Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1916-05-05

lbout the business. We told him
1e could soon learn and lie did
,nly too quickly, for in a little
lime he was enough for either
IF us and when we three had
become tired of the sport he was
50 delighted with it that he sat
for an hour studying the cards
and shutting them.
I'VE laughed heartily at him
for his interest in the matter and
finally retired for the night,
leaving him the cards. Next
morning he took them up again
and tried to induce us to play
with him but our cousins must
90 home and soon left us, taking
the deck with them. But the
fatal act had been done. That
night my brother was out in the
CITY until a late hour, which was
a thing that never occurred be-
fore; and when he came home he
seemed quite morose; and to our
INQUIRIES for the cause, his re-
plies were all evasive.
''The next night he was out
again; and this continued for
some few nights until his money
some two hundred dollars
was all gone.
He then went to father for
more; and as he had unbounded
confidence in my brother, he very
readily gave him quite little
sum, without asking him what
he was going to do with 1t. This
was soon gone, and when he
asked for more, father desired
him to tell what he was doing
with sc much money. Not Civ
ling a direct answer, father gave
him a small sum, and told him
he could get no more unless he
would give a clear report of the
use he made of his money. This
was soon spent, and when he
went for more, and was unwilling
Ito account for what he had re-
lceived, father refused to give
him more.
with this refusal he became
angry and told father he would
make him willing to let hin
have the money. My brother
went into the city again, and as
usual went into a gambling der
where he managed to get money
for gambling, or he would sit
and look on. He was absent fol-
nearly a week.
During this time my mother
peither ate nor slept, as | might
say ; but when my brother was
brought home drunk, my mother
took her bed, and never got up
again, but died of broken heart
within a few days.
I'VE hoped this would stop my
brothers course, but it was only
for a short time. He soon be-
gan his gambling and drinking
again and being young and
rather delicate, it was not long
until he was brought home in
ldelirium trenens. Upon this
father took to his bed, languish-
ed, sank and died, leaving myself
and my brother alone in the world.
lob, how I wished l could die
too but it seemed that God was
determined that l should see the
| end of nv work in wrecking our
family, and | was compelled to
still remain and reap the harvest
| OF my own doings.
Every influence that could be
brought to bear on my poor
brother / made use of, but to no
avail and oh, how l prayed for
him, but it was of no use. He
even went more rapidly down
the way of ruin now that father
was out of his way.
Only a few weeks after l fol-
lowed my father to his resting
place in the silent grave, my
brother was brought home with
lelirium tremens again, and after
suffering a short time in the
most terrible agony, the poor
-oy died, and was laid in a
lrunkard's grave. Oh. my God
shy was l ever born Why
can't l die too? But what wi /
ny eternity be for having thus
ruined my own brother, the
bright and beautiful boy. This
is why / spell my name Mara
Soon after the lady began tell
ing her sad story, tile ladies in
the company began weeping, and
when it was finished they were
, II Sohhinr &C if fl,a;r La,rtc