Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-11-15

eating had passed the lips OF Edward
Pratt. How striking the change in all
around him. Worn out furniture was
renewed; abundance of good clothing
for children as well as parents gave an
air of thrift and comfort. Cheerful,
happy faces were seen, where before
was sadness, pallor, want and tears.
Three years OF sober industry! How,
in that short time, had the wilderness
been made to blossom as rose
One day, about this time, Mr. Pratt
came home with serious countenance
and a detected air. His wife noticed
the change, but said nothing at first
waiting until her husband should speak
of what troubled him. He seemed to
recover little at the tea-table, and
talked pleasantly; but after supper
withdrew to himself and sat most of the
evening in deep thought, with his head
resting on his BOSOM Several times
his wife, whose anxious attention was
removed from him scarcely for mo-
ment, heard low sigh escape form his
lips. A little while before retiring, he
said to her, speaking abruptly, and with
something so strange in his voice, that
the sound caused thrill to run along
her nerves, Parker sold his place last
week"
He did? to whom?" Mrs. Pratt
spoke in startled manner.
"To man from Brookville, who is
going to open the tavern again.
If a heavy blow had fallen upon the
poor woman she could not have sunk
down more gloomily. IF death pang
had entered her heart, the groan from
her lips could not have been more
fraught with agony
He opens tomorrow" said Pratt in
a boding voice.
90, Edward!'' The unhappy wife
arose, and, moving to the side of her
husband, flung her arms around him,
saying as she did so: Let us 90 from
here"
'Where?" he responded gloomily.
20, anywhere. Death and eternal
destruction are opening at your feet
Come! .come! Let us 60 this hour! I
will bear hunger, cold, anything that
may come upon us so that we escape
this evil.
6 have thought it all over, Sarah"
replied the poor victim, sadly. "We
cannot go anywhere and be free from
the curse. The law sanctions the evil,
and under the protection of law it
throws out It's allurements everywhere.
y, that | was strong enough to resist.
Heaven knows how esrnestly [ have
sought to overcome this fatal desire;
but, the moment come in sight of the
accursed tempter my whole being is in
famed. Reason is obscured- restraint
grows weak-and [ fall under the Turing
gaze of a serpent"
., what anight was that; spent watch
fully in prayer and weeping-a night
the anguish of which years would fail
to cover with the dust of forgetfulness.
Morning dawned at length TO one con-
demned to die it scarcely had broken
more drearily.
s L will strive to be man Sarah. l
will look up for strength, said Mr.
Pratt, as he pressed the hand Of his
wife and parted from her at the door
Pray for me-
Tears were in his eyes as he turned
away; and her cheeks were wet The
voice of Pratt was not confident He
spoke rather to assure his wife than his
own heart. He felt that he was too
weak for his enemies.
And he was too weak. Evening
brought him home with all his bright
manhood obscured, One short month
sufficed to do the work of ruin. Then
his poor wife stood pale, fearless and
heart broken above his grave. He fell
so low that he made no effort to rise
again-and died in darkness and despair. g.
The poor widow was not long from
his side; now his children's home is the
aims house. The man-trap" in Ash
dale is open still. And for the privi-
lege Of scattering ruin and death around
him, the new owner pays the State $50
a year; and the State takes the money
with an eager hand, and seems to think
her bargain good one.