Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-10-08
A Moderate Drinker.

said Aunt Helen, CHANGING as she spoke
toward her little friend, who was washing
her wee china dolls face with water taken
from a small glass wash-bowl, near which
stood glass pitcher to match.
The tunningest little sings / ever saw
lisped Mamie
81 have some exactly like them Aunt
Helen answered.
YOU" exclaimed Mamie, in astonish-
ment. SUITS drate bid lady. Who Owed
dem to your Did mine mamma ?"
"No, not your mamma, but instead
sweet, beautiful lady who used to live just
opposite my pleasant home when / was
little girl like you"
edo you know where that lovely, gifted
woman is to-day, Helen 7" asked Mamie's
mother, looking up soberly from her sewing.
"No. l have often wondered whether
she was still living, and if so, where; but
our family lost trace of her after she left
our town, and we have not heard Of them
for long years."
81 can tell you much of her history, if you
would like to hear it."
al would indeed Tell it, please. You
know how very greatly was attached to
her, winsome Mrs. C. Her husband
if | remember correctly, was very cult
waited, elegant gentleman"
"Cultivated elegant Indeed he was, and
gifted in marked degree; he was consid-
cred most eloquent and capable lawyer"
"What is he now? Don't keep me wait
ing, please. He must hold some high posi-
ton to-day. Strange we have not heard his
name lauded. He must have won laurels."
"Not so strange after all. The last
heard OF him-that was two years ago-he
occupied low position-extremely low"
You still adhere to your old habit of
withholding news as long as possible. Don't
tantalze, Jennie. Tell me how could Mr..
c. consent to take low position, man
of his mental caliber ?"
Because his mental caliber was thing
of the past, to use plain words, Helen. That
once well-read, polished gentleman has de-
generated into poor drunkard of the low
est grade"
"Jennie, | almost doubt my hearing. Do
you tell me that wealthy, noble, fastidious
Mr. C is a drunkard to-day-a misera.
BILE, forsaken drunkard ?"
"That is exactly what | tell you. His
wealth, nobility, and fastidousness all passed
away with his brain. He is a blot upon the
face of the EARTH"
"But / do not remember his drinking
when he lived in our town.
"No, for you were only a child. I re-
member hearing mother say Mr.. c. loved
to tamper with the glass. He was only a
moderate drinker-rather risky business a
moderate start down hill has proved to him
| and his poor, dear wife"
at must have broken her heart, poor Mrs.
C | loved her so much that | have
never forgotten her looks, her great blue
| eyes full of love and tenderness, her smiling
| month opA Iirp,,laJ ohaaIo opl all bx ahrp
dant hair. What beautiful woman she
| isl"
| Was, not is. Let me describe her to
you as last saw her. In your mind, Helen
you see fair, exquisite face, full of light
and Joy, and near it a manly, handsome face,
bright with energy and intellect, both OF
| them enshrined in home of beauty. You
see books, easels, paintings, an open piano
soft, messy carpets, filmy curtains, and
blooming plants You see pretty fish swim
ming in large aquarium you hear ca
naries warbling, and voice, sweeter than
any birds, humming lullaby to a darling
baby; while out in the well-kept grounds
the fountain gurgles peacefully. But Helen
let that vision pass away. 1t was lovely, but
it has gone it can never come again. There
in the foreground will pencil my sad pic
ture. An old, tumbling-d down cottage, leaky
cold, and bereft of furniture, although the
time is mid-winter. l will leave the door
open, and you can peep in. There sits a
woman upon a sack of musty shavings. She
is pale, haggard, her thin lips drawn over
her teeth tightly, her face wrinkled, and hel
eyes full of the anguish of despair. Upon
her worn form one faded, ragged garment
clings-just one, Helen.
"Jenniel" Aunt Helen took tight hold Of
her friends arm in her excitement, her eyes
full of tears. "This is not Mrs. c. yor
are speaking of tell me no."
g wish could say no, dear Helen But
though hard to believe, it is true. There
were two children with her, each as thir
and notwithstanding as their mother"
40 Jenniel'
"Hard to believe, is it not, that purple
and fine linen should ever come to this
Now look again, Helen. You can see two
men lifting from the gutter mass of some
thing disgusting, which they carry TOWARD
the cottage This bundle of liquor-per
fumed tatters is the wreck Of the brilliant
Mr. c.
Lost In the sands OF an awful desert,
| Lost in the region of Jumps accused.
Surely, Jennie, you relieved her aftel
witnessing her bitter extremity"
81 did what could. After finding ou
that Mrs. G. was 30 reduced that hel
children were sent out beggars-actuall,
begging, Helen, for scraps from tables u
sustain life in their starving bodies-I tool
them food and clothing, and had the salts
faction of seeing them well fed and wei
clothed.
81 am glad of that"
" But, Helen, it proved only temporary
relief, for the terrible drunkard tore thu
clothes from his wife's and children's bodies
and pawned them for the fiery poison be
fore week passed away. While we wer,
away for few days visiting some friends
Mrs. C and family were driven from
the cottage, and we could not find thei
whereabouts, although we made every eff
fort to ascertain"
"Alas that truth is stranger than fc
tion,'" moaned Aunt Helen, her eyes, heavy
with weeping and her heart full of sorrow
for her friend of by-gone days.
| "a man In Gods image strong noble and grand
With talents that crowned hin prince of the land,