The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1874-05-07


leads nv mind, We bad tao dre-~no fte
no elothes-uo nothing. nothing bnt
misery aud woe Nv poor mother used
20 clasp me to her bosom to keep inc
warm, sud ouoe--onee l remember
when her very tears froze on my eheek
Q, how my mother prayed to God for her
husband; and /, who could just pratllc
learned to pray, too. And used TO see
ihat busbAsd aud father retain to his
home, aud | remember how my mother
cried and trembled
When grew older had TO go oSt
and beg bread An cold aud shiveriug /
yaded through the deep snow, with my
clothes in latlers and my freezing feet al.
most bare Aud saw ether children Of
nv own age dressed warm and comfort.
able, aud knew they were happy, for
they laughed aud saug as they bounded
along towards school. Those boys had
sober fathers, ! knew their fathers were
no better than mine had been once, for
my mother had told me how noble N,
father could be II the accursed demon
rum were not in his way; but the fatal
power was upon him, and though he of
en- promised, aud though he oflen tried,
yet he could not escape,
Time passed on aud | was eight years
old, and those eight years have been years
of snch sorrow and suffering as pray
God NAV never see another experience.
At length one cold morning, in the dead
of winter. nv father was not at home, -
lie had not been at home during the
night. My mother sent me to the tavern
TO see If | could find him. had gone
half the way, when saw somethin in the
snow BY the side of the road. | stopped
looked like a human form. ] went up to
IL aud turned the head over, and brushed
the snow from the face. II was my faith
er. aud he was stiff and cold laid nv
hand upon his pale brow, and It wa.
like piece of solid marble. lie was
deadl
Poor Jack stopped moment and wip-
ed his eyes. Not one of US spoke, for we
had become too deeply moved. But soon
he continued:
went to the tavern, and told the peo.
pie there what had found, and the Ian l.
lord sent two Of his men to carry the
frozen body Of my father home. o, ship.
mates cannot tell you how my poo,
mother cried and groaned. She sank
upon her knees, aud clasped that icy
corpse to her beating bosom, as though
she would have given it lite from the
warmth OF her own breast. She loved her
husband through all his errors, and her
love was aIl-powerful now. The men
went away, and left the dead body
still on the floor. My mother told me to
come and kneel by he side. did so. --
My child, she said to me--thc big tear
yet rolling down her cheeks-you know
the cause of all this. This man was once
as noble and happy and true as any man
can be; but, o, see the destruction rum
has caused. Promise me, my child, o.
promise here before God aud yonr dead
father, and your broken-hearted mother,
that you will never touch q single drop
OF the fatal poison that has brought about
all this misery. ........
o, shipma tes, did promise, then and
there, all my mother asked, and God
knows that to this moment that promise
has never been broked. My father was
buried and some good kind neighbors
helped us through the winter. When the
| next spring came | could work, and !
earned something for my mother, No
earthly consideration could induce me 10
! break the pledge gave my mother aud
my God on that dark cold morning. Aud
even had made no such pledge, would
not touch the fatal cup, for have a fond
doing mother that my dishonor would
make miserable, and ] would rather dr
than to bring more sorrow upon her head.
| Perhaps YOU have no mothers; and il you
have, perhaps they do not look to you fOi
support, for am sure that neither Of you
would bring down loving mothers gray
hairs in sorrow to the grave. That IS all
shpmates. Let me go and YOU may en-
I 10, yourselves alone, for | don't believe
that YOU will again urge the wine cup
upon me.
/ As Jack Small thus spoke he turned to
the door to go, but Tim Black stopped
/ Tim.
( Hold on, Jack, cried Tim, brushing the
tears from his eyes, aud starting up from
MS chair. You shan't 20 alone. | have
I got a mother and love her as feryenlA
a. you do yours, aud your mother shall
not be happier than niue, for by the love
[ 1 bear her, here pledge myself that she
I shall never have drunken son. | shall
drink no more.
/ Give u. your hand, Tim, cried sam
I Pratt; l'tl join you.
( / bcsitated no longer, but quickly start
I iug from my chair jJiued Tim aud
+ Pratt, aud ere long all five Of us joiued
small la bis noble iiie-plan. We called
. Tor pen, ink and paper aud made smali
dtaw up pledge lie signed II first,
aud the fest OF u followed him; aud
aner the deed was done I am sure thai
little company was fsr happier than Ii
bud beeu tor years. The liquor upou the
tabie remained untouched, and the effect
Of that drank by Us during the forenoon
had passed away.
Towards evening our company Te'ufu.b
10 the ship. The captain looked s' Hs
suspicioa.ly a. We came over rhe slde, iar