Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1886-01-25
Sill RenWick.

7
most prosperous farmer in the north
of Maryland, yet his sideboard glis-
tened with decanters, filled and part
ly filed with the choicest liquors that
money could supply, and the family
cupboard seldom displayed a dearth
of seasonable delicacies. He smoked
the "pipe of peace, as he would say,
and drank to his neighbors' health,
when they would happen in, and to
his own at least three times day.
This was old-time hospitality; and to
him the only rule of moderation. "He
never drank to excess p was his IA
vorite apology and this was suggest
ed either by apparent convivial indis-
cretion or as parental rebuke to the
untoward inclinations of his youngest
son, Silver Renwick-a son both good
and bad, generous and deceptive in
fact, sordid contrast within himself
of vice and virtue,-now sober, now
| drunk-at all times nothing but "Sil'
Renwick, much to his fathers dis
pleasure. "For," said he, shave
| not set before him an example of
probity and moderation? yet he bears
me disgrace with every action of his
life" In earlier days he would re-
mark to his elder and less offending
brothers, "Thls is to be the judge of
the family, to uphold its dignity and
confer honor, as did the great-grand-
father, who fought with the immortal
Washington and shared the praise of
vlctoryp"
| But Sill Renwick s ambition seldom
rose above the stone and dignity" of
| the bar at the crossroads hotel. This
influence sometimes lasted for sever
al days, then he would return home
with clean shave and take his
place at the table as though nothing
had occurred, to gain the severe
| glance of his father who himself had
just taken his sip "ln moderation" at
the sideboard.
So thoroughly disgusted had the
neighbors become with Sill Renwick
and his habits, that when Mary Brown
announced her determination to mar
ry Sill and reform him, her parents
forbade his visits, and not being al
lowed to see him-not even to 60 out
alone-home became tomb and the
hot-headed advice Of brothers and
sisters unfeeling and uncomfortable.
Everybody was her enemy! Every
day recorded bitterness of tongue,
forgotten of all but herself. "Who
ever yet saw a girl that wasn't sorry
for encouraging a sot?" one said.
ssDrunkards are all liars and not
one out of thousand ever reforms !"
added another.
The heart once torn is scarcely
healed by continued hacking, and the
only counsel that smoothed the pass
ing waters, and bore upon it the SEM
blance of truth and sympathy, came
from the pen of an old schoolmate :
"Mary, dear, I must confess to
some surprise, but your love Is un-
doubted, and were your mission ac-
complishable, nothing could be more
like yourself-always sacrificing, not
. for yourself, but for others-yet if
, he will not reform before marriage,
: for your sake, what greater influence
can you effect, after that you have
become him, not only in name but In
person? AS you lose your personali-
+ ty, why not corresponding influ'
ence?''
r Undaunted love, unqualified sar'
e casm, uncongenial home-relatives
led OF rather forced Mary Brown
along with tide that is drifting or
!, -on-carrying its thousands of low
y ing hearts into happy companion
!" ships, where bitter tears are never
$ wiped away with sympathetic hand
e but drop in ceaseless flow upon ever.
duty of the day, and each tomorrow
living sepulchre
>
o In northwest Pennsylvania, off :
: distance from the Kinzua River, th'
: heart of the oil regions, on the "Bea
Creek Farm" is heard the clank O
l. the ll-drill-drill-an between
: each up and down sounds the all-day
- all-night plaintive screech of the un
+ creased walking beams slowly up
# slowly down-continual change
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES change
}, And there in the derrick at the drill
e stands Sill Renwick, the symbol o
g change, of ups and downs, changing
- the heavy rope, now higher, now high
- er, and now lower, and lower still
Now through the rock, through tn
sand. down-down-dow into tn
: house of earth's bosom! The wei
IS is down to the finish, and six Ion,
!" weeks of patient toll, amid grease
le gas and slime, are at an end
:, Sauntering to the cabin, tired bu
glad, he was met by little Bess, VIII
whispered:
20 Mamma been tying
:? Yes, she had been crying and try
70 ing to hide her tears, as mothers do
" but was unable to stop the flow whe
Sill entered.
Il am happy you are so near thro'
10 but won't you come home sober jus
n. this once? I've been praying for 20
ne so hard, Sill, and choking, sobbed
tn while Bessie drew herself upon he