Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-02-09

And lighting close TO where the dreamer slis,
vision with II bring
A golden plenm from some long vanished day.
Dear love-" he calls then, why viii you not stay? ?"
lie slgiis,
For. At his voice. the bird looks up and files
Oh constant heart whose failing thoughts cling fast
To one long laid In dust;
stu seeing turned to thine, In the past,
Her look Of perfect trust,
Her soft voice hearing In the south wind'- breath
Dream on Love pure as thine shall suihye DEATH
And when
The gates unfold hereyes meet thine again GaiaIp.
"Out Nights;v
on, BELoSGHG TO rHE SONS"
cHAPTERL
Don't 60 out tonight, Charles" sal,
Mrs. Prescott, pretty, sweet-smiling lady
who had been married Just six months, 4
her husband.
Really, Carrie, | am very sorry but
do not see how | can be absent from tn
meeting to night" replied the young hus
band, as he brought bis great-ceat from tn
entry.
"You always say so. | wish you did no
belong to the Sons Can't you leave them ?
al could, my DEAR if ! desiredi have NJ
wish to do So"
Wouldn't you do it TO please me 2" sale
the lady, smiling so swsetly that one coulC
have found /; in his heart to do almost an
thing for her.
You do not seriously wish Inc to do So"
"Nay, do"
"Think, Carrie"
| am jealous of that society"
"Fisi"
"You leave me here all alone, and yot
can't think how lonesome am"
:" am very sorry to leave you but, really
| feel it to be my duty to sustain so good ar
association as the Sons of Temperance
There are enough without you"
"All might with equal propriety say So
"They do not all leave a wife alone al
home"
Perhaps not"
"Can't you belong to them without going
to the meetings every night Z"
should not wish to do that To be a
merely nominal member of the Order, is tc
be nothing at ALL"
You would be giving your name and in
huence TO the cause of temperance just a.
much as you do by attending the meetings.
"What is the cause of temperance, Car
rie ? fear you give it vague construction
like many others in the community"
"Why, preventing and curing intem
perance."
Preventing and curing it in whom ?"
Every body, ] suppose-all your friend'
and neighbors."
But not yourself"
There is no danger Of you, Charles"
"But joined the Sons quite as much fol
my own sake, as for that of others"
!" "You don't think you are in any danger
of becoming drunkard, do you :" asked
Mrs. Prescott, with smile of incredulity.
Not while | am so strongly fortified
against the vice of drinking, as am now"
Pooh | would risk You, even If You did
not belong to the Sons"
Suppose | should abandon them, and
permit myself to be influenced by the ex.
ample Of those around me-of your brother
Frank, for example Suppose should
shake off my allegiance 10 the principle OF
total abstinence, how long would it take me
to get rid of all my scruples against drink
ing glass Of wine Z"
"Can't you adhere to the principle with
out belonging to a society,""
Association strengthens principle"
You don't steal, Charles but is it neces
sary that you should belong to an ant-thev
ing society,"" and the pretty young wife's
features wore an expression Of triumph.
Drinking is a fashionable vice. stealing
is not. When the community regards tbs
fashionable wine bibber as it does the thief
there will be no occasion for associated ef
fort to restrain it, Popular opinion will dc
the work which the Sons are now doing"
But | don't think there is any need oi
going so constantly" replied the wife. sd
stay with me tonight feel so lonesome.
"The Order acts upon some particular
business tonight, and -"
Particular business again" exclaimed
Mrs. Prescott, with good-natured laugh.
1t does indeed.
Always So"
Besides, ] am w. F., you know"
"W. T., you mean"
"What's that 7"
"Wifs tormentor."
NAY, Carrie -"
go along; will excuse you tonight
but don't stay late"
"No, dear"
alt was eleven o'clock before you go
home last Saturday night"
al will be home by ten tonight" an,
Charles Prescott kissed his pretty, smiling
wife--we beg the reader to remember tha
they had been married but six months-anS
left the house.
CHAPTER H.
Mrs. Prescott did not appear to be half $,
| lonesome as she had pretended she was for
as her little white hand deicately aud daintil,
grasped the needle, the same involuntar,
smile played on her pretty lips that had bcei
there while her husband was present.
Her thoughts must have been very pleas
ant. or she would not have worn that be
witchiag smile. Her soft gazelle-lke eye
too, beamed forth the language of a pur,
and beautiful soul-a soul at rest among tn,
flowers Of its own tender rearing.
She was thinking, and her thoughts wer,
full of joy. What happy wife she was
But perhaps her view of matrimony wa
mingled with something of sentiment,
few grains Of that humble moonshine which
strews flowers and perfumes in the pathway
of the young wife.
Alas that the blight of GOODNESS should eve
come 10 wither those flowers which Tn,
young and loving wife scatters in her path
way Alas that the cares and trials of lif'
should ever come and cast great, broad
shadow over the moon of her dreams.
Mrs Prescott was happy, and she wal
thinking how happy she was Charles wa
all love and devotion. lie was industrious
frugal, aud temperate; and, though the,
lived in humble house and in humble
street, she sighed not for the fine things hsl
neighbors had.
They lived comfortably and, while hel
husband loved her, she cared not for tapes
try carpets and velvet covered lounges.
Charles had only one failing and that
was, an earnes. devotion 10 the Order of the
Sons OF Temperance, which drew him away
from her side every Saturday night liz
never left the house any other evening with
out her; and undoubtedly he would have in
sisted on her joining the order, only that il
was secret society; consequently no wo-
man could be tolerated within its pale.
Mrs. Prescott could not see why her hus-
band should be Son !" he was strictly
temperate in his habits. Poor wife She
neglected TO enquire into the reason of his
being SO.
She piled the needle, and smiled forth the
Joy that was in her heart. She was so happy
and contented that there was only one thing
left her to wish for-that her husband wa,
with her