The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1868-05-05

oil the Olu man tnrlll-lOr nature ana
pathos were in them Now am trying
in earnest to do better no one will give
me word OF encouragement, nor help
ing hand. Heaven help me for | am
forsaken of man
Mr.. Landlord stood thoughtful and ir-
resolute for some moments At length he
said
"John, if you will bring me certif4
cate from the Secretary of your Lodge
that you have Joined the Good Templars,
l will give you another trial But if you
disappoint me again, you and ! are done
forever
The countenancc Of Jarvis frightened
instantly. He turned quickly away, with
out reply, and hurriedioff to the store of
Mr.. R-the secretary Of the Lodge he had
Joined. The certificate was of course obs
tanned.
And you have joined, sure enough,
john said Mr.. Lankford, in changed
tone az he glanced over the certificate.
Indeed | have Mr.. Landlord
'And you seem in earnest.
If ever was in earnest about anything
in my life 1 am in earnest now
Keep your pledge, then, John, and
all will be we'll While you were so
Der man preferred you to and journey>-
man in my shop. Keep sober, and you
shall never want days work while |
am in business.
The poor man was now shown his
place in the shop, and once again he re-
snmed his work, though under tar diff
ferent impulse than had for years nerved
him to action.
Two hours brought his regular dinner
time, when Jarvis, who began to feel the
want Of food, returned home, with new
and strange feelings about his heart One
impulse was to tell his wife what he had
done, and what he was doing But then
he remembered how often he had Knocked
her new springing hopes-how often he
had promised amendment, and once even
joined temperance" society, only to re-
lapse into a lower and more degraded
condition.
NO, no. he said to himself, .after de.
batting the question in his mind, as he
walked towards home i will not tell
her now. / will first show some fruit of
my repentance. | will give such an as
surance as will create confidence and
hope.
Mrs Jarvis did not raise her eyes to
the face OF her husband as he entered -
The sight of that once loved countenance
distorted and disfgured, made her heart
sick when she looked upon it. Jarvis
seated himself quietly in a chair and held
out his hands for his youngest child. not
over two years old, who had no cono
sciousness Ct his fathers degradation In
a moment the happy little creature was
upon his knee. But the other children
showed no inclination to approach.
The frugal meal passed IN silence and
restraint Mrs. Jarvis felt troubled and
opprcssed-for the prospect before her
seemed to grow more and more gloomy.
f All the morning she had suffered from n
steady pain in her breast, and from las
situde she could not overcome. Her
pale, thin, care.worn face told sad tale
, Of suffering, privation and confinement,
and want Of exercise What was to be-
come Of her children, she knew not.
Under such feelings of hopelessness, to
have one sitting by her side, who could
take much of her burdens from her were
, he but to will it--who could call back
the light 10 her heart, if only true to his
promise, made in earlier years soured in
) some degree her feelings, and obscured
I her perceptions. She did not note that
, some change had passed upon him a
f change, that if marked, would have
\ caused her heart to leap in her bosom.
AS soon as Jarvis had risen from the
81 table, he took his hat, and kissing the
youngest child. the only one there who
| seemed to regard him, passed quickly
from the house. As the door closed after
4 him, his wife heaved long sigh, and
then rising mechanically, proceeded to
clear up the table. OF how many crush
ed affections and disappointed hopes, did
that one deep, tremulous sigh speak.
Jarvis seturned to his work, and app
piled himself steadily during the whole
afternoon. Whenever desire for liquor
D returned upon him, he quenched it in a
4 copious draught of water, and thus kept
himself as free as possible from tempta-
ton. At night he returned, when the
( same trouble and uneasy silence pervaded
. the family at the supper table. The meal
( was scanty, for Mrs. Jarvis incesSant la
r Dor could procure but poor supply a
q food, Alter the children had been puI
e to bed, Mira JARVIS sat down, as usual,
10 spend the evening, tired as she was
and as much as her breast panied her in
i sewing A deep sigh heaved involuntar-
lily her bosom as she did so. 1t caught
4 the ear of her husband and smote "A hi:
J heart. He knew that her health was
feeble, and that constant labor fatigucd
9 her excessively.
Il wouldn't sew tonight, Jane, he said
! You look tired Rest for one evening.
|, Mrs. Jarvis neither looked up nor re
h piled. There was something in the tone
of her husbands voice that stirred hel
/ feelings; something that softened her
> heart toward him. But she dared no
trnst herself to speak, nor let her eye!
meet his, She did not wish to utter q