Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-12-16
temperance.
A Brand from the Burning.
ny CHARLES NELSON sISNErr.

" He is only beastly drunkard" And
Kate Wayne passed on with contemptuous
toss of her head.
q" But still human being, a man with a
soul to be lost or saved, and one who needs
helping hand" And with a look of pity in
her brown eyes, Edith Holloway crossed the
street to where man, intoxicated, lay in the
dirt and mire, with pale faced child trying
to help him up
" OF all absurd things that is the most RI
diculous )" thought Kate Wayne as she saw
the act 1t is perfectly outrageous to de-
grade ones self thus :" And she hastened
away as if fearful of being recognized as the
friend Of the kind Edith.
" Don't cry, my dear" the latter said to
the child, as she reached the side of the pros
trate man, " for | will help your father to get
up, and I'll see him safely home"
She held out her hand, very fair, white
hand it was, too, and assisted the man to rise,
and spoke few kind words to him. Those
words, and her pitying look, seemed 70 touch
some tender chord in his heart, and to rouse
him much from his drunken stupor, for tear
glistened in his eye as he thanked her in a
broken yet respectable way, And blush
of shame swept over him as a thought of his
degraded appearance occurred to him.
Where do you live, little one ~ Edith
asked of the child who clung in con6ding
way to her dress.
4" lust down that dark street there" was
replied. But mothers dead, and we have
nothing to eat And the little, thin hands,
clutched more tightly at Miss Halloway's
garments.
" | will see that you have better home
before tomorrow night" she said briefly
/" As for food, you shall have enough now"
Bidding them wait a moment, she passed
into a shop near by, and soon returned with
basket filled with loayes of bread and other
kinds of wholesome food She then asked
the child to lead the way to her home. 1t
was but a short distance away. The man
walked on by the side of his new found friend.
He was silent, though the look of his stained
face spoke eloquently Of the thoughts Of graf
itude stirring in his heart.
At the door of the rude dwelling they call
ed home she said, " | must leave you now.
But | will not forget you. | will see that
your wants are attended to-"
Then she kissed the child, and gave the
man some money. "Take this, and buy what
necessaries you may choose. But, oh, for the
sake of your child, do not drink drop of
liquor again l believe you may resist the
temptation. | feel assured you will make a
good and noble man." she added.
" | will try my best to be good. God bless
you for your kindness" That was all he said.
Yet the look of hope his face wore as he spoke
showed the noble heart Of the man, and his
strong determination to do right She was
to sail for India, where her uncle, her only
relative, resided, early next day. But amid
all the hustle Of preparation she went to her
old lawyer, (she was the owner of thousands
and an heiress,) and told him of the home she
wished prepared for the drunkard and his
child, and the aid she desired rendered to him
in his struggle to do right. She knew he
would obey her directions implicitly, When
far out ON the ocean, thoughts of the drunk
ards resolve were with her, and she prayed
that good might come of her kind act.
Eight years after these events ship was
wrecked on the Cornwall coast. All on board,
though the tempest was fearful, escaped to
the shore except one lady passenger. Being
ill, she was forgotten in the excitement.-
When discovered by the affrighted group on
shore, the vessel was fast going to pieces, and
it was considered impossible to save her.
Poor Edith Halloway !" cried one Of the
escaped crew. 1t is a fearful thing for one
so good to die thus
There was a stir in the group near the
speaker, aud man with his lips compressed
in firm resolve rushed to the beach, and in
spite of all remonstrauce, launched boat
and put off towards the wreck. No one
thought he would reach it, but, by superhu-
man efforts, in spite of the mad gale, he did
so, and at the risk of his life rescued the
lady, and, as if watched by some good angel,
bore her safely to land, amid shouts CT joy
Up the cliff, and to handsome dwelling
some quarter of a mile inland, the heroic
man carried her, as if the lives Of a nation
depended on his speed, and soon the old house,
keeper had brought her out Of the death like
swoon. But it was not until weeks after
wards that she recovered sufficiently from the