Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-03-05
.erIin. Feb. 18th. lS62.
THE WIDOWS WILL.
ATRUE TALE.
BY REV. \. ". SCOTT.

by REV. \. VI. SCOTT.
1t was bitter night. The snow had
been falling in fleecy flights during the
greater portion Of the day, and the cold
was so intense that little business of anv
kind had been prosecuted BY the indus
trious and enterprising citizens of the
village. Night had succeeded day. The
snow and sleet were still descending, and
the spirit of the storm seemed to howl
around the house, and through the fields
and orchards and forests, and among the
distant mountains.
Mr.. Roland had returned from his
counting house at an earlier hour than
usual. Supper had been served, and the
family had gathered around the sparkling
fire. The children had been put to bed in
an ajoining apartment, and the infant was
sleeping IN the cradle under the immedi-
ate notice of its mother. Mr.. Rowland
was reading newspaper, and as the fitful
blast mOaned around his eommodious
dwelling nc would make some remarks
relative to the severity of the weather.
Mrs. r. was parting the flaxen curls upon
the head Of the sleeping babe, and ocSa-
siOnally she imprinted the VEIN kiss of
maternal affection upon Its ruddy cheek.
Suddenly some one raped at the door.
1t was opened, when a little girl of about
seven years old was admitted. Her scan
t. dress was tattered and torn, a ragged
quilt thrown around her slender should
ers, and pair of miserable old shoes upon
her feet. She was almost frozen.
Your are the widow Watkins little
daughter?" said Mrs. Rowland, inquir-
ingly.
The little girl answered in the afirma-
tive, and added that her ma was sick,
and wished Mr.. Rowland to step over and
see her, for she thought she would surely
die
Mr. Rowland owned theplace on which
the sick woman resided. She was very
INDECENT, and but poorly able to pay the
extravagant rent which the unfeehng
owner exacted. The property was once
her husbands, or rather her own, being
a gift from her father on the very day of
her wedding. Mr.. Watkins, was wealthy
when young man and was educated for
the bar, and no one seemed more likely
to be successful in his profession. He and
M. Rowland were carly associates. The
latte, few years before the period at
which we find him, had commenced the
nefari..is traffic in ardent spirits-had
grown rl.,,4; had induced Watkins TO drink
made HIN drunk and by degrees q
drunkard AM when the poor besotted
victim was unaC.1 10 pay his debts, con-
tracted mostly for nm, but partly by neg
lecting his profession, / duties, he, his for
mer associate, his preI, uded friend. his
was the first to destroy and op-
press him. His horses al 1 oxen were
sold by the sheriff, next his no. sehold and
kitchen furniture were seized al. I finally
q mortgage vas given TO Rowland, upon
the homestead of the drunkard, TO sectre
the rum dealer in the payment Of q pitt
ful balance in his favor.
This calamity did not check the prodi-
gal career of this iaebriate. He still
1uaffed the LIQUID poison, and still did the
heartless dealer hold out inducements to
prevail upon him TO sink 10 yer into wretch
edness and shame. A few weeks after,
he was one morning found dead in the
street. He had left the groce~y at late
hour the preceding night, in a stcte OF
The night was dark, ard
he probbly missed his way-fell into
himself unable to get out |
and being stupefied with rum, he went !,
10 sleep. and froze 20 death.
Rowland in a short time foreclosed the /
mortgage, and the home of the drunkard's |
wife became the legal property of the
nan who had destroyed her peace, and 1
educed her 10 beggary and want, He
permitted her to remain ON the premises,
,xacting an cXtrayagant rate OF rent
Mental anguish, excessive labor, want of
ho1
veil nigh worn her out, and she was fast
linking into the grave, where the weary
re at rest. No one had been near her,
10 one seemed to care for her-in fact it
vas not not known even to her nearest
leighbors that she was sick.
Mr.. Rowland felt anxious only for his
ent, there being ut that time sum due.
md perhaps it is owing to that circum-
tance that he so readily consented to ac-
ompany the little girl to the room OF her
ick mother. He drew on his overcoat,
led a woolen comforter round his neck,
rev on his gloves, and taking his UNI
,rela, sat off through the drifted snow and
leet, and bent his way to the widows un-
comfortable home.
He found her lying on miserable bed
# strw, with her head slightly elevated,
he only chair belonging to her house be-
ng placed under her pillow. She was &:
,ale and CHASTITY, and evidently near the
lour of dissolution. Mr.. Rowland being
Gated on rude wooden stool, she said,
n a feeble, but decided tone of voice: /
L have sent for you, sir, to pay me a
isit, that 1 may make you the heir of
ny estate. Ny estate? I know you are
eady to ask what estate l have to be- ,
ueath. And well may you ask what
was once happy. This home was once
nine, it was my fathers gift-Iny wedding
ortion. I had horses, and oxen, and
ows and sheep, and orchards and mead
ws. Twas you that induced my poor
rring husband TO drink 1t was YOU who :
laced before him the liquid poison, and
ressed him to take it. Twas you that
ook away my horses and COWS, and mead
ws and orchards, and my own home
Twas you that ruined my own peace, de- 5
troyed my husband and in the very noon
life sent him down to drunkard's dis
onest grave. Twas you that made me
beggar, and cast my poor starving babes
pom the charity of pitiless world. l {
ave nothing left but these ragged quilts; I
hem you do not want-yet have deter
lined to bequeath you my estate Here,
II as my last will and testament, do be i
ueath to you this vial Of tears that have /