The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-03-28
sABBATH MORN.
a Home in Sorrow.

What pale, emaciated face how
sad and broken.heartcd that look, from
those bright sparkling eyes; yet how
neat, how graceful even in poverty, she
looks. WHO'S she?
Do not speak so loud She yet has
pride; she knew better days She is
not to blame. Whisky has brought her
to the pinched estate Of poverty.
When she gave her hand to the brute
no, he was no brute then, but whisky
has made him snch-shc was so hand
some, so pure and noble, kind and gen
crous, and even in all her suffering she
Still carries in her heart the purity,
kindness and gcntleness that enobled
her hours Of girlhood; she was rich
enough as the world goes to provide for
the reasonable cares of life.
But l'cr love was captured and she
gave her hand where her heart loved
best; and but few short years rolled
by until her domestic sky was cloudcd,
and she saw the man on whose plightcd
faith she relied, whose words of love
won her hearts best affections, whose
stout arm was her defense, and on
whose manly bosom he was wont to re-
cline, 60, step by step, steadily down
the ladder Of inebriation until the low
est depths were reached, and she is now
the wife Ola confirmed drunkard.
Why don't she leave him? Yes,
why?
Her children, her young, love even
tue drunken father, and, poor soul, she,
with mothers love for her children,
still cIings to the drunken, lazy wretch
for the sake Of those worse than orphan
children.
Her little boy looked up to her
through his tears, suffering with hun
ger, and said:
" Mamma, does God answer our
praycrs?"
" Yes, my child why do you ask me
that question? You know mama has
always taught you that God would ans
wcr our prayers"
eyes, | know, ma, but He is so
long. | have prayed for year that
God would keep papa from drinking,
but he has not answered my prayer
yet"
Tears came into the eyes Of that
wretchcd, hcart-broken mother. Her
answer was "A sob. Little did that inno-
cent boy know the pang his intcrrogato-
ry caused that grici-strickcn mother.
The father was drunkard No home
Of their own. The father was not earn
ing dollar, but squandering the earn
ngs Of his wife in rum. Oh, how
wrctched, how sorrowiul the lot Of the
drunkald's family!
The mother teaches school, pays the
rent, clothes the children, clothes the
father, furnishes the food, and often no
meal is prepared they cat by piecing it
The father when on Il spree sends to
the saloon for liquor, and for days lays
home drunk, while his wife is wearing
life away-sometimes almost falnts on
the street from sheer exhaustion, and
yet that brute talks about the God given
right to eat and drink what he plcases,
with no thought for the family, which
must 90 to the alms-housc if the mother
fails.
When she demonstrates she receives
his irown; when she bcgs him to quit
drinking whisky he answers with curses
and threats; if sac appeals to his former
manhood and his promises, she is cover
ed with insults, and browns the whole
in beastIy intoxication.
lie had II profession, but is, through
drink, clientless. lie had property, but
whisky has left him moncylcss lie had
but whisky has taken his mo.
ncy, his honor and his reputation, and
all that is left him is drunkenness and
desperation.
Oh, if he would only let this hastily
written notice Of his condition sink into
his heart, and vow never to touch the
poison again, and seize this "moment to
decide to put this temptation behind
him, buiId anew the home now shattcr-
ID, bring the rose blush to the check off
hat LOVING, true and patient wife, and
rive gannt want from the hcarihstonc
+ those loving children who pray for
i'm Would not happiness indcscriba-
Ic light up that old wretchcd home and
Iaddcn every heart Of that little house
ont this Sabbath morn ? Kansas Pro-
ibtonist. ]