The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1865-03-31

tnelr palDS were all IulCucu hllu NOlls
and their feet were shoeless. The
eldest was thirteen years of age, her
sister few years younger. The
mother was hearing them recite a
grammar lesson, for she had resolved
that her children should never grow
up in ignorance. They could not at
tend the common schools, for thought
less children sneered at them, and
made them the object Of sport and
ridicule; but in this respect they did
not suffer, for thor mother was well
educated, and She devoted such time
as she could spare to their instruc-
ton.
For more than two years Mary
Nelson had earned all Che money that
had been used in the house. People
hired her to wash, iron and sew for
them, and besides the money paid,
they gave her many articles of food
and clothing. SO she lived on, and
the only joys that dwolt with her now
were teaching her children and pray
ing to God.
Supper time came, and Charles
Nelson came reeling home He had
worked the day before at helping to
move building, and thus had earned
money enough to find himself in rum
for several days. AS he stumbled in
to the house the children crouched
close to their mother, and even she
shrank away, for sometimes her hus-
band was ugly when intoxicated.
Oh, how that man had changed
within two years Once. there was
not a finer looking man in town. In
frame he had been tall, stout, compact,
and perfectly formed, while his face
bore the very ideal Of manly beauty.
But all was changed now. His noble
form was bent, his limbs shrunkcn
and tremulous, and his face all bloat-
ed and disiigured. He was not the
man who had once been the fond
husband and doting father. The low
ing wife had prayed. and wept, and
implored, but all to no purpose; the
husband was bound to the drinking
companions Of the bar-room, and he
would not break the bands.
That evening Mary Nelson ate nc
supper, for AL the food in the hous,
there was not more than enough fol
her husband and children, and whol
her husband had gone, she vent on
and picked a few berries, and thu.
kept her vital energies alive. Tha
night the poor woman prayed Ions
and earnestly, and her little one
prayed with her
On the following morning Charlie
Nelson sought the bar-roo'n as sool
as he rose, but he was sick and faint
and the liquor would not revive him
for it would not remain on his stom
ach. He drank very deeply the nigh
before, and he felt miserable. \
length, however, be managed to kee
down a few glasses OF hot sling, bu
the close atmosphere Of the bar-rooE
seemed to stihe him, and lie went on
The poor man had sense enough
know that if he could sleep he shoul
S feel better, and he had just feelin
g enough to wish to keep away frol
g home; so he wandered off to a WOO
If not far from village, and sunk dow
d by stone wall and was soon in
!. profound slumber. When he awob
d the sun was shining down hot upo
4 him, and raising himself to a sittin
e, posture, he gazed about him. II
n was just on the point of rising, whe
If his motion was arrested by the SCUM
g. of voices near at hand. He locke
lie through chink in the wall, and ia
lie upon the other side he saw his tv
a children picking berries, while hit
e. further off were two more girls, Il
le children of the carpenter who h;
It. lately moved into the village.
I'd Come, Katie" said one of the
10 latter girls to her companions, 'let
ne go away from here, because if an
W body should see us with those CIR
they'd think we played with en-
at Come"
er 'But the berries are SO thick here
ch demonstrated the other.
IS. "Never mind wen come out sol
ut time when these little ragged drum
he ards girls are no, here,
he So the two favored ones went aw
IS. hand in hand, and Nelly and Nan
tie, Nelson sat down upon the ground al
*. cried
ed Don't cry, Nancy" said the eide
en- throwing her arms around her siste
WIS neck.
in ssD..4 49,, QUO o,uiner NpllV"