Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-09-24

DO let me give you sandwich and
glass of wine, Margaret The most delici.
GUS little sandwich that ever you saw, and
the sherry that have with me has the real
Xeres aroma"
The speaker was dainty little woman, in
crowded railway car and she addressed
young girl opposite her who had been COM
planning of fatigue.
They both belonged to party who were
going " out west " to attend wedding, and
they had talked the matter over until all
the passengers near them heartily wished
they would change the subject.
The mention of the sherry did change the
subject effectively. The young girl called
Margaret refused her aunt's offer of re-
freshments, but one of the lady's little
daughters, who shared her cousins seat,
piped up at once:
al would like glass of sherry if you
please, mamma"
"No, Kitty replied her mother, "you
had glass at lunch, and that will do until
dinner; we shall have dinner at H."
" l want swallow now, mamma"
"No Kitty, it will make you stupid"
"Well, mamma, dear, let me have tea
spoonful in the travelling cup. ! can then
smell of it, and wet my lips with it, and it
will last me a good while; only Just tea
spoonful, mamma. You know | often have
little at home to play with"
at is too much of an effort to unpack tn .
basket, Kitty. Now amuse yourself with
your 81. Nicholas"
The child began to cry, and moan, and
tease, and she kept it up in spite of all the
efforts made TO divert her.
1t is of no use to talk to me" she would
sob; I" | can't think of anything but the
sherry"
Presently her mother asked, "Do you
smell the flowers in the box that you are
carrying to auntie A breath of fragrance
is waited from them to me every now and
then"
"No, mamma" replied the beautiful lit
tie girl plaintively, :" | don't smell anything
but the sherry i'll the lunch-basket; | smell
that all the time
good many significant looks were inter.
changed among the passengers, and mum.
Der of them speculated as to the probable
future of the infant sherry-lover.
The train failed to make connection at
Il. ! and good many passengers were com.
PEELED to stay at a hotel over night.
The party who were en route to attend the
Western wedding were the only ones among
the passengers who had wine at dinner
Kitty, radiant and amiable now, was allowed
to have her sherry, and she smelled, and
shifted, and tasted, and enjoyed the deep
amber liquid, and finally drank it off with
the air of connoisseur, much to the evident
amusement of her dainty mamma, and in
deed of the whole party.
The children were put to bed Immediately
after dinner, aud the grown-up people re-
turned for little while TO the parlors.
After riding for two or three days and
nights in the same railway car people
begin to feel like old neighbors, aud Kitty's
mamma entered into conversation with a
beautiful, white-haired gentlewoman, whose
seat in the car had been near her own.
The conversation led from one thing to
another, and was adroitly turned upon the
subject Of temperance by the older lady
who was person of rare culture and refine
ment. The discussion between the two grew
interesting, and their fellow passengers soon
grouped about them.
al am glad that do not belong to that
vulgar class who think it virtue to abstain
from wine" the younger woman was saying
with some spirit {" reckon wine among
daughters growing to manhood and woman
OF mine yielding to appetite ii is not in
our blood"
Just then shrek came ringing through
the corridor, and the animated speaker was
| confronted by servant bringing in hi.
arms the body of the poor pretty little
Kitty, her long, snowy night-gown saturated
with blood. The child was dead. She had
| slipped out of the room, had climbed ovei
the balustrade, and had fallen down two
or three stories.
The silver-haired gentewoman was now
very effective helper. She quieted tn,
stricken mother, and subsequently dressed
the beautiful child in her lovely festal gar
| ments, and laid her in the satin-lined casket
| among the flowers intended for the bride.
Just before the arrival of the train which
was to take the atfl lcted party back to theil
home, the poor sorrowing mother put her
| arm around the neck of the white-haired
| woman and said
"You have been like a mother to me IN
this terrible calamity, | believe the Lord
sent you TO me, and after all that you have
done, it is only just that should confide to
| you, that, after / left the chamber last even
ing, poor Kitty, in spite Of the entreaties OF
| her sisters and cousin, unpacked the lunch
basket, and took a sip of sherry, saying she
could not go TO sleep without it. She re
turned TO bed, and Margaret and the Other
children went TO sleep; but as | found the
flask quite empty, the dear child must have
got up and drank from it second time
Her brain was turned, of course, and that
accounts for what followed"
| lis il not sad that mother, with sons and
daughters growing up around her, should
harbor the principles this woman did, and
need TO be taught by such fearful stroke
that swine is mocker, strong drink is rag
ing, aud that whoever is deceived thereby /.