Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1878-09-19

III serusa with 50 moufnfui nm endIngs
Hifs. nnnhar, a few years after her
hanpv marriage, was left = widow with
one son. She had loved her husband
with Z true womanss fond devotion, and
I ghe weeds she wora covered heart
which though resigned mourned ln sc-
cret.
Little AT. thoarh the mother's pride
and idol. was iudici0nsly managed: still
even her gentlr care and wise training
did not altogether eFadicale uie seed
plansed By q doling, iniudicious father.
4 Thinking only &c her boy = interest, tEae
mother entered him in one Of the best
Colleges of the eonniry. al proved
rood student, and returned 10 his native
nlace crowned with honoFs. Ailcr
shorl vacation ~ began bis studies soF
| the Bar and ere loug, having passed =
mo~t credisable examination, entered
into partnership with one of the most
distinguished lawyers cf the village.
From every lip fell prophecies OF gio-
rious future, and the motheTdaiiy thanked
God for such a son, while parents bade
their sons stake young AL Dunbar as .
model"
One bright Summer day all the young
people drove 20 neighboriDg county 10
attend q picnic, and there Al Dunbar
| and Lucy Edmunds met. II Is true nc
was not much with her during the day,
but the young lion made an impression
on the vain, susceptible nature OF Lucy
and in her heart she vowed to link his
fate with hers. Weak natures like hers
are most 10 be feared. Many 3 strong
one is made 10 bend like 4 weed, and
all the while he Is taught to believe that
his is the ruling viii.
Afler that day they met quite often.
and Al soon began 10 perceive what was
quite patent to all. His vanity was
touched and almost unconsciously be
wandered deeper into the sirens tolls.
A something which he mistoOk for love
induced him 10 talk sentiment TO her,
and ere he was aware they were en-
gagged. For awhile he enjoyed has
bondage. and then there came day
when he grew tired ofit--the chains be-
came heavy. He would be free, bus
hows Lucy's jealous disposition was
played upon, with the hope that she
would give him back his troth. a quar-
rel would ensue and then the woman,
forgetting her womanhood, would ap-
neal 10 the man whose heart was almost
womanly in its tenderness and The gai-
ling yoke was taken up again.
Two years passed and then change
came over Al He seemed to Be losing
/ interest in business--hls affairs were
i often neglected aud II brganto Be whites
percd around that the strong glass free
auenlly touched his lips. He had ui'
ways been such a favorite that all mo-
ticed with regrctful eye the sad change.
Step by step he came down from the
| exalted position he had reached. BY
degrees his will TO resist became weak
er. lie seemed almost q willing vice
tim, while a spirit Of braysdo took pos
session of him at the gentle Teproof Of
his mother, the warning voice OF
| friend, and, TO show his independence,
he induIged the more and proclaimed
in unmistakable language the sad fact
that he was the slave Of woman who
influenced him to his detriment. At
times a vision of what he might have
been would come 80 hIm, but the re-
solve then made would be soon put TO
fight, for Lucy ruled. The uncom.
planning mother watched with fearful
ewes the destruction OF her hopes,
PRAYED with unceasing love for her way
ward boy.
But the end soon came. la aft Of
despondency and semi-uneonsciousnesS
Al Dunbar made Lucy Edmunds his
wife. Then was The wreck complete
both masks were laid aside. Angry
words and bitter taunts fell hourly from
| the lips that had sworn "to love, to hon
or. 10 cherish and obey, for richer, for
poorer, for better, for worse, in sunshine
and in health until death Us do part"
And the mothers idol, the once pride Of
the village sinks lower still, and with
out moments warning the drunkard's
soul went before its God.
Grief and the terrible certainty Of an
eternal separation from her much loved
son overwhelmed the mother, and from
the eyes that stared down al the fast
stiGIening dead, had fed forever the
light Of reason. The childless widow
was tenderly cared for by her former
iriends--but the mound in the grave
yard lured her uncertain feet TIL God
looked down with pitying eye and let
her fall asleep with her lost boy.
| Woman's influence is almost infinite
in its power for good or evil. A true
woman Is an angel in disguise. With
/ gentle hands she leads the enwary from
hidden pitfalls, soothes the saddest
heart. finds a gleam oflight beneath the
darkest clouds, lures the the fallen back
10 The forsaken path oI rectitude, is for
getfuI Of self, ever anxious 70 benefit
others, i worthy Of the sacred eulo-
gism-''God's best gifl TO man."
'.Hsr Influence brsathss and bids the blishisa
To lie aa1 hSpe from desoiasion start
BIZ her.
s.EO simpIssi dufy iS forgot
\ I.sfs bath 30 dinB and l0sFiy SPOT
I That doth not IN beF sunshine share"
o. An Irishman who stood near the
I third baSe watching a game oflgase-baii