Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-05-03


with him on his bosom, to soothe him TO
sleep; but now, If the poor child walled
ever so heavily, he could not hear it. An
other child had been given to us, but she
only added to our difficulties. Then. in
deed, laborod continuously to recall what
had lost, but drink had got the mastery.
We were backward with our rent my poor
husband lost his customers, for he neglect
ed his business; and both clothing and
furniture went to satisfy our creditors. and
that craving which cries for more the more
1t gets. l could not bear the sympathy of
my neighbors-for they would give mo
their pity-held me up as suffering angel
while every hour of my life recalled
the time when neglect of my wifely duties
first drove my husband to the public house.
when sober, my poor dear was full of
sorrow, but he had not the strength to avoid
temptation. He never used any violence
toward me, though If attempted to hold
anything back he wished TO turn into drink,
he would become furious, and tear and
rend whatever he could lay his hands on.
One terrible night he broke every remnant
of glass and china that remained of what
store. Every thing was shattered every
thing but that one cup"
"And how did that escape?" questioned
Lucy.
at contained the infants supper" repi-
ed Mrs. Grey. al saw his hand hover over
it, and the same moment his poor, blood
shot eyes rested on the baby, whose little,
outstretched arms craved for its food.
Some silent message at that moment must
have entered his heart his arms fell down,
and without an effort to support himself,
he sank into a heap upon the floor in the
midst of the destruction he had caused. |
tried 10 get him on where once bed had
been we had still mattress and couple
of blankets.
Lucy did not speak, but her eyes were
overlooking, and she stole her hand into
that of Mrs. Grey. The good woman soon
resumed her story:
81 saw that even there sleep came to sub
due and calm him. My poor child ate her
supper and fell asleep, and my sick boy
was certainly better and also slept. crept
about, gathering up the broken pieces and
| endcavorng to light the fire. A kind lady
| to whom had taken home some needle
work that mornng-for several weeks |
had been the only bread winner--in addi-
| ton to the eighteen pence I had earned,
gave me a small quantity of tea and sugar;
and an old pewter teapot, that however
| battered, would not break, seemed to mo a
comforter. He wonld awake, / knew,
cold and shivering, but hoped not till the
nl,uia nd Of bn m
| description were closed and then his thirst
would compel him TO take some tea. 1
| heard the church clock strike one, and it
was Il joyful sound; no open doors, even to
| old customers, then. I knelt down
| between the children's blankets and my
| poor shattered husband and prayed as /
never prayed before.
az had managed sufficient fuel To boil the
kettle and create some degree OF warmth,
and l waited patiently and prayerfully for
| the waking. 1t came at last. The anger
and the violence that had been almost in
sanity were all gone; only the poor, brok-
| midtown man was there. He asked what
o'clock ii was. l told him the church clock
had gone half past one. He then asked for
water. / brought him cupful, another,
|
he had taken it he gathered himself up and
took the stool moved toward him. l
| poured him out fresh cup of tea. He
| looked for some time vacantly at the table,
and, not seeing another cup, he pushed
| that one toward me. I drank, half filled it
again, and moved it to his hand.
| "'My poor Katie he said, and kept re-
peating my name, has ii come to this-on-
| " one cup between us alp
"And enough, too" l answered, smiling
as gayly as l could-"enough to build a
house and home on, if we trusted to tea"
"What is your meaning?" he inquired.
81 was almost afraid to say what l meant,
but / took courage, while trembling:
mean. darling, Unanswered, that if we could
both be content with refreshment of tea,
we'd soon have a better and blither house
than ever we had"
".pye been a bad father and bad hus-
band he said-for by this time he had
nearly come to himself-'but all is gone,
and it's too late to mend
81 made no answer, but just drew down
the blanket from the faces of the sleeping
children-there never asanything touched
nv husband like the little child.
"'Is all goneY asked, and with that he
crushed his face down on his clasped hands
as they lay on the table and burst into
tears. l knelt down beside him and thank
ed God for the tears in my heart, but was
so choke could not speak and we stayed
that way ever so long, neither saying a
word. Now it is strange what turns the
mind will take. Even while his face was
wet with tears my darling lifted it.
"'Katie,' he said, and it may seem to you
nothing but fond old womans fancy, but
I've always thought there was no music in
the world ever so sweet as the way my hus-
band says Katie unto this day, Katie he
says, let's turn the cup and see what ii
reads Like all youngsters, l believe, we
had tossed many cup in our boy and girl
days, just for laughter. lie took it up
quite serious like and turned it, and as he
looked into it he smiled. There's a clear
road he went on, and house at the top
and wonderful lot of planks they can't
be ours, for there is not plank in or near
the pit at present.
"But there will he, answered eagerly.
1t was only yesterday, down whore the
spnny oyerhangs the pool, | met Mrs,
Grovely. She gave me ablithe good morn
ing, and asked if my good man was going
to turn his leaf soon. Tell him to make
haste for me- she said, laughing like a sun
beam for he's too good fellow 10 go on
much longer as he's been going. There's
goodness in him.
"Are you sure she said that p whispered
my husband.
$50 told him indeed she did, and more
She said she was waiting until you'd re-
solve to turn like man and cut down thu
small lot of timber that's waiting for YOU
| f.r I : a in