The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-07-15

ing lace down IN It's sisters arms the girl
OF twelve bends lower over the needle
while her pale face becomes deadlier
white. 5 Ise
81 Mol, old girl, I want money; don't say
40; [ know that you have got it, and
mean to have it, I, AHa @
A look at her half famished children
strengthened her purpose.
" William, you cannot have it; your
children must have food''
See! he strikes the feeble woman to the
floor, rifles her pockets of the dimes which
were to buy food for his starving children,
and staggers out to buy liquor-that damn
ing curse of body and soul. God hath long
borne with the SHINING man long watched
over the suffering innocents but He will
not always strive with him, nor withhold
His mercy from them. AS that dastardy
blow of the mailman was struck, another
raw the deed a man of mob men crossed
the street, kicked the wretch from the
door, entered and raised the fallen woman,
procured wine and food, and, when she
had sufficiently recovered to speak, drew
from her brief history of her life.
No wonder that the strong man trem-
bled while great tears coursed down his
cheeks: for almost from the first he recog-
nized in that wretched, broken down wo-
mon, a twin sister whom he had been look
ing for since he lost sight of her six years
before. Mary had altered in all save her
proud spirit of independence, and the deep
capacity for loving which yet lay hushed
in her soul. This pride had made her
seek concealment in her fallen degradation
(the poor and wretched find it easy to con-
ceal themselves,) to determine to make
known herself to her family only in the
hour of death: but now as Harry Thorn
ton revealed himself to her, and she look
ed into his fine manly face, glowing with
love for her, love triumphed and the feeble
tried woman sank sohbing within that
brothers arms,
"Mary, my sister, have never married.
| believe this is owing to the unrest I felt
about you. There has ever been feeling
within my heart that you would need me
more than all Others, which has keep me
aloof from your sex, and thank God that
| have formed no closer tie, for now my
care and my means shall be yours and your
children's. Not another hour shall you
remain in this howell. We will first visit a
ready-made clothing establishment, and
then we will take rooms at the hotel until
am ready to leave the CITY,"
Brother, what of their father? can
not abandon him to drunkard's grave"
Harry Thornton's face flushed scarlet,
and flashes of indignation sparkled from
his eyes but as he looked up into the
tear-dimmed, pleading eyes of that wan
face, he took her hand gently.
"Mary, cannot understand this feeling
for such debased, besotted wretch but
woman feel differently in such matters
You may leave a note telling him where
you are, and that when he feels like accep-
ting the quiet of country life, he can
come to us"
Most of all, my dear brother, do I feel
the magnanimity of this; aud from the
depths of my soul thank you"
1t may be said that this is an extreme
case, but there are many, very many equal
to it, which the world scarcely notices be-
cause woman in her pride conceals just as
long as it is possible to do so; but as for
that drunkenness which cloudes the mind
and units it for sound Judgment, slowly
undermines the constitution of man, and
renders him curse to his family it is to be
found everywhere; in the howell and in the
place in the shop and in the mercantile
house; in the medical board and at the bar
in city Offices in State Legislatures, and
in National councils its banefnl influence
is felt. Oh, why does man, born after the
tA press iulcSSS VI OOu,i 81 ueUdSe nIulSell
aud hasten himself into eternity unprepar-
ed to meet his Creator Surely there is q
madness in it. There are few men who
would rot pause and sober themselves if
they knew that they were about to .enter
the visible presence of God. Would that
they could realize that they are visible to
Him every moment of their lives Then,
me thinks, thousand upon thousands would
be saved, and millons of women and chill
dren spared lifetimes of torture. Oh | will
the day never come when virtue will tri-
umph over sin, sobriety over dissipation
God grant it speedily, to our Southland at
least. BEVERLEY.
Ia We copy as follows from the spe-
cial Washington dispatch to the Louisville
Journal |:
Grants runaway trip to the Rocky
Mountains excites general comment in
every circle. 1t has been even hinted that
his "habits" had something to do with. the