The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1866-10-30

;
! @Don't be fool! Why should she be
uuhappy!"
because she fears you are going down
hill" | told him.
/ Did she say 500" he asked with a
flushed face.
"No-I read it in her looks"
perhaps a reflection Of your own
thoughts" he suggested.
Il surely thought so when you came
home" l replied.
Never can forget the look he gave me
then-so full of reproof, of surprise, and of
pain.
"C--, l forgive you, for I know
you to be my friend; but never speak to
me again ike that l going down' You
know me better. That can never be. l
know my own wants Ny mother knows
me better than Ellen does"
Ah-had that mother been as wise as
/ she was loving, she would have seen that
the "wild oats" which her son was sowing
would surely grow np and ripen, only to
furnish seed for re sowing! But she loved
him-loyed him almost too well-or, l
should say-too blindly.
But / could say no more. Ionly prayed
that God would guard him; and then we
conyeIsed upou other subjects. l could
spend but one day with him, but We prom
ised to correspond often.
Three years more passed, during which
John Anderson wrote 20 me at least once
a month, and sometimes ofteuer; but at the
end of that time his letters ceased coming,
and [ received no more for two years, when
| again found myself in his native town.
It was early in the afternoon when | ar
rived, and | took dinner at the hotel
l had finished my meal, and was loung-
ing in front of the hotel when I saw a
funeral procession winding into a distant
church yard. l asked tie landlord whose
funeral it was.
Mrs. Anderson's," he said, and as he
spoke, l noticed slight dropping Of the
head, as though it cut him to say so.
"What-John Anderson's wife q
"No," he replied. at is his mother"
and as he said this he turned away; but a
gentleman who stood near, and had over
heard the conversation, at once took up
the theme
| "Our host don't seem inclined to con-
verse upon that subject" he remarked,
with shrug of the shoulders. "Did you
ever know John Anderson /"
HE was my schooI-mate in boyhood,
and my bosom friend in youth" [ told him.
He led me one side, and spoke as fol-
lows:
Poor John. He was the pride of this
town six years ago. This man opened his
hotel at that time, and sought custom by
giving wine suppers. John was present
at most OF them-the gayest of the gay,
and the most generous Of the party. In
fact, he paid for nearly every one of them.
Then be began TO 90 down hill. And
be has been going ever since. At times
true friends have prevailed upen him to
Stop bat his stops were Of short duration.
A short season of sunshine would CLEAN
upon bis home aud then the night came
More dark and drear than before. He said
he would never get drunk again; yet he
would take a glass Of wine with friend
That glass of wine was but the gate that
let in the food Six years ago he was
worth sixty thousand dollars. Yesterday
he borrowed fifty dollars to pay his moth
er'S funeral expenses! The poor mother
bore up as long as she could She saw
+ her son-her Darling Boy" she always
called him-brought home drunk many
times, and she even bore Hows from him
But she's az rest now! Her "DARLISG"
wore her life away and brought her grey
hairs in sorrow to tie grave! Oh!I hope
this may reform hirnw
eBut his wife !' I asked.
Her heavenly love has held her up
thus far, but she Is only shadow of the
wife that blessed his home six years ago.
Ny informant was deeply affected, and
SO was l, and | asked him no more.
During the remainder of the afternoon I
debated with myself whether to call upon
John at ALL But finally [ resolved to 90,
though waited till-after tea. Ifound him
and his wife alone. They had both been
weeping though could see at a glance
that Ellen's face was beaming with Ieve
and hope. But oh! she was changed
sadly, painfully 50. They were glad to
see me, and my hand was shaken warmly.
Dear C, don't say word of the
past" John urged, taking my hand a sec
ond time. Il know You spoke the truth
TO me five years ago. [ was going down
hill! But I've gone as far as l can. I
stop here at the foot. Everything is gone
but my wife. [ have sworn, and my oath
shall be kept Ellen and l are going to
be happy now
The poor fellow burst into tears here.
His wife followed suit; and kept them
company. | could not help crying Ike a
child. My God, what sight The once