The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1881-01-27
On. Shiaing Carl

marked upnn the rare beauty OF = small
velvet eAshei. silver 1onnd. oblons II
shape. and occupying aprcminent pl.c'
on the elegant nAn,ei 0. tho .baDdanii'
furnished library.
That, said my friend, is one Of the fev
yAlnables in my possession which ! always
take with me to my chamber at night, and
with 10 have !. placed whore my eye can
readily iall on II, when At home through
| the day. will show il to- you.
so saying hc touched spring. and The
Id opened. showing a shining curl oi
golden brown hair lying along the boz,
while spiral coil Of silver wire was ingen.
iously arranged 50 as 10 keep the .ress in
place, without at all conccahng II.
win tell you about 1t, he said--and
this is the story the rich man told me con-
cerning the lovely casket and its sacred
contents:
| You see i was a restless boy insisted, as
many another had done before, on leaving
school while yot quito young, and starting
out TO seek fortune. My father died
during my infancy, and though l loved my
gentle mother very dearly, and thought
her the preitiest little lady had ever
seen, yet We were in straitened circum-
stances, and imagined that by going to
sea might be able to earn something, and
so help mother along. reflect with some
degree Of comfort always on the fact that
the chief motive which influenced me then
| was to secure an easy comfortable home
for my mother who had toiled hard for
my maintenance and happiness for four
teen years.
She parted from me reluctantly enongh;
but, boy like, left her with the assurance
Of the wonderful things intended to ac-
complsh for her interest.
Well, not to tire You, will say circum-
stances entirely beyond my control-so
often the case with asailor-detained me
from home for several years.
During this time continually received
letters from my mother, in all OF which
she specially warned me against the use Of
Intoxicating drinks.
Being mere boy when i left her. and
never having the slightest temptation to
use anything OF the kind, often wonder
ei why she should say so much more
about this one form Of temptation than
any other. The sailors took their grog
very regularly, but to me it was distaste-
full stuff, so / repeatedly assured her in
my frequent letters home-these letters SO
full of bayish hope and ambition. SO full
Of buoyancy and expectations OF making
money, piles Of money with which some
time to go home and take care of mother.
God pity us all Well, ] shall never for
get, we had been cruising about one bitter
cold winter. and. getting short Of coal, We
made port somewhere on the coast OF
France, and the captain allowed
us TO go ashore with his mates.
Soon after reaching the hotel hungry,
cold and tired, waiter entered our room
with various kinds OF hot drinks, those en-
ticing French drinks, you know, so delic-
ious and seductive to the taste. Hardly |
knowing what did, ] raised steaming
glass to my lips, and drained it to the last
drop. Good Lord What demon took
possession OF my senses from that moment?
1t was my first drink, you see, Of good
wine. How ] reached my bed that night
/ never knew; the mate paid the bills at
the hotel, and the next night found us on
board the ship ready for fresh start. But
oh the shame, remorse and bitter exper-
fence OF into1ication This is what poor
mother warned me against, time and again
but why was she SO fearful; and why did
that first warm glass Of strong. rich wine
madden me so? Could it be that my
father-but no, mother had never told me
anything against him, and, come to think
Of it, she had never told me much concern
ing father any way Well, mother should
never know that was one comfort;
and mother never did know.
Six years after leaving my native land
returned young man twenty years OF age;
returned to find an aunt watching my ar
rival, in tho cottage where i left my dear
little mother. Bat whore was she, that
40 warm rush Of welcome greeted her
ong absent boy9 Poor auntisl she tried
ler best to break it to me very gently
ong choking silence ah, we'll, you see IT ,
III, she was dead. l WAS made to under
'tand it at last Ny aunt rose after while
md, leaving the room for moment, soon
'eturned with something in her hand, roll
ID in soft white paper, It WAS this shining
,url OF golden. brown hair. Then she
ound voice to tell me how mother had
lrooped and died, and Just before had
ierself cut for me the shining curl and Z
,harged my aunt TO deliver few last low
ng words Of counsel to the dear boy she
hould never SEQ again in this life.
She said, continued my aunt, that you
sere confident Of making money, not one
Benny Of which, she begged and prayed,
nigh, ever 10 spent for intoxicating drink
II any kind.
Then followed the revelation had mo- !
suspected and then smothercd
my father. Learned how my
poor mothers young life had been blight
u and her health destroyed, from learn
ng too late. Alasl tha. she had married
nan OF intemperate habits, who soon be-
,ame miserable drunkard. and died sud J
lenly from the effect Of strong drink.
Carefully wrapping the curl in the wavy
Iolds OF white tissue, placed il in asecrcs