Richland beacon., 1880-10-02

tlmc became luii partner III MS mas
ter's business. George did not improve
he kept the loving hearts of his eyed
henefactors full Of trouble, and their
hands full OF inventive activities to pro-
tect him from ruin. Edward, as boy,
had interested himself in Sunday
schools, debating societies, pcnny mis-
sionary affairs. anti-!ohacrn urpanizI,
tions, anti-proianity ASSOCIATIONS, and Ill
such things; as = man, he Was a quiet
but steady and reliable hcli..r IN the
chuIch, the Temperance en,'ittic>, and III
all movements looking Ia the aiding and
uplifting Of men. This excited no r.,-
mark, attracted no attention, for il W.,
his "nat,Iral bent"
Finally the old people died. Thc will
testified their loving pride in Edward,
and left their lit.!e property 10 sieot-r--
because he "nee,lcl il: :" whereas. sow
ing To hount;iul Providence" such
was not the cas-. with EdNard. TN,
property MAS l,ii 10 George contiti"mni-
lv; he must buv ont Edward partner
with ii, else it nlu,t 90 to IL benevolent
organization called the Prisoner, Fr;,]id
Society. The cid people left 4 letter. in
which they begged their dear son I'd
ward to take their place and watch over
George, and help and shield him as they
had done.
Edward dutifully acquiesced, and
George became his partner in the busi-
ness. He was not valuable partner:
he had been meddling with drink i.-
fore he soon developed into constant
tippler, now, aid his flesh and eyes
showed the fact unpieasantlv. Edward
had been cOUrting :. sweet and kindly
spirited girl for some time. They loved
each other dearly, and. But about
this period George began to haunt her
tearfrlly and implorinsly, and at last
she went crying to Edward, and said hcr
high and holy duty was plain before
her-she must not let her own
selfish desires interfere with it;
she must marry "poor George and
"reform him." 1t would break her
heart, she knew it would, and So on;
hut duty WAS duty. So, she married
George, and Edward's>hng~t came very
near breaking, as well as Nr own. How
ever, Edward recovered, and married
another girl-a very excellent one she
was. too.
children came to both families. Mary
lid her honest best to reform her hus-
3and, but the contract was too large.
George went on drinking, and by, ld by
he fell to misusing her and the little
ones sadly. A great many good people
strove with George-they were always
at t, in fact-but he calmly took such
efforts as his due and their duty, and
did not mend his ways. He added
vice, presently-that of secret gambling.
He got deeply in debt; he borrowed
money on the firms credit, as quietly as
he could, and carried this system so far
and SO success:Hl'r Cat one morning
the Sheriff tool l,os.- -,:on Of the estab-
lishment, and the two Cousins found
themselves penniless.
Times We're hard, now, and they grew
worse. Edward moved his family into n
garnet, and walked the streets day and
night, seeking work. He begged for il.
bnt it was really not to be had. He was
astOnished to see how soon his face be-
came mwelcOme he was astOnished and
hurt to sac how quickly the ancient in-
terest which people had had in him faded
out and disappeared. Still he must get
work so he swallowed his chagrin, and
| tOiled on in search Of ii. At last he got
Job Of carrying bricks up ladder il a
! hOd, and was 8 grateful nlar i'll cora,-
quence; but, after that, nobody knew
him o. cared anything about him. He
was not abe to keep up his dues III the
various moral organizations to which he
belonged. and had to endure the sharp
pain of seeing himself brought under
the disgrace Of suspension.
But the faster Edward died ont Of pub
lie knowledge and interest. the faster
George rose in them. He was found rag
ged and drunk, in the gutter, one morn
ing. A member of the Ladies Temper
ance Refuge fished him out, took him in
hand, got up subscription for him,
kept him sober whole week, then got a
situation for him. An account of it was
published.
General attention was thus drawn to
the poor fellow, and a great many people
came forward and helped him toward re-
form with their countenance and en-
couragement. He did not drink drop
for two months, and meantime was the
pet of the good. Then he fell-in tie
gutter; and there was general sorrow
and lap1entation. But the noble sister
hood rescued him again. They cleaned
him up, they fed him, they listened to
the mournful music Of his repentances,
they got him his situation again. An ae-