The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1878-08-14
MISCELLANY.
THE TRAdEDr-AorED EVERY NrGHr.
BY REV. JOHN HALL, D. D.


Scene Ffrst.-A dingy room, with dull
light in it on an old and illused sofa pale,
jadod woman in half sleep. We may study
the room till she awakes
Something of former responsibility in it,
Bookcase, for example, with glass doors--now
general depository of odds and ends car
pet of nice pattern, but sorely faded, and
worn into ragged holes near the windows
window curtains once there, as appears by the
poles once gilt, now disclosing their native
pine chairs unstable, and of several pat
terms small clock on the mantle-piece, the
newest-looking thing in the place. that strikes
with quick, wheeling sound, as if it had
i nervously, as if ashamed of itself and glad to
be done with it. But it wakes up the woman
/ from her dog sleep.
ssFwelve O'Clock, and Toms not home yet
Well wonder where he is. What am | to
do? I'm dead. tired | wish l could go to-"
Ringing at the door-bell violently and contin-
uously, and she goes to open the door re.
turns accompanied by a youth of about IF
teen.
| While the poor mother in evident fear lays
out supper, let us take survey of him. -
His face is the oldest of him, two or three
years older than his body traces of good
| features-eyes for example lips thickened
and swollen. and cheeks flahby and tallow-
colored Clothes unmatched /; part shabby,
part fashy all smelling strongly of tobacco
smoke.
"Where were you, Tom?" timitly says
the mother.
"Oh, enjoying myself"
81 know but were Tom ?'
"Ah at Hallack's all the fellows were
there
/ "And where then, Tom?"
ooh, nowhere took walk
Tom, you were somewhere else you
were drinking | know it."
q Oh, yes, the fellows turned in al the cor
ner and had drink
Tom, dear, am-you'll break my heart"
"Come now, stop that, mother. If a fell
ow works hard all day he must have some fun
when he can, without being cross questioned )"
and pushing the empty plate away, and rising
with movement that upset bis chair, Tom
slams the door after him, and goes to his bed.
"God help me what can | do ?"
Yes God help you, poor weak mother =
You gave up the reins to a headstrong boy too
soon. And now you cannot get them back.
Scene Second The same room, darker and
more dismal, bookcase and clock gone ; no
carpet woman old and feeble, with look
of constant terror. Long past midnight
Several times she has moved about, started,
listened, drawn her old shawl around her bent
shoulders. and then flung herself down again.
At length there is knocking, and Tom comes
in He is a man now, in size and years, but
with defiant and dare devil look that makes
you turn away from him. His breath is heavy
with drink, and bis clothes look as if he pick
ed them on chance out Of heap.
Tom, dear, you're killing yourself, and
you're killing me too. It's past three o'clock,
and Pm"
Come now, shut up, old woman /; know
all that by this time pretty well, guess. You
just get to your bed, and I'll take care of my
self"
"Tom, don't want to go till you're ready,
I'll wait"
Come, old woman, here's your candle
I'm OLD enough to mind Number One.''
And the poor mother goes. He would
abuse her, strike her, as he has many time
done, when quite drunk, if she did not She
goes to bed, but not to sleep-to think and
weep Yes she thinks. Tom is not her
oldest child. She had apother-Wily-wh
died at the age of two. She remembers the
little curly head, the smooth brow, the waxen
hands that lay in the small coffin, beside
which she and her husband stood and wept
bitterly. She was broken hearted. All the
world looked like a grave to her. 1t was
many day before she was content to think
that God should take her child. And then
Tom came. She thought of him as a baby,
of his baby tricks, of his boyish ways, of her
pride in him. And now. All she thinks
there are heavier blows than death can strike.
There are greater griefs than child's dying.
And the poor, crushed, confused spirit wan
ders to and fro, from the coffin of dead Willy
to the living sorrow of her life !; and then
come broken thoughts of God. Perhaps she
had been wrong to Him. Perhaps she was
seeing it now. Perhaps He would pity her.
He knew a parents heart. He was Our
Father - and then she thought OF her moth
or and remembered her mother teaching her
J Our Father. Oh. how long ago and far