The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1876-03-26

|
could save by it.
So we bought some things at the new
| store.
And now comes the dreadful part of my
story. One night that my father went
there to get some tea for my mother, who
was not well, he did not come home as
usual and when he did come, which was
| very late, q neighbor came with him. He
| said that Mr.. SmOns, the new grocer, had
his wines and liquors come home that day
and gave bis new bar warming and
treated all his customers, and that my ia.
ther not being accustomed to it, was over
come by some drink that he gave him. My
mother looked-saw him stagger in-heard
his incoherent drunken words, and tainted ;
she had never seen him 30 before, and
could not stand it.
| Alas she had to get accustomed to it,
for he was often SO after that, until one
| night on returning and not being sober,
he crossed directly in front of horse, that
| knocked him down. He was brought
home very dangerously hurt. They went
| for the doctor, who said be could not live {;
the next day he died. He was perfectly
sober when he died, was very sorry he ever
| went to the new store, and mole 30 that
he ever tasted a drop there. He received
| the rites of the church, and my mother
says all she has to console her ia that he
| was so repentant for that one vice, all he
bad.
So my mother was left widow, and
fatherless by intemperance in that new
store not one from there came to the fun
| eral, while Mr.. Simons of the old store
shut up his, and all came.
| On settling up nay fathers affairs, it was
! found that people held mortgages upon
! out of him when be really did not know
| what he was doing. The largest of these
was at the new store.
Twas only nine years of age, and oh, how
badly felt when my mother took me by
the hand, on the day of the auction sale,
Come Charles, you are all i have Oh
earth now"
NY mother was never we'll after that day /;
she worked in several famiies till her
strength failed her, and then she took
cheap room, aud tried sewing, but soon che
failed too much to sew steadily. And now
am coming to the pigs.
Among other things that were sold was a
pig, bought by very kind man, who
came to us some months after, and told
US his pig had three little ones and the
good man, to make it more easy for my
bought one pig, and SO he brought the
others back to her. l had only to make
sty of some old boards he gave me,
aud the neighbors gave me plenty to feed
them.
had no playthngs, nothing but my
in Boston, which could do 80 many things,
aud thought would see what my pigs
would do. My fathers violin had lately
been given me by the man that bought it,
and / learned to play dancing tune (;
this music with some corn gave them
afterwards, made them dance almost of
their own accord. A boy who lived near
by, helped to stand them up when played.
When food and straw were shown to
them for their dinner and bedding, they
had sense OF instinct enough to do their
parts.
began to exhibit and when go home at
night, and tell her my adventures, and
carry her comfortable food and money, she
seems better, and that makes mo hope she
will get we'll.
Mrs. Morrill, shed tears several times
while Charles was telling his sad story, and
Edward had changed his place and got be-
hind them, 80 that he could cry as much as
he wanted to.
Mrs. Morrill, gave Charles some more
money, and told him che would come and
see his mother. "And may go too, mo-
ther :" quickly asked Edward and to his
great joy his mother told him he might.
So, Charles left for home, first going over
and putting his pigs into his covered wa
gon- basket, and letting them dance once
more, for the Amusement of the kind man
who had watched them.
Inc next week AFSs mOTTllI anu cuWRrQ,
fall of glee, went to see Charles and his
mother.
To their joy they found her better, and
Charles tending in the Grocery store at the
corner, where he used to go-he told them
when only two years old The store
keeper took him because he Cas so kind and
attentive to his mother.
Charles after long and faithful service,
became a partner in the store, as his
employer was getting old in years, and
needed some one to whom he could
intrust the more active parts of his bnsi
ness.
The fate of the other store-the new
store-was very dreadful it took fire one
winters night, and was burned to the
ground, the alcoholic liquors in it quicken
ing the flames. 1t created quite sensa-
iton in the neighborhood, as it seems they
had been having one of their store
warnings that night, and it was supposed
the proprietor, having drank too freely,
went to sleep in the loft of the stable as