St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1868-01-24

} drank to excess, she tainted and lay i'll
in bed for weeks, and during that time
: they say nothing could have exceeded
2 my fathers tenderness. Penitent, he
promised to refrain forever after, and
my mother, smiling through her tears.
believed him. All you know, dear lady,
: how willingly a woman will believe
: when she loves Good resolutions last
ed for a while, and then my fathers
: moral courage gave way. He could not
: resist temptation, and what was first a
weakness grew to be vice. The nobili-
ty of his nature became drowned in liqu-
or and often we stood in fear of our
lives.
"Of course my fathers habits affected
his business. Step by step we passed
5 from comfort to misery, and well do l
remember the day when my mother took
: from her finger her wedding ring and
} carried it to the pawnbroker's for bread.
She wept bitterly as she looked at it for
the last time, and, clasping me to her
: bosom, said, "NIaggie, dear, this is the
last relic of happy days. Look at it,
love. 1t gave me you, darling and for
) this blessing | thank Cod
''My mother sewed for living and |
: was sent to a public school. No persu-
asions of my now brutalized father could
: force her to put me to work rather than
. allow me TO receive at least the rudiments
of an education. 1t was stitch, stitch,
5 stitch, from morning until late at night,
while |, burning TO remove the load from
} my poor mothers shoulders, studied un-
: tirngly to fit myself for teaching. But
. this was not TO be. Soon mother grew
TOO feeble to work, slow consumption
gradually absorbed her vitality, and the
| sewing fell TO me. There sat my poor
mother coughing necessarily and gaz-
ing piteously at me while |, with, oh
I such an aching heart, ,endeavored to cheer
e her as worked. NJ father came and
went; sullen when sober, violent when
| drunk.
NV mother died when | was fifteen.
< How | thanked God for removing her
t from suffering Then TO get away from
c myself, to be from home and my father
rs much as possible, | engaged to work
= in a LARGE house down town. The pay
; was poor, but had no friends and wa.
: not very quick with my needle. Ny
t tastes were in different direction. but
: being uneducated | could turn them tc
u no account. In this work room | mad,
I the acquaintance of a very nice girl
= Sarah Mathews. and there first saw hcl
: brother. James, who-whose name
Ii read among the-Ihe killed the day you
: found me.
Sarah and | became great friends
We lived near each other and were al
: ways together. Her brother was very
: fine looking, y printer 10y profession ant
Il very gay and generous. On Sundays
| we three often went out TO Central PARK
I TO breathe the fresh air that we coulc
o not get at home, and sometimes Jami,
L took Us to the theater. What brigh
Il spots those were in my dreary life . ON
a day, upon seeing me home from my worl
' Jamie followed me TO my room, sayin;
d he wanted TO see how / lived and wheth
/. er had everything TO make me comfort
Ie able. opened the door and there stoo'
y my father. saw he was i'll his usua
condition and bushed that the onl,
e. male friend had in the world shoul,
% witness the scene so sure TO follow
" Maggie" said my father, staggering 20
- wards me, chow dare you bring Il ma
d to Your room ! how dare you, | say /!
r With tins, he raised his hand TO strik
l. me, but Jamie's strong arm intertered
Ie ''lrute :" he exclaimed, ''if you wer
I'd not Maggie's father, I'd pay you in You
T. own vile coin" Then seizing me by tn
n hand, he hurried me into the street, say
ing, Maggie, that Is no place for you
IN dear girl. Come home with me. Sara
will take care of you" | was helples:
It, | went. Sarah was generous i'll her pit
tn and Jamie-what shall | say of him
OF his manly tenderness made me feel ho'
as truly | loved him. for did love him 5,
I'd crctlv The next evening, when Iinsis
nd cd upon returning home, he walked wit
ls me to bring me back, he said, i'll case
III needed protection. My father w;
y away" they told me, which meant tn;
~ should not see him Cor several days an
H. what relief this was to me His create
he degradation was my temporary peace (
d. mind.
lis There was buch of violets in Jamie
eel bntton-hole an unusual extravaganC
: ; for him. As we parted, he took III
IN hand and said Earnestly, ''Maggi
or these violents are for you. l love yo1
to Maggie, and if you can return my atfe
tion, carry them in your hand as you {
irl TO work tomorrow. L shall be watcl
tie ING. If not--'' In a moment he w;
d. gone.
10 What happy tears l shed over tho
nd sweet violets-the first flowers | had ey,
ID. received You, dear lady, who ha'
on everything that wealth can give, kno
Nc not how rich language that little bunC
is, of violets spoke to me. Jamie loved IL
nc and they were the token of his love.
IN, kissed them and talked to them and to
at them all the story of my poor sad hea
III. then for the first time beating with hop
rat was up betimos the next morning.
ew looked at myself in the glass and wish
IN. | were not so care-worn and wonder
Ter whether | was pretty enough for SO fl
ley fellow as Jamie. l put on my be
e clothes and went out. L couldn't lot
all up at his window but l held the viols
IN, so he could see them. Soon heard hu
las rying footsteps and then my arm w
gry drawn tightly throug h Jamie's who as
nat ed, looking at me with oh, such beau
ell full eyes. Can dear little Maggie 10
er's me enough to he my wife o. l shou
IAN have cried for joy, done l don't knc