Year: 1871

out whose fault it was Tom" said he
after o time, during which he had been
scraping the dust from his clothes, go
home now with your wife. shall have
few words to say TO you Monday
morning"


Drunk on was, was too ashamed to
say word to Mary until we got home,
and then only to wish her good night


The next morning awoke IN a ffightful
state of nervousness-teo nervous to leave
the bed. Mary after getting me a cup of
good tea to settle my nerves--its wonder
tul how drink humans one and muddles
the brain-told me all that occurred The
previous night Strange 60 say hadn't
the slightest remembrance of knocking
the governor into the gutter, most likely
because ! had been thinking so much
about what Mary's feelings must have
been to find me Intoxicated so soon after
our wedding day. But ! found the gov
ernor had not forgotten 1t, when went to
work Monday morning TgI.


Tom" he said, " | always thought you
a steady, sober, upright workman" He
laid particular stress upon sober," he did.
II thought and hoped that all my men
knew how to conduct themselves with
propriety and sobriety."


And then he gave me downright good
lecture, ending by saying he would never
have drunkard in his employ, and gave
me weeks notice to quit.


Mine was good place, very good
place, and was loath TO leave it, But
you know all working men are more or
less obstinate--the old spirit of inde-
pc deHce, | suppose. At any rate l was
obstinate, and said was under no obliga.
tioh to him, and a great deal more to the
same effect. l was certain at the time that
if chose to be humble, to beg his pardon,
and promise to be careful for the future,
he would have kept me in his service but
no, | was downright stubborn, and although
he had been an excellent master, | abused
him terribly He Kept very cool, however,
and when | became quiet, be called me
and sad, Tom, we'll part at once; here's
a weeks wages instead of the notice, and
you viii oblige me by going at once"


AT that moment | congratulated myself
upon getting away with a weeks wages,
feeling quite sure that should soon obtain
another situation, and went home to Mary
with rather light heart but at times my
conscience-that indescribable monitor
told me was wrong, and that should be
sorry for what had happened. In spite of
my Implicit confidence that should readi-





occasionally whispering to myself that
Trade was very, very dull, and that our
master-for / couldn't help calling him so,
having been in his service fifteen years
had. only the week before, discharged
three hands because there was nothing for
them TO do.


| was out of work six months. Mary's
dress-making supported us the first three
of them. OF course was ashamed of the
fact, but what could / do? | could not
starye, and no one would employ me. If
anybody wanted hand, they referred to
my late master for character, and asked
the reason of my leaving. And he, like
the Christian man he is, told the truth.
But he also added, that l was good work
man.


1t was no use we were starving! Mary
had overworked herself, and was now very
i'll. We got into debt, gradually but deep
ly, and there wasn't a single shopkeeper
who would trust us further. One by one
every article except the bed on which
Mary was lying, even the bedstead, was
either seized by creditors or sold by me to
obtain drink-for so0uld have drink, TAX
ing care, however, never to get intoxicated
while Mary was dying for want of the
common necessaries OF life. l became





man nor God.


Mary's friends at length heard of her
miserable condition, and wanted to take
her away from me- But, like the brave,
true wife she is, she refused to 60 until
every means she could think of to make
me better had failed. They then brought
her money and provisions, which she in
sisted upon sharing with me, in spite of
their remonstrances.


Still, after all her kindness and self-de-
nial, would not listen to her advice and
entreaties to become a teetotaler.
When she became better she said to
me:


"If were you, Tom, would go to
your old master, and tell him honestly how
we are situated; ask his forgiveness for
your misdoings, and I'll be bound he'll
take you on again"


mo, Mary" said. "Fd sooner
starve."


Don't talk like that, Tom, or 1 shan't
love you half as much as l do now. You
know we are deeply in debt and penniless,
and the landlord threatens to turn us into
the street. Do, please do, Tom, go to
your old master. I'm sure he'll give you
work"


mo, won't" answered sharply.


Mary seemed greatly hurt, but said
nothing. After that, instead OF getting
better, as before, she became worse. Day
followed day, and week, week, and still
things were in the same unsatisfactory
state. | could not get work, not even all
odd job. Mary was dying.


hadn't any faith in prayer then; but L
thought that was the time to try it, if ever.
We couldn't be worse off than we were,
s. | took to praying to God that Mary
might get better; and whether twas ma
ture, or whether twas faith in prayer,
worked the cure, certain it is that Mary
from that time began to mend, and l, too,
seemed all the better, although l was half
starving. s-


"I've had such strange dream" said
Mary to me one morning when she was
nearly well, and when there wasn't bit
of crust in the house to eat. 81 dreamt,
Tom, that you were back at your old shopo
and that you were foreman there. Do go
to the old master to-day, and ask him TO
give you something TO do"


4" No, won't" replied as sharply as
could; for was determined that wouldn't
humble to him.


"Then will go for you" she said very
quietly"


Nonsense, Mary. You'll go on fools
errand."


Scan but try" said she; and before l
could say anything further, she was ready
to start Then she came toward me, and
putting both her hands on my shoulder in
that confding, loving manner which can
not be resisted, and raising her clear
heavenly eyes, beaming with hope, to
mine, she sweetly said, tom, we have
been married only short time, and am
quite disappointed in you. l don't know
Why but always thought you were tee
totaler; and as l know you always keep
your word please promise me you will be
one now and forever"


Its precious queer" said ], "if I'm
not teetotaler now; for there's no money
to buy drink or anything else with, what
ever"


al know that" she said "but l want
you to promise to be teetotaler always,
OF, if you think that's too hard, until we
live in house of our own !" and she fin
ished by giving me one Of those bewitch-
4.