Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-03-15

his employment. He was industriou. and
sorry enough when the fault was done.
Still he would come home, often the worse
for drink. and now that he is dead and
gone, andno finger is stretched to me, but
iii scorn, I think, maybe, might have
done better; but, God defend me, the last
was hard to BEAR
sob, boys - said Ellen, eff you had only
heard her voice when she said that, and
seen her face. b Poor old Lady Stacy; no
wonder she hated the drop; no wonder she
dashed down the whiskey.
"I had one child, said Stacy, 'one, a
darlint, laughing, blue,-eyed child, never
saw any SO handsome, never knew any so
good. She was alme ,st three years old
and ihe was fond of her he said he was
but it'siquare fondness that destroys what
it ought to save. 1t was the Pattern Of
not return as he went. He said he would
he almost swore he wo aid, but the pro-
mise of man given to mink has no more
strength in it than hou SO of sand. was
sulky and wouldn't go; if L had, may be it
would not have ended SO. The even
ing came on, and 1 Thought my baby
breathed hard in her crs tdae; I took the
candle and went over to lock at her. Her
little face was red, and when I laid my
cheek close to her lips to fe.el her breath,
it was hot-very hot. She tossed her arms,
and they we're dry and burning. The
measles were about the country, and was
frightened for my child. Lit was only half
mile to the Doctors, and [ knew every
foot of the road. So leaving the door on
the latch, l resolved to tell him how my
before my husbands return. I ran with
all speed, and wasn't Kept long, the doc
tor said, though it seemed long to me.
The moon was down when I came
home, though the night was fine.
1.-THE cabin we lived in was in hollow
but when was on the hill and looked
down where knew it stood, dark mass,
| thought saw white light coming out
of it, rubbed my eyes and darted for
ward as wild bird flies to it's nest when
1T hears the scream of the hawk in the
heavens. When L reac he'd the door saw
it was open the flame cloud come out of it
sure enough, thick and white, and blind
with that and terror together, rushed to
my child's cradle. I found my way to
that in spite of the burning and the smoth-
ering. But Ellen--Ellen Murphy, my
child, my child, the very child whose
breath had been but on my cheek, only a
little while before, she was nothing but a
cinder. Mad as felt, saw how it was
in a minute. The father had come home
as expected, he had gone with the candle
to look at his child had dropped the candle
into the stead, and, unable to stand or
speak,, had fallen down and asleep not two
yards from my child. Oh, how I flew to
the doctor with what had been my baby );
tore across the country like Banshee;
I laid it in his arms; I told him if he
didn't put life in it I'd destroy him and his
house. He thought me- mad, for there was
no breath either cold or hot coming from
its lips then. [ couldn't kiss it in death :;
there was nothing left of my child to kiss
think of that! 1 snatched it from where
the doctor had laid 1t; cursed him, for
he looked with disgust at my purity child.
The whole night long wandered in the
woods of Newtownbarry with that burden
at my breast,'"
''But her husband, her husband!' en-
quired Larry in accents Of horror ;-."what
became of him did she leave him in the
burning cabin without calling him to him
self ?''
"No,'' answered Ellen I asked her and
she told me her shrieks she supposed
reused him from the snffocation in which
but for them he must have persisted. He
staggered out of the place, and was found
soon after by the neighbors and lived long
after, but only to be poor broken hearted
man, for she was mad for years and wan
dered thro' the country. And now Ellen
Murphy, said she, when the end was come
do you wonder threw from your hand as
poison the glass you offered me? And do
you know why have told you what tears
my heart to go over-because I wish to
save you, who showed me kindness, from
what have gone thro'. It's the only
good 1 can do you, and, indeed, its long
since | cared to do good. Never trust a
drinking man, he has no guard on his
words, and will say that of his nearest
friend that would destroy him soul and
body. His breath is but as the breath Of
the plague, his tongue is as foolish as well
as scorohing as fiery serpent. Ellen let no
drunkard become your lover. don It trust to
promises try them, prove them all, before
you marry p"
ELLEN, that's enough" said Larry,
"I've heard enough, but I'll make no
promises you shall see; I'll wait your
time; name it-I'll stand the trial.
And am happy to say Larry did stand
the trial-he never so much as tasted whis-
key from that time, and Ellen had the
proud satisfaction of knowing she had
saved him from destruction.
MoTHERs.-Some one has said that a
young mother is the most beautiful thing
in nature. Why qualify it? Why young?
Are not all mothers beautiful? The SEN
timental outside beholder may prefer
youth in the pretty picture, but I am in
clined to think that sons and daughters
who are most intimately concerned in the
matter, love and admire their mothers most
when they are old. How suggestive of
something holy and venerable it is when
person talks of his s'dear mother" AWAY
with your mincing ''mammas,' suggestive
only OF a fine lady, who deputies her duty
to nurse. a drawing rOOm maternal ma