Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1870-03-17
0, FAYETTEVILLE THllEssEE: THURSDAY, MARCH H. 1870

him TO have us there, b,
was so very accommodating !''t
Ny very heart beat audible
for remembered the brown haired
boy too we'll! Oh IF / could have
escaped, could have crept out
how gladly | would have done it
but / had insisted upon hearing
the story, and | must listen, so
sat still, and she continued:
T" After dinner said he, 'he
showed us around the different
rooms, talked Of tie exquisite
painting that adorned his walls;
we looked a few moments at the
billiard tables, the ten-pins and
the card players, for tell you il
is an extensive establishment
He showed Us his new and splen-
did varieties of wine and brandy,
talking so pleasantly about the
good qualities Of each, and the
different parts of the world where
wine is made, that ere was a.
ware of it, we had been in there
two hours
''Long enough to have come
home for dinner, | ventured to re-
mark"
'Yes, but We have seen now
and will have no curiosity to see
again, SO we vii just eat little
dinner and hurry back. But
Charlie, said |, is there no dam
ger of leading him into tempta-
llonT A vague fear had taken
possession OF me, | didn't know
whether it was for father or son.
The silvery moonlight shrouded
the trees with death-like appear
ahce and the waving shadows, of
the wind-shaken branches, filled
the lawn with phantoms. Char
lie went to his books as usual, and
for the first time in my life, l
grew weary of my husbands con-
versation.
''Dinner was taken at the sa-
loon every day after that, and by
and by supper too. Charlie usu
ally came home when he stop
ped in the eyeaing, but sometimes
they both staid, and then a weary
while | had watching. 1t soon
became apparent he was learning
to love the fatal glass. At first il
was only an oyster supper, and
he would come home early; after
awhile he came staggering home
at ten o'clock and finally would
not come at all, unless Charlie
went for him in the little cart
He would stay at home until he
got sober enough to go back to the
saloon, where he would remain
until brought home drunk again.
I be little work Charlie could do
by himself didn't amount to much,
for half his time was occupied ta-
king care of his father. The few
provisions we had were bought on
a credit. / lived as economically
us possible, and tried to prevent
things from going to ruin about the
place, but / was so down. hearted
| could not stop the tide OF DESC
lation that was coming upon us.
In six months we were reduced
from prosperity to ahject poverty,
from respectability to degradation.
The finale came at last.
"He was brought home one
night covered with mud and blood.
He had a dispute with one of his
drunken companions over the
card-table, aud IA bottle of whis-
ky hurled at him dealt death
blow on his temple" !
She shuddered, and SO did |,
but she went on:
81 looked at my murdered hus-
band, and all the good that was
left in me was frozen. | think
lny feelings would have satisfied
Satan, SO revengeful SO wicked
did / feell
"Charlie still was left, and
though he was drinking some,
Fondly hoped he had been SO
shocked by his fathers course,
that he would cease altogether
But no, my heart was hard as a
stone and the sins of the parents