Year: 1876

fault finding and cruel words spoken
when under the influence of liquor, the
poor, uncomplaining wife found life a
burden indeed, and her tear swollen
eyes and pale, hungry looking features
told plainly that gaunt misery aud deep
wretchedness had crossed the threshold
of the home, about whose protection and
care he had perjured himself. Tears
and entreaties sometimes recalled him
back for a while to his old self; but the
voices of his companions in debauchery,
their taunts about allowing others to
be his masters and dictate to him, and
their invitation to participate in "only
one glass;" always turned him from the
path of sobriety, industry and care of
home, which no had but a moment be-
fore resolved to follow. Each succeed
ing deviation seemed to bring only in
creased misery for his family.


He had now a couple of boys, one of
whom was aged about six years, and
possessed of much intellect. To say
that Jasper loved his children, as the
world understands that term, would be
claiming too much, for he would never
have gone to any great sacrifice of pleas
ure for their sake; but he loved them
after his own fashion-he would willing



fense-yet he would not have denied
himself glass of rum to give them q
pair of shoes, SO overmastering was the
passion for drink in him.


One day-it was holiday. Thousands
OF people were abroad; jollity seemed to
fill the very dir, and musical sounds
echoed on all sides. Jasper was alone
with his wife in their wretched home.
Their children had gone to the sidewalk
to play, when a cry was heard-a cry of
anguish-that to Jasper filed the air
with thousand heart rending echoes.
noighbors following at her heels:


Jasper husband! our little Eddie
is dead killed."


1t was too true.


While engaged in boyish sports, his
oldest boy had been accidentally shot
through the heart by n playmate with a
loaded toy arm. Amid the dcsolation
that spread over his home, jasper sat
silent and fearless, accepting this trial
as an evidence of Divine wrath Mt his
shortcomings. Thus believing in Provi-
dental punishment, he resolved to con-
quer lis thirst for drink, and to attend
more closely to the requirements of his
home. The resolution was earnest, but
1T seems that his habits were too deep
rooted to be obliterated at once. The
principal cause, however, was the wrong
remedy resorted to. You cannot escape
the lacerations of the lions teeth by
throwing yourself into his mouth.
Neither could Jasper overcome his evil
fnilings, of drink and dissipation, while
still associating with the companions of
his debaucheries.


One evening, when he had refused to
partake of anything stronger than
beer" one of his friends twitted him
with being soberer than usual.


"Whats the matter, Jasper" he
said, with jeering look; "are you on q
sober tack to day -


"No; 1 don't feel like drinking"
answered Jasper, too morally coward
to speak his resolve, and the promises
he had made to his wife,"


"I guess the old woman has been
giving you fits, that's the reason you
won't drink"


The thought that his friends might
believe him afraid of his wife hurt JAS
per, and q few minutes later he was
drinking rum.


"That's the way to be man," said
another of his companions; elf you
listen to the women you'll have no
chance to enjoy yourself


"That's so," chimed in another.


eyes," continued the first speaker;
"and if you don't do just as they want
you to, give 'em all the money you make
and then beg of them the price of your
beer, they start a-crying. Don't we
feed our wives to mind the babies and
wash the dishes; what else do they need {?
[ don't allow mine to bother me, and if
you put your foot down, they won't an
noy you again."


When Jasper reached home that night
he was drunk.


His poor, pitiful wife had to assist
him to bed and watch him lest he should
awake and call for something, and in the
morning when the drunkard rose, be-
cause the meager breakfast, for the
price of which she had worked many a
long hour, was not quite ready, he
abused her.


One day his wife, returning from the
cemetery, called his attention to the
condition of their little boys grave.


"Jasper, darling" she said, "if you
would see the wretched condition of our
little Eddie's grave, you would try to
work and save money to buy it n head
stone. The grass is so long on and
around it that it is hidden, and no one
would ever think that there is a grave
there"


"I'ye got no money!" Jasper gruffiy
replied.


But You might save enough in few
weeks; it don't cost much"


81 don't care; we're the only ones
who care to go to the grave, and I'm
sure we can find it without q tomb
stone"


"And yet, you have never been near
it since we buried him." was the wife's
raioipdor