The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1885-05-20
TEMPERANCE COLUMN.
Edited by the Woman's Christian Temper.
ance Union,
OFFICERS OF THE UNIol

Presldent-Mrs. Lizzie Lambert.
LIST Vice President-Mrs. Perry.
I'd /" Mrs. Mary Titus.
Sd +" Mrs. Julia Powell
4th sc " Mrs. Eliza Preston
9th " Mrs. John Roberts.
Treasurer-Mrs. Dr. Hayhurst.
Secretary-Mrs. NJ. G. Hunt.
The regular devotional and business
meeting of the W. c. T. T., will be held
every Wednesday afternoon, at half-past
three, in their room over Mr. Thatcher S
place of BUSINESS, Church street. Also
Gospel Temperance Meeting, every Sun
day afternoon, at quarter to four.
THE SON OF NY FRIEND.-A TRUE TALE.
Continued from last week.
Nothing beyond this was ascertained on
the first day of his absence. Invent home
soon after dark, leaving Mrs. Martndale
with other friends. The anguish was
suffering no words can tell. Not such
anguish as pierced the mothers heart /;
but in one deglee sharper, in that guilt
and responsibility were on my conscience.
Three days went by. He had vanished
and left no sign The whole police of the
city sought for him, but in vain. Their
theory was that be had missed his home,
and wandered on towards the docks,
where he had been robbed and murdered,
and his body cast into the river. He had
on his person valuable gold watch, and
a diamond pin worth over two hundred
donars-sufficien temptation for robbery
and murder, if his unsteady feet had
CHANGED to bear him into that part of the
city lying near the river.
All hope of finding Alfred alive was
abandoned after weeks agonizing sus-
pense, and Mr.. Martindale offered re-
ward of five hundred dollars for the re-
covery of his sons body. Stimulated by
this offer, hundreds of boatmen began The
search up aud down the rivers, and along
the shores of the bay, leaving no point I'M
visited whore the body might have been
borne by the tides. But over large por-
tions of this field-ice had formed on the
surface, closing up many small bays and
indentations of the land. There were
hundreds of places into any one of which
the body might have iloated, and where it
must remain until the warm airs of spring
set the water free again. The search was
fruitlcss.
Mrs. Martindale, meantime, had lapsed
into a state Of dull indifference to every
thing but her great sorrow. That alb
sorbed her whole mental life. 1t was the
house in which her soul dwelt, the cham
Der of afiiiction wherein she lived, and
moved, and had her being-so darkly
draped that no light came in through the
windows. Very still and passionless she
sat here, refusing to be comforted.
Forced by duty, yet dreading always
to look into her face, that seemed full Of
accusations, | went often to see my friend
1t was very plain that, in her mind,
was an accessory to her sons death. No
after the first few days did | venture tt
offer word of comfort for such word
from my lips seemed as mockery. The,
faltered on my tongue.
One day called, and the servant tool
up my name. On returning to the parlor
she said that Mrs. Martindale did not fee
very well, and wished to be excused.
had looked for this yet was not th
pang it gave me less acute for tho antici
patton? Was not l the instrumental caus
of great calamity that had wrecked he
dearest hope in life ? And how could sh,
bear TO see my face?
| l went home very heavy hearted. Ny
husband tried to comfort mo with wordi
that had no balm for either his troubled
heart or mine. The great fact OF our hav
ing put the cup of confusion to that young
mans lips, and sent him forth at mid
night in no condition TO find his way
home, stood out too sharply defined fol
any self-delusion.
did not venture to the house of my
friend again. She bad dropped curtain
between us, and said, at shall be wal
of separation"
Not until spring opened was the body
of Alfred Martindale recovered. 1t was
found floating in the dock at the end o.
the street down which young Gordon saw
him go with unsteady steps in the dark
ness and storm ON that night of sorrow
His watch was in his pocket, the hand
pointing to half-past two-the time, il
all probability, when he fell into th,
water. The diamond pin was in hi
scarf, and his pocket-boo in his pocket
unrifled. He had not been robbed ant
murdered-so much was certain. To al
it was plain that the bewildered young
man, left to himself, had plunged OF
blindly through the storm, going he knew
not whittier, until he reached the wharf
The white sheet of snow lying owe
everything hid from eyes like his th,
tieacherous margin, and he stepped un
needing to his death ! 1t was conjecturet
that his body had floated, by an incoming
tide, under the wharf, and that hi
clothes had caught in the logs, and hell
it there for SO long time.
Certainty is always better than doubt
On the Sunday after the saddest funera
it has ever been my lot to attend, Mrs
Martindale appeared for the first time il
church. did not see her face, for sh
kept her heavy black veil closely drawn
On the following Sunday, she was in tn
family pew again, but still kept her fac
hidden. From friends who visited her {
did not call again after my first denial)
learned that she had become calm an,
resigned.
To one of these friends she said: at /
better that he should have died than liv
to be what too sadly fear our good SO
ciety would have made him-a social bur