St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-01-15
Aunt Mabel's Warning.
A TEMPERANCE STORY.

young mother held up her hrSt- born. to
receive. the kind greeting of aunt Mabel.
who for the first time had come to pay
Il visit to her tavolite niece.
''He is. indeed. ii beauty - replied
auntie. as she took the ten months old
baby in her arms and fondly kissed his
soft. dimpled checks.
But little Walter did not mt all APP
prove of this, and his mother took him
to the other end of the room, where the
bright rays of the afternoon sun. shin
ing through the end window, fell on Il
wine decanter standing on the table,
lighting up the cut glass with variety
of brilliant colors. Forgetting his trou-
blcs, little Walter crowed with delight.
and stretched out his tiny hands to
grasp the attractive object. His mother
laughed mcrrilN. as she danced him up
and down. ~ on cant have that. my
son: that's no plaything for you. yet :"
but the baby screamed atresh and
reached toward it. "Fie, baby: what
Il noise for auntie to hcar-thcrc. little
tyrant, will that do ?" and she placed
the stopper of the dccanter in his hands,
and set him on the carpet: then draw
ing fontstool Ia aunt Maher> side. she
exclaimed. "Now. dear auntic, | can
talk to you; baby will he quiet Il long
while with that new toy to play with.
Oracle. deal, don't spoil that boy of
yours" Grace laughed.
I'll try not, aunty, but he will have
his own way. if possible" and she
passed her hand over her boys curly
head. as he sat gravcly on the floor.
tlIrusting his new plaything into that
general receptacle of all babies his
mouth.
Look aunty." said Grace. after Il
minute or two spent in admiring con-
temptation of her treasure: ''only see
how the rogue is sucking that stopper ,
| do believe he likes the taste of the
wine on it; that's beginning early al
any rate, isn't it ;" and again she
laughed mcrrily as she spoke.
But aunt Mabel did not laugh.
Grace" she said seriously. do YOU
mean t" bring up your boy I" he IL
water-drinkcr -
I'm sure don't know. a,nty: I've
never thought about it. VIII, should {!
y little beer or wine. either. wont hurt
him when he is Older. Roland and |
always take it for dinner.
"Your husband i not Il teetotallrr
then p
.Oh, no; he SAYS ii l. carry ing things
to great extremes To abstain altogether:
IL little ale with dinner and II glass or
two of wine after. does him good. and
he is never pleased unless take some
too. am not strong enough To do
without it, he SAYS: though. as | tell
him. that's just NONSENSE. for | am ;lS
well us ever | can be-.
"IOu look so. ut any rate. my dear.
said her aunt: land now. Oracle. |
should like to tell You Il short story
about the friends in the North whom |
only left last week. You know | have
been staying there il long time"
Indeed you have, dear aumtie. Ior |
have been wanting You for the last
three months. and couldn't get You: do
let me have your story hut | know.
she added. glancinG ut the mourning
dress of her relative. lit has been Il
very moulnful time for YOU
Indeed it has. dear: Il very. very
mournful time. But il * not of that |
want to speak first :; my story must date
back many, many years; to IL time
when waS not much older than YOU.
Oracle, and IS full of life and hope ;,S
you can possibly he now. was pay wing
ii long-promi>ed visit to some friends.
when, one day. | WAS surprised 10y re
ceiving Il note from an old and much
loved SchOol-telluW to invite me to
spend Il long day with her that week
and to come to her for Il longer stay
when my visit to the Duncan> should
terminate. | was indeed delighted ut
this opportunity of renewing our friend
ship. and | did not fail To go To WilloH-
by Hall on the appointed day. and wa>
welcomed by Isabel with the greatest
pleasure and affection. With cagcrne>S
she showed me over the houS, and gar-
dens. reserVing till last. her chief treas
ure, her only child. Il lovely boy of
three summers.
Isabel always dinrd early with her
boy, when there WAS no company en-
pected, and to-day WAS to he no cNcrp-
ton to the rule. for ''She would not. :"
she said, "makc ii stranger of her old
school friend, Mabel" There was an
other visitor present. however -Isabel's
eldest brother. who had just returned
to this country after many years ah-
sencc, and had arrived only the night
before on Il short visit to his sister. Mr.
WillOwby was away from home on bus
wished to introduce me to her husband :
so we We're a small but very merry par
ty: the quaint remarks volunteered by
little Cyril added not Il little to our
amusement. 1t was evident Isabel
spoiled the precious boy, but thought
it WAS not much to he wondered at-he
was such IA bright, loving, Intelligent
little fellow.
When the servant in waiting filled
our glasses from the Jug of iresh-lrawn
ale, which. however. noticed that Nj.
Stuart declined to touch, it was with
some surprise saw the little boys sill
Yer cup was half filled too. and that he
raised it with eagcrucsS to his lips. Mr..
Stuart spoke the thoughts that were in
my mind, by exclaiming. isabel sure
ly YOU don't let that child drink ale -
Isabel laughed. Yes, Gordon, he al
ways has ii little-he is not strong, and
it does him good he likes it. too: don't
you, pet -
"Do you think it wise and right. ISa-
bel. to let that child get liking for
drinks of that kind while he is 50
young ?"
Why. Gordon. what harm can it do
to him.
"A great deal. should say. Ale is
quite unfit for child of his years
especially for one so sensitive and eX-
citable Us Cyril"
But, Gordon, it is such Il little drop
he has-scarcely more than Il table
spoonful it can't possibly hurt him"
"Well. setting aside the physical
harm it may or may not do him. it may
do him an immense amount of moral
injury; while he is too Young to have