The Somerset reporter., 1893-03-23
Drunken Mothers.
BY Mrs. J. MCNAIR WRIGHT


whatever YOU do" said Granny Sara
to vo ng Mrs. Martin. rs She sat with
her baby on her knee, "don't take to
drinking ale or porter, or amy strong
drink. on the notion that it is going to do
YOU good. If there j. one thing more
than another which makes "A mother crt-
Il. wicked. uunaiufal. it j. drunkenness,
AMI many are the mothers Who become
drunken, from these small beginnings,
ordered by the doctor.
"A great many women take such
things. said Mrs. Martin.
"les, ami Il great many perish by it.,
body and soul. have Il niece, who Is
one of the nldtrons i'll a wOman's prison.
She tells me that ninety oue-hundrrdths
of the p i-Oners yet there because OF
strong drink and OF these ninety in one
hundred Who drink, sixty have begun by
taking liquor a a medicine or Il tonic.
"Neli, | wouldn't wish to he Il drunk
en- no her" said Mrs Martin, kissing her
baby.
Truly YOU might say that. if YOU
know how bitter efncl drunken mothers
are. Once was hired to help in Il soup
Kitchen. y big, red-iaced woman, moth
er Of tour starving children, came for
bread and soup, ami regularly carried
both To sell Tor liquor at the dr3im-shop.
leaving her poor babes crying With hun
ger. found it out, aud daily took the
soup ana bread to feed The children my
self. She Nas so enfaged al that, that
she began to lnaitrcat the poor Mretched
little ones, and Threatened To kill me.
| called III the Police aid, and the woman
was sent To- an a. lun.'
Dear, dear, to think of such IA moth
er :" cried NJ :. Martin. -.
II speak from sore experience. said
Granny. "My poor mother drank. Sht
began with IA put Tor strength" and
the thirst grew. she stripped tile clohe,
/ from our backs to sell for drink. Whel
{ was Il young girl, again and again
/ lost good place because my mother
/ took all my wages for drink, aud haC
neither shoes nor gown fit to be in Il de
cent house. on, how cried, ragged anc
cold, turned out at fifteen years old, t
the dangers of the midnight streets
While my mother ravcu and ragged, ;
drink-nlaniac, i'll our room, A goot
doctor, going home late from
! patient, found me, crouched in
doorway, sobbiug with terror. He tool
me to his wife. She was one of the
strong women; strong to defend the
4 Ntdh, anu lilHl-l bu INC IlSnl. one tOOk
me for Il servant. and saw to il that M,
mother did not take IA penny of my way
es. Wages were low, then. After
! was comfortably clad, | saved up nv
money Tor months, to buy II useful pres
ent for my mother, 1t was winter again
and bought her Il pair OF good blankets,
and took them to her, as she was then i'll
in bed. She would not speak except to
revile me for Il cruel, uugrateful child.
| laid the blankets over the bed. and
cried out. with tears: on. mother. do,
ito say that you like them But she
would not look ut me, nor my gift. One
OF her uephews came in, and gave her
ten cents. She loaded him with thanks
and praise. and is soon aS he was gone,
she sent Il thild from the next room, out
with it 10 buy her ten cents worth of
gin.
"ln all her sickness she refused to
speak to me. and died without relenting.
Oh the tender mcrcie- ofdrunkcn moth
crs are cruel"
Tears We're in Young Mrs. Martins
eyes. She Rugged her child closer as
she said. "Oh, please God. this little
one shall never hi,vc such story rs that
to tell of me. | will never take that first
harmless glass, Il they call it, that may
make me Il drunken mother Npfiop0i
Temperance .ti"ocote.