The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1865-02-08
THE OLD MANS LESSON.
A Temperance Sketch.
BY AUSTIN q. BURDICK.


ed to meet Sc m friends this evening, and
[ must keep my word. will be at home
in good season."
81 had hoped that l should have your
company this evening. Come, why can't
YOU try and see il | cannot make you as
happy as those companions whom you are
to meet9 Just this once, Malcolm. O.
this oncew
'"No, no, Alice. am going out. What
--crying! Now, what's the use of that? {?
Can't fellow 90 out once in while with.
out leaving aerying wife"
81 can't help it, Malcolm. But here
kiss me before you CO."
Thus spoke Malcolm Warren ard his
young wife. Malcolm was y young man,
twenty-seven years Of age, and a carpenter
by trade. His wife was one of the sweetest
dispositioned gi'ls In the town, and she made
one of the best of wives. She loved her
husband with the whole energy Of her pure
soul, ana she knew that she was beloved in
return. And yet there was cloud upon
her heart. Her two children, boy and a
Girl, often saw her shed tears when they
were alone with her in their snug little
sitting room, and the boy was old enough
to ask what made his mother cry. But she
dared not tell him.
Malcolm Warren owned the little cottage
In which be lived, aud he had paid for it all
out Of his own hard earnings, while Alice
| had borne her share of the burden, by pur
chasing all the furniture. Malcolm was
stout and healthy, and an excellent work
man, and he had never yet seen the hour
when he needed to lay idle for the want of
work. A better hearted youth.livsd not in
the town; and when he took the gentle
Alice for his wife, there was many fair
maiden whose bosom gave place to kindly,
wistful envy. They would not have robbed
Alice of her prize, but they only hoped that
their own lots might be as fortunate. Why,
should Alice weepl All, for the same rea
son that thousands of our fairest daughters
weep; for the same reason that hot tears are
ever crying out their silent appeal fol mercy
Tears that run, ard run, until they make
food that fairly shrieks as it rolls over
our land.
Malcolm had highly social nature-his
society was priced by all who could secure
it. and he had been iudulging in the false
smiles of the wine-cup. For the last year
he had been allowing his appetite to gain
strength At first it was only an occasional
glass;" then it was "a glass, or so, once in e
while;" and then "one or two glasses day"
But lately he had gone so far as to spend
his earnings away from home, and for near
ly two months past he had spent all hiSl
money with his "jovial" companions Alice
saw all this, and she knew full we'll where
it would end if it was not stopped She
knew her husbands nature, and she knew
how surely be was falling. She bad whis
pered to him her fears, and he had tried to
laugh them off as idle whtns. She had
prayed to him to stop the fatal career while
be yet had strength, but he had been offend
ed because she could think that he would
ever become drunkard So Alice was
afraid to speak all her fears. Yet she saw
with clear eve all that was coming. She
saw the broad road upon which her dear
beloved was travelling, aud her heart was
aching. She knew that even now 'cant
was staring them in the face! 1t was au-
tumn, and she had asked Malcolm for
money to buy warmer clothing for herself
and children, and be had none to give her.
Only day before be bad brought home
samll bucket full of -four instead of sending
home barrel, as he used to do He earned
money, and where was it? Alas! poor
Alice knew too we'll Aud then sometimes
Alice looked up into Malcolm's face, and
she saw that manly beauty was being slowly
but surely eaten away. The large blue
eyes were growing dim, bleured and blood
shot, the once fair cheeks were becoming
swollen and bloated, and the lips looked dry
and cracked. No wonder she knet down {
by her bedside and prayed. r.5A
It was now Saturday evening, and Mall
,olm was going out. He was tomeet some