St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-07-30

them, but 1T was not so. They were in
the tavern porch as he came along, and
having taken their cue from the land
lord (who was keen sighted enough to
see what had been passing in the mind
of Pratt. and feared to lose a customer)
assailed him with influences that he had
not strength of mind to resist. Gust
to satisfy" them, as he said, he consent
ed to drink a single glass. But that did
not satisfy either them or the tavern
keeper. A second glass was almost
forced upon him ; then followed a third,
which purposely was made stronger
than usual, and completed the over
throw of his reason.
Could those thoughtless young men
have seen the ashen, agonizing face of
the waiting, anxious wife, when her
husband came staggering in that even
ing, they would not have boasted so
gleefully of having "sent Pratt home as
merry as fiddler"
From that time the weak young man
stopped almost daily at the tavern to
drink. The temptation was in his way
and he had not sufficient strength of
purpose to resist its alurements. This
was continued for months, until, under
the gentle, yet often fearful solicitations
oi MS wife, he again resolved to stand
up nrmiy against the pressure of cur
ienC 1hat WAS too steadily bearing him
onward TO the sea of destruction. And
ne ulu stand up firmly for time. But
in tnaG contest the odds were against
MIN. Old hlllIgrew saw the struggle
that was gong on in his mind and took
wicked pleasure apart from his love
OF gain, in assailing the young mans
good resolutions on every occasion that
was presented. Sometimes after aIlur-
ing him into his bar-either through
personal influence or by means of CAV
young men who frequented his house
kllllgrew could not induce him to take
anything but a glass of water. Oftener
however he gained his purpose more
fully, and maddened the young mans
brain with his fiery potations.
And SO the work went on. There
was pitfall in Pratt's way, and ever
and anon he stumbled therein. Ah, if
the pitfall could only have been remov-
ed. 1t served no use whatever; gave
nothing to the common good was a
constant source of annoyance, injury
and loss to the people of Ashdale. 1t
had been digged by Killigrew, and was
always kept deep and dangerous by
him, in order that he might profit by
the weakness and injuries of those who
weakly or unwarily stumbled over the
half concealed brink.
"Why did not the people of Ashdale
cause the pitfall to be closed up Why
did they not remove this man trap ?n is
asked in tone of surprise.
They had no power to do so, we an
swer.
''No power"
You may look surprised, but it is
even as we say. Killigrew had the
law on his side.
"The law ~
Yes, for you all seem so incredulous.
The law of the state in which Ashdale
was situated, provided by special en-
actment for the digging of just such a
man-traD as the one maintained by
hllligrew. And any person not having
the love of man nor the fear of God be-
fore his eyes, could by the payment of
few dollars into the state treasury.
obtain the right to make for himself
such pitfall in any highway or street
IN any village, town or city in the
Commonwealth.
''PreposterOus
1T is true-alasi too sadly true.
Witness the crowded .jails, almshouses,
and insane asylums; witness the crime,
destruction, and squalid misery that
rest like black clouds over all parts of
that State where population clusters
thickly-and those licensed man-traps
are to be found by the score in every
neighborhood. 1t is true, alas! too
sadly true
But for this pitfall in the way all
might have been well with Pratt; but
his feet were always stumbling on its
fatal brink. Steadily for nearly ten
years, had he been going down, down,
down and at the period when he came
home sober, for the first time in many
months and announced to his wife the
death of Killigrew, he was almost help
less in the hands of his adversary. All
manly strength was gone when the
temptation was before him. 1t was in
vain that he went out in the morning
strong in his purpose to keep sober
through the day; the sight of KILL
CREWS tavern fired his appetite to a
degree that left no power of resistance.
1t was in vain that he started home
ward in the evening, promising him
self that he would meet his wife and
children without stain upon his lips |
Alas !! he could not bear onward against
the whirlpool of desire that constantly |
him when he came within |
fatal proximity of Killigrew's.
Well might his sorrowing wife feel
thrill of pleasure in every heart fibre
at the announcement of Killigrew's |
death. He had been doing an accursed
work in Ashdale for years. Broadcast
had been the seeds of anguish and |
desolation and in her heart and home
had many of those evil seeds fallen,
taken quick root, springing up and |
bearing bitter fruit. Nor did she at
tempt to stifie this pleasure as unseem-
ly, III view of the passage of a fellow |
mortal to his great account in eternity. |
She was glad the tavern keeper was
dead-so glad, it was useless to affect |
The promise of that hour did not |
prove vain. The tavern was closed, |
and Edward Pratt went daily to his
business and returned home at evening
a sober man. If, as was often the case.
he felt the desire for stimulating drink
he quenched the desire in a draught of
pure cold water. Yet, even as he
passed the old tavern stand, around
which soon waved fields of ripening
grain-the ground had run to waste
befOre-he felt desire to enter. but
there was no bar there now, so the
morbid desire was fruitless of evil con-
sequences.
Thus it went on for three years. In
that time not a drop of anything intox-
eating had passed the lips of Edward
Pratt. How striking the change in ali
nd - -