Year: 1860

and hand you the letter in the morning
-. CHAPTER VIII.


Leaving Cedarville let us hasten on t.
IS, and ascertain what is taking place
there, before Charles Vincent arrives.


sMr. Benson said short, stout-buil
man, as Benson entered the store, in which
he was employed as salesman, Il wish a few
moments conversation with you =.


well, sir


Il trust that you will allow me to speal
plainly with you, Mr.. Benson, and that yor
will not be offended with what I have t.
say


$50 on, sir, said Benson, seating him
self.


Il understand that you are in the habit
of spending your evenings at Templar''
Saloon-is that so ~


Il occasionally spend an hour or two
there said Benson.


But do you not spend your money, as
we'll as your time thereT


Just few dollars now and then, sir


But what possible attraction do you find
at such a placer


well, I just drop in to see the paper;
and have little chat with my friends
There certainly is no harm in that


But do you think that drinking saloon
is proper resort for a member of the
church, Mr.. Benson? think that little
reflection will convince you to the contra
ry.'


I'm no church member, sir


eWhy, you certainly were sometime ago,
said his employer.


1T does not matter what once was, sir
but I repeat, that I am not a member Of
any church now; nor do fancy myself any
the worse because of that fact


mot necessarily, perhaps said the gen.
tleman; then placing his hand upon Ben,
sons shoulder, he asked: 'Were you not
connected with temperance society some
months back p


i, sir?'


Such was my impression


mo, Mr.. Wilkinson = said Benson, EN-.
phatically. Il never so far forget myself
as to sacrifice my independence to any such
organization


But I understand that you drink to ex
cess, Mr.. Benson Then, observing Ben
son to start, he added: do not think
me impertinent, sir; for L am speaking Of
these unpleasant matters from the best Of
motives


Il do drink to excess, Mr.. Wilkinson
but God knows that I cannot help tin.
deed, sir, I cannot


do not say that you cannot; for am
about to ask you to try


20, sir I haze tried but it's no use 7


Have you always been addicted to drink.
ing p asked Wilkinson, kindly.


No, sir. For five years I never tasted
a DROP


well, if you managed to abstain from ii
so long, I feel satisfied that you can, if you
will, break from the grasp of the ruinous
habit


Il cannot, sir! Some eighteen months
before my marriage I drank to excess-I
formed the habit then. At the age of six
teen I began to drink and not until twenty
FIVE did I resolve to abandon the use of
liquor. As long as every thing went well
with me I managed to keep that resolution
faithfully; but when I found myself utter
ly ruined by the loss of all my earthly pos
sessions, and made almost beggar at the
very time of life that money was most need
ed for the maintenance of myself and fam
lily, then, sir, I became discouraged and
reckless, as any man in the same position
would have felt. One afternoon, sir, just
before the sale of my house, 1 was alone in
my parlor, thinking of my misfortunes and
the probable results to my future life
Upon one of the tables was magnificent
decanter. stand, which had been given me
as wedding gift, some years ago, by an
intimate friend and which had been stand.
ing upon the same table for more than three
years simply as an ornament. The bottles
were filled with choice liquors; and though
1 had looked upon the article every day Of
my life, for three years, without feeling the
remotest disposition or desire to taste the
contents of the decanters, yet, no sooner
looked upon it that accursed afternoon,
than I became conscious of an irresistible
longing and yearning after something
cared not what-to drown my sorrows and
make me forgetful of my utter wretched'
ness. I looked around the room as though
about to commit some terrible crime. !
realized my danger-I counted the cost,
and shuddered; but, only my infant child
was near me, and the poor little innocent
smiled upon me as I drank would tc
God had not yielded to the temptation !!
Here Benson passed his hand quickly ovel
his eyes and groaned aloud.


Il had no sooner taken that drink Of
Brandy continued Benson, 'than I felt my
fondness for liquor returning upon me. Il
did me good; it warmed and excited my
system and, had I stopped there, I do moi