West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-09-28
even as we say. Killigrew had tho law
on hi. side


The law OF the State in which AsbdaIs
Was situated, provided by special enact .
ment, for the digging of lust such man
traps as the one maintained bv E;E
} grew. Ntnd any person MOI hi = ;t,e ft =.
I love oil tpsin er the fear az fsdl -hefi, -
hpe yes, cDaid, ~. the JSh ymentlaf a Jew
dollars into the State treasury obte;n
the right TO make for himself such "a
pittall in any highway or street I'm auv
VlHSge, Town, or city IN the common
wealth
7 But for this pitfail in hiEw,v all
might have been we'll with Pratt but
hls leet were ever stumbling ON its fatal
orlnk. Steadily, for nearly ten vear-
had he been going down. down. down .
ana At the period when he came home
Sooer, lor the first time in many months.
ana announced 10 his wife the death of
n hhhgreH, he was almost helpless i'm the
power oi 'hls adversary All manly
strength Was gone when the temptation
was before him.
wen might his ~Orrowing, despairing
W1e teel Il thrill of pleasure i'm every
heart hber at the announcement of
hllllgrew : death. He had been doing
an accursed work i'm Ashdale for wears
Broadcast had Ire sown the seeds of
anguish and desolation; and i'm her
heart and home had many of these. seeds
lalien, taking quick root, springing up
and bearing bitter fruit Nor did shr
attempt TO sute this pleasure a. un-
seemly, In view ot the passage of a fell
low mortal 10 his great account i'm
eternity. She was glad the tavern
Keeper was deals glad, il was useless
to affect concealment.
The promise of that hour did not
prove vain. The tavern was closed. and
Edward Pratt went daily To his business
ana returned home at evening a sober
man. ~, as was often the case, he felt
a desire for stimulating drink, he
quenched the desire in draughts Of pure
coldy water. Yet, even ns he passed
the old tavern stand around which soon
waved fields of ripening grain-the
ground ran to waste before-hc felt
desire TO enter. But there was no bar
there now; So the morbid desire was
iruitless of evil consequences.
Thus il went on for three wears. I'm
that time not drop OF ANYTHING fhtoxil
eating had passed the Hns of FdwarI
Pratt. How striking the change in all
around him Wornout- furniture Was
renewedf abundance of good clothing
for the children as well as parents gave
an air OF thrift and comfort Cheerful,
happy faces were seen, where before was
sadness pailor, want and tears.
Three years OF sober indHstryl How.
in that shert time, had Che wilderness
been made 10 blossoIp as rose
~Cne<day, ab5rt this 'til,ts~ Nr.. FRA ~
came home with a serious countenance
and detected air. His wife noticed the
Change but said nothing at frst-Gwait-
ing until her husband should speak OF
what troubled him. He seemed 10 re-
cover little at the tea-table, and talked
pleasantly; but, after supper withdrew
10 himself and sat most Of the evening
in deep thought, with his head resting
on has bosom. Several times his wife,
whose anxious attention was removed
scarcely for moment, heard low sigh
escape his lips A little while before
retiring he said 10 her, speaking abruptly
and with something so strange IN bis
voice that the sound caused thrill to
run along her nerves.
Parker sold his place last week"
He did To whomP' Mrs. Pratt
spoke in a startled manner.
TO p mansfrom BroOkVille, who il
going TO open the tavern again ~
If heavy blow had fallen on the
poor woman she could not have sunk
down more glooniiIy. G III adeath pang
had entered her heart nle groan from
her lips could not have been more
fraught with agony.
y - be opens tg,nnrow, ?, aid tratt.Gn
q bOding voice y.r-u 10 ..s.s .al,y,rgEt
20. Edward ~ The unhappy wife
arose, and moved ~ the SIDE of her
husband, flung her arms around hin,
saying as she did sos 9 Let ,,'s go from
here"
+" W6ereY' was responded, glomnily 4
80 anywhere. DEATH and eternal. d.
destruction are opening at your feet.
Gomez Gomez let Us fee for our lives.
Let Us go this hour! will bear hun
ger, cold, anything that may come upon
US so that we escape this evil"
" | have thought il All over .Sarabt
replied the victim. We cannot 90
anywhere and be free from the curse.
The law sanctisns the evil and Under (
the protection Of law it throws out its
everywhere. o, that were
strong enough TO resist Heaven knows
how earnestly ] have sought to over
come this fatal desire; but, the moment
/ come within sight Of the accursed
tempter my whole being is inGamed
Reason is Obscured-restraint grows
weak--and fall under the Turing gaze
of a serpent"
y, what night that was spent
Watcbfully in prayer and weeping
night the anguish Of which years would
fail to cover with the dust Of forgetfulness
Morning dawned at length. 10 one con
demned to die il scarcely had broken
more drearily.
" will strive TO be a man. Sarah.
will look up for strength" said Mr.
Pratt, as he pressed the hand of his wifc
and parted from her at the door. "Prav
for me
Tears were iu his eyes as he turned
away; and her cheeks were wet The
voice Of Pratt was not confident. BE
spoke rather to assure his wife than hj.
own heart. Hc felt the he ws to-
weak for his enemie
And he vas too weak Evening
brought him home with an bis bright
manhood obscured. Ono short month
snfhcea tOdo the work of ruin. Then
his poor wife sto0d pale tearle-s and
brOkeH-hearted above biz grave Hc
fell 30 low that he made no cAorf IN
rise aggin--and died IN darkness and
despair
The poor widow wa. NOT LONG fr,r,, Lf.