Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-07-06
Like His Grandfather.

"Mr. Rowland has been off after Luke
again. wonder he does not give up the
drunken fellow. He has spent more time
and money for that son than for all the rest
Of his family; and he will spend all he is
worth, at this rate, If Luke lives many years
longer. His other children have a right to
complain"
This was said by neighbor of Mr.. How
land, who saw him driving past in the early
morning, half supporting the son who leaned
heavily against him.
You can't tell what you would do, hus-
band, until you are put to the test and,
please God, you will never know" replied
the neighbours wife. "Luke is the bright
est of the family, and he would certainly be
the smartest If he would let liquor alone.
That is almost his only fault. lie is gener-
GUS and kind-hearted, ready TO do anybody
favor, even II he sacrifices his own COM
fort in doing it. His mother depends upon
him for help more than upon all her other
children"
"All that when he has not been drinking
liquor but the minute he gets away from
home they never know where he will stop.
| saw him hurrying across the back lot
enough there was trouble ahead Mr.. How
ing, and | presume he has not been in bed
all night. He must do as he pleases but,
according to my mind, that son of his isn't
worth tenth part of 80 much fuss and
trouble. Mr.. Rowland is getting to be an
old man, too,-almost sixty five-and Luke
is forty. IL a man can't be trusted TO take
care of himself when he is forty years old,
he never can"
No one understood this fact better than
did MIR. Rowland, and it was this fact which
weighed most heavily upon him. Luke
could never be trusted, and yet he did not
lose patience or cease his efforts for this
sons good.
" How can you do so much for Luke 2"
friend once asked him, adding Most men
would have turned him adrift to shift for
himself years ago."
al presume they would, but | should
have no right to do it even if ] were so dis
posed. Luke is not so much to blame as
those who have lived before him. | never
see him intoxicated without seeing my
father over again as | saw him when | was
boy. The curse passed over me; did
not inherit an appetite for liquor. | loatbe
the smell of all alcoholic drinks; but Luke
has craved them ever since he knew what he
wanted His mother and have tried to do
the best we could with him, and sometimes
we have dared to hope the spell was broken,
but we never expect that now. None of our
other children are like him. We thank G ID
every day for that, and they are thankful too.
"They know | am spending my property
for Luke, and no one outside the family has
any idea how much | have spent first and
last. They are satisfied to have il 50 but
If they were not | should still continue to
do as | have been doing. So long as live
and have anything | can call my own Luke
shall not be disgraced where money can save
him. He has right to all can do for him.
Why my fathers sins should have been Wis
tied upon him, ! cannot tell but | must
make the poor fellow what amends can. 1t
is mercy that he has no children to come
after him."
"But have sometimes thought a good
wife might have restraining influence over
him."
ain that you are mistaken. When the
frenzy is upon him he can be restrained only
by force. He forgets everything but the
cravings of his terrible appetite. My father
over again. Perhaps you do not know what
my boyhood was"
al have heard that you had to make your
own way in the world"
al had; and | made it, too, under the
most discouraging circumstances, except
that had good mother. never had a
decent pair of shoes to my feet until |
earned them; and after was ten years old
| not only earned my own living, but
helped mother provide for my brothers and
sisters. | was the Oldest of six, and there
we're weeks at time when we lived almost
entirely on cornmeal-cake aud cruel. We
ate it, too, with good appetites, except
mother, who needed something better.
Father died when / was fifteen years old,
and after that we were not so poor
"My brothers died young, aud my sisters
are well married, with their families about
them. My Luke is the only one like his
grandfather, and if may be spared to out
live him | shall be thankful"
" He may yet reform and repay you in
part for what you have done for him"
He may; divine grace is sufficient for
even that, but have ceased to expect it..
TO certain extent he is suffering the pen
atty of another's sins"
land Z"
al dare not question divine Justice. God
does not work succession of miracles to
prevent the natural consequences of sin. To
the third and fourth generations, and per-
haps to more remote descendants, the sins
Of the fathers are visited upon the children.
| have blamed my father more than have
blamed my son but it may be that he, too,
suffered for the sins of others.
"May God pity and forgive, and help us
to put away the cursed drink from our
midst l'-Ndtiondl Temperance Advocate.