St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-09-19
ST. .,Auhnsburp Galedunian.
st. Johnspury. VT. Friday. sept. 10. 1873
Poor Joe.

with starving her and her child with
hunger and cold, he added insult 10 in
Jury, and cowardiy blows to dcsertion
and neglect. Most of his money was
spent at the puhlic-house. And those
whom nature and solemn VOWS would
prompt him to cherish, were left to
starve or beg. But it was not long. for
Mary was not strong ut the best, and
all this told powerfully on her slender
frame. and brought her to the gates OF
death happily for her, they were also
the gates of heaven. But it was Il ter
riblc struggle for her to part with her
darling boy, for Joe had been the CON
slant companion of all her griefs, and
shared in all her woes: i'll fact, they
were to each other the only oasis that
earth possessed, all beside WAS sterile
wilderness and barren sand.
Their work during the day was to do
anything to earn crust of bread, to
keep them from utter starvation. and
at night to sit in IA dark, damp, dismal
room. and watch the tlickering emhers
in the CRATE till they died away, and
then to creep to an old straw mattress
that lay in a corner, and await the COM
ing of him whose very foot should have
had emusic int a-coming up the stairs"
Bat oh the coming. the sad coming
woes. for the coming, They could
bear the surly blast as it howled
around the house like a hungry wolf !;
they could bear the SNOW as it driftcd
in through the broken windows, and
wound around them like a winding
sheet they could bear gaunt hunger
that gnawed at their hearts like Il
greedy bear but the football OF an i'll
carnate devil maddencd with drink
sent ii thrill of horror through and
through them, like an intensified agony,
and they chung closer together. drew
the thin bed clothes tighter around
them, and awaited the fiery ordeal.
But the blacklist cloud will burst, and
the darkest night will give place to the
dawning day.
But the parting! How could she 90,
and leave her darling child To bear it
all himself, with no hand To shield him.
and no tender eye to watch over him =!
All she would gladly have stayed, but
could not. for life was fast ebhiug
away, and the mortal struggle was at
hand. The only thought that conSOied
her WAS that he would soon follow and
the hollow cheek and sunken eye that
caused her so much sorrow before. she
now looked at with complacrncy and
pleasure. And yet the thought haunt
ed her that perhaps he might die alone.
with no one to hold his aching head or
close his sightless eyes. The struggle
came at last, and there she lay on IL
pallet of straw and Joe by her side.
lie overheard her whispering some
thing, and laying his ear closer to her,
he heard the words, I'm coming, COM
ing, coming -
Where are you going, MOTHER ~
he said.
ITO heaven, my boy.
please let me 90 with you"
81 would take you in my arms if |
could, but God loves you, and will
send an angel for you soon" And she
convulsively pressed him to her bosom
and died.
And when the husband came home,
drunk as usual, the horrible picture
presented itself To him of dead moth
er embracing Il living child. The scene
sobcred him, and he vowed to do bet
ter, but. alas, SO much had the demon
drink got the mastery of him. that all
his resolutions were like ropes of sand,
and il few weeks found him at the in
evitable alehouse; and so thoroughly
insensate did he become, that he even
sold the straw mattress for il copper or
two to buy drink.
Poor Joe! the old vigils were renew
ed, and then he felt what it WAS to
have no mother. Sometimes he was
overheard saying to himself, Il wish
God would send the angel to take me
to heaven where mother is, for the fire
is nearly out. and I'm afraid To stay in
the dark, and it's so cold " Occasion
ally the neighbors took him in. and al
other times he would hover about the
doors of public houses waiting for his
father.
1t was a fearful night. The frost was
keen and biting, the north wind drove
the drifting snow before it like Il mad
dening fury, mothers drew the window
blinds closer, children huddlcd togeth-
er in bed and piticd man or beast that
might he out in the blast.
Two gentlemen. going for the village
doctor, with lamps in their hands, hap
pened to shed ray of light on some
thing like a boy, sitting covering
against the doorstep of an alehouse
there was the voice of noise and revcl
ry within. and high over all was hcarC
the well-known shout of Blackey Lee
the boy was Joe The gentleman
knew him well a stranger came up a
the time. poked him gently with thu
stick, and said, go home TO YOU
mother, my lad"
His mother j., dead. sir" said th'
gentleman.
"And where is his father ,"
That's him shouting so, and sing
ing"