Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1877-03-05
Temperance.
A TEMPERANCE STORY.

he might have been all right, if his head
and his will had only been right: but
these being wrong. the whole machine
was going to the bad very fast, though
there were times when the heart felt
something of its old truthful yearning.-
Tom has lost his place as foreman in the
great machine shop, and what money
he now earned came from odd jobs OF |
tiukering which he was able to do. here
and there, at private houses; for Tom
was genius as we'll as mechanic, and
when his head was steady enough ne
could mend clock, or clean watch,
as we'll as he could set up and regulate
a steam engine-and this latter he could
do better than any other man ever en-
ployed by the Scott Falls Manufacturing
Company.
One day Tom had job to mend a
broken moving machine and reaper for
which he received five dollars and on
the following morning he started out for
his old haunt-the village tavern. He
knew that his wife sadly needed money,
and that his two little children were in
absolute suffering from want of clothing,
and that morning he held debate with
the better part of himself; but the better
part had become very weak and shaky,
and the demon of appetite carried the
day.
So away to the tavern Tom went,
where, for two or three hours, he felt the
exhilarating effects of the alcoholic
draught, and fancied himself happy, as
he could sing and laugh but as usual,
stupefaction followed and the man part
died out. He drank while he could
stand, and then lay down in corner,
5 where his companions left him.
S 1t was late at night, almost midnight,
r when the landlords wife came into the
e barroom to see what kept her husband
z M. and she quickly saw Tom.
mood, why don't you set SEND q ansJP pleasant
n BILE Tom Darcy home He's been
d hanging around here long enough"
Toms stupefacation was not SOUND
If sleep. The dead coma had left hi.
If brain, and the calling of his name stung
|, his senses to keen attention. He haG
X an insane love of rum, but did not low,
r the landlord. In other years Peter Tin
dar and himself had loved and wooeC
n the same sweet maiden-Ellen Goss-
&c and ne WON nUI, IU~---o l. IL
ID up with the vinegary spinster who hat
brought him the tavern, and he kne'
,o that lately the tapster had gloated owe
10 the misery of the woman who had one
10 discarded him.
1e why don't you send him home :?
al demanded Mrs. Tindar. with an impa
is tlent stamp of the foot.
10 "Hush, Betsy! He's got more MOI
- ey. Let him be, and he'll be sure
r. spend it before he goes home. I'll hay
uu the kernel of the nut, and his wife ma
lv have the husk -
With sniff and a snap Betsey turf
:, away, and shortly afterward Tom Dare
lifted himself upon his elbow.
- "Ah, Tom, are you awake ?"
"Yes."
~ "Then rouse up and have war
:. glass"
70 Tom got upon mis- feet and steadit
himself.
w. mo, Peter, 1 won't drink any mo
49, to night"
"a at won't hurt you. Tom-just
glass"
81 know it won't" said Tom, butte
-. ing up his coat by the only solita
mo- button left. know it won't"
90 And with this he went out into Il
40 chill air of midnight. When he h;
ow got away from the shadow of the taver
nj, he stopped and looked up at the star
ho and then he looked down upon t
earth.
On AYE" he muttered, grinding
I'll heel in the gravel, peter Tindar is ia
md ing the kernel, and leaving to poor Ell
- the worthless husk-a husk worse tn;
10 worthless and am helping him to
it. am robbing my wife of joy, re
bling my children of honor and comic
lalf robbing myself of love and llfe-jr
OF that Peter Tindar may have the kerr
put and Ellen the husk Well see I"
1t was revelation to the man. Il
ner tavernkeeper's brief speech, meant 1
Oh for his ears, had come upon his sen:
II as fell the voice of the Risen One up
sur Saul of Tarsus.
not '@Wo'l sec !" he replied, setting !
Ind foot firmly upon the ground; and tn
ails he wendell his way homeward.
egg On the following morning he said
lem his wife,
ich "Ellen, have you any coffee in t
y house ?"
ow- Eyes, Tom" She did not tell b
that her sister had given it to her.
six was glad to hear him ask for coffee
J of stead of the old, old cider.
e of 81 wish you would make me a c
nall good and strong"