Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-04-23

"But why didn'i you call after her ? 8"
asked Aunt Ruth.
"Cause didn't want TO-" answered the
child. "She dropped it. didn't knock it
off," ~
Mrs. 0mdorff was not satisfied with the
conduct of her child; and yet she was
amused at what she termed bis cuteness,
and laughed instead of reprovng him for
an act that was in spirit theft
SO the child's education for crime was
begun-his ruin initiated. The low moral
sense Of his mother was perpetually show
log itself in some disregard Of others righte
A mistake made in her favor was never
voluntarily corrected and her pleasure at
any gain Of this kind was very rarely con.
cealed "IIe cheated himself" was a ia.
vorite saying, heard by Karl almost every
week aud as he grew older be understood
its meaning more clearly.
Mr.. Omdorif was man of higher integ-
rity than bis wife, and just in dealing to
the smallest fraction. "Foolish about lit
tie things more nice than wise" as she
often said, when he disapproyed of her way
Of doing things, as was sometimes the case.
Mrs. Omdorf had learned to be guarded
in her speech when he was home and 80
he remained in ignorance Of the fatal per-
versions goAt on in the mind of his child.
As the boy grew up his fathers super
vision became more direct. He was care
fu about his associates, and never permit
ted him to be away from home without
In tna, ...l a. ~ L
He knew too well the danger Of evil asso-
citation, and he guarded his boy with jenl-
Gus solicitude.
Alas he dreamed not Of the evil inhu.
enccs at home never imagined that the
mother was destroying 10 her son that nice
sense Of honor without which no Que is
safe nor that she had taught him to dis
regard the rights Of others; to take mean
advantages, and to appropriate what did
not belong to him whenever it could be
done with absolute certainty Of conceal.
ment.
Is 1t any wonder that amid such home
Influences the boy did not show, as he ad.
vanced toward maturity, high sense of
honor p? That he should be mean and selfish,
and dishonest in little things "As the
twig is bent the trees inclined" Evil seed
will produce evil fruit.
Society punished and execrated the un.
happy young man, and pitied his wretched
mother little dreaming that by her band
his prison doors had been opened.
Another instance of the baleful indu.
ence that may exist at home is to be found
in the ruin Of a young man who recently
died in one Of the lowest and vilest haunts
Of the city. He had been well educated
and grew to manhood with fine sense
of honor His mother was woman OF
rare culture, and beloved by every one
in the circle where she moved All the
moral sentiments Of her son had been care.
fully fostered aud developed, and when
he reached manhood 10 one showed fair.
er promise.
But it was not long before a shadow fell
across his life. He had learned one thing
at home that was destined to work his ruin
he had learned to love the taste of wine.
His father belonged to class of mer
who consider wine-drinking as mark o
good breeding. He knew all about wines
and had a weak vanity in being thought Q
connoisseur. If he had friend to dinner
he would bring out two or three kinds anc
discuss them through half the meal. He
: called the men who were ranging them
selves against the terrible evil of intemper
ance, and seeking to stay its balefu course
'poor fanatics" He talked of pure wine
and liquors as harmless, and gave them t,
his son at suitable times and occasions, mod
erately; guarding him by warnings agains
excess.
But these warnings went for nothing, a
appetite increased. At twelve years of ag,
the boy was content with single glass o
wine at his dinner. At eighteen he wanteC
two glasses, and at twenty-one, three. b
this time he had acquired couviyial habits
and often drank freely with other younl
men of his age. His mother was first t,
take the alarm but his father was slow I,
believe his sou was in danger. The sal
truth broke upon him at last in painful
humiliation. AT large party in his owl
house the young man became so badly 10
toxicated that be had to be removed from
the company.
From that unhappy period, wine wa
banished from the fathers table. But
was too late The work of ruin had pro
gressed too far At twenty-seven tn
wretched young man died, as we have said
in one ofthe lowest and vilest dens of the city
We could give many instances like this
Here at home is the chief source Of tina
widespread ruin by intemperance, that i
every year robbing society Of thousand
upon thousand of young men, who. b,
; education, culture, and social standing
are fitted for useful and honorable posi-
tions. They are ruined at home. Her
, they acquire a taste for wine, and her
they learn to speak lightly of temperance
Not one case in ten does young man &C
quire the taste for drink in saloon o
tavern, but at home-if not in his owl
home, in that of some friend. We fea
q that the drinking saloons, men set up il
, their dining and drawing.rooms, and t
which they invite the young and old o
/ both sexes, do more to deprave the taste
and lead to intemperance, than all the Ii
censed taverns in the land. 1t is here tha
the appetite is formed and fostered her
J that the apprenticeship to drunkenness
, served Year by year, the sons of ou
wealthiest and most intelligent and inhuen
I tial citizens are tempted and led astray b
r the drinking customs of society ruined a
home. How few of the sons of successful
men rise to the level their fathers hay
: gained. How many, alas sink SO far be
l -. A =. a II