kind, too generous.
"John; could you have seen Ellen's
face last evening you would have trem-
bled. Can you make her unhappy"
lie stopped me with
"Don't be fool. Why should she
be unhappy"
because she fears you are going down
hill" told him.
"Did she say SOP" he asked with a
flushed face.
"No | read it in her looks" / said.
perhaps a reflection Of your own
Thoughts" he suggested
"Surely / thought so when you came
home" | replied.
Never can | forget the look he gave me
then, SO full Of reproof, of surprise of
pain.
&C., | forgive you for / know
you to be friend; but never speak to
me like that. | am going down hill =
You know better That can never be. |
know my wants. My mother knew me
better than Ellen does"
All, had the mother been as wise as
she was loving, she would have seen that
the "wild oats" which her son was sow
ing would grow up and ripen, to furnish
only seeds for re- sowing. But she loved
him-loved him almost too well, or, |
should say, too blindly.
But could say no more. ] only prayed
that God would gurad him, and then we
convcrsed on other subjects. could
spend but a day with him, but we prom
ised to correspond often.
Three years passed, during which John
Anderson wrote to me at least once n
month, and oftener sometimes but at the
end of that time his letters ceas d coming,
and | received no more for two years,
when ] again found myself in his native
town. 1t was early in the afternoon when
| arrived and took dinner at the hotel.
] had finished my meal and was loung-
ing in front of the hotel, when | saw n
iune' al procession winding into distant
churchyard. asked the landlord whose
funeral it was.
"Mrs. Anderson" he said; as he spoke
| noticed Slight dropping of the head,
AS if it cut him to say so.
"What! John Auderson's wile?"
ventured.
"No," he said, at is his mother" and
as he told me this he turned away. But
a gentleman near by, who had overheard
our conversation, at once took up the
theme.
"Our host don't seem inclined to CON
verse upon the subject, " he remarked with
shrug. Iuquiring, "Did you know
John Anderson" "He was my school
mate in bovhood, and my bosome friend
in youth" | told him.
lie then lead rle one side, and spoke
as follows:
'pooor John! He was the pride of
the town six years ago. This man opened
his hotel at that time, aud sought custom
by giving wine suppers, John was pres.
cnt at many of them--thc gaycst of the
gay, and the most generous of the party
In fact, he paid for nearly all of them
Then he commenced to go down hill, anc
has continued in the downward path cvcl
since. At times, true friends have pre-
vailed upon him to stop, but his stop
were of short duration, A short season
OF sunshine would gleam ubon his home
and then the night came more dark an,
drcary than before.
ole said he never would get drunl
again, but still he would take n glass o
wine with n ricndl that glass of win
was but the gate to let in the flood, 81,
years ago he was worth sixty thousan,
dollars. Yesterday he borrowed the sun
of five dollars to pay his mothers funera
expenses! The poor mother bore up n
long as she could. She saw her son--ho
darling boy. as she always called him
brought home drunk, many times. An,
she even bore blows from him But nov
she is at rcst Her darling wore her liG
away, and brought her gray hairs in sor
row to the grave. Oh, | hope this ma,
reform him.
"But his wife," asked.
'llcr heavenly love has held her NJ
this far, but she is only the shadow o
the wife she was six years ago." he re
returned.
My informant was deeply affected, an,
so was |; consequently asked no more
Dnring the remainder of the afternoon
debated with myself whether to call upo
John at all, But finally resolved to ga
though waited till after tea, lonn
John and his wife alone. They had bot
been wcaping, though | could see at
glance that Ellen was bcaming with low,
/ But, OH they were changed, sadly, pain
fully so. They were glad to see me, am
my hand was shaken warmly. "Dco
@, don't say a word of the past,
. John urged, shaking my hand the secon
0 time 81 know you spoke the truth iiv
| years ago. was going down hill. RI
have gone SO far as can-here | sto
at tho foot. have sworn to happy now
| The poor fellow burst into tears Ellie
| followed suit, and | kept the company
| could not help crying like child NJ
God, what sight The once noble, tru,
man SO lallcn--becomo mere brol>
glass-the last fragment briefly retlectin
! the image it bore; poor surplicant
the foot of hope, begging a grain (
, warmth for the hearts OF himself and wifi