The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1873-07-10


of that summer were carried by more than
one through long years 81 dfcary toll.
one short week after their departure the
whole village was alled with sorrow and
Consideration, for Lawyer Fuller had
been found dead ia NJ. bed. Travelling in
that part Of tie country ia those days.
was done for the most part In stage
coaches, SO Of course IL was impossible TO
think Of sending for Harry and Madge.
They buried him in the little ohurcbyard
by the side Of his wife, with no one to
follow a. mourners except Marsdcn,
Minnie aud Charlie.
When the will was opened they found
that be had len he homestead 70 Marsdeu
nice little sum 10 your uncle Charlie,
and the rest TO Madge. They were his
only living relatives For few months
we heard very often from Madge, but
gradually She stopped writing, and AZ last
stopped entirely Marsdeu and Charlie
wrote; still they could get no tidings
/ from the absent ones, and finally they
made up their minds that both must be
dead, for surely, they said, as did every
one else, Ii they have moved away, they
would write, aud let Ms know their
whereabouts, The years rolled by. aud
nearly ten had elapsed since Madge Full
4 ler's wedding. In that time many changes
+ had taken place. | had completed my
music, aud after your uncle Charlie and
were married, still found ii great help
+ to us, as | never found any difficulty in
procuring as many music scholars as
could teach. The tenth anniversary Of
Harry and Madge's wedding came, and
with il another party assembled at Mars
( den Fuller's to witness the marriage OF
4 his only daughter Gertrude. The cere-
mony passed pleasantly. Then came snp-
per, and after supper came the wine, as
is usual on such occasions.
4 Before the first drop of wine was pour
cd, the hail door opened, and woman
dressed ia the deepest mourning entered
and stood quietly at the farther end of the
room. In an instant ali eyes were turned
toward her. Seeing that she was the CEN
ter Of observation, she moved nearer te
the table, and throwing aside her mantle
so all could see her face she commenced
speaking. | beg pardon for intruding
she said, but when saw that wine bro'I
in, could be quiet no longer. Bear Will
me few moments and | win tell my
story. Ten years ago | sat where yondel
bride now sits, just as fair,perhaps as she
and without one care for the future. b,
my side sat one with as noble and true {
heart as ever beat in human breast Ii
all the days of our wooing he never
would taste of wine, but on our wedding
night prevailed on him TO take the frs
glass that ever passed his lips. Oh! how
many, many times have | repented thu
foolish actI We had not been settled il
our home more than two weeks before
noticed that he took wine daily, and in 0
little while he was brought home to me
SO drunk that he could neither talk moi
stand. Then my troubles commenced
Sometimes he would go fora month with
out touching drop; then ! would hopt
for better days, but alas he would com.
mence again, and drink harder than ever
AT last our boy was born, and then
thought for its sake, if not for mine, HI
would do better; but mol After a few
weeks is was the same old story. TheI
| saw the property my father left me GO
ing, and we were obliged to move into {
smaller house; from that into smale
one, and at last found myself tenan
in an old house in part Of the city
where, in my more prosperous days,
would not have dared to venture alone
One night Harry came home TO me, anG
saw with horror that he was suffering
from delirium tremens. called ply
sician Immediately, but all that night ant
the next day his suileriugs were terrible
At last reason came to him, and he calleC
me to his bed side aud said he had some
thing to say to me lie told ne that hi
father had died in ft of delirium ire
mems, and that be himself bad an un
natural longing for strong drink-bi
mother died from the effects Of a blow
that bis father had given her in a drunken
frenzy, aud she had made Harry prom
ise her Oh her death bed never TO taste
, drop. And, said he never did, until m
wedding night, when 10 please yoa
. drank my first glass Of wine. That frs
glass was a fatal one; ii seemed to rous
, very demon IN me. From that time
, could not resist the temptation to drink
> do not blame you Madge, he said, 20
, did ii iunocently, aud you have sufiere
! enough ten thousand times over wilbou
r my casting reproach oa you; and now
/ am going away TO leave you and my boy
/ aud / may never see YOU again. | 81
4, going to try to be o mau once more. II
succeed, will come back; If not shs
q never trouble you. Ia vain ! pleadc
T. with him to let me go too, bat he could nc
q think It best; and the next morning b
70 left us. Five years have passed sine
g then, aud ! baye never seen or bear
from him la all that time.
-. loiled hard 70 provide for myself aH
, Hule one for while, aud then the angl
Of death came and bade me give m
precious one into his keeping. folde
T. The little hands on the quie, breast, an
9 closed tile darling blue eyes without on
T" uurmur, for thonght be bed been take
while yet pure and sinless from the eyi
y to come. They laid him away ia 8 qui'