The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1873-01-03
PROM the Christian Monitor.
NEW YEARS CALLS.
Don't Isait the Devils Trap.

Mrs. Todd stood by the table seasoning
mince pics. She had never been known
to trust any one with this delicate job,
for she solcmnly believed that no other
person could make quite such delicious
pies, and thus believing, it was, natu-
rally, her pride, and asshc imagined, her
duty to attend to this department of Gu.
linary science.
Deity she mixed the chopped meat
and apples; the citron, the curranis, raj
sins and candied lemon peel were care
fully weighed; spice, cinnamon, cloves,
pepper, mace and nutmeg. in exactly the
right proportions we're added; the chop.
ped suct, sugar. molasscs, boiled cider
and cider unboiled were poured with a
liberal hand into the great wooden bowl,
and lastly, the brandy bottle was lifted,
when voice from the big arm chair
where old aunt Lois sit knitting, arrested
her hand, and she set the bottle dows
with look half CONSERVATION and half
reproacb.
Don't bait the Devils trap, Harriet
that was all-and aunt Lois went on pla.
cidly counting her stitches.
Outlines a word is as good as SER
mon. and through Mrs. Todd's mind a
long train of incidents dating from the
last New Years day Travelled with rail-
road speed.
She had prided herself at the time,
that. though opening her house for call
er,, she had displayed great firmness OF
principle in banishing wine from the
side-board But had she not been "bait-
ing the devils trap" after all? She re-
ycmbcrel that Charlie Denmore's first
call had been at her house-that he lin
gered long and was plentifully helped to
her splendid" mince pie, a. he had call
ell 1t at the time. At the next place
homemade wine hal been provided for
callers, and, though for a year Charlie
hal abstainel from drinking, yet it was
noticed that he at once eagerly seiAei the
offered glass and drank it, contents.
Again, and again, temptation met him,
and that night he was taken home t. his
/ widowed mother in a state of mauliin
intoxicItion. Was it trne. as she had
heard, that Charlie had said Mrs.
Tools pies set him staggering If 50
who was to blame for his death. which
occurred in wine-celler few months
afterwards Whose fault was il that his
mothers heart was broken? that his sis
ter, homeless and penniless, had wept
herself blind and was now the inmate of
hospital!
Then another scene presented Itself.
All through the winter she had kept her
brandy favored mincepies ready for any
chance callers. and she had noticed that
the preacher, after partaking of her cold
dinner on Sunday, seemed opreach with
more fire and zeal; but alas. few more
months and the fire was gone, the zeal
was dead, and the man who had started
on the road TO heaven was dragged down
10 hell by the demon of the wine cup.
1t came out, after this disgraceful fall,
that in early days he had loved wine too
well, but seeing his danger he had avoid
ell temptation, and had thought himself
safe. True, he never openly accused
"Sister Todd of "baiting the trap but
she remembered his saying-"my friends
knew not my weakness; alasl that my
tall should be through their mistaken
kindness" Had he meant her? She had
thought the remark that of a weak-mind
ed, weak-principled man, trying to throw
the blame of his own misdoings upon
other peoples shoulders.
"Bear the infirmities of the weak"
Did the command mean that we were to
watch over eueryhingthat mightinhuence
another TO evily
But still colder grew her heart as an
other and more terrible thought pressed
ed upon her brain-strange, but in all
these years, she had never once connect
ell her brandy-flavored dainties with the
clouds Of darkness that had oyer-shad-
owed her own home.
From the time her boys had first sat
in their high chairs at the table, she had
allowed them 10 eat Of the rich pastry;
later on, they had mingled with the
young and gay, and learned to love strong
drink. Both her boys had been sent forth
with harsh and bitter words. From one
she had never heard; the other, sorrowing
and repentant. had written that he would
be with them on the morrow-New Years
day-"to begin his second year Of self
control-that the wine-cup had been
abandoned, and purity and peace we're
once more en.hronol ia his heart; and so
be was coming to bis mother, that by her
side he might live the new life, and be her
pride and her stay the remainder of the
journey"
Partly to do him honor. but more 10
fulfil an old time custom, she was making
these pies.
"Baiting the DEVILS trap" for her own
sons The words stood forth in all their
dread significance, and she trcmbled as
Belshazzar did before the Gery scrowll
Had she been blind for forty years.
Was all the sin and shame of her chill