The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1888-01-04

glass was drank, and it was late in the
afternoon when the party began to dispense.
He managed to get into his buggy and drove
home with his brain on fire. He drove like
man deprived of his reason, and his moth
er who had been watching for him all the
afternoon saw him coming home in that
mad state.
Dear reader. can you comprehend what
that mother suffered at that sad moment?
No. none could tell but herself. am sor-
ry l was away at the moment he arrived.
was little way from tine house fishing.
but l heard him coming and knew he was
intoxicated. So l ran as fast as | could.
but not fast enough to prevent one of the
saddest and darkest tragedies. He reeled
into the house and began to abuse his moth
er. He who loved and worshipped her and
would have promptly resented an insult to
her, began to beat her, and she with gentle
remOnStrance that none but loving mother
can use. tried to persuade him to lie down.
She might as well have spoken TO dumb
animal, as it seemed as if it encouraged
him in his devilish work and nOnstrOus
treatment of her. 1t could not last long.
She fell on the floor. And what did he do?
My God! l wish [ could draw the curtain
and shut out the rest from your view, but
as have begun | must go to the end.
When he saw his mother at his feet | pre-
sume he thought it was an enemy 50 he
stepped on her delicate form and when he
saw that she did not move he caught her by
the throat and literally choked her to death.
All at once he gaZed upon his mothers face
and saw that she was dead, and you may
we'll wonder when say that he at once be-
came sober. l know it. for l entered the
house at that moment. but too late. Inever
Of hofn cir n,
what saw that day. Every time l think
about it feel as if something like a cold
wave was running over ME. and no wonder,
when remember how she looked lying
dead upon the floor and her son kneelng
along side Of her. As soon as he saw me
enter he pointed to his mother and said:
''See what l have done; |. her only child,
have killed her, but shall not survive her.
Tell Nellie she is the cause of all this; tell
her also that [ cursed her. If she had not
tempted me to drink my mother wOnld be
alive and happy. Good by, old boy. Let
this be warning to you," and before l
could get to his side he pulled revolver
from his pocket, pointed the muzzle to his
heart, pulled the trigger and fell across his
mothers body. dead. May God have mercy
on his soul; he did not know what he was
doing.
NOW, OuG WUIu Ol duNlCt W dill Cuo young
ladies that read this story. Never offer or
tempt any young man to drink, even glass
of wine. Remember the first glass is what
makes us men drunkards. Never keep
company with fast young men who delight
in drinking, for they are dangerous. and
nine times out of ten make bad husbands
l presume you would like to know what
became Of Nellie. When she heard of the
sad ending of her lover. and of the words
he used. she tainted and was carried to her
room. where she remained only three wee ks.
when she, too. passed away into another
world. to give account of her wrong doing
at the Judgement seat.
Dear reader, see what glass of wine
did. 1t wrecked three lives. and not only
wrecked them, but all three died from the
effect of it. So let this be warning to all
young men and women who frequent ball
rooms and places where liquors are drank
freely. FRANK X. BEAUDIN
Dec. 20. 1887.