The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1875-06-02

all, Willie uOHt WHO came Wltnln lne cir
Gle could fail to be fascinated with their
charming manners. Alas! the poor young
wife saw that they were only genial when
under the influence OF excitement, and
even those lovely girls, her new sisters,
sought to be lively and fascinating. When
she saw their beautiful eyes sparkle with
unwonted brilliancy, the bloom grow
deeper on their checks, and heard the
flashes of wit inspired by wine, she turned
away in sadness, saying, "Alas! alas! what
lovely vict;msr' The father could dispose
of bottle after bottle without losing cons
troll of himself, but not so with his chill
dren. Persons occasionally wondered that
their animal spirits should lead them to
such excess; but there were times when
she could not help knowing what aIled
those polite, refined young men and women.
On festive occasions the wife began to
watch the husband anxiously.
Sometimes he poured out and drank
with reckless air, and then the unsteadi-
ness of his hand, or the CLEAN OF his eye,
would startle her and once, but only once,
she shrank from his ardent kiss, feeling
that he was inflated with wine rather than
pure affection. She tried TO forget that
time, or to fancy it dream, but she could
not.
The name Of the oldest son, Frederick,
was seldom mentioned by any Of the FAM
lily, and the day previous to the incident
that prompted this sketch, che understood
the reason why. Then he came reeling
into her house, more beast than human.
She shuddered as she looked upon that
bloated. besotted face. She could not pol
lutte her hand by placing it in his, much
less in addressing the degraded being could
her lips frame the holy word brother"
No wonder the spectacle haunted her
dreams that night, as she would fancy her
self at the death-bed of that once lovely
woman, whose heart he had broken, and
hear her whisper, Your husband is fol-
lowing in the footsteps of mine; oh! stop
him.
Not long after the wife's resolution was
formed, the young couple wished to give
a dinnerparty TO all their relatives, and
as il was the first in their own house, they
wished to convey very pleasant ideas of
their hospitality.
Then came the contention which the
wife had foreseen, and the bitter opposi-
ton of her husband, to the carrying ont
the resolution she had formed to Danish
liquor from their board. In vain she told
him OF the delicious coffee which should
supply its place; he persisted that she
should no, thus bring upon him the name
of niggard. And though she told him
that upon her, rather than upon him,
should all imputations rest; though she
pleaded in the gentlest manner, she had
need of all the strength she had so earn
estly lmplored from on high.
For time there was serious estrange-
ment between them, and his family, TAX
ing sides with him, told him that she
wished to usurp too much authority over
him as the head of the house, while they
sneered openly at her "fanaticism," her
"meanness," her want Of hospitality"
But she prayed without casing, and God
al length opened his eyes TO the danger OF
trifiing with that which had caused his
brothers ruin. With hi consent liquor
was only regarded as a medicine" and
while the wife exerted herself TO have a
supply of good things in the house, both
united in giving 50 cordial a welcome to
their guests, that those who enjoyed their
hospitality soon ceased to notice the alb
seDee Of wine.
By degrees others followed the example
Of the young wife, and gradually such a
reformation took place IN the town that
in few years all the FIRST families" had
banished the beverage from their side
boards and dinner tables.
Her husband is now the only survivor
of all his fathers family. While he feels
that each one fills a drunkard's grave, he
turns to his wife, now no longer young,
but beautiful in his eyes, and says, "Such
would have been my fate but for you.
stood on the brink of the precipice, but l
knew not my danger until you revealed it
to me-" While she says, with burst of
gratitude, Not unto me but unto Thy
name, o Lord, be all the praise!"
Just Think of ID a Moment.
IChristiansburg (Va.) Messenger
TLa : ,,,or 90, lo.,a I,