The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-10-22

Krumm. Going out to the spot they
found him mangled and dead. The
sons bore him back to the old corn
house. The neighbors assisted in
preparations for the burial On the
next day he was borne to his grave and
buried in one corner of his apple or
chard, where a cheap headstone bears
the inscription: " S. Krumm, died Au-
gust25, )" the year is worn and cannot
now be read. Thus ended the career Of
this bad man, whose heart was bad and
whose deeds were evil.
After the funeral the few mourners
returned to the courthouse, and par
took of a meal that the neighbors had
assisted in preparing. That being over,
the sons began to talk over matters con-
corning the property. The ungrateful
children were not willing that their
mother should have the amount of
property which law and general custom
had always assigned the widow. Sharp
and cruel words followed. Then the
brothers, growing more angry, began to
strike each other A noisy and dis
graceful scene followed, lasting until
one of the brothers had his arm broken,
and the other had his face badly cut by
something that was hurled at him.
Amid cries of help! help! they went
into the open air, when their conten-
tons soon ceased. One of the brothers
said, 81 mean to soon leave the place
and never return. He did so. His
subsequent career was never fully
known. 1t was rumOred that he went
to seaport, and there shipping as a
sailor, went on distant voyage. 1t
was said that on the return passage he
and others with him became mutinous
and sought to obtain possession of the
ship. Here is all that we know of the
affair for a certainty. 1t is supposed
that he was either shot dead at the
time, or that he took a fever while
lying in his letters, and died and was
thrown overheard.
The other son lived with his mother
several years and caused her much
trouble. He built a set of buildings
near the former site, and titled the
acres that his father left. The widow
Krumm had miserable life after her
husbands death. She knew that she
had not trained her boys to noble vir-
tues and to lofty aims in life. She re-
called to mind the fact that she had
often praised her boys for dishonest
transactions. Indeed, she had united
fully with her husband in striving after
wealth. Hence at this time, as she re-
called the past, there was nothing to
comfort or satisfy her. She wept much
Of her time. Her son kept up con-
tinual tease about her signing over to
him all her right in the place. Very
soon after the death of Krumm John
Krumm began to drink intoxicating
liquors. He spent most of his even
ings at village tavern. Often did he
come home, or was brought home, in
toxicated. This habit grew upon him
rapidly. He had much to reflect upon
that was by no means cheerful OF
pleasant to his mind Some people
supposed that he began to drink rum in
10 I,a hot
producing so much unhappiness. The
mother could not endure, as she thought
the burdens of her life She wished
herself dead Amid the weeping.
groaning and trials of each day, she
went along in the performance of her
household duties. The son still kept
on in his evil career.
But his end was not far off. The
downward grade accelerates in speed as
it descends. So it is in the moral
habits of men. Winter had set in with
much severity. Old weather-prophets
had been talking about the cold weather
that thick husks on corn, the large
store of acorns that squirrels were
known to have, and other signs plainly
indicated. But weather is seldom
much regarded when the man who
drinks ardent spirits knows that he
can obtain them by going where they
are sold. One cold night John Krumm
started out to the tavern to buy the
coveted rum His mother followed
him to the door and besought him to re-
main at home, as the wealth er was sc
cold But she only received curses fol-
the solicitude that she had for him
He went. He reached the tavern and
spent his time in drinking until a late
hour. Then he took bottle of rum in
his hand and started for home. He
travelled until he reached sight of his
home, when he gave out entirely and
lay down. The night was terribly cold
so that in short time his limbs be-
came rigid with the cold and his heart
ceased to beat. John Krumm had died
a drunkard's DEATH
Fora long time in that dreadful night
the poor mother had kept watch for her
sons return. But while sitting watch
ing and weeping, as it began to grow
| grav in the eastern sky the MESSENGER