Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-08-19

of a low grocery as | passed by, with
pint bottle of whskey in his h
which he had just bought, end invited
me to drink with him. t o him
would pass along with him, and tell hin
a story before ! drank with him. We
were soon out of the village, and as We
went along, told him of my awful appei
lite for rum and that / h d signed a
temperance pledge thirty years ago and
l added, William, if you will sign h {
same pledge, and keep it, you too, will
be free man. He took the bottle from
bis pocket, emptied its contents on the
ground, and said,
I'll sign that pledge and be a MAN.
And now, my friend, 90 home with me-
and see how G my Mary will be
when she sees me sign that pledge
The hut where he lived was on the
side Of the mountain, at a considerable
distance, and when we came in sight Of
/ it, he said,
There is my Mary in the door; she
expects to see me stagger into the house,
but shall never be ashamed Of me
again. will make her happy
As we came nearer, he called to her
MARY =
She came trembling toward m.-
He showed her the empty bottle, and
said:
Mary, I am free. 1 will never drink
that dreadful stuff again
She threw her arms about bis neck,
and sobbed:
% William, you ar e saved how
happy l shall be; our home will be so
pleasant now, and you, my dear William,
Oh bow happy you will bel
This stranger said William, 'bas told
me Of the temperance pledge-it h
saved him from a poor drunkard's fate
and it shall save me from a drunkard's
grave. You shall see me stgn it; you
shall see me keep it till l die
The pledge was then drawn up, and
William signed bis name and under it
was the name of his Mary. The deed
was done that made two lovely persons
ble,t.
And now had an opportunity to take
au inventory of G ir p6ssassians.-
Their house was about II by I6 feet,
made Of pitch pine logs, wit b a rough .
stone chimney on h e outside. The
floor was one thickness of rough boards,
and the roof tie same, with some narrow
pieces over the cracks. The door was
made Of rough boards, and hung with
leather hinges there was one window
about two feet square on one side of the
house, but no glass the table was plank
about four feet long, and twenty inches
wide, with ! e G put through it like a
stool. There was one old chair, aud the
bottom of another; the bed was on the
floor an old Dutch oven, a small dish
kettle, and two or three old plates, near
y completed the furniture of that dwell,
ng. l saw no provisions, except few
potatoes and tomatoes. then left them,
promising to see them again.
About a month afterwards, | called at
heir cabin, but it was greatly changed.
Another floor was laid, a glass window
vas put in, table, looking-glass, and
ome chairs a full barrel of flour, and
many other things, showed that want and
were gone; and, as | look
ID at Mary in her new dress, I though;
Ter the most lovely woman l had ever
cen. And William no longer in rags.
ooked worthy Of his lovely wife.
A pleasant visit it was indeed, and
William told me that he had got employ
nent in the Government works, at three
IolIars day; and they talked Of the fu-
ure, and of their present happiness till
light came on, and l left them the hap
'iest couple that had ever seen.
changed my residence soon after
nd did not see them again for two
ears, when | found they had left the
og hut, and had purchased village lot
nd built neat cottage upon it; and
be grounds--about two acres-were en-
losed W it h substantial fence and
nany fruit and ornamental trees were
ct out. Books and papers were on the
able, and comfort n happiness were
here.
William, in his conversation, u 5
nuch bitterness against some the
lergy Of the vicinity, who neither
reached nor lived temperance, but With
heir mouths full of tobacco, would talk
t religion to their hearers. Il will live
nd die friend to virtue. The gospel
t temperance and righteousness 1 love
nut their gospel of whiskey and tobacco,
hate