Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-03-02

J about what Mary's feelings must have
been to find me intoxicated so soon after
our wedding-day But / found the gov
ernor had not forgotten it, when went to
work Monday morning.
"Tom," he said, / always thought you
a steady, sober, upright workman" He
laid particular stress upon sober, he did.
al thought and hoped that all my men
knew how to conduct themselves with
propriety and sobriety."
And then he gave me downright good
lecture, ending by saying he would never
have a drunkard in his employ, and gave
me weeks notice to quit
+ Mine was good place, very good
place, and l was loath to leave it. But
you know all working men are more or
less obstinate-the old spirit of inde-
pendence, suppose. At any rate l was
obstinate, and said was under no obliga-
ton to him, and a great deal more to the
| same effect / was certain at the time that
if 1 chose to be humble, to beg his pardon,
and promise to be careful for the future
| he would have kept me in his service but
no, l was downright stubborn, and although
| he had been an excellent master, abused
him terribly. He kept very cool, however,
and when / became quiet, he called me
and said, Tom, we'll part at once here's
weeks wages instead of the notice, and
you will oblige me by going at once"
At that moment l congratulated myself
upon getting away with weeks wages.
| feeling quite sure that 1 should soon obtain
another situation, and went home to Mary
with rather light heart but at times my
conscience-that indescribable monitor
told me l was wrong, and that should be
sorry for what had happened. In spite of
my implicit confidence that | should readi-
| ly obtain employment, could not help
occasionally whispering to myself that
trade was very, very dull, and that our
master-for l couldn't help calling him so,
having been in his service fifteen years
had, only the week before, discharged
three hands because there was nothing for
| them to do.
I was out of work six months. Mary's
dress making supported us the first three
of them Of course was ashamed of the
fact, but what could do? l could not
starve, and no one would employ me. If
anybody wanted hand, they referred to
my late master for character, and asked
the reason of my leaving. And he, like
the Christian man he is, told the truth.
But he also added, that was good work
man.
| It was no use-we were starving! Mary
had overworked herself, and was now very
| i'll. We got into debt, gradually but deep
| ly, and there wasn't a single shopkeeper
| who would trust US further. One by one
| every article except the bed on which
| Mary was lying, even the bedstead, was
either seized by creditors or sold by me to
| obtain drink-for soould have drink, tax
| ing care, however, never to get intoxicated
while Mary was dying for want of the
common necessaries of life. 1 became
| thoroughly reckless, and cared for neither
man nor God.
| Mary's friends at length heard of her
| miserable condition, and wanted to take
her away from me. But, like the brave,
| true wife she is, she refused to go until
every means she could think of to make
me better had failed. They then brought
her money and provisions, which she in
sisted upon sharing with me, in spite of
their remonstrances.
Still, after all her kindness and self-de-
NAL, would not listen to her advice and
entreaties to become teetotaler.
When she became better she said to
me:
"If were you, Tom, would go to
your old master, and tell him honestly how
your misdoings, and I'll be bound he'll
take you on again"
"No, Mary" I said. "rd sooner
starve."
Don't talk like that, Tom, or 1 shan't
love you half as much as do now. You
know we are deeply in debt and penniless,
and the landlord threatens to turn us into
the street. Do, please do, Tom, go to
your old master. I'm sure he'll give you
work..
"No, I WON'T" answered sharply.
Mary seemed greatly hurt, but said
nothing. After that instead of getting
BETTER as before, she became worse. Day
followed day, and week, week, and still
things were in the same unsatisfactory
state. l could not get work, not even an
odd job. Mary was dying
hadn't any faith in prayer then; but l
thought that was the time to try it, if ever
We couldn't be worse off than we were,
so took to praying to God that Mary
might get better; and whether twas ma
ture, or whether twas faith in PRAYER,
worked the cure, certain it is that Mary
from that time began to mend, and I, too,
seemed all the better, although was half
starving.
"Tve had such strange dream" said
Mary to me one morning when she was
nearly well, and when there wasn't bit
of crust in the house to eat. az edreamt,
Tom, that you were back at your old shop,
and that you were foreman there. Do 60
W GIlG Utu GO-udy, dLu dSk MN TO
give you something to do"
No, l WON'T" replied as sharply as |
could for was determined that wouldn't
humble to him.
"Then 1 will go for you," she said very
quietly
Nonsense Mary. You'll go on fools
errand."
"Can but try" said she; and before I
| could say anything further, she was ready
to start. Then she came toward me, and
putting both her hands on my shoulder in
that confiding, loving manner which can
not be resisted, and raising her clear,
heavenly eyes, beaming with hope, to
mine, she sweetly said, tom, we have
been married only short time, and am
quite disappointed in you. / don't know
why, but always thought you were tee
totaler; and as know you always keep
your word, please promise me you will be
one now and forever"
Its precious queer" said I, if I'm
not teetotaler now; for there's no money
to buy drink or anything else with, what
ever"
| - know that" she said ; but I want
you to promise to be a teetotaler always,
or, if you think that's too hard, until we
1--we In house of our own" and she fin
!shed by giving me one of those bewitch-
ing smiles all women know so we'll how
to bestow when occasion requires.
"In promise that with the greatest
Pleasure, l answered; "for when you
were so very i'll, Mary, dear, I had time to
think over matters, and came to the CON
clusion that if hadn't got drunk on that
unlucky evening, should have been in
work now, and able not only to support
you, but to purchase those nourishing
things the doctor ordered
"Never mind, Tom, dear, all will be
right in the end, you may depend upon it,
now that you have promised to abstain.
That dream had in the night, though,
still haunts me. wish you'd go up to
the shop"
"No, won't" said again, "but you
may if you like"
"AH right" she nodded, with another
smile, and after giving me kiss she went
out. l did not think for moment she