Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1870-03-17

; thing else, and then complacently
watches his victim as be stagger,
away"
Oh ! how / writhed and WINGED
as this too-true picture was helC
before me. Every word was like
an instrument of torture, for / was
, lat that time the proprietor of q
fashionable drinking saloon, but
! gasped, Ego on ! go on !"
-'When we came to this place,
Ishe continued, emy husband was
a well.to-do carpenter. he
bought neat little cottage about
a mile from town. He was sober
and industrious, got plenty of
work and good wages, so that we
prospered abundantly. He was a
man of strict moral integrity, but
we were not christians, we did not
thank God for our success; oh! if
we had perhaps it might have
Ibeen different. lie was insuffi-
lcient in hissown strength to with
stand temptation; SO he went
astray, and l was left in poverty
and wickedness. Our only child,
our noble bright-eyed boy was
just seventeen years cid, but he
worked daily with his father, and
was agreat comfort and assistance.
So far all our expectations had in
him been realized. At school he
had been studious end attentive,
and at home diligent and dutiful.
We had arranged that he should
remain at home and work until
the fall, when we thought wecould
afford TO send him TO college. He
was so anxious to go, and read
and study so much at night, we
could not deny him his tondest
wishes. But a man--no, a brute,
ala evil spirit came, and, alas! for
my hopes. He bought the hand
soonest house on the public square
furnished it Handsomely, land called
it a refreshment saloon. Oh! the
arti6ce of Satan's emissaries! There
wasiee cream, soda water, lemonade
refreshment of every kind, meals
served up any hour, upon short
notice. This last was what en-
shared my husband. He had
been in the habit of carrying his
dinner with him, to save the long
walk home, but one day he said
Wife, you needn't mind putting
up our dinner, we can get a plate
of hot soup, and bakers bread at
the saloon, and it will be less ex-
pensive than the good dinners you
fix up, and it will save you a deal
of trouble. You are looking wor-
ried lately The trouble is moth
ing, said /, but | agreed to the
arrangement. The next morn
ing when they were gone, and the
empty basket sat on the shelf,
with its clean towel over it, it re-
minded me of a corpse and a wind
ing sheet, and my heart trembled,
and / felt restless and uneasy all
day. And though there was no
dinner to cook for the next day, i
felt more wearied that night than
usual, and such sad presentment
came over me could scarcely be
cheerful when my husband came.
That night, after supper, as we
sat on the vine-wreathed gallery,
and the breath of July roses float
ed on the moonlit breeze, he talked
necessarily about that fine saloon.
How they had given him a good
dinner, with a glass of excellent
wine to top of with and would
not let him pay cent for it.
s'But," said |, perhaps he will
charge it, for | knew he did not
wish TO 60 IN oeDt, even lof u olll-
ner."
"Ohl no" he replied, che is too
clever for that. He said it made
no difference at all, and patting
Charlie on the head he called him
a 6ne young fellow, and said be
expected US both to take dinner
there every day. Wife, ! really
believe it was qualification to