Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1877-03-02

among them all. Is there magic in their
different fare, or is II all in blood, that hab.
itually gives to the Irish child roster cheeks
and stronger constitutions than to their
American schoolmates2 Let mo linger n
little to admire the late chrisanthemum now
just in bloom in the window, and to tell you
about the good little mother as | remember
her, for l am in no haste to depart to the
dreadful tragedy grimly waiting outside. |
think may safely say, never saw face
more indicative of cheerful good mature and
honesty than the genial face Of Mary Bryan.
What priceless treasure to her little Iami-
ly she was One dread she must have had
IN her heart, for people knew that, though
usually steady and industrious man, her
husband was fond Of strong drink. think
that for bis family's sake and to keep from
temptation, he rarely brought the poison
home. Be that as it may ho hal not the
courage TO refuse glass from the hand Of
friend. l think it would have been impossi-
BILE for the meek little woman to have become
scold under any circumstances, and no
symptoms developed under this trial. She
only thought, "What If no was drunkard
like John Murphy" and remembering her
lover husband Of other years, thought Of him
teuderly, allow can upbraid poor Jamie 2
Who should belriend him if not 2" And
so she bore her burden patiently, as many a
woman had dono 10 palace and cottage be.
fore her. l think she lived up to her rolig-
ion in her family, for she was devout Cath.
Ollie, and even Maggie had suudry observ-
ances Of counting beads, etc., totally incom.
prehensible TO the uniOltiated. When asked
about 1t, she would never explain aud while
liking Gus girls" in the main, pitied us heart
lily because we were "heretics."
1t was six o'clock by the old timcpiece
when Kitty was again at the door, with the
low box sleigh without back 20 the seat,
and an old coverlet for robe. | wonder il
the poor little mother did not give her little
ones more than her usual caresses in that last
last larewell2 All poor babies So soon
to be motherless 1t was showing consid.
erably by this time, with keen wind, but
the full moon made it light enough to see
: the road. After time they arrived al
: Murphy's, where the evening was spent fol
the most part pleasantly, although Mary
saw, near its close, that her husband was
drinking far more than ever before. She
tried to persuade him it was time to 90 home
but he was too far gone in his cups to hear
word At last, by three o'clock in the
morning they succeeded in getting him t.
consent to carry his wife home, when b,
acted like one mad, as he in reality was
beating and shouting at his poor horse who
leaped frantically away, trying to escape heI
cruel master, The night had grown bttel
cold, and Mary Bryan sitting in terror o
fear on the board by the side of her husband
felt an awful numbness creeping over her
In his excitement he never thought Of cold
: he tore her shawl from her shoulders anC
waved it madly at the horse who plunget
wildly into the snow, and it was long tim
. before, unaided she reached the middle o
the road again.
Willie was awakened by great noise
: FIRST, the door was burst open, aud not shut
then thick utterances and heavy footsteps
aud last fall over chair that Jared tn
cottage to its foundations. Hurriedly shut
ting the door and dressing, how must h
have felt, when on lighting light, to fin
!, his father utterly incapable Of speech.
A little after daylight, the body of poo
>, Mary Bryan was found with the sno'
drifted over her frozen face quite doaC
= When the poison left James Byran's brai
> clear at last, no mortal could have fe
deeper remorse than did he; he pitied hi
motherless children, he cursed rum as h
y deadIiest foe and yet % the inconsistency {
drunkards) he drank deeper potatiOns tina
ever to drown Tor time the voice OF an al
cusiug conscience. Aud when the lon
funeral procession wound its slow longt
= along to the distant cemetery, three me
:, we're required to hold him on his wife
, coffin, where it was customary for the nea
est relative of the diseased to sit. This
. but humble story, but true one. 1t
the only great evil ever knew Of persol
;, ally to result from intemporance, yet a
over the land the curse is felt, more grie'
GUS to be borne than any other burde
y. Within the maze Of whose paths is an allur
ment as fascinating as the eye Of the dead
~ eastern serpent and as fatal at last.