Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-01-24

| = OOO'
Mr.. Seaborn went to the room
where the patient lay, and looked at
him. Surely he never knew that man
There must be some mistake he said
The invalid heard him and opened
his eyes, such bloodshot, sunken, un-
earthly looking eyes!
Harry he whispered trying to lift
himself upon his elbow. is this Har.
ry Seaborn
That is my name
and don't you know me?'
I'm sure do not And he would
have said he did not wish to, only the
man seemed so utterly miserable that
he would not wound what little feel.
ing he might have left,
Have you forgotten your old play
mate in boy-hood, your friend in other
years, your chum in college,
What! gasped Seaborn, starting
back aghast, for a glimmer of the
truth burst upon him. This is not
Alec. Lombard =
All that's left of him, my Hail. re
turned the poor fellow, putting forth
his wasted skeleton hand and smiling
a faint, quivering, dying smile. "A PA
TER, PECCAvI!
Alexander Lombard 2 said Henry
gazing into the bloated, disfgured
face before him.
You wouldn't thave known me, Hal :?
/ Good heavens-nor
4 know | am altered. All, Hal
SIC transit gloria mundT
But Alec cried Seaborn, how is
this Why are you here?'
RAM Hal-Rum! Tn about done
for. But | wanted to see you. They
told me you lived not far away; and
| would look upon one friend before
died
But | heard YOU were practicing in
your profession, Alec, and doing well.
so | did do well when | practiced
Hal. [ have made some pleas. But
| have given up all that
And your father, where is he?
Don't mention him, Hal. We've
broken. don't know him now. He
taught me to drink! And then turn.
ed the cold shoulder upon me when ]
drank too much But I'm going, Hal
going, goingr
Henry SoabOrn gazed into that hor
rible face and remembered what its
owner had been: the son of wealthy
parents; the idol of fond mother
the favOrite at school, at play, and al
college; light of intellect and phys
ical beauty; and noble, generous
friend. And now-Alas
'Alec-can | help you?'
Yes And the poor fellow started
higher up from his pillow, and some
thing of the old light struggled for 6
moment in his eye. Pray for me
Hal. Pray for my soul Pray tina
| may 90 where my mother is She
won't disown her boy! She couldn'
have done it had she lived. Oh shO
was a good mother, Hal. Thanl
God she didn't live to see this Pra,
for me-pray-pray! Let me 90 t.
HER!
As the wasted man sank he fell t,
,, weeping and in a moment more one O
his paroXysms came on, and he begal
: to rave. He thought Harry was hi
father, and he cursed him; and curse'
the habit that had been fastened upo
him under that fathers influence
With an aching heart he turned ava
and left the hospital. He could nc
' 90 home to dinner then. He wake
down town, and got dinner there. A
!, night he went to the hospital agair
He would inquire after his friend,
he did not see him.
) Poor fellow said the doctor, III
u never came out of that fit. He die
= = in half an hour after you went out.
u 1t was dark when Henry Seabor
~ :, reached his home.
Il You did not tell Bridget where t
! put those demijohns, Henry said h
= wife. She had not noticed his fac
Il Il for the gas was burning but dimly.
'Ah, | forgot Come down wit
Z me, Cora, and we'll find a place fC
them.
- His wife followed him down into Il
=, basement; and, one by one, he toe
4 the demiiohnS and carried them int
+ tie rear yard and there he emptit
their contents into the sewer. The
70 he broke the vessels In pieces with b
- foot, and bade Bridget have the din
man take them away in the mornin
Not one word had he spoken to h
,r wife, nor did she speak to him. I
f. returned to the sitting room whe
the boys were at their books, and too
,s a seat on one of the tete tetes.
n called his wife and children about hi
- and then he told them the story =
~ Alexander Lombard.
a and now, my loved Ones he a
10 ded, laying his hands upon the hea
10 of his boys, 4 have made soler
w VOW that, henceforth, my children sh;
m find no such influences in their hon
They shall never have occasion
90 curse the example of their father
ny will touch the wine cup no more for,
to to er! What say you my boys, will y
M M join me in the sacred pledge?
ce They joined him with glad, GU
nj ing willingness for their hearts We
lol r full, and their sympathies all tuned
no mothers careful love, to Right.
And you, Cora?'
-or yes, yesF she cried. and N
ia the hoy lesson of this hour never
forgotten. 0, God, let it rest, as
IN angel of mercy, upon my boysl
it be light to their feet in the ii
of temptation! And so shall tt
tho bless, through life, the influence tt
oarry with them from thair homo y