The Van Buren press., 1875-02-23

rassed situation of affairs. FASTENED to
the sides of his son and daughter. He
begged them not to oppose complying
with the expressed wish of the guests
He told George it was not necessary to
take more than " one glass;" as by that
he would not be treating his guests dis
courteously.
"Well SIR" said George, as his man.
" form trembed like leaf before the
whirlwnd of emotion within his breast
~ unwillingly comply with your re-
quest
Mr. Rogers filed George and Emmas s
glasses, and then mingled with the joy
Gus throng.
In few moments young gentleman
gave the following:
"To tho newly married pair--United
in their lives, after death may they be
undiyided
The yaet asscmblage arose and drank
the beautiful sentiment in silence. The
bridegroom had taken " just one glass"
A year and a half have sped away, and
every few weeks George Edmouds re
mains away from home. His business
interests, he leads his wife to believe, are
the cause Of his occasional absence. She,
woman-lke, believes it, not dreaming Of
the actual state Of things
Mrs Rogers commenced to observe
something strange in the appearance of
George, but thinking that it might be in
her Imagination, never limited her susp-
cons to Emma.
These times of absence were periodi-
cal, and George never returned from them
save when no one would have known that
he had done aught that was not strictly
proper. -Ht t"
% AS time rolled on, he was oftener alb
sent, and the parents of Emma began to
grow uneasy and troubled about it
Husband said Mrs. Rogers, one
night, as they were sitting round the fire,
" don't you think that George is drink
ing, and that is the cause of his staying
away from home so much y
"Yes, my dear. | haven't the least
doubt OF it in the world For months
have suspected it, but desired to keep the
knowledge of it from you as long as pos
sible," he replied,
"Do you think Emma knews it p said
the mother anxiously. "Ihave noticed
a considerable change in her of late
mo; | believe she thinks there is
something wrong. bat does not dare 10
think what it is. She tries to convince
herself that it is business that causes his
frequent absence y
Poor girl ~ exclaimed the mother,
with a stined moan, and then silence OPP
pressive, because stepped in melancholy,
took possession Of both their minds,
We are not permitted to read the
would see Mr. Rogers ifcifs"naooh I'VE
painfully distressing reflections His son
in law, whom he dearly loved, was a
and he asked himself if he was
not directly responsible for it. The
thought weighed heavily upon him, nor
could he sLake it of.
One evening, after an absence of about
two weeks, George Edmonds staggered
into his wife's room drunk. A shrek of
horror pierced the air, As the awful truth
burst with all its dreadfulness upon the
mind of the wife, and she fell, scnseless,
upon her back.
The shock somewhat sobcred the hus.
band, and picking her up in his arms, he
laid her on the bed and applied restora-
tives Then calling in a servant girl, he
hastened after doctor,
When he arrived with the phys clan, he
found his wife raying maniac. The
shock had been too great for her, and she
she was thrown into the brain fever, and
reason dethroned She was sick for two
and nearly half the time was de.
lirious During these spells she would
denounce her husband, and then sob and
weep, and wiring her hands. When rea
son had resumed its place she would lisp
sweetly
Come to me, George. come to me !
] love you, if you are drunkard and
then she would sigh and weep AS though
her heart would break. George never
left Der bedside during her sickness, save
when sheer exhaustion rendered it abso.
lutely necessary. Gradually she recov-
cred, and when she was able to listen,
without weariness, he told her the story
Of his life
"When | was abou' twelve years Old,
my father, who always kept liquor in the
house, used to give me a little strong
brandy, to enjoy seeing the wry faces l
would make. From being nauseating, and
dstasteful. at first, it began to be palaia-
bic, and | learned to love It's strength and
to yearn for it. | knew where my father
kept his bottle, and every chance | got, l
would steal to it, and take swallow or
two. Each time would increase the
drink, and in less than year was topper
and slave to my appetite. | loved IL
ouor, and craved it AS the opium cater
Graves that fearful drug. drank it sc
crotly, and it had tightly wound itself
round my nature. | was constantly I'M
der its influence, although it was only
once in while that was on spree, and
that generally lasted about week. /
was turned out of school for dissipation
and this was dreadful blow to me. for
| loved my studies. AT the age of four
teen had become n perfect rowdy, and
was arrested and imprisoned for three
DAYS for being in brutal barreom fight
During this incarceration | had ample
time for reflection, and then aud there
that, as soon as | was releas
ed, | would leave the place Of my birth,
and come to your little town, apprentice
myself for three years TO the carpenters