The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-01-24

1t was rather late before Carl and Joe
left the saloon and as Carl started to-
ward his home he CHANGED to look up
and saw the bright light streaming from
the window Of his home. 1T is just
like mothers own bright spirit" thought
he. always giving light in darkness.
He felt that he could not meet his
mother that night with such a guilty
conscience, so he just peeped into her
room (where he found her reading her
bible) to say good night and then ran
UP stairs. said his prayers and retired.
He spent a very restless night, for ne
was fighting a battle between right and
wrong. His conscience told him TO tell
his mother all and never enter a saloon
again. But, thought he. what pleasure
does a boy see who always stays at
home. 1 believe I'll go back with Joe
some time. but I'll never touch liquor
again, and with this resolution he went
totsleep.
In week or two after this event Joe
again persuaded Carl to go with him TO
that place Of intemperance, where satan
has supreme power
Regardless OF the pleadings of his
mother. carl went but he assured her
he would not be led into temptation.
This time things went on at the saloon
very much the same as before, and this
time Carl not only came home with
guilty conscience. but also with an un-
steady step. and ne did not even bid his
mother good night nor say his prayers
before retiring, but was soon loSt IN
drunken slumber.
Mrs. Ernine fearing something was
wrong as Carl did not come to say good
night went to his room, but was only
greeted by heavy shores, and as she
bent over him she detected the odor OF
liquor upon her boys breath! horrors!
How her heart sank within her and she
knelt down by his bedside and prayed
wildly and fervently to God to watch
over him.
Shortly after this Carl again went to
the saloon and came home IN the same
condition as before
Thus things went on week after week,
till at the end of three months Carl was
almost as reckless as Joe himself
Mrs. Ermine became thin and pale
with hard work and grieVing for her son,
but she never ceased to pray for him,
for she believed that there was yet
hope.
Each night she placed light in the
window to guide him safely home. and
she was obliged TO sit up very late and
sew. for Carl now spent most OF his
earnings in the gambling room.
Carl kept going from bad to worse
until a year had rolled around. one
morning i'm June Carl and Joe again
met near the same spot where they had
met q year before and where Carl was
first led into temptation. But great
change had taken place since then.
Carl, with his red, boated face, his
long hair and hleared eyes. bore but lit
tie resemblance To the bright, hopeful.
pure-hearted youth who had met Joe
in that same place "a year ago. As the
boys met they stopped to have a lit
tie talk.
"Weu. Carl" said Joe. IT have been
trying to decide what would be the best
thing for me To do. and have come to
the conclusion that I viii 20 TO sea and
try to become sailor and perhaps i'm
that way I can abandon some of my
bad habits. VIII you not accompany
me-"
Good said carl. 81 viii gladly go
with YOU for L think l should enjoy life
at sea"
."The Anchor, upon which We will
sail" said Joe. "leaVes Gatesworth at
4 o'clock tomorrow evening. SO We must
start today in order TO reach it in time.
How soon can YOU be ready2'
I'm half an hour" said Carl. start
ing off.
down and bid our old friend Morton
farewell before we go.
"All right" answered Carl, and both
started i'm the direction of the saloon.
They had both resolved to drink moth
ms but when offered drink by the
rum-seller they could not resist nor did
they stop at one drink but when an
hour later they departed they reeled
ing toward his home.
Carl, upon reaching the house. stag
eeTed into the room where his sad
hearted mother sat working.
Mother he drawled out. get my
clothes ready: I'm going to sea-
"Oh. Carl" she said pleadingly,
please don't leave me. OH"
Go on I say" said Carl impatiently.
90 Carl" moaned his mother while
the hot tears rolled down the pale. faded
D,
4 say get my clothes ready" screamed
Carl. who had grown very angry by this
time. Il mean it now
Mrs. Ermine made no reply. but buried
her face in her hands and Carl. unmOved
by her tears. picked up a stick of wood,
which Law near and struck mis- mother
blow which threw her senseless to the
floor
She did not know how long she lay in
this state. but when she recovered il was
near evening, and she arose and went
out on the porch TO look for Carl but ne
was nowhere in sight. she then returned
to the house and prayed again for her
son as she had done for the past year.
1t sometimes seemed as if her prayers
were in vain hut Mrs Ermine was "A
Christian woman and never once doubted
that her prayers would he answered.
Carl and Joe had become quite sober
by the time they reached Gatesworth,
so by the time they went on board the
Anchor, winch sailed at the time NELL
toned by Joe. the boys were very well
satisfied at sea for few days, but the
thirst for drink became so strong they
regretted having gone.
BY the time they reached London their
appetites for drink had become uncon-
trollable. As soon as the ship landed they
were off to a saloon. where their desire
for dring was satisfied. and each lay
in a drunken stupor for several days.
Carl and Joe soon formed the acquaint-
ances of some of the lowest and most
degrading people in London.
The boys did many dishOnorable deeds
and performed many bold and daring
acts In assisting to rob large bank
in London Carl was caught and inn
prisoned for term OF two years, but
Joe escaped.
Meantime Mrs Efrnine was compelled
TO work very hard for she had to depend
upon her own resources for livelihood.
Grief had traced many lines of care
upon her pale, patient face and she felt
her health fast failing.
She knew nothing of her sons where
abouts or fortunes. but each night with
a PRAYER she placed a light in the
window. for thought she. he might
return in the night and lose his way.
An there is no one in this world so gen
tie and forgiving as a mother. and there
is no earthly love so great as mothers
love. Just about two years after Carts
departure Mrs. Ermine's failing health
forced her to abandon work. Grief and
care had weighed so heavily upon her
that one month later she was Obliged TO
keen her bed but no matter what took