St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-04-29
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Unrolling the Spool.

formed the acquaintance of some fast
Young men, and every time he went
down street. some one would ask him
to drink, and then he would have to
treat. and the habit of drinking so
grew on him that he was fast becoming
druukard. A good many nights,
while he was sleeping off the effects of
the liduor he had drank, his poor moth
er was awake, weeping and praying
for him. Sometimes she would talk to
him, and he would promise to do bet
ter. but he always broke his promise.
Pretty Mary Jane, who had promised
TO become his wife rs sOOu as they
could save money enough to go to
housekeeping, noticed Il change IN him,
and mistrustcd that all was not right.
But she kept hoping for the best, and
saving her money to buy the furniture
for the happy home she hoped soon to
enjoy.
One night John was brought home
drunk; 50 drunk that the next day he
was sick and heartily ashamed of him
self. His good mother talked to him
long and tedrlully. She told him OF
Mary's love and patience and faith IN
him. and ended by saying,
"Now, John, if you will sign the
pledge and keep it, at the end of six
months will make you a present OF
$50, towards setting up housekeeping.
| know | can GET it somehow John
! laughed and said,
'All right, mother, I'll do it; and
hold you to your promise
So John signed the pledge, and his
mother began to save. 1t required
close calculation to lay 10y s. a week ;
| but she new trimmed her old bonnet
and turned her old dress, and mendcd
| her own shoes, and patched her aprons,
and drank her tea weaker, and gave NJ
drinking coffee. and ate the tinicst bit
of meat, and in one self-denying way
and another the little pile of savings
slowly grew.
Johns appearance rapidly improved
He walked more briSkly, and stood
erect his eyes grew bright. his breath
became sweet, his temper cheerful, and
Mary thought him smarter and hand
somer every day. Sometimes he peep
ed into the cracked teapot which held
his mothers savings, when his eyes
would twinkle, and a queer smile
would curve his lips.
He said to a friend, at made me
Just ashamed when my dear old mother
9. offered to give me $50 if | would give
up drinking; and made up my mind
that | would be even with her. Says
to myself, if you can save $50 guess
eau 500. So | quit smoking, aud
bought me Il tin savings bank, and
every day | would drop in what
thought my tobacco and liquor would
cost me- The day my six months was
up | emptied my savings bank; aut
would YOU believe it, there was over ;
hundred dollars in it Well, | took i
to the bank and got one hundred crisI
new one dollar bills, and then | got {
spool. and pinned the bills together ant
wound them around the spool, and thel
, | run n stick through the spool so TIN
spool would turn around on the stick
| tucked it into my pocket, and wen
around to see Mary and invited her owe
to mothers to supper. After supper
says |, Mother, do you know the 81,
months is up to-day ? Says she, Yes
John, and l have fifty dollars for you
And she got up and handed me tn
money. "Thank you: it will be quit
3 help to us about housekeeping, won
it, Mary 2 says ! winkiug to hel
: Mother, will you please remain stand
ing? | have little present for you,-
some tobacco said | :; and | took OF
the roll of bills, and had her take hol
:. of the end of the one on the outside
a., and held on to the stick in the SpoC
: and walked back wards. She keI
: pulling until we reached the end, an
= ! nv that time she was CRYING. and had
- sit down.
"Well, we had a jolly time, you
better believe, and the next wee
;, Mary and | were married, and | hay
not drank a drop of liquor since. The
we commenced to go to meeting, an
:, the Lord converted us. and we jOine
-, the church, and we have got the nea
y est, happiest little home you ever saw
! Come down and see me, won't you |?
The Safeguard.