St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-10-10
John Cosnett's Notable Birthday.
CHAPTER /.

John Cosnett felt very much like Mr.
Readyto-halt.' as he walked along un-
der the gloomy sky of 4 certain 9th OF
| December.
John had not Il very robust cOnstitu-
tion. and he felt the influences of
weather and surrounding circumstances
more than he would have done had he
been Il stronger man. He knew that ii
WAS to a great extent his own fault
that he had destroyed the health he
once enjoyed by years OF excessive
drinking; hut this reflection did not
make his trouble amy easier to bear =
far from it.
1t WAS now exactly twelve months
since he had signed the pledge: and
instead of looking back with Joy and
thamktulncss upon the happy change
which had taken place i'll himself. his
family and his home during that time,
he pcrycr>cly chose to look ut every
thing i'll u light as gloomy as that OF
this gray, frosty, chccIless Christmas
Eve.
Il don't see that we're much better
of than we were this time last year.
hc said To himself almost all we can
say Is, that we are quite out of debt :
but home isn't much better that | can
see. Fifty things that we wanted then
to make il comfortable. we want Yet
and can't see any prospect of getting
'cIn 1t has been nothing but patch.
patch. patch. after ali our striving; and
there are lots of things that wife and
the children want this cold weather.
that cant lie got and wont he for many
Il dav Then sec how i'll Polly has
been. and what Il ~ickly little mite she
is still: / shouldn't wonder hit if we
lost her. and think it would drive me
Ncll-nigh mad to lose Polly. All. things
do look dark. and there doesn't seem
much encouragement to keep on. Wife
and children don't seem even To re
member that this is the anniversary OF
the day on which gave up the drink,
although it was the hardest trial of my
life to do il. Not n word have they
said about it, and they don't seem tO
care. | suppose they wouldn't care il
Just did is Tom Ilanvers wants me tu
~ much-go and keep Christmas Eve
with him and the rest of em At The
Golden Goose. We'll. if | did. it
wouldn't lie 81 bad. after all. Haven
kept the pledge Il whole year7 And
that ; more than many can say. If
did have Il hit of enjoyment tonight.
could sign again after New Years Day
john thrust his cold hands into his
pockets. and jinglcd the silver about III
them that he had just received f"i
wages 1t seemed as if he tried to look
and feel as miserable rs he possibly
could.
All. John. John, Don't you know
how easy it is To make everything i'll
life look as black aS night. if we art
bent upon murmuing and rcpinlng
And don't you know that there Is :
sunny side To every cloud. and that
nttcutimes things ac not nearly so haG
as they seem to he? Now your "goot
angel could have whispered into youl
ear lust then. what might You have
heard 2 Something like this:
Now. John. man. pray reflect upon
what You have been saying. You are
Il deal better oil than you were TIN:
time last year. Not only can you hole
up Your head before the whole world
and say. Il owe no man a penny hui
Your money has done many hlesSeC
things besides getting out of debt
Certainly there Is not much to show tol
it vet; but it has kept the children
plcntifully supplied with good food nj
The wear: it has kept their shoes sound
and their clothes tidy: it has hrough
many little comforts tn your home, ant
made your wife glad and thankful
woman. And though many things arr
still wanted, they can he done wlthou
Il little longer. and YOU will get then
d in very good time if You hold on brave
IN. Then. although your darling httl'
Polly has been so i'll. she is almost well
: YOU may say. and. with care. may turn
. out aS strong as any of the other chill
dren. Aud If it should please God t.
take her. he would surely give yol
strength according to your day. an'
help Won to say. Ills will he DONE"
ynm looked to him. And as for wifi
and children not caring about this i'm
portant anniversary! you Just wait
hit and see, 1t is because they are s.
}. afraid of letting the cat out of tn
bag" as your eldest boy. Arthur, says
they have not said ii word about it dur
ing the past two or three weeks.
+. Be a man. John Don't hc so foolish
p. nav wicked. us to go off to 1.-The GOlde
Goose" seeking "enjoyment" lo
know well enough You wouldn't find
there. Didn't YOU try through many
weary wear to get enjoyment in sue
Ii places. and after all didn't you fin
Yourself in the very depths of miser
and despair? And pray don't let Sata
, deceive you with the notion that yo
would 90 and sign the pledge Yer
easily again after New Years Da,
You might never sign again, If yo
- wantonly broke it now, and then WOO
l. woe. woe to yourself and everybod
10. belonging to you.
t. Go home. John. go home! Home
the place for the tempted and Il
gloomy. 1t is haven to run into an
ry escape shipwreck. If things look dan
to YOU now, 60 home, and hope Tor u
shining of ths sun tomorrow.
Il, Whether Johns reflections took
y, turn this way, | know not; but ce
- tainly he kept straight on in the dire
ton of home, turning not to the rig
' hand or to the left, where lay many
his old well-known haunts. like ma
traps. to ensnare the weak and toollsll
He quickened his steps. for 1t W
intensely cold but before he had gol
eS' far. lie saw. a long way of, litt
group turn the corner of the street
= come towards him. Il wonder vine
es. they're of to" he said, land Polly. 10
! declare I'll just step ont OF sigl