Nora Wilmot
page: Illustration (TitlePage) [View Page Illustration (TitlePage) ]&ALoo0k Ji It'~ il!t~h1 I/li. "I/f E' L X~IIf -.1~ Al Al N OR A WIL M OT : OP TEMPEllANCE AND WOMAN'S RIGHTS. BY { MRS. HENRIETTA ROSE. OSGOOD & PEARCE, STEREOTYPERS AND PRINTER 1 8 58. page: [View Page ] 1J k 4. Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1858, BY HENRIETTA ROSE, ~ the Clerk's Oflice of the District Court of the United States for the District of Indiana. NOItA WILMOT. CHAPTER I. THE OBJECTION?. 4 "Nora Wilmot,, I think you are the most ridiculously absurd girl I ever saw; a paragon of sense and a stereotype of nonsense-a warm-hearted friend and an ice-cold coquette; and an old maid, in embryo, is my prophesy. You nonsensical little creature, to reject the hand, and the heart too, of a young gent that eoul4 turn the heads, to say nothing of the hearts, of half the young ladies in Christendom. Why, I tell you, my conceited little coz, Fred Morley could have the consent, without the asking, of any mother of a marriageable daughter in the community to pay special attention; but one high-minded beauty can coolly say, No! even without giving any logical reasons, only because Mr. Morley has been known to indulge in a potati6n (o~ca~ sionally) a little stronger than pure cold water; and then (a lamentably worse fact than all that) is not will- ing to set his face,, as steel, against one 'of nature's own gifts to man. But I presume if he would tnril special lecturer, and bring the whole force of hi&fhrllb. ing eloquence to bear on. the subject of no more str~rig drink, never, he might hope to gain a stray smile froz~ my lady - one special nod of approval, o~r one q~1iet. page: 6-7[View Page 6-7] * 6 NORA WILMOT. look of gracious approbation, as an all.~sufficient reward for his noble endeavor. Heigh, ho! What a senW mental philosopher I" "Well, my good mentor, is this the head and front of my offense? Yes, no; not all? Well, do you pro- pose exhausting the subject this time, or will we have another sitting ?". 7 ~" Oh! I just want one question answered, and to give a little seasonable advice ;' and then and then we will sit for your:defense, you know." - . - "I am your-quiet Ust~ner. Now for. the question.". "Nova Wilmot, do yen not, as we girls say, love Fred Morley? Or, perhaps, 'twill better suit yonr high- toned notions to say, have you not a very high regard for Mr. Morley ?" "Miss Susie Grey, are you my father confessor? If so, perhaps I had better answer, but will insist on that point being settled first." "Most certainly .1 am; and came this morning on purpose to ~onfess yen." "Or to make rue confess; which ?" "I'n~. n~$~ p~ticular which so I get the answer." "Indeed, Miss confessor, I think you are very close with your questions for an introductory sitting." "Oh? you know an open confession is good for the soul; and I like to come directly to. the point .-~ never conid keep a secret- somehow, I always did have to get help .-.and don't like Yankee questioning either. I ju8t want an honest yes or no; that is so short and easy. ]3e a good. girl, Nora, now wont you, for once?" "I have just two objections to answering your ques- THE OBJECTION. 7 tion. If I would say yes, then you would open a whole battery of questions, why my present conduct, &c., &c. If I say no, you have Yankee -cutiosity enough to shower me with questions of my objections, whys and wherefores, pros and cons, of the whole matter; so I think I cannot confess this morning." "Nova Wilmot, you are just as perverse and unrea- sonable as you can be; you know pa is very favorable4o Fred's suit, and is so delighted to have you receive him well." "I certainly have always treated Mr. Morley with the highest degree of respect." "But that is not going a~ far as pa would like to see you go, you know very well; and he is your guardian." "I think, cousin Susie, I do try to appreciate the kindness of my uncle, your father, in my helpless child~ hood and unprotected youtL But I know there are subjects in which he will allow me the privilege of exer- cising my own judgment, and asking for myself." "Oh, yes! Pa thinks you a pevfeet paragon of ex- cellence, and as judgmatical as an old~body. But h~does me the credit of calhin.g me a crazy brain ipsy~ with a deal more taste for nonsense than sober re But I presume he knows best. I'll tell you, cousin Nora, yoa may be glad that I'me not your guardian; if I was, Fred Morley would be my cousin in less than no time; I'd just; say, Miss Nora, prepare for the nuptial-si, and wouldd have to he done; audI don't believe you would ever regret the authority." "If that is your decision I am glad; fot I--do assure you that is a subject I wish the privilege of exegeising my own judgment on, uninfluenced by any authority." page: 8-9[View Page 8-9] 8 NORA WILMOT. THE OBJECTION. 9 "And I too; no person would influence me in that matter. I'd jump out of a third story window first. Now that's a happy thought, isn't it? Wouldn't it be romantic, though? To be locked up in a third story room, and let yourself sown by a rope ladder for the only one on earth yo~could love, and 'to be caught in his dear.-. Oh! no matter how, so you didn't get a fall. I do so like a little romance, a good deal of mys- tery, and an ocean of fun. I felt so flat when pa told me and AIf we could get married whenever we wished. I was completely mortified with such tame doings. I wanted to be kept in suspense at least six or twelve months longer, and to wade through difficulties almost insurmountable, and opposition incredible, and to be faithful to the end. Wouldn't it be so very nice to talk of after your wishes were all consummated ?" "Susie, you are like a little parrot; you can talk without thinking." "Just as good luck as any; talk first and think after- wards, that's my motto. how do you like it, Nora Wilmot ?" "Oh I very well; anything to accommodate." a dear, kind, accommodating soul you are; and I do so admire your pe4~uliar mode of accommoda- tion; you agree with your friends in any matter that does not cross your own inclination -but, if your theory of right thinking be departed from, you are off like a tangent. If I were a phrenologist, I would tell you your first visible organ, of organic character, is firmness amounting to obstinacy, and a tenacity of will that will break before bending." "What a beautiful character you are weaving for me, Susie. But I know you always mean well, if you. do say wild things; your faults are all on the surface; away deep, deep down I know there is a fount of pure, holy feeling that will always keep your heart in the right place, with all your gay notions; and do you kn6w I think that is worth all the rest ?" "I don't know just what you think. But I know one thing: I'd like to hand Fred a note saying something to encourage him. Oh! do, Nora. Fred is a noble fellow - full of generous impulses, talented, high-mind-. ed, and the very soul of honor, and very handsome withal - warm-hearted and trusting perhaps to a fault. It was that very trait of character which, although ami- able in itself when connected with a light-hearted dis- position, may be easily led astray, which has betrayed more than one of our most intelligent and talented mem- bers of society into the very excesses your over-fastidi- ous opinions so strenuously condemn in Fred Morley. I have no doubt your influence would do more to correct these youthful excesses than all other influences thrown' together that coulcl~ be brought to bear on his naturally kind and amiable nature. Brother Marsh told me in confidence that Alfred IRayburn had been in several of their convivial parties but I need think nothing of it; young gentlemen would indulge in youthful excesses be- fore marriage; but the duties of married life, and the society of an agreeable, fascinating wife would soon correct all those tendencies, and no doubt entirely reform far worse inebriates than either Fred or Alf. You know they've only been a little derelict in duty-they're not rummies or dram drinkers either, only guilty 'of I page: 10-11[View Page 10-11] I0 NOIL& WILMOT. THiS I~ECTI0N. ii taking a social glass occasionally. Indeed, II can see no use making such a great ado about so small a matter. If they had been drunk, I shouldn't quiet fancy the idea myself; but I can see no kind of use in magnifying so trifling an error.-it's too much like trying to make a mountain out of. a molehill. Can assure you I am not one iota afraid of my influence; indeedIkindof fancy it would be quite a feather in the cap of any young wife to make her husband better. You know we are said to possess a mighty influence with the sterner sex, and I for one would like to try my influence at home first." "My answer to the note question is, no, Miss, no! My uncle has taken pains~ to have me learn to write myself; and I believe I have not yet forgotten the very useful as well as agreeable art." "But will you promise to exercise your knowledge as I wish you to ?" "If I promise to, I most certainly will perform." "Will you promise ?" "Not yet think I can do better than to make you my father confessor, or negotiator either." "Well, if I don't negotiate a treaty of peace and amity this morning, I shall at least have the sati~facti6n of knowing it isn't my fault. Nora Wilmot, you are a perfect old fogy. Here I have been teasing, an d coax- ing, and persuading, and reasoning with you for one whole precious hour, and don't ~ee myself one step nearer the end than I was at the beginning'; haven't got one word of encouragement yet? Young girls oughtn't be obstinate, never, in any matter; now you see isn'tt at all amiable, or interesting in them. Obsti- nacy is better becoming age and experience." "Oh! Susie, I don't wish to be at all obstinate; but until you convince me of error7 I don't feel at all war- ranted in changing my opinions. Susie Oreylook at your married acquaintances, and see how many, have re- formed by a matrimonial alliance. Do they not, rune cases out of ten, indulge far more after marriage than before? There is less. restraint in the marriage relation; so if the single gentleman does indulge in outward im- moralities, he knows he will loose influence in female society; if he yields to temptation, or appetite, he en- deavors to be very secret, and the natural impulse of the human heart is averse to restraint in all things." "Oh I you can always find reasons thick as blackber- ries for all your odd notions. And every body knows your opinions are different from any other girl's in Christendom." "Perhaps my opinions do differ from the mass of young ladies educated with the modern standard of morality; they were not received, in the halls of lii~era- ture, but at the bedside of a dying mother, and are too firmly implanted to be easily eradicated." "Oh! won't you tell me all aboi~t your mother, Nora? I only remember her pale ~ce and calm, tear- ful eye when. she died. I recollect thinking she was asleep till ma told me she was dead. But I hardly knew what death meant, although I was twelve years old then. And I remember how still and cold and white her face was as she lay thei~e, with such a quiet smile on her lips. It seems to me now, when I think of her, as she lay in her shroud with the white roses and sweet pinks that ma had put in her hands and strewed 11 10 page: 12-13[View Page 12-13] 12 NOBA WILMOT. THE OBJECTION. 18 in her coffin, that she looked just like she had lain down to sweet dreams. But it seemed terrible to be put into the coffin and shut out from the light, and ti~en be cov- ered up in the ground and left all alone. There were weeks afterwards that I shuddered every time I thought of her head resting on the hard boards of the coffin, and no one with her, only the wind stirring the long grass and sighing a funeral anthem to her quiet resting place. Now doesn't it seem sad, Kora, that we must all die, when we are so happy and full of life here; and this world so full of beautiful things? I always think so when I see a dead face beneath the coffin lid it brings death so very near. But I can't feel that I want any better world than this, everything here seems so joyous and full of life think I am quite happy enough here. I have wanted, so many times, to ask you about your ma; but you always look so sad when you talk of her, I wouldn't wound your feelings." "Come to my room some evening, Susie, and I will tell you all I know of my mother's history; her life was full of trials. Her last words to me were: 'Nora, isny daughter, ~f you should reach the years of wornan~ hood, use all the in~uence God may ever give you against the vice of intemperance. IRemeinber, 'tis your mother's dying injunction, dearest;' and with one long prayer of holy faith for my misguided father, her spirit took its flight. 'Twas an impressive lesson, Susie, child as I then was. But it was that scene, leaving its impress, that has given my character the appearance of perverse- ness and obstinacy that you so much object to. My motto is, and ever shall be, touch not, taste not, handle A not the unclean thing. Woman as I am, I believe, with. entire sincerity, I am responsible for what little influence I may possess, and am resolved it shall all be arrayed on the side of the right." "You must be an out and out woman's rights woman, Kora 1" "I'm not a political woman's rights woman, if I do happen to think we possess some influence in the world, and have some responsibilities. I would not have my own aex enjoy one more political privilege than they do now enjoy; but I would have them use every measure of influence and talent that God has endowed them with against every sin, and vice, and immorality, that lifts its dishonored head and stalks abroad in our land. And I. believe, when woman is thus arrayed on the side of vir- tue and a pure morality in every relation in life, in pub- lic and in private, with an unshrinking adherence, un~ swerving in her responsibility, she is in the possession of the ability to correct a preponderating mass of the evils that now afflict society, debasing and destroying so many promising youth just entering the busy scenes of life, with the rainbow of hope gilding the future, casting such a halo of light, and writing golden ballads that only the light of the future may read. If woman does not thus use her influence, sin lieth at her door." "Do you know whaV I am thinking about, cousin Nora ?" "Thinking, perhaps, I haven't quite got you convert- ed yet." "No, not that. I was thinking I wished I could think and talk as you can; but when I do have good page: 14-15[View Page 14-15] sognd, logical reasons in my mind, they are all so~con~ - fused it's so hard making myself understoQd expressing~ them. Guess I was only intended to talk nonsense 3 think I have quite a talent in that way, and can ~exercise to perfection in that line. But as for you, Nora Wjl~.. mot, you ought to turn lecturer, and travel the length and breadth of -the land in. the cause of temQerance, or write a book on the subject of special reform; you are so interesting when your feelIngs are enlisted in these subjects, it ;rnakes~ your eyes sparkle with enthusiasm. Now, do you know I don't much likeyour snbliui~the~. oretical, seven-keyed characters, always strun~ip to the highest note, like. ~ome pedantic pedagogue, that can't talk :except by th&n~ost approved rules laid down in the books, and thinks it very sacrilege to indulge in a little innocent nonsense& Buty'on, Kora, you can talk either seflSe or nons~n~e, with the very same grace." 1(I cry you mercy, Susie Grey! don't flatter me any more, I'm too vain already; or, perhaps, you were only making auie~ds for the unfo~vorable opinions you were expressing before ?'# "Oh! I think the same of you in these matters as I did before -i.. still think your opinions will br~ak before they will bend. Here I have been ;talking:this ever so long without ever saying one word on*the most import~ ant object of my visit. Mrs. Alfred~ Rayhurn, Esq.,has sometime been urging the propriety of setting p~i eaily day for the nuptials ot Miss Suiaie Grey, and.I ~ive be- thought me it would he ni~e to have a double marriage, if you will only c&usent. 4 know Fred~wiltbereadyat a word. Alfred proposed It ~ he think~ it-will be d& lightful." -~ I---- 14 NORA WILMOT. THE OEJE0I~IO~ ~' Most undoubtedly so, when it happens." ;" Now do say yes - that's a good girl." "Yery much fear I can't redeem my character at this time." A( But you must; I didn't come to taI~e no for an answer.", "I can't, I can't, cousin Susie ;" and~ s-tear stood in her large eye, and her voice trembled as she~ thought of the sacrifice to her young life; but she brushed it away. quickly, lest she should betray her weakness.. A' iRetter say I won't, I won't; 'twill better suit the occasion. .Ju~t as accommodating as ever,- I perceive Miss Wilmot. You are such a kind soul; so ~selfsacri~. ficing to your friends, almost a saint in excellence me~ f thinks; But I take the privilege of calling you a little wee bit hateful when you try. Presume it is not worth while asking the very great favor of your services os bridesmaid on the occasion, lest peradventure41~edshouId be chosen groomeman." "Coz; you are Aoo unmercifully se~ere.~ Oau't you~ allow me the~ privilege of a free chojee ?" * ~' Certainly I will; provided, . provided - oh, just pro- vided Fred Morley be the choseifOne.~ "You -mu~t be Mr. M~riey's champion; Miss Susie Are you self-appointed, ~y d~arP' "No, no; I serve under sp~erlal directions." like. W. kn0w ~the appointing power ?" "You i~renot1ikely 't&c~riie into possessionn f that. knowledge soon; have been leai'ning to ke m~t own secrets lately -4.~oududed to pi~aMtice firran s; like any. - pattern: of a c~usin. . No~v, ~ Wiin~&t, fr henie-~. page: 16-17[View Page 16-17] * NORA WILMOT. forth I design giving you over to obstinacy of will, and when you are an old maid (which I know you will ho) I intend stirring up your pure mind by way of remem- brance. If you should have to dance at fiddler's green, don't be blaming S~usie Grey for it. I can't possibly see why you are so opposed to Fred now, when you used to have so exalted an opinion of his talents." "My opinions have not changed on that subject in the least. I still think him possessed of talents of the very first order; talents that, if not prostrated by seif-indul- p gence, must win him a place among the great ones of * the land. If his moral qualifications are equal to his -mental abilities, he will one day stand in an envied posi~ tion, at the very head of the list. But perhaps you forget that that only increases his responsibilities; he has had much given him, and society's claims are only the more exacting. Just in proportion as his brilliant talent and captivating eloquence will ornament society, when prop- erly directed, so would they deform if acted upon by the baser passions. I hope, yes, I ardently wish; Fred may be all that is good, and noble, and pure ~- all that I once thought him. But I don't more than half like the reports we have had of late, they come too well authen- ticated, coupled, as they have been, with personal obser- vations. Time alone can determine their truth or falsi- ty. But do you know, Susie, you have forced me into Saying all this, that I didn't intend saying? You fairly teased me into it, against my better judgment." "Oh I I am so glad you did say it; I wanted so much to know whether you appreciated Fred's character as I I do, or not. Now I have a hope that you will some 17 day be Mrs. Fred Morley; for I really haven't one fear but that Fred will be a sober fellow yet, one of the strict sort I expect. He has too much good sense and self~ respect to mar his prospects for lifer and disappoint the expectation of his friends. And I have no doubt your influence would soon check and overcome every tempta- tion to irregularity." "But~ I tell you, Madam champion, once for all, I never intend to make the trial. If your better judgment teaches you it is best, and you are willing to make the trial, I. have no quarrel with you on the subject. But this much I will say, I think it is a risk such as I am not willing to encounter. My stakes are set; thus far will I go and no farther." "I say so much, for all that; and presume 'twill all break without bending at that. You talk about my better judgment, cousin Nora. Don't you know I have no better judgment? I just take a fancy into my head, dignify it with the title of an idea, or a principle, and so it goes; perhaps some other fancy takes its place in another hour, and the old one is cast off or forgotten. If I speak, or act, ten to one it was prompted by a. mere impulse of the moment; and now you want me to have credit for better judgment; that seems too serious aud sedate I'm startled by the mere announcement. .Bnt do you know the fancy strikes me just now that L shall marry Alf after all ?" 1* 4' THII~ oBJ~EC~E1QN. page: 18-19[View Page 18-19] 18 NOILA. WILMOT. TWO OHARACT3R8. 19 CHAPTER II. TWO CHARACTERS. Perhaps, according to the usages of polite society, our readers woi~ld like an introduction to the two very interesting young ladies to whom they have been listen- ing so long, whose pleasant tete-a-tete forms the first chapter of our story. Miss Susie Grey, then, the youngest, the smallest, and by far the prettiest, as the world says, is the only daughter of one of our most successful attorneys arid politicians, with & A'orehead not very classical, hair soft and sunshiny, that waved and danced in careless negli- gence, never permitted to be still long enough to know whether it was straight or curling by nature, whether a dark auburn or an undefined brown, by the restless little head, that didn't seem to know it was ever designed to be still. A figure moulded, as many other young ladies' figures have been, rather below than above middle size, and a very little inclined to plumpness, which the fairy little beauty declared was the .only fault she possessed. True, her teeth were not always quite pearly white, but then she could polish them; a beautifully rounded arm, and such a dimple of a hand, it was almost bewitching in its snowy whiteness; but the tiny little feet and grace- ful uncle more than all else told of aristocratic blood. We had almost forgotten the witch of a mouth, with the p~iting lips, that smiled with such a childish grace, and the countenance so full of animation and unaffected sim- I '4, ~. plicity. Eyes, oh, yes I who ever heard of a beauty without brilliant eyes, those windows of the soul? How much of true character may be read there! But Susie Grey's eyes were not jet black, nor a beautiful hazel either, as many other beauties have been, but the ~clearest blue imaginable; yes, a laughing blue eye, that show- ed whatever mood the ingenuous countenance wore, laugh- ing long after the dimpled cheeks and pouting lips were at rest, if they ever did rest. The girls at school called her romping Susie. She always was more of a favorite with her schoolmates than her teachers; nature possessed more attractions for her lively, joyous being than a dull schoolroom, or a hug line of unintelligible figures; 'aiid if she happened to hear a bird singing over her head, or chanced to eli- counter a gay butterfly, dancing and flitting in the sun- shine, 'twas a better apology~ for a poor recitation than any want of natural talent. She had told cousin Nora a thousand 'times she couldn't see how she could set poking over old musty books all day long and the sun- shine so inviting; she believed in enjoying life wbile she could; let them be learned who were willing to i~ke the sacrifice. Mathematics she thought did very well for gentlemen that expected to be accountants or teachers; hit she couldn't see any benefit it' would possibly be to her; she never expected to sell anything, and when she bought a*iything the shopkeeper always made out the bill. As for the abstruse scieiices~ abe knew nothing about them, they were a perfect br&d~et of mysteries; wouldd be worth an attack of dyspepsia to any young lady,, except cousin Nora, to get through with the intro- page: 20-21[View Page 20-21] 20 NORA WILMOT. TWO OHAL~AOTI~k~5. 21 ductory chapter. Then there was history; what cared she whether Darius, the Medo-Persian, overrun the whole Babylonish Empire or not, or what kind of laws Lycur- gus made for the Spartans. But ~dl that was better than a continued routine of war, wa~r, war; how many soldier~General Somebody had to de eat General Some- body else, and how many were ~left dead on the field. Susie doesn't think war, or fighting either, so very inter- esting that we need take so much p~ins to learn about it; it's all a farce after all. Now m~isic she does like; there is so much life in the harmony ~f sweet sounds, it chords so well with her lively fancy; and dancing is its counterpart no young lady can co sider herself edu- cated withotit these accomplishments and French, oh, yes! her French lessons were never dii 1; she thinks time well spent acquiring such accomplish ments - it makes young ladies pass so much better in so iety. Miss Susie thinks a young lady's education entir ly unfinished that can only converse in one language, she would much rather give up all the solid portion of her education, and it had cost a vast deal of labor .nd vexation, than to be deprived of the ornamental pai~t of her qualifica~ tions. Then there is painting - how nice it is to imi- tate nature in her most beautiful moo~s; she is thank- ful that she excels in that accomplishment; her m~ thinks she paints quite equal to her teacher already; she intends to practice that branch of education in mar- ried life just as much as in single. She intends surpri- sing Alfred by producing a, piece to grace her own par- lor, that she will; she'll not do like so many girls, lay aside her books and study as soon as she takes upon her- r self the title of Mrs., not she. Alas! poor Susie! alas! for the day-dreams of life. Judge Grey, though really an indulgent parent,'wish- ing to do all that money could do to give his children every advantage of education and influence, was not aware that teachers and governesses cannot supply the deficiency of a negligent parental trai~Ang. When he be- lieved his petted daughter thoroughly well educated, she had only a mere outside garnish, a smatterAng of any- thing really useful, as we have seen; her own inclination having governed her course of study. He was too much occupied with either business or politics to attend to the minutia of her studies, and had left the most important earthly duty that could devolve upon a parent to the care of another. Her mother having been educated in much the same manner as. her daughter, really thought her daughter's elegant accomplishments quite entirely sufficient to fit her for any station in life. So Miss Su- sie, naturally kind-hearted, generous and amiable, if her better qualities had been cultivated, was left to meet the frowns and rebuffs of the world-to learn by sad expe- rience that the world has any reality, and life is not en- tirely made up of sunshine and moonbeams. Miss Kora Wilmot, (we will premise that our present character is one of those to whom we instinctively apply the title of Miss, almost without knowing the reason why, only we feel a little deferential, and not caring to prove our reason,) Miss Nora was not half so pretty (as we before said) as Susie Grey; no person ever thought of calling her pretty, but she certainly may be called haiidsome. If abroad, expansive forehead, dark, in- page: 22-23[View Page 22-23] 22 ?~IORA. WILMOT. tellectual eyes, and a countenance in which dignity and intelligence blended, without very regular features, can lay claim to that title, she certainly possessed it. Most persons think her very~ wel~ looking, but it is not beauty of person that is the charm of attraction in Miss Wilmot. While very many 0ther young ladies were spending their time enjoying l~fe, as they termed it, and dignifying her v~ith the title of Mrs. Bluestocking, Old Poky, &c., Nora had been quietly and unobtrusively laying the foundations of a most liberal and thoroughly cultivated mind, and fitting herself for future usefulness in a society that is in so great a need of the influence and services of an innumerable number of just such charm actors h~4ies of a cultivated liberality of sentiment, and a moral courage to meet the ultraist of all senti- ments on the broad ground of an aristocracy of purely moral worth, uninfluenced by wealth or station. What cared Nora for school-girl names? If cousin Susie did call her old granny, old fogy, and all the rest, she still pursued the course marked out for herself with an unwavering firmness. She had become perfectly accus- tomed to the title of conventional, for Susie had told her so many times she was the most conventional .thing she ever saw-~-~ perfectly set in her ways, an old niaid 'with~ out a doubt, or she's no prophet, and all that. Still Nora did not change her purpose, but went on her way, and was, after all, a universal favorite in society. The young liked her because she was so kind and accommodating, and they felt a deference such as is always felt for a su- periority of mind wherever we meet it, and she possess- ed an influence even over the gay, volatile Susie that she was not at all aware of. TWO OHA1LAOTI~RS. 23 The more sedate portion of society welcomed her as one of its ornaments, because she could suit herself to society in all its moods, from grave to gay, and was possessed of a fund of intelligence not always to be met with in fashionable society, especially among boarding- school educated young ladies, and possessed withal a truly good heart, united to a more than, ordinary refine- ment of intellect and energy, but at the same time pure- ly womanly sympathies and affections. Placing her mark of excellence very high, she possessed The perse- verance and energy to attain the exalted standard with- out so much as shrinking from the task, self-inflicted though it was; but Nora's was a deep, rare, noble na- ture, capable, too, of comprehending her obligations to society; her head had not been educated and her heart le~ waste. No, no; the issues of the heart, the pas- ~ions, affections, aiid sensibilities, all the utterances of the inner life, had been carefully trained to fit it for its noble, immortal destiny. There was an open frankness, a freedom and urbanity in her manner, an easy ~sociality which would seem to encourage conversation without inviting familiarity. But we are not claiming perfection as a part of our heroine's appendages; very few of the daughters of our fallen progenitors can boast that truly desirable qualifi- cation. We have only endeavored to give the impres- sion that Nora has, perhaps, fewer faults and more ster- ling virtues than. we meet in the every-day, walks of society; we didn't just say she is the perfection of ele- gance, only verging very, nearly. '1 page: 24-25[View Page 24-25] I' MORLEY AND RAYBU~N. CHAPTER III. FRED MORLEY AND ALFRED RAYBURN. The slant rays of a bright December sun, reflected from a thousand spires of dazzling white, irradiating and shedding almost a summer-like cheerfulness through the open casement, alighted on a beautiful rose gera- nium and~ mountain pink, that sat so cosily wooing the furtive sunshine, just within the casement, as if in very mockery at the dazzling robe of white ermine that cov- ered all nature's surroundings without, in the bachelor sanctum of our two friends, whom we wish to introduce to the acquaintance of our readers. A lounge covered with crimson damask, two lazily cushioned ~arm chairs, a' writing desk, and a table cov- ered with writing material, and an open grate filled with burning anthracite, which glowed and danced in such fantastic glee as to dissipate every vestige of wintry in- fluence, that might else have pervaded this truly de- lightful sanctum of bachelorism. On a little closer in- spection, we find two rather interesting looking person- ages as occupants. Fred Morley, who has thrown him- self upon the lounge, lying in a half musing, half revery, and occasionally puffing a delicate little Principe, and watching the smoke curling in graceful wreaths above his head, and settling in fantastic shapes on the ceiling above, so like the bright day-dreams of life. Fred was descended from Colonel Morley, a member of one of the colonial congresses, that had taken so de- cided a stand against British usurpation, in the times that tried men's patriotism. His father, a leading mem- ber of an extensive mercantile establishment, had sud- denly found his circumstances embarrassed beyond im- mediate relief, by one of those too frequent changes in the financial world, denominated a moneyed pressure, just at the time his son had closed his college studies, and was prepared to enter a law school, preparative to embarking in the legal profession. Fred; with charac- teristic generosity, proposed turning his attention to some business of immediate profit, to assist his father in extricating himself fron present embarrassment. But his father, too proud even in his poverty to depend upon his son in any degree, felt almost piqued with the offer, but was at the same time constrained, entirely from ne- cessity, to cast his talented son entirely upon his own exertions for future prospects. This circumstance, although it cost the indulgent father, with his worldly proud nature, a severe heart-struggle, had been of an incalculable advantage to the son, by drawing forth many a latent energy that had hitherto lain dormant, or been turned only to trifling uses, only because not im- mediately in requisition. Morley, in person, was what the girls would call the very beau ideal of a gentleman. How noble' Fred was in person; tail, too, and very straight, with so well knit, elastic a figure, whose every movement was characterized by a manly energy and grace, and a step, light, elastic, yet firm and command- ing; high, expansive forehead, slightly shaded by hair of a glossy black; eyes rather deep set, that seemed to rest in a dreamy thoughtfulness when the countenance. 2 24 NORA WILMO~ET. 25 page: 26-27[View Page 26-27] * { I V f I was at i'est; lips a little flexible, with firmness settling all around the corners of the mouth; set off by a perfectly free, open, manly countenance, hut where in- tellect and intelligence formed the most prominent sur- roundings. The inner man -those diviner parts, con- science, sentiment and affection; those higher facul- ties which tend rather to weaken the ~1ements of success in the outward world-were not wanting in Fred Mor- ley, only tempered by the outward furnishings of a perfectly easy manner and ready presence of mind under exigencies, and a quick appreh~usion of the active and practical elements of success, so essential to popular favor. An open, frank, off-hand manner, united to an air of refined gentility, forming, altogether, the outward appearing of a character of no ordinary mould. But then there was a strongly, impulsive temperament; lively, social tendencies that were prone to yield too easily to the first impulse of the moment,. even again~V the urgent warnings of a better judgment, that hidden dangers might lurk beneath. Our other character, figuring now on the stage of active dramatic life, may be introduced as Alfred Ray- burn, Esq., quite-entIrely in very many respects-the very opposite of our last described character. In per- sot, Alfred is below middle size, light built, with a quick; almost nervous step,, strongly indicative' of a highly: nervous temperament, with a quick, punctilious sense of honor. His forehead is not particularly im- pressive, the light, brown hair marking the outlines ra- ther indefinitely, with .a clear, sharp, hazel eye, of a restless brilliance. But the mouth didn't harmonize 26 I NOILA WILMOT. MORLEY AND RAYBURN. 2T well with the general contour of the. ether features, for it was large, frank, and remarkably well formed, with lips rather thin and compressed, that parted in conver- sation just enough to show tw~ rows of shining teeth, that their possessor was more vain of than of any other personal embellishment Dame Nature had endowed him with, Fred Morley had told him his mouth looked as if it was just ready to say something vastly knowing, whenever its possessor was willing to grant the liberty. Rayburn's nature was impulsive, imaginative and ardent, restless under restraint,. nclining constantly to generous extremes, with a passioii~te devotion to whatever his naturally truthful nature ,presented for consideration. Ideality was almost an absorbing 'principle of his men- tal furnishing, and would have made him perhaps too fas- tidious, but for a strong da8h. of self-adulation, united to a warm, social inclination, leading its possessor into frequent difficulties, for the mere want of a little more firmness of purpQse. iRayburn had, no negative princi- ples, in possession; what he did was done With a will; he didn't believe in the sta~d~sLill principle in any mat- ter. . His character was ea~iiy analyzed, too . with his quick, energetic, go~ahea4 tenacity and perseverance, qualities that, if they had been all governed by a correct moral, courage, and a conscious adherence to right, re- gardles~ of popularity or 'popular favor~ would have made him an ornament in life,' and a blessing to com- munity. But why linger so long 'in description ;'.we will let our friend~ speak for themselves, and the', reader. can~ judge 'of cb~racter. page: 28-29[View Page 28-29] 28 NORA WILMOT. MORLEY ANI) RAYBURN. 29 "Well, now, Morley," said Rayburn, drawing his cigar from his mouth~and holding it between his fingers, while the smoke curled above his head, "how goes the world now, old chum? Business very brisk and fees encouraging? Any kind of intention of~ putting in a claim for Judgeship, or intend to commence at a more subordinate station, for the honor of a gradual rise? or will you eschew politics, and plant all your seeds of success in the bar alone? Why, man, if I possessed such a figure and personal appearance, united to your command of talent and popularity, I should make no calculatioii of stopping short of a berth at Washington. Don't you even now, my dear fellow, have some day- dreams of senatorial life, or of a term in the White House ?" "You are an ambitious fellow, Rayburn; why don't you try your own luck in politics? I fancy your man- ner would be far more popular with the "v~ox popul~". than mine ever will be. Your gay, light, volatile position and temperament, and your very happy faculty for accommodating yourself to the necessities of every emergency, will go vastly farther than any little differ- ence of person or figure you may fancy me in possession of. I tell you, these mere externals are of little mo- ment. As for advantages, I am of opinion the prepon- derance is entirely on your side, sir; for I happen to be identified with the party in politics that is not at all in the ascendant at the present time, and, unless some -very unforeseen change, some sudden shifting of the cards in political trickery or party chicanery, such as have not been used since the days of great Roman pr~etorshi~, or the rupturing of the wheels of state in the old Grecian republic, I fancy there is little danger of it drifting up- ward very soon." "Well, Morley, if I were ~. member of your party, I should never once think of waiting for a rise in so doubtful a market; I would just be suddenly converted to the other side; turn my coat t'other side out, and come floating up on the stream of popularity, as natu- rally as if it had been the waters in which I had been always used to floating." But what would you do, if you could not, for the life of you, bring your conscience and feelings to believe that the right side of the question, for the good of the country ?" "Good of the country, conscience, feelings, and all that! Why, man, I just call conscience a very crotchety thing, very like a wet buck-skin string, that may be very easily stretched, to suit each maj.i's practical necessities. Why, old boy, more than one-half the hypocritical cant about conscience, and all that, is mere humbuggery in the extreme. I never expect to lose my popularity for any such trash; 'tis only such stuff as dreams are made of. Yetlamnotan unbeliever; I believe there issuch~ thing as conscience& But it should only govern our re- ligious opinions; if we are going to bring it to bear on every event in life, and make it an apology for every disappointment we meet with, we certainly are in dan- ger of destroying the solemnities of religious obliga- tions and trusts. Let your conscience be at rest until your coat is entirely turned, sleeves and all, and then make it a most extreme matter of conscience to 0tick toyoar.part~v." page: 30-31[View Page 30-31] ~3O NORA WILMOT. M0UL)~Y A~P ~AThtrRN. 31 'Well, my very sage friend, suppose, just for .argn.. metit sake, we let the conscience case rest as if 'tWere settled. Then next comes up the objection of' honor. I don't more than half like the title of turn-coat. I always felt a pride in sticking' to a party, or to a set of principles, on the broad basis of a conviction that they are genuinely right, founded on the great laws of uni- versal good, and not merely because they answered the ends of one party, or subserved the ambitious purposes of a particular set of men, even though I myself might thereby turn up on the mipopMlar side of the wheel' of fortune, as at th& present juncture o~ affairs~ Why, sir, I don't think I would be' successful; don't so much as believe I could even make a successful speech, (al.. though you have done me the. extreme honor t~ call me eloquent, believe that was it; 'just so, sir,') if I could not argue my own sentiments. I must be sincere if I am successful; must believe myself." "Pahi man, what positive absurdity, binding down your fine genius, too, with such shilly-shally notions. Besides, my good fellow, I am vastly fearful you will find your fine-spun theory considerably in the way of your success as an attorney; fancy you will be under the ixe~ cessity of trimming off some 'of the most prominent edges of your too fastidious conscience before you can possibly expect to plead one case in every twent~ that comes within the jurisdiction of a court of judiebture~ You will be bound~ continually to taking one-sided views of the matter before you, and to sustain' your client's cause, right or wrong. But j~erhaps you are going to always think your side is right, and fight accor- dingly ?" "Well, sir, your opinions notwithstanding to the con.- tray, i tu~i very enthusiastic in. the beliet' that I can practice law, with at least a tolerable degree of success, and that, too, without doing much violence to my fe&l- ings, or opinions either. I can't understand a necessity for an attorney endeavoring to make a wrong right, or a right wrong, because he has undertaken to defend one side of a particular cage. IL only understand that he engages to use his utmost ability to procure justice un- der the law, for his client; not to pervert or bend, or cover the law; only to see that his client has the full advantage of ~ts protection in his particular case." "Well, Morley, you may get along in that kind of wholesale conscientiouss manner, in the practice, with suc- cess, bu4really, I think IL should fail. For my own part, I expect to go in for the surest road to eminence; to make black white, or white black, if I can, you know; and we will prove which is the most direct road to success. I have a very great mind to make my mark in the world; to let at least some of the inhabitants know that Rayburn is here. I believe, sir, we are the arbiters of our own fortunes, and I intend to make a very strong effort to arbitrate mine about right. I 'have thought, too, we are not aware of the one-half that is within us; if we were fully conscious of all our inward endow- ments, the true elements of successful effort, a kind of inspiration, or magnetism, or mysterious elemental in- fluence, we' are susceptible of a vast improvement. I believe, too," and Rayburn's whole figure seemed to di- late with the enthusiasm of the thought, as he rose and stood before Morley, "that every human mind that is page: 32-33[View Page 32-33] 32 NO1~A WILIMOT. MORLEY AND RAYBURN. 33 cast from the divine mould, is a rare gem of almost ex- quisite workmanship and beauty; capable of sending forth such an oat-flashing, sparkling, corruscant light of kindled genius, as would ~completely surprise our poor earth-plodding efforts. But we let our best gifts be inactive, sometimes alp~ost. dormant, for want of ex- ercising & sufficient degree of mental activity and alertness. Now, sir, the gre~tt heaven-born gift of elo- quence, after all, is about one~half the child of cultiva- tion-if we only possess a lively imagination, an enthu- ~iastic temperament, and a little taste for the pathetic and a touch of the tragic, and are imbued with a thorough sense of the beautiful in nature, and then dovetail them all together, using perseverance as an ad- hesive plaster to cement and unite the whole conglom- erated mass, instead of wasting our glorious gifts and energies~ in the grand pursuit of gain, gain, and that gain only a mere dross that must perish with the usiug. As for wealth, that is a matter of almost entire indiffer- ence to me, only so far as the possession of it is essen- tial to success, in other points of view. But I almost worship honor; I believe I possess more than an ordi- nary ambition to be great. Oh! I would like with Byron, "To call the stars my own, And with the thunder talk familiarly, As friend to friend;" or to hold an audience spell-bound, entranced, with such magic bursts of eloquence, and glowing thoughts of imagery, as never fell from mortal lips before. If I don't make a great man, sir it shall never be for the want of either effort or perseverance; and as for talent, I fancy myself in possession of a pretty fair proportion of even that very essential element of such success as I am ambitious of attaining." "Ho, ho! what an ambitious enthusiast you are, iRay- burn! Shall I tell you what I see, wanting in your men- tal furnishing ?" "Certainly, sir, certainly; that's just what I want to know; want to see myself. as other men see me." "If you have so very great an ambition to be en- rolled among the great ones of earth, and to stand among the honored ones at the very top of the pinnacle of fame, or to be able to hold an audience enchained~ or to carry them with you, like an Alpine torrent, foaming, dashing and sweeping, in one grand display of sublimity and eloquence,-" ".And be at last dissolved in mist and spray at the bottom, on the rock of common sense, I surmise ~ "No innuendoes, if you please, Mr. Rayburn; none at all, sir. If these are to be the objects of your sublime adoration, and you are going to bow down and worship fame, you must set your mark of excellence and attain- ment very high; no danger of getting it any too high. Then you want full and entire faith, without ever a wavering doubt, in your own ability to attain that stand- ard. Remember, when you distrust, you very soon disbelieve; there is but a balf step between the two ideas. Make popular favor the factotum of your exist- ence, and study human nature as you would a favorite book; and, above all else, be firm in every purpose in life; never vacillate or turn from your purpose for dis- appointments or discouragements, but only look ahead page: 34-35[View Page 34-35] 34 NOTLA WILMOT. 1~1ORLEY~ AND RAY)3URN. for a brighter day and a clearer sky. But high above all else, erect a wall of moral excellence as a defense against temptations that will beset your pathway in the journey of life' andy my word for it, success will be your sure reward." "Why1 Fred, you seem almost sage like." "Oh, yes; almost a lion in my way; ~don't I, now?" "But, but, sir, ~'ou haven't touched the most interest- ing subject yet; you did well, admirably well, as far as you went; but you didn't get quite through with all the advice I was expecting to hear." "Ha, ha! my good fellow, I guess you didn't stand in need of any advice on the subject of the grand matter of all the step 'matrimonial, I presume, was what you were meaning. If Madame fl~umor is not sadly at fault, I presume, at least, you were done, bar- gained, sold, and well nigh ready to be delivered." "Ahi think so, indeed ?" "Ah, yes, sir! believe so, indeed; and must do you the credit to admire your taste for the really beautiful in nature. And to congratulate you, likewise, in you~ success where so many have failed." "My warmest thanks, sir," and iRayburn bowed very low, as he stroked his mustache, with evident satisfae- tion, quite flattered by the compliment to his betrothed. "Then you do admire Miss Susie ?" "Her person, most certainly; she is, perhaps, a little too pettit for perfection, to my taste; but the extreme animation and varied humor of her countenance is al- most bewitching; it reminds one of a shower of sun- beams on a bed of roses covered with dew-drops, with the light of her' 'May-blue eyes,' and sunnyhair. And the little graceful figure, almost ethereal! couldn't help admiring it, if 'twere only as a specimen of Nature~s handiwork. She almost fills one's ideas of a fairy or a sprite. And the little vixen is just as full of life as the countenance is of animation. There is no still life about her, I assure you; she is one of the fleecy sort, and breezy as a summer's day; never gloomy and taci- turn, like your solid sort, with a heart large and roomy, just like a girl of sixteen ought t~ have. Now, I like your go-ahead girls, never still more than so long 8 time; and Susie has such a quick turn; always some- thing to suit every occasion; and she sings and dances exquisitely." "Well, my man, how goes the affairs of the heart with you, now-a-days? Laid the free-will offering of your heart, hand, and very best talents at the feet of Miss Nora Wilmot, hey? all freely offered without any reserve "Yes, sir, and rejected at that; cast off as unworthy." "Too late in the day, I presume; some other favored fellow in before you ?" "Not so, sir; only weighed in the balances and found wanting in my lady's opinion." "Deed, sir?" "A first-class matter of fact, and no mistake, no joke, in the case." "Well, Fred, I give just so much credit to that as- sertion as to believe it all a mere joke." "Why, man, perhaps you can't understand good,. plain English? I tell you, without joking, it is a most page: 36-37[View Page 36-37] NORA WILMOT. MOLU~ZY AND RAYBURN. veritable matter of fact-a plain, true statement, if you please; 'a plain, unvarnished tale.' Perhaps the inat~ ter does need some explanation." "Most certainly it does; for J can't think I was mis- taken in the fact that Miss Wilmot was well pleased with you last summer, and received your attentions very graciously." "You recollect, IR~yburn, we were told that Miss Wilinot had made an unqualified declaration against any and all-what shall I call them ?.-.why, tipplers; that is just it; using the creature, in any degree, must be tip- pling; that is as soft a term as it deserves. Well, Miss Wilmot has taken an oath in her way, upon the altar of temperance, and considers herself bound, as inviolable as if by the laws of the Medes and Persians, against everything that is anti-temperate; does not even wish to receive the attentions of any gentleman that does in any way countenance the traffic." "Oh! I knew that was said, but had no kind of idea that she would stand to it, or act on such a declaration. I have known a great many young ladies that professed to be Daughters of Temperance, that seemed to have very little objection to a fellow's getting quite happy occasionally; they would receive his attentions just. as graciously afterwards as before. Miss Wilmot must have heard of some of our grand exploits, this winter, Fred; our little adventure down at S-, perhaps; that wouldn't set at all well on her stomach~ I fancy. And the sleigh ride to Brandon's-.--wonder how she'd like the complexion of that? And I do wonder how the girls would have liked our dancing, nimble go-jims, down at Jake Rance's saloon? Bah! it's all perfect flummery; just a mere flasji of exquisite prudery, done* for mere effect. I'll lay a wager, sir, and agree to pay it in brandy, that Nora WilMot marries a drunkard yet. I never ~saw it miss in my life. These extreme people always do just what they are contending against the strongest." "I am of opinion you. do Miss Wilmot an injustice, a great injustice, Mr. Rayburn, for I believe she is sin- cere, perfectly sincere, and acts in good faith; and I be- lieve, furthermore, that if every lady, old and young, in the land, would take the same ground, and carry it out consistently, they would do vastly more than we men have ever succeeded in accomplishing, towards rid- ding the world of this nefarious traffic, this soul-and- body-destroying agency, that ought to have been ban- ished to the drear domains of Pluto a thousand years ago, where I'm sadly afraid its manufacturers, vendors and consumers will all have to go, unless they abandon their course and. repent of the evil they have done." "One convert, then, I presume, to Miss Kora's theory; didn't suppose you would be so very easily con- verted~ 6r render so ready obedience to female dic- tation." "I didn't just quite say I was a convert; did I, my good sir? ~3ut, I can tell you, I rather think several of us need converting, even if female influence should be the instrument used for its accomplishment." "Well, sir, such things may take with some men; but I can tell~, you very frankly, Fred Morley, if Susie Grey would come cooing and purring around me after that a page: 38-39[View Page 38-39] fashion, you'd very soon see one di~'gusted lover, at all events; that sort of procedVe would never take with me. II never make any calculations on the subject of being a drinking character anyhow, and intend, honestly intend, to drop the whole business as soon as ever I am married; think I have more principle than to wound the feelings of any woman by such indulgence; I would scorn such an act; and believe Susie has too much confidence to fear to trust me; and I intend to prove her confidence not misapplied. But, Fred, you can find plenty of girls just as pretty as Miss INora, and not half so fastidious, both ready and willing. 'There is just as good fish in the sea as ever were caught."' "Well, Rayburn, IL have my opinions, and you have yours; and it is our privilege, each one, to think for ourselves.. My opinion is, that it is 'not only the privi- lege, but the duty, of every lady, as she may value her future p1~ospects and happiness, to look well to her. choice in marriage:; and as drunkenness must necessarily destroy every ray of prospect for happiness, or even peace, in any~ family that is cursed with its unhallowed presencee, they. ought, in my opinion, to guard with a jealous eye any indication towarck an indulgenc*~in that~ direction. I don't blame any woman for taking' a de~ cided stand against such. a thing.". c1~~ J~J, 5O~ .L~J.VAWJ. ,.. ' 4 88' NOILA WILMOT. 8t~$I1~'8 VISIT. 89 CHAP ER IV. SUSIE'S VISIT. "The snow had began in the glooming, And steadily, all the night," It had been weaving a carpet, for all outward things, that might rival any that the most famous looms of Persia had ever produced. Fit emblem of purity, sub- lime, as it lay smooth-fitted on nature's floor, pure and white, glittering and dashing in the morning sun, re- flecting a thousand shapes and figures of most curious workmanship, wrought in nature's laboratory, during the quiet hours that good men, slept, covering ~ ine- qualities with "ermine, fit meet for a king." On just such a morning we will take a peep into a quiet, cosy little apartment on the second floor~ of one of our first class houses,~ in a thriving town; or per- haps we are too fast -~guess 'tis a, young city, at least in. / embryo, in the central regiQil of our, glorious Republic. Well, 'tis a most inviting prospect~ the season is mid winter, but the air of the apartment is'balmy as a sum- mer's, eve, without, any visible menus of change; 'tis passing strange that 't~s so, perhaps 'lAs necromancy. - WeUp9rhaps SQ, we are satisfied, that 'tis~so, that's suf- ficient for our purpose, for greater wonders than this have' come to light in the. niuetean'~h century, and greater yet* may be t~re its close. The broa4 casement, graced, so invitingly, with trop- ics~l: flowers from the sunny s~uth, and evergreens from page: 40-41[View Page 40-41] ) SUSIE'S VISIT. NORA WThMOT. the frozen north, and rarest plants, and choicest flower- ing shrubs of our own favor~J clime; borrowing half their nourishment and life from their proximity to nature's source of propagation, as they sat wooing the warm sunshine, that stole so quietly in, to lend its ge- nial influence, like a generous nature, happy in the lux- ury of doing good, and half from the very devoted care bestowed upon them by the busy hands that watered each, as its peculiar gems best did thrive, giving to one a dry warm mould, to another gushing showers of potent rain, and brushed the dust, lest settling might impede their growth, and trained the delicate tendrils to give grace and beauty to their every proportion. This little department, almost a greenhouse, is a privileged place7 this winter's day, when all is robed in winter's emblem. A well-cushioned sofa, a lounge, and a capacious library of well selected books, a writing desk and writ- ing material, a mirror of exquisite workmanship, and & demure little armed chair, of the olden time, formed the principal furnishing of the neat apartment. The mistress stands in the middle of the room, in- tently contemplating the beautiful proportions cit a fine moss rose, that has ~just burst its petals, and is filling the apartment with most delicious odor. A. low tap Ai the door and she flew to open it-it's Nora's room, but we might have surmised as nnieh before; we knew at least it was the home of intellect and a refined taste. "A happy morning to you, Miss Susie Grey; didn't expect you were astir at so early an hour in the morning." 1~ eJUSt like you, Cousin Nora; never give any person credit for as much industry as you possess ~yourself." "No insinuation intended, only ii thought you were not an advocate for early rising, thought you didn't like it, didn't think it conducive to good health, &c." "No apology, no apology, Miss; you are 'forgiven already. I happened to feel a little out of humor with xnyself and a little more so with all the world beside this morning, so thought I could come and gas off to you a little, ask your advice, and then take just so much of it as suits my fancy. I never feel like telling ma all my little grievances; she always. says, Oh, Susie dear, ~you are so childish, it isn't worth bothering me about. NoW Ii don't like it. I don't think ma's ought to do that way, it's no way to encourage confidence in their daughters. They can't expect tQ put old heads on young shoulders. Don't b~giu to think I should like to see a girl of seventeen just like a lady of forty; such a character would be perfectly inconsistent, in my opinion. Ma never seems ~to sympathize with my little troubles; she calls them all whims, or childish fancies, when they really are troubles to me, or, at least, very considerable perplexities or vexstions, if no more." "Oh, Susie, if your spirits a~e at all. ruffled this morning, come and see this delightful moss rose, 'twill put y6u in better spirits with yourself and all the world beside. Jsn~t it beautiful? It seems to exhale Ian odor of cheerfulness, and these -h~liotropes grow as finely, as if not conscious of their imprisonment, and night-bloornin~ Cerus is just~ as luxurious as if it were mid-summer instead of mid-winter. 2* 40 :41 page: 42-43[View Page 42-43] 42 NORA WIL1~IOT. S~JSIE'S VISIT. 43 Just look, Susie, at this little pet of a thing, this winter tulip, how I have had to nurse it this winter; 'twas so drooping the first part of winter, thought I should have lost it before this time, but I just turned this glass sand over it, and gave it all the sun and moisture its nature seemed to require, and you can't imagine how nicely it has come out." Susie had been standing with an abstracted air seem- ing to listen to her really interested auditor, but hear- ing very little, in reality, of anything she was saying. Turning abruptly and throwing herself on the lounge, she said, "Nora Wilmot, ii didn't come to hear a lecture on botany this morning; think your flowers are well enough, very nice indeed, but don't feel at all interested in them this morning. My feelings are ruffled, I do assure you, very considerably too, and I'm so pestered and wor- ried out of measure. I'll tell you just what bothers me this morning. You know Mary Price, she used to be Mary Sutton, you know, such a pretty, lively little creature, all life and animation, and as thoughtless as if she never so much as dreamed of trouble. When she married Char- ley Price he was said to be in a fine business in a dry goods store. Everybody thought she was doing so very well, and now she has two such nice little children. Poor Mary I "Well, what of her, Susie ? What has bappened'to Mary that is ~o very ~1istressiug?" "Oh! don't you think Charley has gone to drinking, and has added gambling too, it is said, and was entirely Bold outlast week. Oh! I am so sorry for poor Mary, it's so distressing. And I wanted ma to go and see Mary, and she only said, 'Poh, Susie, how can I help it if Charley Price has been sold out?' And they say one of Mary's children is sick, and they have had to leave their nice comfortable little cottage, that was so neat and tasty, and go to a fourth class house in the sul)erbs, with their sick child' too. Now isn't it distress- ing, Nora?" "It certainly is a most unfortunate circumstance; but don't you recollect Charley was said to not be a very steady young gentleman before marriage? 'Twas said he occasionally was known to indulge a little more than was consistent with entire sobriety and temperance, and, besides, he . was an unqualified oppose of all temper- ance movements. I think I have heard it said he never could be prevailed on to give his name to a pledge of any kind, or to take any stand on the subject." "Well, Nora, I do believe you are just as 'dumb as ma is. That is just what hoVhers me this~morning, be- cause, you know, I have' found out that Alfred Rayburn. is really opposed to temperance. I tried my hand on a bit of a lecture tried to say something to him like you talk, Nora, and he~ talked so very consequential, and said the advocate of temperance didn't begin in the right place; he thought they that were whole didn't need a physician. lie thought it would' be well to form a special' committee of Miss 'Wilmot, Miss Sallie Gano, and Miss Patty Lumis, and sen4 for Mrs. Lucy Stone and' have a woman's-rights, convention. Ju~t let h~u know the time, and he would be sure to be ou hand, if they would appoh~t him President of the eating a~d Irish Jimmy Vice President. I bristled and \tlied to be I page: 44-45[View Page 44-45] 44 NORA WILMOT. offended, but AiIf only laughed at me for U~~aiIIS. When I told him I meant to go~ and see Mary Price, don't you think he said I had better call on Dutch Joe while I am out~ as I will be in his ward. W~n't ittdo provoking? As if Mary, poor little thing, is to be cast off, just because her husband has done had. Oh, I'm so troubled, troubled, troubled, and nothing tan- gible or visible to trouble me either. I don't know why it is, I know I didn't use to be' so bothered, and I don't intend to be any more. I'll not meet trouble half way any more, I'll be happy while I can, and let every day provide for 'itself. I want ~rou to go with me, right off, to see Mary Price. Will you go, Nora?" "Certainly, I am at your service, my dear.; always at your service in that cause. Don't you know it is woman 's mission on eartlvto hunt up and administer to the comforts and necessities of the unfortunate ?" "And a holy mission it is, and a heavenly reward awaits the faithful fulfillment of it," said.. Susie, in a thoughtful tone, not at all usual to her gay, thoughtless nature; but the angels were stirring deep down the fount of her feelings,., and they were sending forth pre- cious drops of terkierest sympathy from that fountain that, Cousin Nora has said, will always keep Susie's heart in the right place. But Susie's- errors were not of the heary they were only fa~1ts of the hea4, and of a defective education. , K ~~he tw~ friends were~ soon on their way, treading street ~iK~str..eet, over the new fallen snow, until. they reached th~so~itskirts of the town, and were' shown an old, dilapidated building, in a very 2obseu~re street, that SUSI1~'S VISIT. 45 was designated as the , new residence of the once gay, laughing Mary Sutton. "Oh, Nora!" and Susie Grey pressed the arm of her Cousin more tightly as they stood waiting for an answer to their signal for admission, "isn't it too bad for poor Mary to have to come down so, she was so tenderly raised, and I've heard it said her aunt was a most esti- mable woman." The door was opened by Mary 'herself; she' blushed and was evidently embarrassed as she recognized the young ladies. "Good morning, Nora, good morning Susie," press. ing a hand of each. "Oh, come in, I am so 'glad -to see you," and she forced a smile of cheerfulness. "Little Lucy has been so ~ery~sick since we came here, she took a violent cold moving, which brought on oroup, and we were much alarmed' with her critical situation for several days and nights; we thought sometirRes 'du- ring the paroxysms of coughing 'she must smother 'for want of breath. '~ "Is she better now ?"'asked Susie, with a deep inter- est in 'her 'tone. "Oh, yes, much better; the Doctor thinks the worst symptoms are all relieved, that with careful' nursing she will soon be ~ut again." Charley had been pacing backwards and forwards across the room,' looking~ very se~ons,' almost sad; at mention of coming here, and-Lucy taking ~cold moving, he walked quietly out . of the room, aud Nora thinks she saw a tear stealIng down his cheek.. "I 'fe~r,"'said 'Mary, "Oharley will' i~~4irely laid page: 46-47[View Page 46-47] 4 46 NOILA WlL4MOT, by watching so constantly with Lucy~ I insisted on taking turns with him, but he wouldn't suffer me to, because, he said, he could stand it much better than I - could, and he didn't want us all to be sick at once. But I think it is so bard to sit all night alone. "But here is little Willie, ladies, bright as a May morning, trifles never hurt him. He is mamma's minia- ture man," she said, leading by the hand a bright, blue- eyed boy, whose cheeks had been kissed by but two summers. The b~'ight, rosy face was almost the exact image of what hi~ pa's had once been. "Oh, you sweet little spirit you-you little fairy king, you're a perfect miniature gentleman," said Susie Grey, imprinting a kiss on the fair dimpled cheek and beautifully rounded shoulders and neck. "Lucy is~ rather the most sprightly when she is in health," and Mary looked with a mother's pride on these her household treasures. "These are my jewels," she said, turning to Nora. "And are well worthy a mother's pride, Mary." Kora's watchful eye was scanning (without seeming to notice anyth~g around her)~ the surroundings of Mary's home, the picture was anything but satis- factory. The~ seemed an air of real discomfort, so entirely destitute of even the comforts and conveniences of life. Mary said, apologetically, "We will not stay here long; you see we have no conveniences, only Charley couldn't get another place, the hoQses were all occupied, and we thought this would do awhile." How a faithful wife will make excuses for even the SUSIE'S VISIT. 4'r vices of her husband. With a woman'~ true devotion, she will suffer blame to rest upon herself to shield him, as the vine will cling to the bak, though the branches be ever so xvi~hered and dry. But Susie gould not help ruminating in her busy way, why Mary ha4 had to give up her nice home, where she had so many~ not only conveniences, but elegant luxu- ries likewise~ and she could not feel kindly towards Charley Prh~e. Somehow Susie's spirits were unusu- ally low this morning for one of her temperament. Why was it.? Did coming events cast their shadows before? Nora and Susie rose to depart. Mary said, taking a. hand of each, "Do come again to see me; your very kind visit has improved my spirits. I have been so very gloomy~..Lucy's sickness and all. I did want so much to see you, Miss Wilmot," she said, hesitatingly. But Nora would not press an inquiry or seek more -con- fidence than was proffered, lest she should wound feel- ings, and merely said, with a friendly energy, "If I can be of any service to you, at any time, let me know, I will be at your service, Mary." Soon as they were fairly in the street, Susie said, "And that is a drunkar4's honie." "No, no,: my dear, the world doesn't call Charley, Price a drunkard' he only takes what the gentlemen would say a social glass, attends a convivial party and gives way to a little mental hallucination or a grand jollifleation, or gets a little how come you so, a bit of a ~pree, occasionally, to keep his spirits up. I never eard that Charley was ever known to be what the I page: 48-49[View Page 48-49] ) 48 NORA W1LMOT. world would call drunk; he is only what the world calls a genteel drinker; takes his glass, it may be, two or three times a day, and a social glass, occasionally, for the sake of friendship - might, perhaps, come under the list of a moderate drinker. Drink was only the re- mote cause of his present difficulties. In one of his social club associations, when wine was in and wit was out, no doubt, he gambled very largely, and lost all in one night, and, I think, they say has left him heavily in debt.'~ "Oh I what an unprincipled creature to beggar his family so. Why, surely, Nor~, such debts are h6t bind- ingr by law, are they? I could not think a contract made under such circumstances could. be* considered a legal contract. Think I have hear4 pa say something to the effect that one person cannot collect a ~um off of another without value received for. it, and gambling is no value to any one." "That is all true, Susie; the law is correct in the mat- ter of gambling debts. Such debts are not collectable by law, and have no protection fro~u it; but you know there is a species of honor among gentlemen, so called, that forbids their taking advantage of the protection of the law to avoid paying a debt after contracting it. Su&h a~course would not be considered honorable among such gentlemen, of which class Charley Price is, no doubt, a very hopeful member, judging from his course of conduct." "Well, for ~my part, I can't say I very much admire such codes of honor. A gentleman, oh yes, a gentle- man, first dethrones reason, and then an unprincipled 8U5IE~8 VISIT. 49 creature, another gentleman, you know, takes advantage of his imbecility, and gets him bound in a contract in- volving everything he possesses, even the domestic com- forts of his family, beggars his wife, and endangers the life of his child, all for the alone sake of honor. I be- lieve I have heard something said about honor among thieves, but I'll tell you one thing, if I were Mary Price, but I'm glad I'm not, I never would stand it. I'd see who had the law on, their side. I'd make one grand effort to recover back that property, if my husband wouldn't. I'd try the case and see where the honor was. I intend to ask Alfred if he won't undertake~ Mai~y's case. How I would like to see that gambler (robber he ought ~to be called) disappointed in his ill gotten gains." "I don't know but some other young lady is turning woman's-rights-woman, and I shan't have to stand alone any longer." "Well, who can help it, I'd like to know, when they see so much palpable injustice to their own sex? I feel very much like turning knight errant on the occasion, a real out and out Sancho Pauza in the cause of injured innocence, and take up Mary Price's case as the:ftr~it. exhibition of my chivalry." "Susie, I have some hope that Ch.arley Price'is even now a reformed man. He has ~ subdued look, as. if he felt his degradation; felt that he had not done right, as if conscience was not at rest, and think I was not mis- taken that there was a. tear rolling down his cheek when he left the room so hastily. I could not but feel sorry for him, an& glad too, at tue prospect of a better 3 page: 50-51[View Page 50-51] NORA WflMWOT. d~y of a reThrm. It w~s Mary's' referring to. littlQ Lucy's taking cold When they vame th~r~, as the eaii~ of hei' siekne~s, that ~eenied to Wnch 'hisfeelings so sen- sitively. I fancied 'he might; be' thinking :of. what bought them there;'~' It's a far better sign of~ refornia, 'tirni ~~han 'to see a' don't caret stubborn manner, a~s if it~ wa~ all ~to be braved down; saying, in manner, it's ~no~ body's business hut just my own. I never' have any hope under such circumstances, not any prospect for the better, but all for the worse. "For my part; Cousin Norar I 4on't. see anything either to admire or pity in Oharley' Price. I did pity Mary, poor little~ thing, and those sweet children~ i :1 cari1t for the life of me 'see how ~in~y husband and~father can beggar such sweet dependents. I consider them un hono'w~ to any such, a man. ~As f&. Oharl~y Price, I think he is real hatetui; he alwayswas hateful when he was a beau; he always went tiptoeing around ~s if this little world Was hardly: nice enough forhim to walk on, so afraid of soiling his tiny little feet. Now, if you noticed him, he has the smallest feety not muck larger than a Chinese, and I always thought him real vain of ~tli~xn~ and, then, he had snoW a consequetitial air, when he did. speak to a young lady, he~ seemed~ to consider it ~te'at 'honor: bestowed' by his mightiness~ A don't like any such people, I know I' Wbuldn't' have' such a one, if I had to live and' die an old maid~ iiot 1; buMai~y took 'him with 'all 'his hatefuIne~S~ and what has he brought her to ? 'Just what 'mighthave been. expected. And' people said 'Mary h~d done so 'welL 'Well, indeed, I don't wan't' them to' ~hoo~e 'for ~e, that's ~ certainty. 7 4 SU&~?s VISIT.. 61 I do hope, fot' Mary's sake, he 'has reformed, but van assure you my faith is not very strJng. in 'that direction just at the present time." Susie seemed to. hayes~ taken all the conversation to herself, as she~ rattled on in her old way, asking ques-+ ti~ns and ~them answering them before Nora could pos- siblyhavo time to speaks She was not talking so much to e6n~tinee herr auditor 'that Chariey was; in~ reality,, a very ~bad niah, and Mi~y 'a deeply injured wife, as to satisfy her own better ~judgment (that ~he' thinks~ she is not in possession of) that her own course is altogether right, and will all be well in the end. She sees ther& are some quicksands, and shallows too, and rocks hid- den just now from view, on which a bark freighted with her happihess migh~ founder. Pity it is her moral courage. 15,50 weak. Why won't she listen to the nioni. tor within, pleading so ~*i~rnestly to be heard, and drop- ping tears ofgenuine sympathy? "Nora," said Susie, musingly, "don't you think Mary is worthy of a better fate? She tried to appear cheerful too, as if every thing was just as she would like to have it. I know she must have felt real inorti. fled; of course she knew that we knew all about tW Row she did try, too, to make out that Charley very attentive to Lucy, and so kind and so consid to herself. Indeed, T think he ought to be, when~ brought all the trouble himself. If I were Mary, I wouldn't do anything but sit up and be my lady. I'd have a fine time after all being waited on." Would you, Susie? Well, perhaps. "Now, Susie, I half guess you 'are talking now, and intend thinking after you get home." page: 52-53[View Page 52-53] k NORA. WILMOT. "No, no, I'm thinking all the time, just in one of my thinking moods this morning; been thinking everything I've been saying; and, depend upon it, if you ever see me in the same circumstances Mary Price is in, you may expect to see me act some too as well as think. Some~ body would be apt to find out what kind of material Susie Grey is made of. Think I'd be one of the spunky sort, and show the world whether women have any rights or not; that I would, if I don't like the Lucy Stone school so very welL" NOUA'5 5TO1~Y~ CHAPTER V. ~ORA'5 STOUY. "Oh, a very good evening to you, Miss Nora Wilxnot." "Good evening, Miss Susie." And Susie threw herself in the quaint old chair. "Everything has been so dull all day, and 1 felt so lonesome this evening, with the rain singing such doh~- some lullabies. The day has been such a wild, gloomy one, scarcely seen the face of the sun since morning. Oh, just listen to the gusts ~of wind and rain that beat against the casement;. it reminds me of something I read once about the steam king. I fancy his kingship is abroad to-night. I just bethought me, this gloomy eve- ning, that I would like to hear the story of your mother, that you promised to tell me of sometime, if you are in the mood for it this evening." "Yes, Susie, I was just thinking of ma this after.. noon." Here, Nora, Won't you sit close by me? I wai't to lay my head in your lap. There, that is so nice; now won't you begin?" "Well, I must premise: My mother was, as you~ know, your father's youngest sister, and they were do. scended from one of the oldest a~ well as the most in- fluential families in the Old Bay State, of Puritan o$..~ gin. Their father was a minister of some consider eminence in the old established church, and tri~ined his~ page: 54-55[View Page 54-55] 54 NORA WILMOT. igou~'s 8~QRY children after the strictest order of that faith. I've heard my mother say she had never knew a household where kindness and otdei~ so uniformly prevailed. It seemed the one principal object of the parents, for which they seemed most to labor, to advance the best interest of the~r children, not only for time but fQr:eter- nity also. And the children, too, seemed almost, equally assiduous in a study to make their parents happy. They were indeed a happy household. llappy,~ too,* on? the rnly. correct basis of earthly happiness, each in an effort to make the others happy9 There~vas one trait of family government practiced in my grandfather's family, that. I think worthy of imitation in many othev households. Soon. as the little feet were old enough to stray beyond the paternal roof, ,my graudma's habit was, regularly every evening, soon as the evening lamps were lighted, to ring a small bell, kept for the purpose, which was a signal for every little pair of delinquent feet to be seen hurrying homeward. Soon all were safely sheltered within the dear embrace of home influence. And this truly judicious practice was never omitted until each member of the family circle had fairly taken ~tations as members of that. society that nature, far less tjiarx, education, ~had fitted, them to adorn; for our grand-patents were entirely of the opinion th4. 'just ~e~~the twig is bent, the tree is inclined,' and. that to 'train u.p a ~huId in the. way it should~gQ, when it is old ~ it will not depart from i~' The 'Great All~ Father '~ haa said it, and it will stand firm as the rock of. ages, notwithstanding all, that infidelity can oppose to the cw1trary,~~ My mother. received. an education, quite e~4ir~ly.supe- nor for girls in tho~e days, when daughters were .not thought to need more than a merely subordinate educa~ tion. Our grandf~tJ~er niust have b~en possessed of much more liberality than most gentlemen of the o~d school, for he, had his d~augliters educated equally with. his sons." "Yes, and I like him all the better for it," said Susie. ~' At the ~age of, eighteen my .moth~er married Dr. Wilmot, of her native town, with the consent of all her friends, who was my.father, you know. He had eom~ nienced the practice of medk~ine some two years before, and was already doing a thriving business, fast gaii~ing an influence and competence. What bright, dreams 'of the future fancy wove on her imagination.; what fairy castles, all of air, with "o foundation save her fertile fancy; how the world was to. be all of sunshine and moonbeams, woven into happiness, for her acceptance, we will leave to those of more experience in those mat- ters, and endeavor to trace their fulfillment. Grandfather Wilmot was not one of the .strk~t sort of either citizens or parents. A latitudinariati in religion, he governed his household on strictly democratic prin. ciples. Every child, soon as they were capable of lisp~ ing their parent's name, set up a government for ~ it; and governed itself as best suited its own peculiar~ ati. cie~, his greatest fault being a too easy nature united .~ to one of the kindest, hearts. He liked t~ see a ordered, family, and knew his children ne~d~t it was highly essential; to their. future t1 f 4r page: 56-57[View Page 56-57] 66 NORA WILMOT. he did often try to correct them, and succeeded very well; only it seemed to wound their feelings so much for pa to correct them. He never could correct them only when ihe got very angry with them, and then he was sure to get over his passion befor&he got through, and they *tiways~ cried so he'd have to pet them to get them to hush; so he didn't make much after all. Graudmar Wilmot was of the scolding sort. She scolded everything that came in her way in a kind of half-cross half-kind way. I fancy I arlmost.hear her now, as she used to scold us children, in her good, kind way. I very well remember we liked for her to scold us. Young as we were, we knew she meant no unkindness, and we all loved her dearly. How we would all nestle close down to grandma's chair; and the most envied head was the one that was nestled closest in her lap. She would say, in the dearest kind voice, 'Oh, you dear little thing, you are so bad, grandma doesn't know what to do with you; you little sweet lamb, you are so mis- ehievons, grandma will have to whip you. Why don't you mind when grandma bids you, precious little ones. Oh, love your pretty life, grandma can't have you be so naughty. There, now, you mink, you have gone and upset grandma's workbasket, and spilled all her work, you mischief; and, now, you outlaw, you've got my spectacles, what will be done with you?' And so the dear kind soul would go on all day long, while we were am using ourseI~es at her expense. And so, my grand- father said, she ~had governed her own family, or let them govern them~1ve~, and her too, I guess, and thought whatever grandpa said or did was all just right." & NORA'S STORY. 57 "Oh," said Susie, "I do wish I could remember my grandma; if that is the way grandmas do, I know I should like them so much." "But I guess all grandmas are not exactly like my grandma Wilmot; rather think she was somewhat of an exception to the general rule. Well, grandpa must have, as was the practice in those days, a little stimulus to strengthen his stomach and give him an appetite for breakfast. A warm stew, a mint julip, or, sometimes, only a little sweetened brandy and water~; and, as he was one of the indulgent ones, every child must have some with pa; it would do it good, improve the tone of their stomachs., His children were to have whatever he had, for they w9re just as good as he was. And so they grew to man and woman's estate. The great wonder is that they were even law-abi~ling citizens. Oh, how the after years of these truly kind but too indulgent pa~ rents were embittered by the very seeds their own hands had helped to sow. The children, reared by their own tender care, brought up at their own hearthstone, for whom they had toiled away the dew of their youth and ate the bread of carefulness, might, emphaticiil~, have been said to have brought their gray hairs in. sorrow to the grave. When itwas all too late to remed~r the evil, they were brought to see the error of their course, and to pray, in fervent sincerity, and with bowed hearts, for their erring children.~ For, with one single exception, out of a family of four promising sons, all we~it astray, following the multitude to do evil, and grieving Qut of measure the hearts of their parents and friendsk return to my mother's history: but h~r~ ~uyo - p page: 58-59[View Page 58-59] 58 NORhA~ - WILMOT. is so interwoven with that of my father~ that 'it seems necessary to read the stori~ together. I My father very soon acquired a high reputation as a practitioner, and, of course1 a fair competence of this world's goods. He possessed an agreeable, prepossessing, and hand- some exterior, with affluent, easy, and elegant address, united to the most obliging manner and a sensitively kind heart. And there you have a stereotyped likeness of my dear father ere the dem~n of intemperance de- stroyed all his talents and manhood.~ He had, happily, chosen a profession that did not, of necessity, often call him into scenes of dissipation, then so common even in the highest walks of life. iEI2is profession tended rather to cultivate the sympathies and charities of our natures than to arouse the grosser passions and appetites. My father was very popular at this time, and some of his fri Is-thought ih~ would make a fine figure as Sen- .atoj~ ~l~:~~4ght,.at the~ me time, advance his own ~liiterest and serve his coftntry a very advantageous pur- pose; might be weaving laurels for his own brow and be adding weight to the nation's councils. He urged as an entirely reasonable objection the in~ terference with his business. My mother strenuously opposed such a measure,, only because she was happy in her domestic relations, and saw in such ngement an arra the separation for a time of her hQusehold idols. But it proved far more than all this to these loving hearts. Well might the angels weep briny tears over the pros~ pect of their future. My father's highest enjoyment had hitherto been found in the bosom of his family, for he i~tnd my: mother, were ardently attached to each other-. NQR4'8 STOItY. whatever wasithe happiness of the one was of the .other. But, like -many other wives, she was vain-, of. her. hus- band's talents, and readily yielded to any circumstance that was a gratification to his pride and ambition. :And now nay father's name was soon fairly before the people as a candidate for Senatorship. He was then the people's man, and must obey the wishes of his party in some measure, which ~called him into scenes of dissi- pation to which he had hitherto been a stranger. His evenings, instead of being spent in the 'bosom of his family, must be spent abroad, t~ud he must be on friendly terms with all classes; for a son of J~rin, whether he be scrupulQllsly sober or not, has still an influence at the bal.. lot box. And, although my father had hitherto been considered strictly temperate, he had no particular- scru- ples on the subject of temperance, and, as was- then customary, he often, - during the political campaign, made use of the social glass as a means of increasing his popularity, with one class of voters.. Dram drink~. ing was not then so entirely unpopular with the better portions of society; ardent spirits were used to some extent in all classes. Temperance, as anything like a moral principle, was but just beginning to agitate the public mind in these central States. My -father was a successful candidate, ,and, of course, the winter must be spent- at the capital of the State, where he was thrown into the society of very many gentlemen of superior mind and talent, -hut, sometimes, of not very strictly moral principles. He, unfbrtun- ately, possessed an ardent, enthusiastic temperament, that yielded but too readily to the influence of superior page: 60-61[View Page 60-61] 60 ~oi~ WILMOT. minds. his generous social nat~ire and urbanity of manner gave him an influence in whatever society he was thrown into, either for good ~or evil. There was no half-way enjoyment with him; whatever he under~ took he did with a will; the whole energies of his mind were thrown into whatever object presented itself for consideration. Had he embraced the temperance cause, which then just begun to excite general attention, he would have made a host within himseW a full team, if he had girded on his harness in the right cause, for all his energies and' his talents would have been given to the cause if he had only espoused it. But, unfortun~ ately for himself, for his family, amid for society, he was surrounded hy a different atmosphere and by different influeiices. And his early education and training pre~ rented' no barrier against the great preponderance of evil. Influenced, perhaps, to a considerable extent by concurrent circumstances, he took the same side of many well mneaiming' men in those days, who were hou~. estly mistaken in their views, that, 'in giving a signature to a pledge of abstinence, they would be bartering their liberties-yielding a portion of their precious boon of freedom. They were not willing to give up the privb lege of destroying themselves soul and body, and giving to their children, neighbors, and friends the same cov- eted blessing. So, for fear of not being free, they ob- jected to the principle, and arrayed themselves on the side of anti-temperance, strengthening the hands of the enemies of 'morality and good order. Many strictly temperate men in that way stood as way-marks to 'in- temperance without being conscious of the effect of their influence. NORA'S STORY. 61 My mother passed the winter as best she could,, en- deavoring to train the little ones for future usefulness and weaving day-dreams of future happiness. How ) many times we were told of the joyful time in prospect~ live, when papa would come home. Everything nice was to~ be in reserve to say and do when papa came, until our youthful imaginations had learned to look for. ward to the time as to the grand gala day of promised happiness. Well, he did come, and how happy we were; the long, lonely hours of winter were all forgot- ten. Ma seemed as if the world was all sunshine and happiness. The good time we had heen living for was being more than realized. Oh, how well I remember us children dancing and clapping our hands with de- light when the stage drove up and pa got out, (there was no car traveling in those days,) and how.'eager we were, each in turn, clasped in father's tender em- brace. Those were happy days, Susie, and IL love to dwell on them-too happy to last-.alas! this is not the lot of mortals. Year after year pa filled the same office, with dignity and honor t~ himself and entire satisfaction to his con- stituents; all, were satisfied with his course. But my mother's watchful eye had detected times from that first Winter, when his step was unsteady and his eye glossy, and his cheek flushed with an unwanted brightness, but with a wife's tender instinctss she had brooded it all in secret. Oh, how itdid wound and shock her gentle, trust.. ing~nature~ still ~he hoped all for the best. (how could she look int& the open, frank, manly courrtentii~ce of her husband and not hope, though the storm were gath- t page: 62-63[View Page 62-63] N'ORA W1JM0T~ ering in black, portentous 'clouds, of~ terrible import, that was destined to' shatter her fragile bark, and drive it,: full freighted, with terrible sufferings, on the whif~n~ ing rocks of darkness and despair I But year after year he grew.worse. He often came home in a state of utter abandonment of everything. At such times he was so very noisy and eloquent; he would make long speeches and argue questions perfectly logically, seeming entirely crazy, not knowing where he was or what he was doing. I remember we children thought pa. was getting so very smart, but how hard my~other tried at such, times to quiet him and keep him stilL Like poor Mary Price, she tried to apologize for all his failings. ' But, after those fits of indulgence were over, he~ would appear so deeply penitent,~ and so humbled and mortified, and so kind to ma and we children. Eis friends thought each time would certainly be the last. lie would promise ma' so faithfully and make' such protestations to his friends. But they never could influence him sufficiently to get his signature to a pledge. He. always wanted the whole honor of hia reformation. himself. Ma often talked to him until he shed tears of~ apparently penitent sorrow, and seemed: for 'a tim~-to be sensible; Qf the terrible shock his ruinous course Was :givingt~ her sensitive nature... Ills friends began to forsake him, and his business was' neglected. WheneVer~he"was thrown into the society of. those that induige4 in. the same per~' nicions practice, *he 'seemed~ to forget all' his former promises,~ his family,. 'his friends, everything else~ and ~tc$ possess no control over his appetite.-' lihit, oh I hoW harrowing, how heart-rending; it. tall was:: to my poor N0RA~S 'STORY.: 63 mother! She possessed a nature impulsive and ardent, a high, ambitious spirit, with'feelings, perhaps, a little too sensitive for her own happiness, and a passionate~ devo~ tion to her husband, whom she had ever loved with a doting tenderness. What a lesson it was to be reading in the stern, unrelenting school of affik~tion~! But how could she see her fondest hopes all crushed, and 'by him "Her choice in love's bright morn," to whom she had entrusted her all of earthly happiness; Oh! it was agony, and for' a time my poor mother seemed to sink' under it-every faculty was almost par~ alyzed. But my poor, infatuated, deluded father saw the wreck he was making, and with the characteristic eflergy of a strong mind he aroused himself to turn backwards 'from the downward step of sure' destruction, toward which he had been tending with such fleet foot~ steps. With a manly 'independence, when once fairly aroused to his certain danger, he was easily convinced $f his error, when he saw* himself as other' men saw him, and felt his' own insufficiency to stand in his own ~treiigth aloneY lie at "once 'shook off the' manacles that' 'bound 'him and 'stepped' forth a free man; with his name enrolLed as a 'member of' b~ei of 'the most strenu~ ous associations for 'the: 'suPpi~essiou of inten~perane~. Th his own' 'strength, unassisted by outward circurn~ s~aiiee's,'and With 'no aid'inhaled'from a superior power, that aid 'that could' have' st~en~gtliened him for every conflict ; he had found hi~ ~e~ohitions weak and ~aeilla. ting. 'But rio~ that' h~ had taken 'upon himself the oNigatio~s of a piedg~e, ~u oath,' in ~erytruth, binding page: 64-65[View Page 64-65] 4 NORA WILMOT~ NORA'S STORY. the nobler part of his manly nature, his friends had much to hope, and again my mother was herself, again prosperity crowned his efforts, and his friends, even the summer ones, flocked around him. IDr. Wilmot was again the affable gentleman and agreeable friend, an ornament to his profession, the centre of social society, and the idol of his family. Oh, how she, the stricken one, clung to this hope, so blissful, so endearing, that his reformation would be lasting. But she, herself, had never gone to the strong for strength; had never cast her burthen upon him. who is willing to succor them who are tempted and tried; but, in her own strength, had bowed her heart to the storm when it beat so furi- ously-it was small wonder her bark was so near foundering. Temperance cQuld hardly be said to be~ fashionable in fashionable society at that time, neither was drunkenness openly encouraged." "Oh, IL thought temperance was always fashionable," said Susie. "Very far from it, my deir; the time has been in our own country, and is even now common and customary in all European countries, to grace the dinner tables of the rich with an ample supply of choice wines; and the common people of England, in their inability to supply that luxury, substitute beer or ale. So great is the consumption'of ale in the kingdom, that the tax on its manufactory yields a very handsome profit annually to the government. It has been computed that mil- lioris~ of gallons are annually consumed within the kingdom, and recently it is affirmed the manufacturers are drugging the Englishman's ale after the same order of our own alcoholic drinks, making it a more sure and certain poison than it was formerly, adding a most deadly poison to the original strength of the beverage." "But, Cousin Nora, I shouldn't think ale would be as injurious, really, as the common drink of our own country." "The quality I presume is not, on account of the amount of alcoholic spirit it' contains; but the English- man is not one whit behind us, for he makes up in quantity all that is wanting in quality, and is, in reality, the loser; because even those longest accustomed to the use of alcoholic drinks, can get beastly drunk in a very short time, but 'it will take an English ale-drinker full half a day to drink himself well drunk." "But, Cousin Nora, if the fun consists in the drink- ing, the Englishman is the gainer all the time, because his lasts the longest, you know." "Fun, Susie! I don't see that there could be much fun extracted any way from such ruinous practices." "If they are so very bad, so ruinous and pernicious, and all that, why don't the sober, sensible part of com- munity act like rational intelligence ought to act, and banish it all from the land forthwith? I can't see any kind of utility there can possibly be in continu- ing to manufacture an article, the use of which is called soul-destroying and the whole vocabulary of its abuses and nobody pretends to say it does any person any good. Why countenance a thing that is only an evil in society - keep constantly making an article, and then worry the lives out of the best portion of society to keep people from using it?" 3* 64 65 page: 66-67[View Page 66-67] 66 NORA WILMOT. "Just because, Susie, it is so much easier said than done." "Well, my way would be just to blow up the whole concern at once, make no half way business of it. Just pass a law at once to have the manufacture of it stop- ped forthwith, and have no more made. I believe I'm a better philosopher than some people, after all." "But I think you. look at things as they should be, and not as they are." "What is to hinder temperance men from having things as they should be, I want to know, in a free country? Why suffer from the effects of bad laws, when the law-making is entirely in their own hands ?" "But 'don't you. know, Susie, just so long as men cai~ make gain out of a traffic, they can always find an apol- ogy for its continuance?. There is said to be great magic in an almighty dollar. In opposing the manu~ featuring and vending of all intoxicating beverages, we come, of necessity, in direct contact with two very strong and, with some persons, almost governing prin- ciples of our natures, appe1~ite and love of gain, either of which are strong incentives to action. You know men Will forget self-respect, standing, respectability, family, friends, all for the sake of a depraved appetite, and will sell and barter soul and body almost for the sake of gain; will compass sea and land merely to gain this world's goods." "And isn't it poor pay when they get it, Nora?" "Rather a small recompense I acknowledge, hut such as it is, very many are found willing to barter their best interests for it, and to take a trust for pay in the end. low sadly we digress." NORA'S STORY. "Oh, well, I am just beginning~ to feel interested in the subject, and, as I have gained all my interest from you, I think you ought to be vary patient listening when I feel an inclination to blow off a few of my own ideas. Don't ~you know I'm trying to prac~. tice a little trying my hand at talking like you do?" "Oh, excuse me, my dear, I didn't mean to insinuate that you were all the one that was guilty of digressing. "To return to our subject. My father seemed to bid fair to continue a worthy member of society, but at the end of a twelve-month there caine a Mr. Green into d~ur society. IIe~made very high pretensions and a dashing show of wealth and influence; entered largely4nto busi- ness, and was a master spirit in every speculation that presented itself. This man very soon gained my father's entire confidence, and was trusted without stint or limit. But my mother seemed to distrust him from the first. It seems a glaring defect of American character, that a stranger, especially if he chance to be a foreigner, is far more readily trusted than a tried friend or an old, familiar ~~eitizen. Somehow, as a people, we admire everything new, and strange, and foreign. Well, my father trusted Green and endorsed his paper largely; but before the time of maturity came, Green was gone, no one knew where; but it was soon ascertained that he had left very large claims against some of o~ir best citizens, and among the Dumber my father was one of the Jieaviest losers~ This brought on serious embarrassments, and, as troubles never come sin. page: 68-69[View Page 68-69] 'V 68 NORA WILMOT. gly, my father sought relief in the exhularations of the wine cup. This time his step was downward, downward, with a fearful rapidity. He seemed almost eager of destruction - anxious to drown every reflection of the past, every ray of conscience, of responsibility, and thought of retribution, in a total, an entire forgetfulness, apparently oblivious of all external circumstances. For days together he scarcely tasted food; his inordinate thirst, that was consuming him, seeming only to crave that unnatural stimulant, that was eating up both soul and body -.-' he was almost all the while like one in a dream. Before he had been very loquacious and noisy, but now his senses were all steeped in utter forgetful- ness. When under the influence of intoxication, he was entirely unconscious of all outward circumstances; na- ture was for the time completely~ paralyzed. The ele- ments of good he possessed were all turned to bad, and so very bad too. There were no means of access now; he was never sufficiently rational to be approachable with persuasions, reproof's, or admonitions. Many friends there were who woiad so gladly have done anya thing in their power, but their best efforts were power- less. His parents came, but it was only to look with break- ing hearts on the wreck of their fondest hopes, and to lament,, with a hopeless regret, what might have been done sowing seeds in the fruitful soil of childhood. And my poor heart-broken mother, what did she? What could she do, but bow her breaking heart in quiet submissioil to a fate? Oh! how hard that she could not avert it. She was drinking the cup of woe to its very I NOiLA 'S STORY. 69 dregs, aiid her soul almost overwhelmed in very misery. And he, the partner of J~er joys and sorrows, on whom she had hoped to lean in affliction's trying hour; the fathepf her babes, her choice in trusting maidenhood, was apparently unconscious of eyery obligation. Jt was perfectly mysterious that one that had been one of the kind est of husbands and most indulgent of parents, could thus suffer himself to be so perfectly imbruted as to entirely for et the claims of affection. Ambition, en rgy, enterprise, pride, hope, every man- ly desire, every gentler emotion,~ every ambitious aspi. ration, all were lost, swallowed up, and absorbed in the one desire or appetite for the liquid fire, for drink, drink, drink. It had become the absorbent principle of his being, his very existence, lie paid no kind of at- tention to either friend or foe, and. did not even seem to heed that he was breaking my mother's heart......that she was daily becoming more and more the mere wreck of her former self.-.did not even seem to see that there was a change. And him, it was awful to contemplate. lie was the bloated semblance of himself. His Powers of inward resistance were all entirely gone or altogether paralyzed..~th~ black waters of despair had well nigh overwhelmed his whole being. But why dwell longer on a. picture that but harrows up every feeling of n~y nature? But I could not give my mother's story without giving my father's also, for, you know, the scripture ac- count is, 'they twain are one flesh,' and it would be hard to separate them, but to me it is~a painful recital." "Oh, ~ora, I knew it was selfish in me to ask it of you)' 69 page: 70-71[View Page 70-71] N0UA WiLMOT. "No, -no, Susie, I wanted you to know it all. One morning my poor pa got up a little more rational than usual, more like himself than he had , been for a long time; washed and shaved and arranged himself with more than ordinary care, put on his hat,, (how well I do remember that morning,) walked out into the street, and my mother never- saw him ~afterwards. In answer to all inquiry, all the mQst diligent search, to every advertise- ment, the same answer always came back of no tidings, no intelligence, no knowledge, no news ~ it was always the same discouraging negative. All we Ihave ever known is, that he is not." - Susie had sat during the latter part of Nora's thrill- ing narrative looking the very pictured embodiment of excitement, her eyes slowly dilating,~ her lips slightly separated, and her whole frame trembling with the in~ tensity of her feelings. "Oh, Nora, how could your poor ma bear-so much?" "Only, Susi&, because life sometimes has to be borne, and she felt that she still- had duties performed; her childr~ii looked to her as their sole guardian, their only protector and friend; and, with a mother's true instincts and energy, she nerved herself for the task. Many would have sunk under such an accumulated weight of ~e, but ma was strongest when she most, needed strength, most energetic when her .- outward circum- stances demanded energy she never shrank from~ re- Tepotisibility. I~ut the mystery is easily solved: she bad boexv 4ed by adversity to Him 'who has never said to the house of Israel, seek ye my face in vain;' to Him who has promised to be a 'father to the fatherless and the NOUA'8 S~PORY. widow's God.' Although, when surroundedd by prose parity and the allnrements of the world, when her household idols were unbroken, she had felt no need of a Savior, no need of a friend in heave-u, when the clouds of adversity lowered, and the th4nders and teinpests of wrath burst upon her unsheltered head, she had meekly bowed her head;. and, as a weaned child, had cleaned npon Him who is able to succor them that are tempted and tried. But the shock upon her naturally feeble, nervous system, was mOre than her nature could sustain and my mother sank very rapidly. *She did not seem to - suffer much bodily pain, but sank so , gently; it was like - the gradual ,~id-ing out of the light at close of day.-.. like to a calm after a mighty storm. We were not conscious of an hourly change, but -we knew each day she was growing weaker and more ethereal. At first we had been so incredulous, and had clung so hopefully to every encouraging symptom, all the while hoping against hope; we felt 'twas hard to give her up; we saw she was passing away, But to her. Death's messenger was not unexpected, not unwelcome. 'Death was but the gate to endless joys, - - Why should she dread to enter there?' But the eve she died-'tis fixed within my memory with a strong, abiding intensity, that time nOr circumstances - can ever obliterate after giving charge of her few temporalb concerns, she gave her dying charge to each friend in turn so calmly, as if she wa pleasant journey, with not one s only going on a - fear for the-consequences or results; then, turning to me, her first born, she said, laying her thin, wasted hand on my head, "Nora, page: 72-73[View Page 72-73] 72 NORA. WILMOT. my daughter, remember thy Creator in the days. of thy youth; seek first the kingdom of heaven, and all things shall be added.' What more could a dying mother say to an orphaned daughter? Then she seemed to lay unconscious for some time; all present thought the angel presence had come to claim her trusting spirit; but,~ suddenly arousing her fast receding energies, ~he said in a clear, steady voice, with her eyes all the while fixed full upon me, 'Nora, dear, if God spares you here to womanhood, use all your influence, all your energy and talent that He may bless you with, against the sin of intemperance; it is the sum of all iniquities; it is your mother's dying injunction, my child, remem.. ber it all.' Then, in a l&wer tone, she said, 'If I only did know what became of him, but I can leave him in the same bands that II leave these, soon to be. orphaned ones, Him who is able to save.' There was a feeble fluttering, aDd all was over; and there was another voice aromA the throne above. All present felt that 'The chamber where the saint of God had met her fate, Was privileged above the common walks of life; Quite on the verge of heaven.' Now, Cousin Susie, you know why I am just what I am. "Yes, and can assure you I'll never be found faulting 4 you again for it, but. like you all the better" ThE CONVENTION. 78 ChAPTER VI. THE OOKVENTION. "Oh! Cousin Nora," and Susie Grey came running almost in breathless haste into Nora'.s room, "such good news to tell you. I've just been reading the Ladies' Garland, and came upon this advertisement: "'The friends of general reform will hold a convention in the town of W----..........r, commencing Thursday, April 9th, to take into consideration the disabilities, and the best method of removing them, under which females labor in our so-called free country. We wish, particu- larly, all the friends of perfect equality of the sexes in social, legal and political relations, to lend us their infin. ence. And all others who admire open, free discussion, on all subjects of reform, have a cordial invitation. "'Several of the most popular advocates of Woman's Rights are expected as speakers. Then come one, come all! whatever your opinions are; whether you oppose or approve, come and listen with an unbiased judgment, and then decide according to law and testimony. "'Signed: Mus. "'Miss ~ "'Mr. Committee.' "Now isn't that the way. to talk it up? I'm sure that's all fair, and no mistake; fair discussion, that's the promise, nobody can object to that. Will you go, Nora? 4 * page: 74-75[View Page 74-75] NORA WILMOT. I'm bound to go for one ;" not giving ~ora a moment's time to answer in her enthusiasm. "I'll do just like the advertisement says, listen to the arguments, pro and con, on both sides, and try. to judge accordingly. But you didn't tell me if you would go, Nora ?" "I don't exactly know and don't like to say 8olong beforehand.. I might have quite a different opinion when 'I know more of the matter." "Well, I can't for the life of me see what you can object to so very much in that kind of a convention, got up too on so very liberal a principle.". "Did I say I objected, my dear ?" "Oh! I thought you meant that; but, will you go? That is all I want to know about; say you will go at once, and I will hook you ~. member. of my party. I want a nice cQngenial party of some eight or te~i choice spirits, so we can have a nice time, with plenty of fun. We can go over on the morning train and be in good time for the opening exercises. I'm thinking it will be so queer to hear the speaker's addressing MIr~. President; for I've understood th~y almost invariably have a lady president at these meetings. But I do want you to go so bad, Nora, for I think if our side should chance to be in need of an advocate, you would, make a charming one, for do you know I think you could make a real nice speech, if you would. only try ?" "Which do you call our side, Susie ?" "The negative side, to be sure. I'm not just in for making presidents, and senators, and governors; and w'hatnots of women quite. yet, ~unless they engage~~to n~ake me lady pi~sident first; to begin:with; wouldn't 45 TIU~ CONV2I~NTI0N. niuci mind trying the experiment way~ it 45 th! believe would be quite to my liking then. But if every body has to be in before me, it wouldn't g my taste' so very well. And so, for be ~suitin fear of bad results, I Oppose the whole concern. But I intend to go to the conven- tion and see what is* said and done anyhow, and inteuct to boo/c Fred and Alfred both in my party." The morning for setting off for the convention at length arrived, after Susie had declare ever would cdme~ ed the fortieth time tiiat it n ,shedj~ believe time was Standing 5t~ck~gtjil just to w agog for the Cony orry her. But ~now all are mention, and the cars crowded with passengers. Susie's party consisted of some half dozen or more choice spirits, as she said, chosen entirely for their congeniality andhappy joyousness of temperament She said they were going all for 4ie sake of information, and a little bit for fun. There was Fred Morley, she selected him to -suit sober, old fashioned Nora; Mr. Wilber, because he has so inucli May~day sunshine in his composition and Sallie Martin had to. come out of special compliment to LMIr.. Wilber, you know; Dr. Ban- cou~'t, because there is such a magnetism in his voice and smile, and such a fascination in his manner.......~nd his laugh, Susie says it is just like a summer song~ or a gush of heart poetry....... he is well put i~ as an ornament to the company; and Lilly Mason had to cQnle, or Dr. ]3ancourt would have been disappointed; and Aif 1I&y.. burn had to be put in, of course, for fes.r he wonld~be jealous. Susie ~iras in high spirits, ~haI~tering like ~ magpie, the very life of the party, bi4 evidently beat on keeping one~ secret, for she is more gracious to every. other gentleman in company than she is to R~yburn. page: 76-77[View Page 76-77] '16 NORA WILMOT. Turning to Mr. Morley, she asked, with a quaint look of demure intelligence: "Mr. Morley, what are your opinions of the new-toned notions of Woman's Rights ?" "Oh! I aim to be on the right side on that very inter- esting question, Miss." "But, pray sir, which side do you term the right side ?" "Well, Miss, I am of opinion that the sphere of wo- man's usefulness? talents, energies and aspirations, the higher, nobler developments of genius and skill, might be materially enlarged without detracting in any degree from the refined and exalted position nature seems to have designed and fitted her to occupy in society. In my opinion, the usages of society, more than the opinions of liberal minds of either sex, have cramped and dwarf- ed female genius, like the little 'tiny Chinese shoes, making it a gr~ve departure from feminine grace to step beyond the' p!escrib~d limits which society places as land-marks of~ gentility and pr6priety. If a woman dares to assume the independence of' breaking the shackles of fashion and thinking' for herself especially if she should lay any claim to intelligence or individuality, she is called peculiar, eccentric, tdo masculine, merely because ~he has the 'moral courage to endeaVor to culti- vate the gifts her Creator has eDdowed her with. The present I regard as a crisis in woman's history, that the cause of womankind has much at stake in the present agitation. A few master spirits have stepped forth to assert her equality and independence, and have, like all reformers, asked more than w5uld be for her advantage, or the well-bei~ig Qf society, in a political point of view; ( TH~C CONVENTION. they have suffered their enthusiasm to get the better of judgment and discretion - but after this fitful enthusi- asm has expended itself in unwanted fiashe~, and the public mind has rid itself of the dross and mist of ignor- ance and coXiventionality, it will be found that the sub- ject of female capabilities and developments has ~gained~ largely by the agitation. Already the subject has made very considerable strides in improvement and liberality. But a few years since females were thought to need but a very limited education, and a female college would have been deemed a literary monstrosity, & useless ex- penditure of time and means. "But, in a legal point of viewi think woman's disa- bilities need a very considerable amount of redress. On those subjects I think she should enjoy equal privileges' with the other sex. Where she exerts her time, or tab ent, or energies, her exertions should be rewarded equal- ly according to service rendered, and not be cramped by the present liberalities of custom, that she might have more appropriate~ and larger fields for enterprise and energy. "But politically, ladies, with some slight improve~ merits, I do notthink I would be in favor of imposing additional obligations either on her time or talents; do not believe it is consistent with the refined and exalted position she is designed to occupy ilisociety, that ladies shall be public politicians. Snch a position must of neces- sity bring her too directly in contact with the grosser elements of human nature in its rudest phases. Such a contact, too frequently imposed, will tend to blunt' the sensibilities and refinements of her nature, as well as to 3" page: 78-79[View Page 78-79] wmMoT. lessen that exalted respect that men feel for the female character. So you see., ladies, I am a little jealous of our political .advantages -don't feel like yielding up the privileges of office-holding and office~seeking so very readily, not even on the principle of gallantry to the fair sex, ladies." "Well, Mr. Gallantry, we ladies are going to award you a meed of praise for the extreme honesty of your declarations," said Susie, "if you are not willing to di- vide your advantages with us; and then we are going to' make an effort to supplant you gentlemen in the divis- ion of the offices of hon~, if not of profit; and then) when we. get all we claim, we know just who we are going to thank for all we get..' 'We are not caring a fig for all the advantages7 as you term them, but we just want an. equal ~ that is going, that's all." "Perhaps, ladies, you forget that our responsibilities are in accordance with our .privileges. 'Under the present regulations of :society, females, are shielded from very heavy duties and responsibilities that a more public posi- tion would impose, 'and still' Ithink herrelations are, in very n~any respects, crowded with responsibilities; and I think where these are met with firmness and patieuc~, they are adding just as much to the great mass 'of 'hu~' man happiness as the efforts of the most learned 'judge of the land could, and are deserving of the same come ruendation and favor." ' ' ' * 'Oh, yes!" said Lilly Mason; "'Mr. Uayburn'thinks where. little is given' but little will be required, ladies. But it takes genius to discover genius, you. kno w"-~ aiA' TIlE A~0NVENTI0N we ladies are the best judges 2of' our owx~ talents, ~nd intend classing our own capabilities and resources.", "We know 1how to appreciate our own talents and *developments better, of course, than men do, with their boasted far-seeing, and deep-thinking, and long-arguing demonstrative minds," said . Sallie . Martin. . They like something very deep and knowing, and wise and learn~ ed, the gentlemen do.; but we ladies are better satisfied with deep, gushing tenderness and sympathy, refined a0~ections, and gentle, active, energy, going forth with such glowing thoughts of kindly aspirations, to fill the heart with sunshine and gladness- all the time endeav- oring to make the .world better and happier, like the glad sunlight after a wintry storm, or the, gentle murmur of a rippling stream in the cooling shade of a swelter~ ing August day." "Bravo! Miss Sallie," said Dr. J3ancourt; "that is just the kind of character I admire in woman. I like to see her ardent, enthusiastic, energetic, demonstrative, kind,, sensitive, practical, philosophical and gentle; with all these fine qualities, tempered and governed by a lib.. eral supply of sound sense, well improved, and, ladies, you have my beau ideal of a perfect lady, a very charm- ing woman, without any of the conventionalities at~d stereotyped formulas of polite society. Indeed, ladies, I never was an admirer of formality and etiquette, mere dressed up imitations, mere pictures, or reflections of something or somebody else. I like a real character, all alive and in real earnest. '1 know, too, that such char- acters are always marked called peculiar, out of the common order, pedantic, too strong minded, unfeminine, k. page: 80-81[View Page 80-81] 4. NORA WILMOT. THE CONVENTION. and are always dignified by being set apart as shining marks for the shafts of detraction and envy, only because commonn minds cannot comprehend and appreciate "'The aspiring soul, throne ca3.mly within.'" "Now, Doctor, give her fidelity, imagination, and warm-hearted, whole-souled, heart-felt piety," said Mor- ley, "and you have a picture that I too can repeat bravo to." "Do you think young ladies should read politics, or study physiology, or declaim or engage in any of those masculine pursuits?" said Susie Grey. "Certaiuly I do, Miss," said Dr. Bancourt; "and would like to see them read Latin and study mathemat- ics, and have no kind of objections to her studying juris- prudence or reading Blackstone, or inquiring into the peculiar construction qf the human frame in the charm- ~ng study of anatomy. I don't believe anything will injure the purity of her mind, or destroy the delicate construction of her affections, that is not improper in itself." "Oh! do listen to the man, girls. What young lady do you think could sit down all still, and quiet, such a bright day, as this, to study all about bones, and carti- lages, and sinews, and arterhs, and veins, and nerves, and muscles, and all the other what-do-you-call-'ems, Mr. Doctor, for, indeed, that is the whole extent of my anatomical knowledge?" Oh 1~ I began to think Miss Susie had some notion of laying claim at some future day to the title of Miss Dr. Grey.". "No, never! I cry you mercy on that point, sir. If there is any thing I do hate with a cordial hatred, it is Mrs. Dr. Brown, or Mrs. Dr. Long, or Miss Dr. Some- body else. Away with all such husines~, say I. Don't begin to believe it was ever intended in the nature and fitness of things there is a palpable inconsistency in all such notions." Lilly Mason said, "Old maids might very consistent- ly be Doctors; she fancied the profession would suit them very well.-.vhey may make themselves useful mem- bers of society in that capacity." Susie Grey said, tapping Kora Wilmoton the shoul- der, "Then we can turn out one Doctress from our house," at the same time giving Fred Morley a knowing wink. "Now, Cousin Nora," said Susie, turning round, "didn't you promise to say at least three words if I would bring you along ?" "Oh! did I, Susie ?" "Certainly, my dear ;" and Susie laughed one of her merriest laughs. "I was so well edified listening to the conversation and looking out here," pointing to the open window. "Ladies and gentlemen, will you pardon me for a little intrusion on your pleasant tete-a~.tete? Shall I tell you what I was thinking of?" "Yes, yes," said all, with a universal assent. "I was just thinking, as I looked on this charming scene, so beautifully interspersed with hill and dale, of an author I read lately; he says: 'Beware of him who will not look nature in the face. Of all countenances, SI, page: 82-83[View Page 82-83] NOR4 WILMOT. THE CONVENTION. 83 her's is never changed nor sent away; of all smiles, her's never fades, and the very, tears she sheds over the sweet day that is dead turns to gems for the robe she wears in the morning.' lie says it is a pleasant thing to think, when we gaze upon that face, that it kindles, the expres- sion it used to wear when household angels came and went 'twixt Paradise and ileaven; that look of her's, so full of hope and love, as when the choir of stars did sing it lullaby." "Oh,, yes! I do love nature in ~ll her moods, from grave to gay," said Morley. "I fancy, her most," said Dr. Bancourt, "when she dons her suit of green and trips o'er break and brae, in funniest garb of spring, seeming to laugh, in very sport- iveness, like a maiden of sixteen." "Well done, ~Doctor?'. said Susie; "you had better deliver yourself of. one more suck sentiment, and we girls are going to crown you the wisest." "Well, here we are at the Station, and now for the Conventions" Susie said, gayly turning and bowing to the company. "Ladies and gentlemen, do you know it is an understood agreement that Mr. Rayburn is to be President. of this Convention? $o see to it. how your vote$ are cast . remember, we are all expecteX to stick to the party~".. 7 The building pointed out to our party as the seat ~f * the Convention was a splendid edifice, situated at the corner of two of the principal streets; a lQng row of beautiful marble~ steps. led up to the room occupied by the (Jonvention. When ~ur party entered, the spacious room was more than ~alf-fUled, and when swelled by tl~e crowd that had come by the same train, presented a quite imposing appearance, Susie Grey's restless, inquisitive eye soon detected the lady President already in the chair-.-..and she came near laughing outright as she caught iRayburn's eye, but she put up her finger significantly, as much as to say: "See, sir, your cake is all dough." The meeting had been called to order and officers chosen, most of whom seemed to haVe been chosen from the ranks of the ladies. A. committee was chosen to report business for the meeting, which reported the fol. lowing resolutions: "RJ~5OLVED, That every hmnan being, of full age, and resident for a proper length of tin~e on the soil of the nation, who is required to obey ithe, law, is entitled to a voice in its enactments; that every such person, whose property or labor is taxed for the support of the government, is entitled to a direct share in such gov- eminent. Therefore, "RESo~vi~a, That won~en are entitled to the right of suffrage, and to he considered eligible to office; and that every party which claims to represent the humanity, the civilization, and the prQgress of the age, is bound to niake it an important. object of legislative enactment to remove the political disabilities, under which our un~ equal laws have so long oppressed her. It is further "RESOLVED. That the statute which still obtains, in some of the States of this, Confederacy, limiting the widow's. interest in the property of the deceased hus- band to the rents and profits. of one.third of such pos. & x page: 84-85[View Page 84-85] 84 ~ORA WILMOT. sessions, is oppressive and unjust in the extreme, and is a stigma on the good sense and generosity. of an intelli- gent community, and ought no longer to be tolerated or suffered by any people. Therefore, "RESOLVED1 That according to the sense of this meet- ing, the wife. should have (at the death of her husband) of right, in fee simple, the one-half of all ~unembar- rassed property or funds in his hands at the time of his death, his will, notwithstanding, to the contrary. "RESOLVED, That it is' not only woman's duty, but her privilege also, to stand side by side with man in every effort he may be called on to make for the amelioration of the condition of society, or in the great struggles for reform of the present day possessing with him equal privileges to battle for the glorious cause of human phi- lanthropy and tiuth." There were several more unimportant' resolutions which our reporter did not get, but the journals of the day have preserved them no doubt, but as they are un- important to our present purpose, we will not go in search ~of them, but leave the journalizing readers to gather as they may feel disposed. It was then moved and seconded that the resolutions should be adopted severally as they c~une in order, which would give an opportunity for discussion on each several resolution as it was brought up for adoption. The first resolution being rea~l, free discussion was invited, and'invitation given to all present to take part. Nora could:uot help admiring the grave dignity with which the President arose and presented the business of the committee to the Convention. She was tall, full chested, and rather largely proportioned, with a mild, benign expression of intelligence and dignity, set off by the peculiarly unique dress of the Society of Friends, that, Susie says, set upon her with such an easy grace that she was more than half persuaded to be a convert to her mode of dress herself. She thinks the plain, un- pretending cap, with the neatly fitting drab dress of richest stuft; and the rich shawl of costliest crape from China, but so scrupulously plain it had neither fringe nor order, folded over the shoulders with such an easy grace, without a chance wrinkle, it was charming all but the bonnet. Susie thinks she can never be brought to admire such a hideous looking bonnet, even if the IPresidentess of the Woman's IRights Convention does wear one because there is nothing tasty, or graceful, or eVen comely, or convenient in the appearance of them; she really does think such a thing would look horrible on a young face like hers, without the least chan~~e to set off the front with. flowers that she can see; and Susie is such a natural admirer of flowers, because they are 50 much like nature in her very best moods, when she dons her holiday costume and appears injier very best appearance and colors. 1~ut there seemed some hesitancy on the part of speakers to commence, when a gentleman arose in the centre of the audience, who was recognized as a Mr. Sawyer, from the little village of B..-.----.-~---, an attorney, and an aspirant to office of several years standing, and a bachelor somewhere on the shady side of thirty. lie wa.s much embarrassed, hesitated, stammered, turned red, THE CONVENTION. 85 85 84 page: 86-87[View Page 86-87] ) 88 ~0I~A WILMOT. wite and 'blue, as the 'girls said, in rapid succession, looked first at 'the ladies' side and then at the floor, cleared his throat, took a drink of water, and then found courage to say: "Mrs. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: I am sorry, sincerely s~ to"' witness so much' hesitancy on the part of speakers to rally to the support~'of the great and important questions now before this Convention.' I have waited for other speakers because I was conscious there were those present who were capable of doing the subject justice, ample justice. Feeling my own inability, I hesitated, waited for others," he said, with a flourish and a low bow. "I would mi~h rather listen to some of you ladies than to stand here and speak myself, much rather, ladies. But I did feel it due to the subject, due to the audience, and especially due to the fair subjects expecting to be benefited by the very excellent' resolu- tions now before this meeting for consideration, that something be said. Even though the little rivulet might not yield the same support to the mighty ocean that the sweeping river does, yet it may add its 'tiny support with ju&j~ as cheerful,' willing a. mind. "Mrs. President, I am sentimentally' in favor of this resolution, consciously fn its favor, yes, heart and soul in its favor - and I am proud to stand in its support, because I believe by nature woman has the same polit[ cal rights that man has..-. a~ right to vote, a right to 'hold office, and a right to make and administer laws'; these sh~ has as a matter of right. The strong hand and' the great head of man keep her down, nothing more, in our THE OONVZNTION. 8'r boasted land of freedom and equality, where all men~are said to be born free. In America woman has no politi- cal rights is not a citizen in full, for she has no voice in making or administering the laws, none in electing the rulers or administrators thereof; she can hold no office ~-cannot even be a committee of a primary school, or'~ overseer of the poor, though her heart be ever so tenderly alive to the claims of suffering humanity, and her great, charitable heart swelling away down in its very depths with a gush of genuine sympathies for the sufferings of the poor and afflicted. But it wouldn't do to make woman an overseer of the poor, that would be elevating woman to office - enough to shock the nerves of half the office-seekers in Christendom~; besides, it would certainly be very unfeminine t6 see her who was last at the Cross and fitst at the Sepulchre, hunting up the poor and needy sons and daughters of affliction and administering to their necessities according to law. But any man 'with conscience enough to keep out of jail, mind enough to escape the poorhouse, and body enough to drop his ballot in the box, he is a voter; he may have no character, even no money, that is no matter, he is male he is a lord of 'creation; he 'may be a sons of 'Erin, and a fresh import at 'that.-..perhaps a devotee of the Pope's Holiness;~ no matter, he too can have 'a ~oice~in the government, can cast in his ballot; but the noblest woman has no voice in the state men make laws disposing of her Property, her:person,~her children, still ~he must bear it all with humble patience. "But, ladies, Viewing 'the subject as a matter of pure right;' and pure science, I know' no reason why woman page: 88-89[View Page 88-89] 88 NORA WILMOT. should not be a voter, or an office-holder, or make and administer laws. I do not see how I can shut myself into political privileges and shut woman out, and do both in the name of inalienable right, for I certainly think every woman has a natural right to have her property represented in the general representation of property, and her person represented in the general representa- tion of persons. I know very well that men speak loftily and boastingly, and say women cannot manage the great affairs of a nation? Perhaps not. Govern- ment is political economy- national house-keeping. Does any respectable, sensible woman keep house~ half so badly as the government of the United States is kept? With so much bribery, so much confusion and corruption, so much quarreling in the domestic councils? I think not; for if such could be found her sex would be passing very severe strictures upon her. I have been not a little sur- prised, and indignantly so, too, that here, in the boasted land of universal freedom in the elective franchise, where it is said that there is no class of persons except crimi- nals and paupers who do not exercise the elective fran- chise, woman should be entirely excluded, not even re- cogniz~d as a 'class of persons;' they ~axe fairly dropped from the human race; for not to name her is in a dem- ocratic government to ignore her existence, treat her as a mere nonentity. '~Indeed, some of the most eminent European states- men and thinkers of the last century have argued against the doctrine of universal suffrage on the ground that it must, if consistently established, include women also. A celebrated French writer has said: 'To see one-half f I THR CONVENTION. of the human race excluded from~ all participation in government is apolitical phenomena which, on abstract principles, it is impossible to explain.' And yet here, where ~done the experiment of democracy is claimed to have been tried here, too, where all our institutions must stand or fall by their conformity to the great idea of equal rights.-.here where, moreover, politics are ex- istence, and exclusion from politics seems like exclusion from existence - but, even here, the~ fairest portion of society is strenuously excluded even from the most tri- fling participation, or voice, in the government; she is even watched with a very jealous eye, lest she overstep the bounds prescribed for her particular sphere of ac- tion. An English writer of some considerable preten- sions has summed the whole idea up, and embodied it in a single couplet where he says ~ 'Millions of throats will bawl for civil rights; No woman named!' "But, then, we Americans are so very polite to wo- men, and esteem the sex with such a wondrous gab lantry, almost entirely remarkable in our truly national chivalry; but it will take a good many bows and deli- cate homages to atone for this unexpected result of free institutions. With an almost sincere desire and awk- ward impulse of compensation, we attempt to atone for our fraud by excessive courtesies; withholding rights, we substitute favors.-.we rob woman of her claim to the soil she stands upon, and then, very courteously, beg leaye to offer her a chair as a recompense. "But, ladies, I consider th~ whole opposition to wo- 4* I IL page: 90-91[View Page 90-91] TRI~1 OONV~T[Q&. 91 mo~A WILMOT. man's eqnai rights and privileges, as only a relic of bar. barsim, handed down from the dark ages, when might gave right; when the husband treated his wife as he did his slate; (and I think it a very great pity they were allowed to have any;) but now, in the broad glare of the light of the nineteenth century, when we boast of our enlightened institutions, it were a very great stigma on our boasting if we do not endeavor to make amends in some degree for former injustice and detractions, "But, we are told, by woman's opposess' that she is not capable in intellect for all these things; the Creator has not endowed her with a talent for public stations; she is only fitted for private duties. But it is only a jealous want of liberality, or an ignorance of her inhe.- rent capabilities. Take woman's clear judging insight into character, added to the quick tact of her sex, once make it her interest to develop and cultivate her political talent, and bring her best energies, as man does, to bear on such subjects, and very many will very far transcend the other sex in several points of view. She possesses brilliance, wit, humor, eloquence, native adroit. ness, and alniost boundless ambition, in the brighter de- partments of mind; and, then, she has strength of mind, depth of reason, and acuteness of understanding, with & very clear perception of natural circumstances. "There are women who are the equals in intellect of any man who ever lived; and, comparing ordinary wo- 'men with ordinary men, the varied though petty details '~which compose the occupation ~of women, call forth as much of mental' ability as the uniform routine of the pursuits that are the habitual occupation of a large ma- jority ~f men. it is from ~nothing in the faculties them- selves, but from th~ pefty subjects and interests on which alone they are exercised, that the companionship of women, such as the preseut circumsta~es mahe them, so often exercise a dissolvent infllueuce on high I~culties in men. It is not, then; for want of natural faculties or abilities, but only for want of proper objects of inter. est to call forth these fa cities; something ~m which to bend the whole strength of her energies and to call into exercise new talents, now lying entirely dormant for the mere want of pursuit. Once give woman an open field for the full exercise of her energetic, active mind, and the world will be astonished with the wondrous results. "But some of our opponanteadmit, freely, the entire equality of mental furnishing, but fty o~ the handle on the subject of utility or expediency. They are dread~ fully afraid of tarnishing the extreme purity of woman's moral faculties; of lowering 'the standard of her finer feelings, those ethereal qualifications which'~render her an object of adoration, 'the seusilAlities and gentle affec- tions of her pure woman's nature, by a contact with the ruder phases of man's coarser nature, as it is to be met within the arena of public life. That is, ladies, they do you the credit of supposing you are very pure, and good, an4 gentle, i~nd simple; pure as a snow flake, good as the first Sw4ay in lent, gex~tle as a &mnnuer rivulet, and simple as a child of:nuture; hut with not sufficient strength of moral principle to offer any resistance to outward eireumstances......pur~ as long as there are no resistant power of evil, and good, when, like the Moe. hammedan with his wives, she is shut out from all exter. I page: 92-93[View Page 92-93] THJ~ U0NV1~NTi0~. nal circumstances and influences. But I do her the credit of having lull and entire faith that she can min- 'gle with the world just as it is, and discharge all the duties that might be incumbent upon her, and take erery~ character just as she meets; give th~ good their full' meed of praise, and pase' by the bad withoutut con- tamination or soil, without so much as offeringg the clear stream of her gentle nature to be ~u~died or ruf- fled by the contact. He did not~ believe her angel na- ture'.-half creature, half divine-was in~so much dan- ger of contamination. He was of the opinion she would choose the good and cast the bad away; and he anticipated great results from woman's influence on man's ruder nature. There was no gentleman but what stood in awe of a lady of refined delicacy; they most certainly wonld have a gentle, refining influence on public assemblies. "The speaker was anxious, extremely anxious, to see the day arrive when Mrs. Smith, or Mrs. Jones; or Mrs. Brown, should be 'heard in the Senate Chamber, or he would bet- proud to number among his own.sup- porters, for some office in the gift of the people, a' long list of his lady friends; he should feel flattered by such support. "In conclusion, he would. like to hear the opinions, of some or all of these ladies on this resolution. He thought they might be expected to feel. a very deep in- terest in this whole subject; but he did so wish he had the eloquence of a Cicero or Demosthenes;. he never did.so wish to be eloquent as when he attended these meetings.. But, what few remarks he had 'made, were 98 the clear, honest convictions of a heart which beat every chord in unison with the cause of woman's rights." 'Our bachelor friend having delivered himself, as Susie Grey said, of all his fund of extra knowledge, and a good deal more, sat down, evidently well pLeased with his effort, judging from the air with which lie adjusted his collar; apparently fancying that he had made quite an impression, at least in the marriageable portion of the 18 dies' department. The next speaker was a little, flutterin~, fidgel4ng thhg, with a little demure bunch of illusion ribbons, feathers, and French flowers, hanging on the back of the head, short clothes and gaiter boots; with a shrill, ~queaking~ voice, only a little imperative. She seemed to rise with a considerable degree, of trepidation, but with a very proper artistic courtesy. She said "Mrs. President, Ladies, and Gentlemen; It is difficult to Oxpress the~ gratitude I feel to the friends who have expressedL so deep an interest in our behalf, expressed in the act of calling out this expression of the mind of the people; and I feel greatly 'encouraged by the large numbers I see assembled here* to-day to~ gather, from their homes in widely differing sections of the country, for the purpose of discussing, in calm, quiet unanimity, a subject which is ere long, when it is once come to be understood, destined to enlist some of the best minds and talent in our whole country." Then the little speaker went off in a very animated strain t~ say how she did regret, and ~he believed she had the sympathy of many other very intelligent minds,' I I 92 eNQRA WILMOT. ( page: 94-95[View Page 94-95] 4 NoaA~ W1bMO~. that this. subject h~l been so long permitted to sI~mI)er and sleep~ ~he believed it might have had a strong bearing on the cause of human freedom at large.. She thought the female character had long enough occupied a subordinate station; but she was constrained to 'be- lie that the other sex were just as anxious to see wo- men exercising their rights as she was to enjoy them.. Then she said a great deal, in a very whining voice, about poor down-trodden woman, and about the ex- treme gallantry of gentlemen advocating their cause, (until $usie said she was real mad about her making out women such mere dependents, as if it were a mer- itorious act, of pure charity, for a gentleman to say any- thing in her behalf; she had a grand notion to get up and answer her herself;) and, then she talked very flu- ently about ladies filling offices with so much dignity and propriety-filling the ~9pits of churches, their voicLes, clear and silvery, circling up, up, to the domes of the edifice, and then sweeping down the broad aisjes in eloquent appeals.. ~he fancied woman's voice would yet be hoard re8ounding on the fio~r of Congress, or she would be seex~ filling the gubenu4oriai chair of some of these states, o~, it might be, gracing the white honse.. Why n~t~ pi~ovi4ed the disabilities were taken away that surrounded her at present, and she were made eligible to such o~ces? $he said-and the little ~igure seemed to dilate with the force of her own eJe~ gance-remen~ber, woman wa~ n~ot taken from the head to rule, nor from the feet to be ruled, but she was taken froni the side to stand by man's side, as an equal in all thiiigs. TuB OONVBNTION. in conclnsi~n~she did sincerely hope those opinions would yet universally prevail. Many other speakers, both male and female, delivered themselves of sentiments very similar to what had al- ready been said. Several gentlemen made rout to gaa off quite an amount of extra gallantry;. making out, in the Lnost eloquent manner, th~t females are every whit their equals in. point of talent, judgment, energy, and all that, but are vastly man's superior in the world of sensation and sentiment; but the speaking was all on one side of the subject, there seemed to be no opposi- tion. The resolution finally passed almost by ~inani~ mous consent. The second resolution was considered as so intimately connected with the first, that the arguments used in sup-. port of the fir~t had, with almost every speaker, run into a support of the second also; and it was passed also with scarce a dissenting voice. But the third resolution called up a different set ef Speakers; many gentlemen of intellect and cleai~ log- ical thought, of appreciation and penetration, capable of comprehending the import and bearing of any rela- tive subject that might be presented for theirs considers- tion and discussion, appeared as advocates for the res- olution. They all believed a perfect and entire equality of interests should exist between the parties ii' the mar- riage relation; and that the wife should have an equal- ity of property interest, in fee simple, disposable with- out the consent or operation of the husband-.-her's withQut his ability to give, or dispose of by will or oth- erwise.' Several speakers thought that strict justice de- manded this change in the legal descent of property. --I page: 96-97[View Page 96-97] N0R4 WILM0T. But, at this interesting point in the discussion, our party were under the very disagreeable necessity of leaving, as the time had arrived for the train to leave. "And how did you like the doings of the convention,. Miss Wilmot?" asked Rayburn. "Oh, I think there ~was a vast deal of theory that I don't believe will be reducedd to practice very soon; and after all that has been said on the subject, I don't think the gentlemen aspirants to office need be at all jealous of lady aspirants very soon.'7 "Susie says she. intends to cast her first vote (when she gets one for that would..be-eloquent gentleman with the Roman nose.,, Dr~. Wilbeir said he intended, to vote for the maiden. lady that talked about female eloquence and the ga[ lantry of the gentlemen. "Oh, yes, you mean little silky," said Lillie Mason~ "Exactly so, that is just the idea," and, they all agreed to the title. "How did you like my Lord Sawyer, girls?" said Morley. "Oh, pretty well," said Miss Sallie Martin, "only we thought he was trying to electioneer us in anticipation." But here we are at the railroad station. CHAPTER VII. THE EXPERIMENT. The morning rose bright and clear, only a filmy haze was just now gathering, that threatened to obscure its clearness, and gave to Nature's surroundings a slight lAnge of melancholy sadness, inclining pensive minds to a little serious reflection; just the beginI~ing for 6ne of those dreamy day~ when we feel like retrospecting the past. Nora had risen whIle t'he stars were yet visi- ble; for she had always liked to observe the starlight going out gradually in' the morning twilight; and the day stealing in apace. First, we see the dim outlines of distant objects4' then 'they"grow.ffiore' distinct, marked on the blue,~ ethereal s4, ~ntil the btoad glare of the god of day shows Nature in all her gorgeoits colotlri~ of beauty. Nora was leaning on 'the railing of the balcony washing the receding stars, as they sank one by oie and were lost to 'vi~w, swallbwed up by the briglite~' effulgence of light, thinking of the time whi3n these same stars sang together, and listening t~ the gush of Nature's music;' so low: and musically si~eet. A's she listened thus; she inwardly exclairn~ed: "What & musician the wind 'is-how it tries to 'make 'musie'~ut of everything in' nature; 'and what low, niourriful 'ixiusic it can make, as it waves and bends the giant 'trees, mak.. * ing th'e~n sing all kinds of anthems; either grave ~r ga~ ~ how it sighs 'around the corrfersa~1d ~eepsdown the broad streets, or peeps hit~ ~onie ~Ad' d~ited1 d*ellihg, 5 page: 98-99[View Page 98-99] 98 NORA WILMOT. THE EXERXME]~IT. and flaps through the old deserted rooms, or sways the old casement, in such a mournful lullaby! And, too, what harmony there is in Nature; f~ her notes harmo- nize, and produce no discord 1" As Nora stands there, looking eagerly up, her figure standing out in bold relief against the eastern sky,~ she seemed a very picture. But, while Nora is standing there, almost entranced, another object is pictured on the scene. Running, almost flying, down the street, and tripping light as a gazelle up the broad steps of the balcony, comes a slight little figure, hatless, coatless, with a rosy, dimpled face and bright curling hair. Nora turned as the little figure came up, looking so pleasingly in her facet He ~said in almost breathless haste: "Oh! Miss Wilmot, won't you come and see my mother? Oh! won't you come and see my poor mother? Won't you come, leddy ?" "And who is your mother, my little man "Oh, she's Irish Biddy, she is; she's Biddy Mahon- ing, ~she is; and I's Michael Mahoning, I is. Oh! leddy, she's nigh almost dead, she is; oh I won't you come quick, leddy?" "Where do you live, Michael ?" "In the shanty, we does; and my poor mother's all alone, only the baby, ant she'll die, I know she'll die." "Stay a moment," said Nora, "until I get my bon- net," and the little son of the Emerald Isle looked his gratitude through his~ tears. INora tapped lightly on Susie's door, and found ~her already up, and her toilet completed. She said, dropping lightly into an arm chair; 4 "Susie, there is a most interesting Irish boy in the~ balcony, who says his mother is. almost dead, and wants me to go and see her. I thought, per~ps, as it is so very fine a morning, you would like a walk, to give you an appetite for your breakfast." "Nora Wilmot, you are the most ridiculous girl I ever knew. Do you begin to suppose; because you have taken a fancy to turn Irish missionary, ~that k follows as a matter of course that Ii am to join in all your will.9'- the-wisp adventures? But, I presume, because I went to hunt up Mary Price, I am to be regularly installed into the Home Missionary department." "Oh, no, Susie; of course~ it is entirely optionary with yourself to go or not to go?'. "Well, in that case I think I shall option just not to go. Now, I fancy we would cut a braveiigtire, either of us, in an Irish shanty; wouldn't we, Nora ?'~ "But we ought' not to let a fellow-being suffer, Susie, if' we have the means in our power of relieving them." '"Well, why didn't they stay in their own country,' then? We didn't send for them, that I know of." "But, you know, in their own country they are only worse off than they are here." "Well, judging from that sort of reasoning, I presuni4 you will soon be going off on a missionary excursion to her Majesty's. dominions, to hunt up suffering humanity there." '.' Don't know but' what I might be worse employed. But we have invited 'them to our shores, and when they come, they are a part~ of our citizens; and although I believe they are a decided~ disadvantage to em' country page: 100-101[View Page 100-101] 100 . 'NOUA -WILMOT. TUE 'EXPZRIM~1IT. 101 at large, with their. ad ene&toAhe Pope, theirignor- ance of our laws and. institutions~; ahd their ~lmost uni- versal propensity to whisky-drinking, yet, with all this, humanity forbids we shall let them suWer and die alone.?? "Well, 1 think I shall decline going this morning, at all events." Nora hurried on hers ~bonnet, and' ran, with a quk~k step, to the~balcony,-where she fou~id4he Iitt1~ curly-head impatiently waiting. She motioned him to 2go, hllow- ing herself, with a brisk step.. ~She soon found herself at the door of ~ji~ shanty, as her little friend ~ex~ pressed it. .- Oh I mither'sAn here, ~she is,'~~ and~the little fellow ran eagerly in. "Oh!"~ mither,' mother! I got somebody to- help'-yese~ I'vei ;g6t I soxn~body to help ye~eA'~ oh! mother, the Ieddy here~ishb. is ; -. oh~t can't you. open~ yere eyes ant see the kd&y? 'Twill do you;~ood, miter, I know 'twill d~ y~ -goodA~ ' ~' . Kora followed the little chattering creature. into the corner of the low room1 if a :room it might be called, where lay on a rude bed. & woman -apparently not 'XUQra than thirty .. years ;of age% showing traces of former beauty, but now evidently laboring under a high grade of fever, or i.~f- ~souue highly exciting nerVous attack; her cheeks.. were almost purple, and the veins of her forehead seenie& swollen almost to 'bursting.. She. did not seem to notice the entrance of either her child~ or Nora, :but.threwlier arms wildly over her head, mutter- ing wildly, ".Oh, won1t he come, never; oh! I'i~ so dry,~ oh I~ so dry; I oh, won't somebody give me a wea throp of think; oh! just ai weai throp' 7" A 4 k *The little hoy~ ran to the shelf, and taking down a bottle with' some kind~ ~f 'alcoholic drink 'in it, c~mL menaced pouring some b~to. a broken 'tumbler.. But Nora, touching his' arm,, said, in a low whisper ":Don't; 'oh, don't" "Oh, mother wants some, she does." "But she must:not'hav~ one drop,-mylittle man;; not one dr&p.".. :,. ,. "Oh, feather gives it to her, he does-ant drinks lit himself, ':and gives it to me and t~ie baby, he ~does." .~ But don't you :knoiw. it will. ~make you'4runk, Mi- chael?" .~ '. ' "Oh, it don't make m~ and the baby drunk, but it makes feather aud':uilther drunk.; and 'then they fights; and this morning~ feather hit mither on 'hers -head with th0 bucket, he did;; a'ntthin'hEr.got'~siek, her-did." "'Then, Michael, 'do~i't' ~ow' ever drink another dtop, as~ ion~ as you live; if it makes~: people- flight and' made your father hit your mother, so she got sick." - N-ora~gQt up ~ind weiit. quietlyto theshelf.; taking down th~'Iyottle~ she went to the do&r,-poured outthe entire coiP tents, and then going to a 'well.' that stood near, -she re~ filled the' bottle -with pure' cold water from the fount of Nature'si ~wn sparkling beverage. 'Little~ Michael looked on with' a look- of- amazed surpri~e. f' Oh I feather will he so mad;" he~aid, evidently feel- ing surprised and concerned; "he'll. be afther-sayin' it's jist~ either's '.di4: it,- so -he will.; I ~know~~ 'he~ will .~. ant he 'be after beating hers, that- he will." "No, -no," said N~a:; " Michael, you 'must tell him s page: 102-103[View Page 102-103] THE EXPERIMENT. 103 102 NQI~A ~WILM0T4 "iLhit it arn'thim thpt will he after belaying me; ibe'l1 jiat be aftt(er saying,'IThW ~ yo~i spalpeen, it's been yourself that's been drinking 'rip the last wea throp of brandy a ffian has, bod luck~ till ye,, and thin ye've been learning the boy till lie for ye, and, it's a great mother ye'll be till the children." - "When will your father be at home, Michael? and I'll come round myself and tell him all ~bout it," said Nora. "Oh, yes, Miss led.dy, it's hem' too good of ye'sel oh I it's hem' too good, my leddy; but if ye only could come, it would save mother so; it's in the avenin', sure, he'll be home from his work." - * The sick woman rolled again uneasily upon her piP tow, and Nora going up to her, laid her hand soothing~ ly on her forehead; it was throbbing with a burning fever. The woman was startled by the touch. Looking up with a wild. stare, she said: "What is it ye's want~ ing here ?" "Only to do you some good," said Nora; "can't I do something for you ?" still leaning over her. "Are yoW~ery sick, nay good woman ?" "Oh, yes; can't I he after havin' a wea throp, can't I ?" Nyra got a cup of cold water, and held it to her fevered' lips. She swallowed it eagerly, and then said in & coaxing tone, "Oh, leddy, its a wea throp of brandy I'd be after havin'." "No, no, my good woman, 'twill only aggravate your fever, and make you worse; let me cool your temples with 'a litle water," and Nora, good Samaritan as she was, bathed her head and temples, and cooled her burning palms, until she lay quite c6niposed, and seemed hi.. dined to sleep. Nora watched beside her, cooling her fevered skin, until she uk ii4o a quiet slumber, and then stepped out to an -apothecary shop, to prQcure some soda and a portion of nitre. 'When she returned the invaljd still slept. Sitting down beside her, she waited until she awoke. When she awoke, Nora saw, with much delight, that she was ajinost entirely rational; but her fever seemed to be rising* again, and she 'again begged for "ji~t the wa'est throp of brandy, in some water." Nora said nothing, but going to the rude cup. board, mixed a portion of the soda, and gave it. to her instead. She looked almost daggers at her, but drank it in silence. Nora again sponged the fevered brow and hands, and applied a cooling draught to the head, and after preparing the nitre that Michael might administer it, she set it in a'-eonspicuous place, telling the little feb low, when his mother awoke and as1~ed for a drink, to give her some of that. He said he would, because there was no brandy now to giye her. Nora inwardly rejoiced that the sick woman would at least be free from its influence one day. And, telling Michael to be a good boy, and stay with his mother, ~and that she would be back in the evening, she left that abode of poverty more strongly impressed with the beauty and consistency of a life of temperance and so- briety. When Nora reached -home, after her protracted visit, Susie had a perfect shower of questions-about how Doctress Wilmot found her patient? how many times the howly St. Pathrick was, invoked? if she page: 104-105[View Page 104-105] TUB ~XP]~RIMIINT. 105 104 called upon the' Ilowly Mither? and if she didn't think she had better go out ott the railroad track and seek more business, some' more es of suffering human~ Thy? Susie thinks if she "will only take the precan- lion to provide herself with a 'huge big bottle of the creature,, there might be a chance for some ~ery interesting cases." flut Nora ' only said, in her mild, cheerful way, that she 'h4'an engagement out for the evening, to visit 'another patient, in the same house. And she related at ~the dinner 'table, to her uncle, how she 'had 'disposed of the Irishman's "wea throp of brandy." ' Uncle Grey said that was an act' of very summary judgment; he woul4 pronounce 'that seizure and confis- cation, ending with total destruction Aunt Grey was one of the fearful, doubting ones, that didn't believe in 'female action, and didn't care about ac- tion of any kind. ' Her own householdd had hitherto re- mained unscathed by this malicious influence, and so she felt an indifference on the subject. She was, however, afraid Nora would get herself into difficulty with these Irish Catholics, for they have no restraining influence, but would as soon abuse a woman as a man, so she thinks Mr. Grey had better accompany Nora, as she has promised to go. "Oh, no," Nora' said; "she was not one bit afraid but she 'would get 'along nicely, and she is going to 'get the Irishman and his'wife both to sign the pledge of 'to- tal abstinence ~ if they don't look very 'sharp." "If you do," said Uncle Grey, "yon certainly shall be dubbed leader 'of the Temperance canse in these parts,. that's certainm But I ' was just thinking we might take an idea from this pouring out of the brandy, that might be of service 'in ridding neighborhoods of these perfect nuisances,' where these drinking creatures get their liquor. There is nb law to protect these low dogger~es, that are a perfect disgrace to any community. But there is a very strenuous law,, if it ~was~ only at- tended to, to prevent the sale of liquors in small quantities. Susie said that she was "of opinion that Cousin Nora was hard-pressed for business, to be searching round Irish~ shanties for liquor. She presumed' it wouldn't be a very congenial business for an intelligent young lady of refined taste.; but 'every one to their liking. Nora' wanted her to go along, but she didn't just choose to 'go; didn't fancy such an~ adventure; it was a little too Quixotic for even her." "Well, Susie," said "her father, "if you don't choose to engage in any act of humanity yourself you should not find fault with those who do not think just as you do on~the subject; only bid them God-speed." "I'm not surprised in the least, father, that you take sides with Nora ; you always do." "Are you jealous, my dear ?" Not in the least, sir~; r always allow every person to~ think of me just as they; like, but reserving the same privilege, without 'fear or favor." "All right, my girl, all right; I ad mire your spirit, at all events; guess it all came honestly;' don't know but what you are a little bit like your father, 'my girl," giving 'her a fond tap on the shonider, with a look o&" satisfied, affectionate admiration, and the happy father gave vent to such a free, heartfelt laugh. "But, Nora, page: 106-107[View Page 106-107] 106 NORA WILMOT. I very much fear you will find it a somewhat dUYerent business~dealing with the Irishman, and he in all likeli- hood drunk, from what it was getting along with the woman, and her sick and partially delirious, and the child." "Well, Uncle, I'll tell you my plan. If the man is drunk, I'll get along as quietly as I can, but I'll tell him honestly what became of the brandy. I'll just make the most plausible tale I can, by telling him I found his wife in a high fever, and was afraid the child would give her some of the brandy, and greatly aggra- vate the disease, which in fact is every word true; but still ii had a higher purpose, which, of course, would not do to tell a drunken Irishman. It would be too much like 'casting pearl before swine.' But if I find him any thing like sober, I think, indeed I am pretty certain, I'll find the woman better, and if they are both any thing like sober and moderate, I intend to say something on the subject of temperance. J3ut I don't think it will do to say much at first: I believe if there is any thing done with such characters, it must be by taking just the right course, and not by being at all harsh." "Nora, I don't want to discourage you in the least," said Uncle Grey, "but, I can assure you, I consider our foreign population as almost entirely hopeless on that point. I have' hope in almost any case where the sub- ject is native-born, but our German and Irish population, excepting a few very rare exceptions, are almost entirely hopeless. Why, do you know that one of the leading attractions, possessed by our country, to the emigrating T~E EXPERIMENT. 10'~ Irishman, is the fact that w1ii~ky is plenty and cheap? Tobacco for the German and whisky for the Irishman seem almost indispensable necessities to existence. And not the least of the evil is that the women axe almost as much addicted to a fondness for 'a wea throp' as the men are, and a debased Woman is a far more formidable character than a debased man is; because society and its organizations require more purity in females than males. And it is essential for its well-being that it shall be so, because to females and their influence is mainly to be entrusted the training of the infant mind." ~" Well, Uncle, if I cannot succeed in reaching this man's case, if I only succeed with his wife, 'twill not be labor lost, at all events, for I seemed to have been provi- den~ially led there by the hand of little Michael." Aunt Grey thinks an Irish shanty a most deplorable place for a young lady. ~' Why, Nora, I've heard it said they are almost' always alive with vermin, of the most revolting kind; and besides, Nora, you are in danger of meeting a troop of swearing, drunken creatures every time you go there. So I do hope you will not make another engagement of the same nature. If you want to labor in the cause of temperance, there is certainly a superabundance of business among our own native popu- lation." "Oh, yes," Uncle Grey said, "there is plenty of business in that quarter, and no kind of stint. There is that Oharley Price, that you girls seem so much interested in; I have been told that he has gone to drinking worse than ever; and has actually been known to al5use .his family in more than one instance." "Yes," Susie said, "she just expected that; she had page: 108-109[View Page 108-109] 108 NORA WILMOT. THI~ EXPERIMENT. 1O1~ just that much confidence in that Creature, and~ hot ~&ne I$it more. Nora thought, because he koked sorry and ashamed, when we were there, that he wouldn't do ~o any more; but I didn't think so. I couldn't bear him, or any other man-AL don't ca;re what they. have been-~-. that would treat their family in any such manner. In- deed, I don't think they ought to be countenanced in society by people of~ good sense and good. feeling. And Ma~y Price is such ai pretty, nice little thing; and she tried so hard to hide everything on Chancy.. And then they have two such beautiful little children. They had such a comfortable home, with everything in. such fine style.-4and' it is said Chancy lost Wall gambling." * "Why, my dear, I begin to think we are in a fair way to turn out tWo missionaries in thecause of: temperance instead of one."~ : . ~. . "WCII,, missionary or no mission~ryI cau'tiheipfeel- ing an interest in that family, they~are so different from the common mass of drunkards' families." Nora soon arrayed, herself for hei'~ evening w~lk, but she~felt. some trepidation in .setting out, and not very confident of success-but her word was orit, ~nd she felt that she must:go.§ When she. reached;: the: rude shanty, Michael met her in the yard. .. . . "Oh ! bliss you, good leddy! my mother's any some better, she's any some .betther~ what she is. ~But she's been botherin' 'bout the brandy's, . what she has. She says feather'l be after batin' hers, what he will." * "Has your father been home yet, Michael ?" "No, leddy, but mother says he'll be at home soons, what .he will, ant sure mother's afraid; what she is." "~.Oh,: she need not be afraid; I will stay tilL . your father comes," and N~r~: passed: into the shanty, Whei~e she found the woman sitting up, but looking very pale and weak. "How are you, my good woman?" asked Kora. "Oh, much better, thank ye, much better. Will ye hate a sate, will ye ?" . Nora~se~ted herself; as she was. bid, and then looked round ow the apartrhent.:. It was one of those rude board ~tri~ctures we ~ee scattered along the line of the public w~niks~1n every part of the country, scarcely high enough for a man to stand erect in, with a low doorway th&t required a considerable stoop to enter, and possess- ing .n& possible menns 5f ve~itilation: except the open door and the cracks and seams between the. boards, that served to ~dmi1t tlXe~irnrm~r'sbreeze as well asthe win- ter's storm. But, with her closest scrutiny, she could riot di~&wer one arti~le:. of either comfort or con- vonience. The apology for a bed was only a coarse mattress, covering a bed~; of straw, supported on some pble~, niade fast Th the wall of the house ~ while a beard, elected on pegs; formed the. only cupboard, With a few scant artides of cupboard ware, of the coarsest order,~t~o ~o1~ three ~ri~kety chairs, .and a box that seemed to answer the purpose 6f a t~tble, completed the visible furnittireof ~th~ e~tablisment. Nei~a ~sked the w6mau "how long she had been in America?" . .. She ~aidi "three years, oming next Miehmaelmas, sihee sh~ was been bidding adieu to the auld countryy" "Atid do you like to live here as~ well as you did in the old country ?" page: 110-111[View Page 110-111] 11~ NORA WILMOT. "Oh, no, honey! not if we could be getting along as well in the old country. Oh !" she said, "Ireland was a fine country, but faith and there were too many peoples in it; thejr were too thick behalf; they couldn't be getting along; couldn't be getting enough till eat and something till live on. They couldn't be getting' any- thing till do, there was no work till be had. But in this country they could get plenty till do, if they would only be after doin' of it; ant plenty till eat and live on too; but' somehow, they couldn't be livin' likc the Amiricaus did, and she would like to be after known' of~ the rason, she would." Nora thought here, now, was a good place to throw in a suggestion. She said, "My good woman, perhaps you don't manage well ?W "Oh, faith, ant we're after doin' the best we're knownss, what we are." ~' Don't you buy some things you cou1d do without?" "Faith, ant mebby we do; I've been a tellin' of my old man, afore now, when we was taikin' about not getting' along, ~might be 'ant we spent too much for rum, seem' we wasn't getting' along ~like others, for 1 we works hard, me old man and myself, too. And F was just thinkin' whiles you come, I does feel so weak and bad, but me head. is falin' very clear, it is." "Well, now, Madam, you have done. without rum a part of 'the day, and your head is feeling better; try if you can't do without all day to-morrow." But the conversation was here interrupted by the ar- rival of Andrew Mahoning, the good man of the house. He came blustering up to the door, but drew back sur- THE EXPERIMENT. 111 praised at seeing a. lady seated ~so composedly within his do~nicil. But Nora said "Good evening, sir," so kindly, he seemed re~issured, and, coming in, seated himself on one of the chairs. The man appeared-to be almost en- tirely sober, having no doubt reserved himself for the "wea throp" he expected to find when he came home, after his day's work was done. Poor Biddy was ill at ease, but Nora talked on very busy and very kindly, asking Andy a great many questions about the compara.. tive merits of Ireland and America, just as if that had been all her business in coming. But she could see Andy's stock of patience was getting well nigh ex- hausted; his eye would be wandering towards the shelf, especially that particular locality where the black bottle stood, and Nora felt secretly ~mused at the thought of its contents; but, as she sat facing the spot where the bottle stood, he would not take it down while she sat there. Nora saw that she had gained one advantage already, for it was quite evident that both the man and woman were anxious to put the best appearance fore- most. But she 'thought best to move her seat to give Andy an opportunity to find out the mistake in the con- tents of the bottle, for she wanted 'him t& know before she left, and she thought her visit had been sufficiently protracted. Andy walked to the cupboard and took down the bottle, Nora all the time pretending not to see him.: He poured out some of the contents into a brown mug and drank it hastily, as if afraid o(heing seen; poured out a little more and tasted it, then turned round and looked at Biddy, ~s much as to say, "You drank it ;" but Biddy page: 112-113[View Page 112-113] 11~ NORA WJLIXOT. l~~k~d up frightened at Norp~. But little Michael re* lievedthe whole embarrass~nentby jumping up, saying, "The leddy done it, she did; the leddy poured it out, she .did! 'Twasn't mother done it, 'deed wasn't'~ mother. iMither was so sick~" Noi~a ~thought it was time to join in, and not leave the courageous Ijttle fellow to bear the whole brunt unas- sisted. She said, "IV was not your wife that used the brandy, sir.'?' **. "Oh t it's no much matter, anyway,?' he said dryly, as jf jt came from the dry corner of his throat; "only I was falin'badly in my slQmach, and bethought a wee throp might be would bQ.a.helpin' me stomac~i; but it's no much matterr" - Nora said, apologetiQa~y,: ." I found your wife very sick indeed this morning, with a ~most alarming~ fever, and wasafr~id Mi~hael might, perhaps, inadvertently give her some~of th~ brandy, and tend to aggravate her fever, so I thought it~ best. to pour. it Qut and have it out of the way, an4~have~ no risk." But she thought all the time that Andy was~ secretly wishing she had~ not heen so very busy, for he well knew that Michael would not have dared done any such thing, and thou he wouldn't hav~ had to go to bed dry, as he seemed likely to under present arrangements. Nora thought she* would venture to~say a lit~1e more, as Andy seemed to take matters so very patiently. She. said: "Qh! Ikuew you would not care, so your wife was better." ,, "Oh I not a grot, honey, 80 she's well. I'm not carin' .&. grot." THE EXERIMEN~. 118 "I do assure you she was very sick when I came. I was fearful it was an attack of fever; but I gave her some soda and some nitre, and bathed her head well with cold water, and I found her much better this even- ing than I expected to see her But still I think it highly important that she shall be very particular about using anything stimulating; and she should be careful to keep very quiet for several days. And it might do her good to have a nice cup of tea, not too strong, with some nourishing diet. And I guess it will do you more good too, Andy, than, anything str~n.ger; won't it 7" "'Spect so," said Andy, a little dryly, as if it only came from the lips out, but as if the feelings didn't participate in the reply. "And then 'it will be so much better for your pocket." Nora said she would call again soon, and see how they were doing. Biddy said: "Oh! it would be so very kind, and she would be so glad to be a seem' her. She would be after tryin' to have the place a little cleaner whin the leddy would be a comm' agin." 5* ) page: 114-115[View Page 114-115] 114 NORA WILMOT. THE WEDI)LNG rUEPARATIONS. 115 CHAPTER VIII. THE WEDDING PREPARATIONS. "There is a fate that rules our destinies, Rough hew them as we will." The eventful week had at length rolled round that was appointed to make Susie Grey a bride. Just as Susie said, the longest day will have an end. With her characteristic impatience, she said it would be enough to try the patience of Job to have to wait for every- thing as she always had to do; if she was going to do anything, why, she always did want to do it, there was no kind of use in waiting. Susie says there is no kind Gf virtue in being too patient. True, she is not so very anxious to be married; doesn't, indeed, know that she shall be so very exquisitely happy; but, like all enthu- siastic temperaments, Susie likes a change, no matter what the nature of it is. But still, we think, there is some apology, if Susie does keep the whole house in an uproar, and disturb her father's quietude running here and flying yonder; it is only pet Susie, and nobody thinks anything of it; for they all know that it is already settled that AIf is to go to a distant part of the country, and her musical, ringing laugh will soon be missed from that happy household, and they all love to hear its bewitching melody now more than ever. As it is rather a privileged time at Uncle Grey's, we will take the privilege to ourselves of a peep into this quiet, cosy little boudoir, where we find Cousin Nora iete-a-tete with the bride elect over the important mat- ter of the bridal arrangements. "Well, Nora, ma says as it is the first child she has ever had married, and the only daughter except you, and you are going to be an old maid, you kr~ow, she will allow me to have all the arrangements. just to suit my own fancy. Now, what I came to consult you about is this: I want to know which you think will be the nicest, to have a grand party in the evening~ be married then, of course,-.--and set off on the cars in the morning for a bridal tou4~ or be married in the morning, with a few very select friends into breakfast, make the- trip just the same, and have a grand reception party on. our return? And then AIf has proposed either one of two routes: to take the northern route by the Lakes and the Falls, and a week at Newport, if we wish, and so on to Washington, or any other sights in that direc- tion which, you know, is the most common, every person goes that way; or to take the southern route through Virginia and over the Blue Ridge. Alf, you know, is a Virginian, and perhaps has a preference." "Will there he anything worth a visit in that direc~ tion?" "Oh, yes; AIf says we could spend a whole season in the Ridge alone most agreeably. First, there are an innumerable amount of watering places: the warm springs, the hot springs, and the red, white, and blue sulphur springs; all, especially the two last, fitted up in superb style, for the accommodation of either inva- lids or pleasure seekers." "If you take that route, which class do you think our party had better be booked in, Susie?" page: 116-117[View Page 116-117] 116 - NORA ,WILMOT. "Oh, Aif and me with the last class, of course; our afflictions will all be terminated then, and I presume will be about happy enough without being put in even with that class; but:.you and Fred will have to belong to the first class as invalids, suffering under a particular malady, no matter what, but may premise that you won't be in much need of a physbzian. Well, that is enough nonsense-now let us attend to business awhile. In the same state there is the Natural Bridge." "I have always wished to visit that," said Nora. "Well, we'll go that way. then, won't we, Nora? It will be something so~ entirely. new. I shouldn't be at all surprised if it -creates quite a sensation in the fashion- able world.~ I never did like to do just like everybody else does. I like to strike out a new path once in a while, ,just for my own feet to tread in, even if nobody else does tread in it. Well, what say you, Nora? You must have some say, as you are to be one of the party. Will we go north or south?" "If I am to have a vote, though I don't wish to be considered a~ having any slavery proclivities, I think I shall vote for the south all the time in that choice." "Well, I think so too, and so the matter of the route is settled ~ buV we haven't settled the time for the big party yet. The whole matter with me is whieh will be the most unique, the most different from the common order? I want to have a good time; perhaps it will be the last." "What made you say that, Susie." "Oh, I just happened to think it, and, you know, we don't any of us know anything about what the uncertain future will be reading for us." THE WEI)D1NG PREPARATIONS. ( 1 17 "Do you want my opinion, Susie? (Susie had beeii sitting sometime patting her foot, looking very abstract- edly, and humming, 'Oh, for a home in a-cottage.') I think the breakfast party and reception both the nicest and the most unique." "Well," said Susie, starting up, "think I'll adopt it; don't we settle business in diplomatic style, now don't we? Then if we adopt the morning rule, we must have bridal dresses for the morning, traveling~ dresses, and party dresses; but the party dresses can be got up while we are gone. Then we will have orange flowers for the bridal morning and for the party. too." And the little head seemed only bent on the important mat.. ter of having all things in magnificent - order for the grand event, that ought to be important in more than external fixtures and arrangements; but still humming~ gay tune, unmindful that the world has aught but "bright smiles and sunny weather." Before Nora had time t~6 bring her mind to bear on the subject of dress, Susie had tripped oft; singing on a high key, "Oh, this is a fair world to me," and making the wide halls resound with her clear-, happy voice~ Happy will it be if she can always be as light hearted; a~4 Nora sighed as she thought of the uncertainty of all human calen- lations~ for it had seemed to her, despi ity she could bring to bear on the subje o all to her aid in the matter, that there was ai~ ~ strict moral rectitude about Alfred iRayburn, that did not augur well for his future prospects; but perhaps it grew out of the fact that Susie had told her that he oci~ casionally indulged in ~a. social glass in a gentlemanly A f page: 118-119[View Page 118-119] 118 / NOUA WILM0T. way; but she thought it best to hold her peace and for- bear any advice, for, as she said, Uncle Grey has a far better knowledge of the world than she has, and a bet- ter and more intimate knowledge of the probabilities of Uayburn's future prospects. And they all had, except Uncle Grey, (and he only said Nora had a right to act as her own judgment dictates, for he considers her fully competent to form her own opinions,) so entirely op- posed her course with regard to Morley, and treated her objection as ~so entirely absurd -calling her Lucy Stone, old fogy, too particular, and too fastidious. Nora felt just then, amiable as her nature was, she felt just then as if she might be excused, provided every thing didn't end well, in saying, "I told you so." And Nora sat there watching the slant rays of the evening sun as they shot back golden arrows of light and beauty, illuminating the apartment with a borrowed brilliance not its, own, aud medallioning the western clouds with coruscations of purplecriinson and bright burnished gold, so like the hopes that earth gives, bright but so tran- sitory. As we ~iave taken our readers into confidence tQ make ~Vh ~oq~j~ite explanations with regard to our lady ~i0~%~; ~r1iaps 'twill be considered no very great tres~ fa look into another sanctum; where, by s ~e coincidence or circumstance, we again find ~jiis friends, and they tete-a-tete on the very same subject we have just been listening to. "Well, I say, Fred, you must make your arrange- ments to be gone on this tour just as long as the girla propose staying; of course they have the say now, but TH~ WEDDfl~ ~?AUATT0Ns. 119 I make no calculation that things are always to be man- aged after the same fashion." "Oh! fie, my boy, it's too soon, 'tirely ioo soon, to think of making any kind of calculations on that sub- ject for the future; must certainly wait till the honey- moon is well over; but you don't even mean to insinuate that you would wish to govern your wife when you get one?" Well, sir, I don't intend that she shall govern me, that's flat." "No call for either, sir, not in the least ; you just govern yourself and allow her the same freedom of ac- tion and will, and there will be no cause for a clashing of interests." "Well, sir, as we are on that subject, I would like to hear your opinion of what would be done, provided some matter comes up in which both parties are equally interested and requiring a decision?" "Well, then, just settle it by each one being anxious to give up the point in dispute to the other, each mak~ ing their greatest happiness depend on making the other happy; and, my word for it, y a model but. a happy household" 4~ "Oh, what ~ theorized! or visi the character, won't it Morley? can find such a pink of perfection 6 the sun, my good fellow? I fancy w she will be at the, least half angelic, a pen or sybil, some creature of an ethereal mould, sent on purpose for some favored mortal." "Well, R~yburn, I'll tell you how I fancy I can find page: 120-121[View Page 120-121] 120 NO1~ ~W~MOT. THE W~DDIWG: PB4~PARATIONS. 121 jnst such an one. I'll find a woman of plain, practical, good sense, and that well cultivated; not merely the outside fixture of a prescribed term at -a fashionable boarding school, where the instruction "is all rubbed on the outside," as some of Mrs. Stowe's characters say, but where the head and heart, the understanding, and * the affections, by study, practically applied by observa- tion" "Yes, Morley, and when you find such women they are sure to be too masculine, too strong-minded, want- ing to be just like men, going spouting round the coun- try, in favor of making men like women and women like men; and I do hate such things~ I can't abide them. I want to see each sex fill just the sphere Prov- idence designed them to fill; but I admire an intelli- gent or even a learned woman, just as much as you do, sir, provided she is woman-like, knows her own sphere, and is willing to and content to keep it. But I am not one of your half fools that think just because woman's sphere is different from man's, that it follows, as a thing of course that her talents, or her sphere, or her capa- bilitie Va inferior to man's. Neither . do I oes not rule in church or state, be- te, and is not eligible to office, that station is a subordinate one, or that * Woman does rule, and that too ce is felt, in every ramification of socie- ty.- She governs at the reside; which, in my opin- ion, is the fountain-head of all government, civil, relig~ jous, or military, I believe I may soy. A very learned man has said, 'Give rn.e th9 training of the infant mind, the first ten years, and you may haye the govern- ing of the nation.' I don't often express. my whole opinions freely on this subject, because I don't believe ~iny opinions would be at all popular, and there is no particular call for an open expression of them. It is my honest conviction that the whole power of the gov- ernment that is worth calling by the name Qf power~ is nominally in the hands of women. I know there is a deal of trickery, and humbuggery, and dodging, that goes by the name of power or government- but when you come to search for it as a principle, a reality, an independent idea, a true source of action, why, sir, it isn't there; its only a name, a mere flash, an empty shadow, gained by him who can furnish the greatest amount of shining stuff to bury it with. But 'tis female influence that forms the public mind; sh~ trains the presidents, and governors, and senators, and rules in both church and state; and, you know, it i~ said, and I think with a degree of truth ioo, that 'just as the twig is bent the tree is inclined ;'. and divine orthodoxy says, 'train up a child in the way he should go, and when ~ie is old he will not depart from it.' I that throws a powerful responsible cause the training of the infant placed measurably in her hand&" "Now, I think, ~ayburnadd to euce that females exert over u even the most ambitious of the sex might ~e amply ~ isfied on the subject of influence and power~., -put I begin to think you a pretty liberal mindo4 fellow, after 120 ;121 page: 122-123[View Page 122-123] 122 " NORA WThMOT.' all ; .and Dot a bad judge of female character either. But; we are sadly neglecting our business." "I presume, Morley, you would have preferred that Susie would have made choice of some other' young lady as bridesmaid; although it is perfectly natural she should make choice of Nora, they having been brought up so entirely together, almost like sisters. "Why so, Rayburn?" "Oh,'Ithought you 'and Miss Nora were not on the best of terms." "All a mistake, sir-perf~t'good friends." "Why, Fred, I thought you told me she had jilted you?" "I 'did tell you 'she' had rejected. my suit, if that is what you call jilted; but' I did not' fall out with her on that account. I otdy admire her gobd sense, and moral courage, and her very commendable ~firmness, in carry- ing '6ut her principles."' V '' ' "Well, sir, I'll tell you just what I 'am prepared to ~een~cted. When the curtain ~ises on the next scene in The di~a ""I shall hold myself in' readiness to witness ~ny eform all the notOrious abuses if his that nobody kne* he was gtiilty of, Wilmot4~and lay all his laurels,~a~ t Miss Nora's feet, once niore t6 bt~ '-am any kind of a pr6phet2' ~' iI1~suirprised'if the off~ning'were ifr~de, hut 1~ willnotbe rejectecl when it i~ again made." ~ou~ak very ~nfidently, m~r man; presume you h~av~e ~dtarrdirrg of the rii~tter' sir '?" ' -~ "-Not at all, sir; only next time I intend to be wor- THE WWflXNG~' PkEPARATIONS. i2~ thy; and Miss Wilmot: has The discernment to &ppre~ date -it." "Well, Fred, J: admire your enthusiasm more than your spunk; but, all jokes aside, in plain common seiise, I tell you if a girl rejected me once, the first time might be set down as her fault, but the second time I would be willing to call mine. If she was the last girl left, I would live ai~d die in & state of single bless~ redness, before I would' condescend to go seeing for fa- vor of any girl. I tell you I want"'the anxiety to be about equal, don't want it all on my side, anyhow; not even if she was~asbea'ueft'ul asia Pen' 6i~ the ~Venus do Medicis..- tell' you, sir,: I wouldn't do it -pretend' to think 'more of! myself." "Well, sir,'!I~t~6il u I'*&ild dtP{ju~t,~: that,' and it is just 'because I do think so ui~Uch 'of myself. I thiutk; yes, '1 know; if I had been- engaged to Miss Wilmot% and the d~y set for the "nuptial rites' tO be solemnized, and had heard such things of 'her character as no doubt she heard of mine,, I~ll tell you just '#hat~ I should* have clone, and would have 'heen' sustained in m~' course by every well-wisher of society I won do a clear retreat." t ' "S'Vitched oft' the track at soiii~id" ~"Th sir, iii ~iiick t~irie, ahd'th4t~gbv~~ jusEified in so doing; and I cannot ~ - be willing to alldw an~ youn~1ady th&s ~l~fle~e; ~iid, besTdes, II ~dmfre ~a yonng~'lady that has the age't6iippos~ i~ttii~iraiit~ i~ 'a~ny foi'rii'&i' iii ar~ eon; even' alth6u~h it' does~ ~&~ie h'~to'rn~y4 awn' ~ ~ fatiey"~th~~t ii~ i~ 'somethi~' like ~t~ikin~ at ~the f~1Tida- tion of the disease." A page: 124-125[View Page 124-125] * NO~4 wuwo~r. THE WEDDU~G PREPARATIoNS. 125 "Well, Fred, II do think you- are troubled with -the most exquisitely fantastical set of what-do-you-call-'erfls that I ever knew.. I'll ~tell you what, sir, I think you are very much lika the old beau I've heard of, that courted a young-widowaud when told by a friendthat the widow WQuldU't have him, said, 'Oh! dear me, I am so love-cracked I can't live if. she don't5" I think, your case must be very similar, ~ "Not altogether ~so bad, sir; but I'll tell you what is so: I think Miss -Wilmot is a very splendi~l girl,. quite t~bove the comn~on order." "l3ut I 4on't think her half so good, looking as my little ~nsie, and not half as. brilliant either.'? "Wouldn't expect it of you, sir, wouIdn'~ expect it; don't even want- yQ~t to~ think so; shan't, have a bit worse opinion of you. for that declaration. Now I'm going to tell you a secret, Rayburn: I think there are prettier girls th~rn Miss Wilmot ever was, but then ~.J1 think she i~ very wel.l looking" "Navo, sir! Let's hear what the great attraction is then, that draws so like a magnet." ~ it is a fund of native good sense, prop., orly ,reading of the right selection, corn- biue I observation and a, moral courage tb4 4 ~, ink arnl act too, independent of the opin- ions % . ~and still, ~he is entirely woina~ily, -not a whit znasiu ilie, or inan-Jike, as you, say, Rayburn; en~ tirely satisfied to confine herself to the sphere of wo- man's ~roper station. And then there is a freshness r ~nd eiie~?gy, a buoyancy of thought; an e4ensive corn- pr~hensiou of i4ea~and principles, that I neyer, saw combined in one character.. She is -to me like a book or an author that I can't read through at one -sitting, but still I like' the entertainment well enough to- come back for another sittings and t always find something, that I. have not discovered before; ~and yet there is an "art.. lessiie~s and an innocence, a\seeming unconsciousness of her own superior powers, that I can't choose but admire." "' Didn't I tell you, Morley, your' ease was like the old gentleman lover '? And so, and sob' we will' have to set this down as chapter first in the history-of Miss Nora's praises." ' ' ' - "Yes, sir, the first but not the last." "When will you again hold forth on the 'subject, for we may presume it is not exhausted- yet, and I am ~iix- k~us to be in at the next hearing ?" - "Only merely broached, sir; I tell you her mind is & casket of rare gems of exquisite workmanship." - "Well,' 'Fred, if this be indeed;- a true picture, you might well consider yourself a lucky fellow, if yi~~ can only carry off the priceless treasure with even a second~ trial." ' - "And even so will I consider it; I shalt ider it a happiness to make' it a life-long study - ~yseW worthy of such a woman." "I'd like to know who is the enthir~iosti now, Mor- ley?" - "Don't' you 'know some subjects admit of enthu- siasm? ~' "Oh7 -certainly, certainly, especially when a pi'etty girl is the' subject, if her name is only Nora. 'I give '1 page: 126-127[View Page 126-127] THE WRDflINQ.PR)~PARATI0Ns. you over, Morl~ey; when a fellow is as far gmeie~ y~ are, I always consider him as. clean past recoveryy. and no hope; so, if you are in for it, and have determined to prosecute your suit, my advice is, make good, use of your time this! trip,: 'twill afford a fine QpportuJuty to 8how off your very best qualifications,. if you Qrkiy keep the best foot forezno~t2' "What route is determined on?" ." I think the' girls hay!e 'settled on the~Yirgi~iw route, with 'a;sh6rt stop~ among~ the ~uouLItains: at. son~a of the wittering places." mi:. "If we could only slide in a leisurely~suvvey of the falls by moonlight, the..route would be Arnly ~hprr~iing. I'have never made that r ~,n4 never seen. the rj4ge; think I shall be de1i~hted. Yoi~ know we i~anke~s al~ ways admire mountaib~.eenery~ tQ~QS ~tis ~o lWe seco~4 natures I~resume all things are: arranged,:~r, 4, j~ast, the programmesettled ?2' ,. "1 think the orderof. business, as I understood 4it, is to b~rriuge~eremony at six .ir~ the morning, br~k~ fastat seven, and~ them off to the:ears ;. and a ception party for a welcome home again." "Ri bu~*~ -Eadmire the. taste iof that aran1ge~uent; think ny genteel) ~real aristocratic." "Yes, sir, and was planned by a very genteel, arlsto~ creAk little head4'~ .. Morley answered only by a low bow. Bayburn, whistling &gayA~uue, skipped off to ~:side closet.; soon come out, bearing in has hand a tray~con~ taming several sus~ieious looking~ glasses and ~wine- shaped bottle' Setting them ou~the tahl~ .hetw~een ~th~t~ he proce~1ea t~':tinco~rk41$e ~b~t~Ue andpour out two gl~sse~ ~ying, at the s~rne time,, "~,Uere,, Morley, frl9s drink a farewell bun~per. t~,sing1e life ; ~? and 1~yburn emptied a glass to the very dre~s; ~but. MQrley took up a. glass and. tiwned, it botto~u up i~ ~e t~ay,~ ond taking up a glass of cold wuter drai~k i~ oft~, saying, "Hence: forth this shaU be iny~ drink.": J~ayburn stood confounded, evidently not prepared for such a damQnstrativ~ ti~rn of affairs. "Why, ~orley, ~I did ~not even presume: to ~u~ppo~e yen were so, entirely uu4er the thumb of yeur' lady love." / 'By no ~eans,~ir~pnly a1very willing convert to her very, correct prippipl~s~; ~nd~ as~ I ljve,, and as 4l~e I~or4 liveth and gives me sti~ength~ I intend to ma1~e it. the ~ed principle .~f ~uy life, 1i4 what come or go may; I expect to stand witho4 wavering or turning, or even so much as shrinking, by that declaration." "J9IIie, h9 !, I e~pectt~ hear ere long of your quitting your office, abandoning your profession, and ~rning special lecturer7 stumyj~ig the state over, and ~Thging, 'No, no, we'll not diink'1 anymore."' Morley again bOW~d*,~ "Well, sir, when you make your first speech, just please send me word, will you? I shall be so very happy to be present on the occasion; and, indeed, Mor- ley, I fancy you. would make a very popular 'lecturer, but I would like to premise that you make it a special point, in every lecture, to give a full synopsis of your own conversion - how very low you had fallen, and how miraculously you were saved from the hands of the page: 128-129[View Page 128-129] 1~8 NORA WILMOT. enemy. I fancy~ Will be pimost tragical, quite' as the- atrical as tbe tales pf o~tb~§ reformed drunkards that have electrified so mapy'~i~dieuces." Again Morley bowed. "Confound it, Morley,~ don't undertake to carry on your whole part of the conversation by an occasional bow of your majestic head; do say something." "Oh, 'pon honor, man, I thought you seemed to be so very fluent, and' enjoying the conversation so finely, I forbore to interrupt you; didn't think I could possibly improve the occasion any better than it was being improved." "Well,' sir, I think, at least, we have had a varied conversation, considering the subject that brought us to.. gether-.-.'pon honor,'I think ~ "Presume then we ~have an understanding of the business, time, arrangements, and all ?" "Yes, sir." "Remember, we are all looking for an early start, and really4jdnk it high time~we 'were to our pillows, if we expect to court the god Morpheus any to-night. So good-night, Rayburn; now for pleasant dreams and an early waking for more happiness 'in the morning." THE BRIDAL W)TJR5ION. 129 CHAPTER Ix., THE BRiDAL EXCURSION. "I never saw a bridal but my eyelids hath been wet; It always seenigd the saddest sight of all, To see a gay and girlish thing lay aside her maiden gladiioss, ,For a name aiid for a ring2' The morning was one of those still, dreamy ones, when all nature seems hushed into a listening attitude, wheu morning seems to love to linger in thelap of night, as if 'twei'e a real luxury to slumber in her dewy em~ 'brace. The sun, too, emerged lazily from the bosom of the Atlantic, his broad disk at the first shaded by a thin curtain of smoky haze, which gave him the appearance of a ball of liquid fire;' but as he ascended majestically and shook the curtain oft~, of mist' and spray, arid robbed nature of her Ilewy petals, nature was smiling back a gracious welcome. The little party that had met at Uncle Grey's *~lmost before day had well dawned, had looked on a' scene of gay solemnity; Mr. Grey, in his 'calm, commanding dignity, but with a voioe tremulous with agitation, has given away to the care of another the sunlight of his household. And she, the petted one, the idol of her father, the pet of her mother, the gentle companion and favorite of her brother, has given up father, and mother, and loving brother, and the home of her youth and childhood, and cast all her hopes of happiness on one loving 'hearl. And'he, in trusting confidence ~haS taken Susie Grey, in the beautiful language of the Rituat, and page: 130-131[View Page 130-131] NORA WA~QT.,, THE ~W4~ 14~RSI0N. in the sight of Heaven, promising to be to her a faithful, loving husband, until death should separate them. Was it not solemn, such ~ scene ?t And ~hcdkr kindly, affection- ately does the new-made husbar~d regard his trust, the little, fragile, trusting creature that stands at his side, with such~a child4ike simplicity, so believing a as if she said, looking up into his eyes to. read the response, "'Tis all thine.-have' I not gi~.ren all 'I had to thee? See thou betray not the trust,, for is it, not a sacred one?" And tears were on the manly cheeks o~ her father, and Mrs. Grey has to avert her face lest she may, mar the gayety of the scenes for, with all its deserved solei~- nity, there aie gay hearts in that assembly. Why,, who ever saw a solemn wading?, .~ 'Tis only solemn to age. Youth .is' too prone tp' gay~ anticipations, to weaving day-dreams, aud to be filling the future with, rainbow~ of promise and of basking ir~ 4rcadian gardens, to in~ dulge in sadness. Well, let them be gay while they can.-~~.-let them fancy the ~worJd is all moonshine-.--for I would not cloud one ~youthful brow with care, or . t~ll the end of their rainbow colorings; for I. love too well to see them happy- love to see tha free, joyous, gush of a happy, heart where sorrow has alwafrs beeu~~ a stranger. I love, too, to look deep down into the spark~ ling eye, and involuntarily to breathe a prayer that their future may be a May-day, full of song, and calm, ~u4 sunshine. The day of youth i~ t~e~r~-let them enjoy it as best they, can; the time for carping. oare,~ and. anxiety, and pain, will force it~eWAipon them ~sooa enough. ' ' The morning meal was soon dispatched, for happiness is better, food for~ youthful hearts than choicest viands. And now the little party are bidding adleus anT4~ recie~ jug congratulations and wishes, oh I so ferveat for hap-. piness. .... Bu the shrill.7 whistle of the locomolve ~8. heard, and all is bustle, for the cars. Once seated. in the well-cush- ioned, luxurious seats,, $u~ie seemed to have forgotten the tearful eyes. she had left. behind, and to have given herself up to4he happiness of the moment. Once she said: "Eow, ii would: have liked , brother Mark to have been along; but poor ma and pa wQnld have been s~ lonel y;"~ and. a slight sigh escaped her. The quick ear :of affection noticed it in. a1 moment,.,auda hand 'is gently laid on the little round shoulder with a "My dear, whence. that sigh?" Witl~ a sweet smile she said: ~" Oh! Wwas a sigh sent back home ;" and the k~ving head is nestled on the manly arm by her side, and in a moment more Susie is herself again.. All is merry, joyous,. happy, because Susie is such a gentle, sunny creature, with a witching fascination in her clear blue eyes,. her pouting lips, and happy: laugh,' that ~ouiids just, now, as I listen to. its thoughtless' tnelody, like a long, rich strain of heart~ music; and now her cheerful gayety isa real bonta~ion, for all are as ~' merry as a marriage bell." .They had just stopped for a change of c~rs, 'and Nora7s watchful eye had noted an interestiug.party just come ou board.. 'The company consisted of aigentleman, of n~t more than' twenty~~frve or thirty years7 wit~h an open,' manly brow, and an intelligent countenance, u~it~d to& 130 gl4i page: 132-133[View Page 132-133] T 132 NORA WILMOT. most~affable manner ~nd gentlemanly address; but the fiiwe, that would else have been handsome; rwore an un- wonted~flnsh; and Nora thought she detected a slight irregularity in the step that would have been manly and dignified. his companion, a beautiful woman of not more than eighteen summers, who had scarce lost her girlish look) carried in~her. arms a sweet babe, whose violet eyes had only opened on some six months, but whose infan- tile features were interwoven so completely ~iththe looks of both the other travekrs, that Nora thQught she could read so much of the history of the family. They were father, mother and their first born-.--and an interesting trio they formed, sitting side by side, with the little heart4reasure, their all, apparently absorbing all their attention. The cars were under full speed when the company noticed that the strange gentleman was growing very loquacious - talking to every person that chanced to come within the sphere of his notice, in a very discon~ nected, wild manner. It was apparent to all presentthat he must be laboring under some mysterious influence that was stealing away his senses. But that gentle being at his side, what did she? What could she do but endeavor to soothe him into qui-~ * etude, and try by every means her ingenuity could de- vise to keep the sweet innocent in her arms from its nat- ural guardian, for he still kept insisting on. holding it, bfe was so very anxious lest she should be wearied hold- ig it; and'then he' was so very loving to herself; he must kiss her cheek and throw his arms around her neck, and call 4er by a thousand most endearing names.~ Her THE BRIDAL E~CURSI0N. 138 cheek was all blanched, and her lip colorless~-.!. the rose had faded before her deep mortification~ 'and she looked,. the very picture of mental distress~ And this deep agony sh& must bear from him who had vowed to love and cherish her even until death, and she had left father and mother, sister and L~rother, ~and gone out from the sheltering protection of childhood's home with him1 "her choice in love's bright morn ;" and with woman's trusting~ confidence, is willing, even now, to cross the globe with him, nor once shrink from privations7 or trials, or labors, or even disgrace, if the chosen one were by her side. - Gradually the bus~r tongue grew ~ilent, the eyes closed, the head~ drooped, and the deep sonorous breathing indb cated heavy sleep. The young wife seemed i~ little re~ lieved-. the babe slept upon her bosom, but she was dis- tressed lest the irregularity in the motion of the cars should interrupt her sleeping husband. Laying down the slumbering infant by her side, and then, with a wife~s de~ motion, she put her slender arm around him to protect him from danger, seeming albunconscious of the obser- vations of~he curious, only intent on protecting the jewels of her own hearth-stone; for to ~her, inebriate a& he was, he was all the, world, the idol of her ~onng heart. Of all that crowded car, scarce an eye ~Iooki~ on that scene witk indiffere7nce.-.--and many a s~rainger cheek was moistened with the ~dews, of sympathy. When they reached the station, and the cars were4~ be changed, the poor wife lo@ed first atone passenger and then at another so pleadingly, but all.turned away with apparent indifference,, as much. &s if to say: "'Tis page: 134-135[View Page 134-135] iM~ ~%'~ NORA WILMOT not 'in~y~ business; if I don't hurry P11 "miss the right~ train." She looked in Mc~j1ey's face so. pleadingly, as the tears coursed down her blanched cheeks.' Nora saw the look, and turning to Morleysald "Can't you help the poor'thin~ ?"' but at that 'inomeat two benevolent lookin~g'gentlemen, of middle age, stepped forward and proffered their aid. But that railroad scene. was 'not lost on all who witnessed it. Alf Rayburn acknowledged to himself that Nora Wilmot is not' so very far from right after all. But now our party are among the moux~tains, and our Kora and Mrs. Susie, as Nora insists on calling her, are in~ raptures with the mountain scenery,.~ as they stand viewing the scene 'before thexn~:rising peak ahove peaks towering into the ethereal vault above, piling back, back~ and up, up, *until the eye is lost in the distance, and trees dwindle to' mere shrubs. How insignificant seemed all man's attempts at neatnesss I Nature, without so much as ~an effort, has outdone it all! Ag' they stood, still watching the blue outline, dis~ tinct~y marked on the horizon, Nora laid 'her hand on Susje~s arm. Pointing to the distance, she s~&id, "Yon- der they rise, those mountain heights , just ~s I fancy the mountain heights of Judea rise, pointing to the Eternal City." "'~Th~re you are 'again, Nora, off after some fanciful vision. Wonder you 'don't 'fancy yourself called on W a ci~usade to the ThA'y S~ju11dfr~,~ ~r to ~isit'~'&ild Babylon, or Nineveh, or' Troy,~ kr s&me ovh~ranti~u'ated place,"' said Susie.'' .' " 'Morley;~ 'coming' ~p' softly behind~ th@n, laid a hand i~ff HE BRIDAL EXCURSION. 135 the shotdderf each, and said gayly, "N6w, can't yo~ imagine the Eternal City, just beyond that line of blue, so clearly defined yonder ?" It was the first time he had ever i~ed so much free- dom, and Nora felt her face crimson to ~the very temples. But, as Morley looked into her ingenuous countenance, their eyes met, and he thought he read more than.he e'~er read before. He fancied that look came from deep sown, from the very fountain of her feelings, and that there was a fountain opened that had never been stirred before. S4~si0~'too, was silently taking notes. She had some time suspected that Nora ~was not altogether in- different on that matter, and ~she felt inwardly gratified. Rayburn coming up; joined the little party, as they stood there enjoying the evening. Offering his arm to Susie; he said, k~okin~ ba4* with a most gracious bow, "I would be very polite, Miss Wilmot, but, you know, 1' 'aim 'no "longera~ free man. Under a little restraint now. Fear this 'little~~gypsy might take a fancy to turn jealous, by way of: variety. " But Snsie'~nly shook her linger quizically at Morley, Who was just then assisting: Nora to throw a shawl around h~r shoulders~ Rayhurn and 'Susie seemed in- tent ~n adcomplishing a feat ~f fast walking ~ .. bitt, some howr our other walkers didn't makesuch rapid ~rog~ress in that Way.-d& t~ie very best they could, the space would be widening between the companies. . Now,: wasn't it~so very \~trange an occurrence? We are :wefl advised that iV i~n't considered at all ~j m~rk of :good.breeding to be caught evesdropping, 'and. indeed don't at all liketo do it;. but somethings~ we are page: 136-137[View Page 136-137] 136 NORA WILMOT. so very anxious to know, won't it be considered an apology this time? Morley said, looking into Nora's face inquiringly, "Miss Wilmot, can you trust me now? I feel it will be a pleasant task to make a life-long effort to make myself worthy of your confidence." * Nora felt the manly arm on which she leaned tremble, and, as she looked into the open, intelligent countenance, she felt an inward consciousness that Fred Morley could be trusted. We don't know precisely what answer Nora gave, but we know both Fred and Nora were in the very best of spirits imaginable the balance of the evening. Mrs. S~isie said they seemed quite entirely as happy as a couple just married, enjoying their first trip. You know she has a right to judge, for she is pretty well posted. The novelty of the mountain scenery was beginning to cloy a little, and they were tiring of the crowd of strange faces, as they had now spent some time at a fashionable watering place, amid the varied scenes of amusement and dissipation usually to be met with at such places. IRayburn said he must show them another freak of Nature's handiwork in the Old Dominion. So it was soon settled that they would set off for the Natural Bridge in the morning, but a few hours' drive from their present stop. Our travelers were up with the lark for an early start. The ladies made choice of a coach and four, as there was no public conveyance, and Susie said she liked to all ride together; it would be so much more social. The day is one of those unclouded ones pecu- THE BUIDAL EXOURaTON. 137 liar to the autumnal season, when the sky assumes a depth of blue amounting almost to violet, and not a cloud is seen to break or mar the mighty dome of cerulean blue. And the air is balmy as Italia's, as~ they rode along the base of the ridge, now gliding along over a perfectly smooth distance of fine sandy stu'face, then over a considerable spur of the rocky cliffs that towered high above their beads and sunk again in deep gorges, often termimtting in one of those beautiful mountain torrents that dash and roar with such impetu- osity through those deep mountain passes7 that give to mountain scenery one-half its sublimity and grandeur. They stopped a moment in one of the pebbly streams that seemed in such haste to join the great flood that is hastening to the sea like mortals hastening to the sea of Eternity. Nora, raising her finger, said, pointing to the pine trees that towered high above their heads, in a ceaseless agitation with the slightest breeze, "There was a mournful monotony in the music of their restless leaves, contrasting strangely with the hurrying rush of the busy torrent." All seemed listening with a breathless interest. Rayburn said, pointing to the water and then to the scene above, "This, then, is Nature's harmony 1" Nor~, said, "No, no! this is only one of her dis- cords." Just below where they stood the mountain torrent had scooped for itself a hollow basin, sufficiently large to form, one of those bewitching,, tiny mountain lakes, so often met with in such scenery, and universally in~ habited by an iunumei~able. quantity of choice fish1 fur- *6 page: 138-139[View Page 138-139] $ ~6~:WL~MoT. 13S nishing the inhabitants of mountainous districts with a luxury that the denizens 'of the more level arabic lands are almost strangers to. * Sitting on the bank of this miniature lake, they saw a most unique looking being, holding a 'fishing rod, with a long line attached, just within the water's edge. The man wore a hat of coarsest straw, almost rimless, an outer garment made' after the hunting shirt order, and feet without either sandals or. boc~s~ But Nora's' inquisitive eye had been busy in detecting a long black bottle, laying high and dry upon the beach, secure from :all danger', as the owner thought, no doubt, for it' was stored away so' very carefully, between the projecting r~ots of an 'old chestnut stump, accompanied by a little bunch of something done up for a cold luneh for dinner. Nora said 'she "would like' so 'well to get an oppor~ tunity to empty the contents of' that 'bottle, an4~fil1 it up with pure Adam's ale. It would be such a real kindnesB to the old fisherman's stomach." Rayburn' said they would have 1~rst to empannel a jury to try the present contents, and if it was proved 'guilty of belig a nuisance to the commonwealth, then they might proceed to seize, confiscate and destroy. Nora said she didn't care if they did try it, so~ the S old fisherman wasn't chosen juryman. But our fisher- man was too intent on his occupation to have noticed 'the bridal party, although they were but a short dis- tance froM hfin~ While they were considering his case, lie nioved' his position a little 'farther off, and s6 sit- uated that a high bluff intervened between him: and the party that wer~%musing themselves athis expense. THE 1~WAL EX~RSION. 139 * ~. N4~orle3 said, "Now, :ladies, now is your time. If you will joiu me, I'll make OflO to::'give that bottle a taste of~ Lynch Jaw. 'You. know the p~op1e of this State gO; in for that ~ anyhow; ar~1 of course our old .friend.Lhere w9u1~ln'V'objeet so very, much, provided we. only carry out his favorite law.~" The ladies were in for a good joke; and where's the ladies that~ wouldn't he? And, ~it has ~ I acknow- ledged,' when our party left, the old . fishe~n~n found a much purer beverage for his. uQontide meal than he ~had anticipated finding g~ and4 that the eon~ents of the long botle rnt, have borne the scr~1tiny of any Maine liquor jury ttiat: might have been~ marshalled for. a trial. But we've all promised. secr~ey;. so you needn't ask any thing of the pa~ti~1arsforwewon't jtoll~ will we? '~ I think we might caIl.~th~t a littl~ episode in our day's amusement," said MQrley~ ~ tl~ey drove off. " I ~lon't happen to *flO4W Ilie ~meaniIlg of episode," said Mrs. Rayburn; "neither do I think that 91d in~in will know the full rneanipg1ofji~w 2whi~ky can turn to water s~. very readily, mdess ~it~shol d ~ by the action of a~. autumnal, sun on t~elongneckofliisqueer shaped bottle." Q~ir gay little~ party were ~nibling 4o~g in the most agre~ahle, manner imaginable, when, they were brought ~auddexdy to a halt, ~by R~yhun~ 'saying, "Ladies and gentlemen,, now look out for the. Natural. Bridge." They had ;I~een traveJiLIg1for~sQtne tn~ie~over a' much improved road, and had just now ascended a slight emuience.. All. rose and,4 looked: ~ every~ direction, Wit~h914 making th~. le~t'possibledisc~wery; nothing b~t page: 140-141[View Page 140-141] I 140 NOBA WItI~OT~ the road running along smoothly over a little rise,? not large enough to dignify with' 1~he tifie of hill. Morley said, after straining his eyes in every possible direction1 "Ladies, it is clearly my opinion Mr~ Ray- burn's inexpressibly happy state of mind has betrayed him into an error in the season. He is thinking it is 'the first of April." "Not at all, sir. I know just the particular locality of the year we are in, and am 'not even joking." - There was another general survey of the landscape, with no better success than before, when Rayburn said, Ladies; we are all actually standing on the -grand structure, erected by the hand of Omnipotence" - All started' in 'evident surprise' and astonishmeuL They had been anticipating something towering up, like a vast pyramid, or mountain hight. But, instead, everything seemed se entirely easy and natural; the road running over the little eminence just as any other road did. - - * But when they passed' under the mighty arch, and looked up to the truly wonderful structure, arching the expanse so 'entirely, supported by the rocky pillars of Nature's own piling-masonry whose solidity will never give way-and the lithe stream, murmuring so uneon- scionsly at its very base, .~ll stood in mute wonder. 1~Iv'ery thing seemed so entirely different from any thing built by the handiwork of' man. It was all grand, mag- iiiflcent, wonderful and picturesque, yet rude - and na- tural. Nora said, if this structure had spanned the Ohio, or Mississippi, all - other structures would have sunk - iut~ entire insignificance when compared to it. THE BRIDAL EXCURSION. 141 But Mrs. Rayburn said she thought it was a very rocky concern, and not at all to be undermined soon; but, then, a little chiseling and dressing wiuld add greatly to its beauty.~ She says the flower~, and shrubs, and evergreens, that grow all up its sides, and the trail- ing vines that cling to the fissures of the rocks, and are matted on their sides, running over the trees and shtub~ around its base, in such a wild luxuriance, -are very nice, quite beautiful. The shades of evening are gathering round, and it is full thne to be looking out for comfortable quarters for the night. They had gone but a short distance after leaving the bridge, when they passed, just by t~e road side, a low shanty, of round logs or poles. The little hut was of the rudest order, framed as we said of round logs of pine, and filled between the crevices with mud and straw. The light was admitted by some single panes,. arranged in. a row where a gap had been made in one of the logs, with a chimney of rude sticks, and a door composed of three clapboards fastened together, and suspended on wooden hinges. The roof was kept in place by laying logs or heavy poles crosswise of the rough boards of which it was composed. Nora said she thought it had a far more comfortable aspect than the home ~f her Irish friend, Mahoning. But, the most unique finishing of all was a rough board placed above the door, very much after the order of the sign of a city dry goods store, with the word "Grocery-" -painted conspicuously-on its front, by -a most ingenious artist, with a red-hot end ~f an iron poker. - "Uere,~' says Rayburn, "is another opportunity for page: 142-143[View Page 142-143] * 142 ~&ORA'WILMO2~ att exhibition of sei~ire; confiscation and destructiofl~ in ~. tolerably wholesale manner; for '1 hav6 no doubt, pro- vided the proprietor is only able to supply the needful to buy~ that amount, but there is at least three barrels in that very little concern there, and that too' of altogether ~s obnoxious a character 'as' 'the contents of the con- 'demned bottle~ was. And if you: can only manage to dispose of their' contents as you did 'of it, I can safely wager that you will have the very best wishes 'of every slaveholder' within five miles' ronnd~"" They' are always' 'kept by the poor whites, who are ina~ny of' them very reckless and unprinciPled, and are perfect pests to the slaveholders. A great many of the slaVes possess~ quite a penchant for thieving from their n~a~ters, with usually abont as strong an appetite for drink 'as their" brethren o1~ a fairer hue, with no other meats ~of gratifying the: appetite; - and believing, as many of' th~m' do,' that they' hate a right to a part of the proceeds 'of their own labor much larger than usually falIsto th~ir'share when the' master makes the division, they wait patiently, until they can go forth under the 'sheltering protection' of night's sable curtain, and then remunerate themselves, in the way of sundry articlesof chickens, turkeys, eggs, bacon, 'and, in short, 'every thing that 'eah be purloined off o'f the plantation' and ~oi'd to' these low traders, as they are 'termed, by the ~laveholder. ' And 'they are near as antagonistic states ~of' socidy as can L~possibly exist in' the same conirnunity. "~They all agreed that their wills were'~good for an a& venture, but the way didn't 'seem -so ~very well opened'; and. despite ~ah1 their wellI.wishhig to ~the coiitrary they THE BRIDAL EXCURSION. 143 Will be constrained to pass on, leaving the black sign and its interesting antecedents to pursue their vocation in' undisturbed repose. The whole party were particularly impressed with one fact since they have been traveling in Virginia...... the general prevalence of dissipation and drinking in the slave States. All had noticed, too, the great 'difference in the general tone of 'morals in society, eSpecially with the lower orders and with 'young men. Drinking seemed so very prevalent' in all grades and classes of society. And fighting,' its faithful accompaniment! All agreed that the exchange would n~t be either profit. able or pleasant; did ' not think they would ever have a desire or a wish for a permanent residence in a 'slate State. As Morley says, he is satisfied, far better satis- fled' than he has ever been, With our own institutions and usages, added to our improvements.' They will do to boast of! At the Bridge House, where our party are 'staying for the night, they met with a party' of about the same magnitude of their own en' route for the celebrated Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. Our new party, like our old friends, being only pkasure seekers, soon persuaded the Virginia travelers to' 'alter thefr e~tirse, and seek for nature's wonder~ and curiosities in' another dfr~ction. So it is agreed that the united parties shall set off in the' morning for the wonderrul 'cavern.' Mrs. i~,ayburn is in' high spirits, for she is beginning to tire of chimbing'hi1is}'~nd looking at rocks, and cash cades,' 'and iuouiita~n' strea~ng~ The tines, and ~ dars, "aifd laurels, and ~rn&untgin flowerss' "~rowiii~: up page: 144-145[View Page 144-145] 144 NORA WIL1~0T. their sides,~ are . perfectly enchanting; and then the sui9oth,. grassy plats, nestling between, are lovely; they have taught her to love the green grass. The moun- tam .pink and northern rose are rare beauties. Then there was the guelder-rose and aster7 the golden rod and the cEtuvoloulous, in almost endless variety, creep- iJkg and~ twining over everything that cquld yield a sup- port, and the. mountain' tea, with its delicious odor, growing4, too,, almost to the very verge of . snow. Susie liked it~.all, hint she does not like one thing. always. She ~ Oh! ~Ow1 dO you know I~ like this change, be- cause, after all, the peaks of Otter may be a grand, stu- pendous workof nature, lint it is only a higher moun- tain and a bigger pile of rocks than we have seen, and with the aid.of a little, imagination we can easily fancy all that, ~4ditio~ri, without the fatigue of the journey; and~curiositie8 imder groujid will be all new.", We hope we will be excused for using the little, petit name :~f, Susie still; we~ like pet names, they are so handy, and,:inyery fact, it seems to sit with a much letter grace on the little wearer than a long name with a prefixture of Mrs. to it. We could hardly be ex- pe~~ted tQ~ make the change all ~t once and we know we will. be, excnse4if;the reader only coald see the lit- tie sprit~ that wears it, ~kipp~ng, and flitting, and, buza ping around, like ~pmem~rry bee, sipping the sweets of every flower that comes in her way;. and, as her doting hueI~and thinks just now, the ~uiost enticing ., fiowe~ in the varied. collection; never thinking, .for a mQment, of the gi~e0t an~ount of dig~hi~y essential to grace her new title ~ never drear~iing ~t' being anybody but Susie yet. TUE BRIDAL EXOURSIOX. 145 Again we will have to beg an apology for another eph sode, for we are aware we have a habit of episoding; but when a new idea strikes us we like to use it, lest it should be lost altogether, but will endeavor te get back to the place of departure. Nora says, "As for rocks, and hills, aiid mountain scenery at large, 1 like it all; there is so much sublim-~ ity and, grandeur, so many scenes of picturesque beauty; but the bridge is a solitary wonder of its kind1 we have no larger and smaller natural bridge, none possess2' ing more or less curiosity, but one, standing solitary and alone, on the whole continent, both a wonder and a curiosity. But I too like the change, and think I shall enjoy it very much." Our friends traveled again on the cars, but this time without any incident ~worth relating, until. they found themselves in the neighborhood of the cave. The new found friends made quite an addition to our little party-they too were a bridal party. The bride- groom was a Mr. McDowel, an old 'schoolmate of Mor- ley's in College, and was a most agreeable recog~iition. Of couri~ an interchange of introductions followed? but Nora felt so much embarrassed when she. caught the eye of tLo new acquaintance bent inquiringly on herself, as if he was reading her all over to see if Fred had made a good choice. She was so much embarrassed she feared she had attracted the attention of the company to herseL She was worried with herself and almost pro.. yoked with Fred. What did make him tell the secret? She didn't intend to, say one word, not ev~n to Su~ie, until they got:home. flut Susie had guessed it all the *1 page: 146-147[View Page 146-147] 1443 '~o1LA WILMOT. very first evening, because she said Fred looked sort of consequential, and seemed so very unspeakably happy; and then Miss Nora herself, somehow, has grown mar- velously well contented from some cause. Susie~ says she knows there is a reason for all this that will be known after a while, when there is another bridal party starting from Uncle Grey~s. But she intends to hold her peace, and we will see what is: what. The excursion into the magnificent palace of nature's own building 'was a scene of exciting iiiterest. And all, particularly the gentlemen of the party, enjoyed it to the life. 'Twas grand beyond conception-.seas, mouu~ tains, ~lakes, and rivers were all to he round uniting their varied scenery in that submundane region it was beyond description, language is too barren to make~the' atien~pt. Like Niagara., it is' one of God's mightiest works, before which man 'stands abashed, wondering, in silent awe wondering, that he can, frail child. of the dust as he is, dive into the bowels of the earth, pene.~ trate miles and miles, climb mountains, cross rivers, and traverse lakes;. all, too, lying in total darkness, just ~ kt~ 'came from the plastic hand of the Mighty Father,~ Rim who spt~ke and it stood forth. Nora and Fred did enjoy that ~cav'crn explorations~ very much, for they were both (although very different in dipo~itiou in many respects) enthusiastic admirers of i~atur6 in all her varied moods; besides, both possessed minds 'tending strongly to the ideal, 'and an inward sense far mote fastidious than falls to the lot of' the more" worldly minded. With them friendship *as formed rather* on 'similarity of tastes~than on similarity of disposition1 for they were both passionate admirers of either nature or art in 'their very highest moods. They would have made whole-souled 'crusaders, gone to' the T[oly Sepulchre, in their deep enthush~jsm, in the days of CQUr~ de Lion or of Peter the JThrmit, or have stood for the Republic in the days of the ~Xriurnvirate. Just the minds that gave their whole energies to the present occasion, seeing everything through the medium of their peculiar enthusiasm. But, with all this depth of sanguine enthusiasm, Nora possessed a clear~seeing judgment, tempered by a constant, habitual discipline. With a mind ever active, she did not deem her duty performed when her own peculiar wishes were subserved, but believed~ herself called on to labor for the good of others in whatever capacity circumstances ~might seem to point out. flut, in the present excursion, Susie Rayburn judg one particular source of exquisite enjoyment to consist in the peculi~1r circumstance of each lady being under the necessity of depending on a manly arm for support in penetrating into the depths of the mighty cavern, whose myste ious depths the broad glare of the noon~. tide sun can never penetrate with his genial warmth, nor the moo 's paler rays illume with her mild efful.. gence wher the~ ~ij~ealing thunders or forked light- nings, heaven s most sublime artillery, are never heard nor seen, and where the echoes of the human voice die away without response. The only sound heard with.. ~ in that wonderful cavern is the ever ceaseless hum of roaring waterfalls, of which there are said to be seven already discovered in this greatest of all the Ahziighty's subterranean works. page: 148-149[View Page 148-149] 148 NOR~ WILMQT. ]3ut our pedestrians, though hi~h1y delighted with their day's enjoyment, were fatigued enough to enjoy a eQmf~4table supper and a fine night's rest. And, as it was the wish of the ladies, being fairly tired out with travel and curiosity, it was arranged for a start home. ward in, the morning. TUE amo~rjioir PA.UTY. 149 * CHAPTER X. TH.B RECEPTION PARTY. The gentlemen deemed it the better part of wisdom to precede their return b~ a telegraphic Jispatch, that all things might be in readiness for their reception, the arrangement being we'll nride7rstood' before hand. On the reception of the dispatch ct~rds were issued for a grand~ party, and all the' elite of the little city were' in a fluster of expectancy - bea~is, and bells and mothers of n~arriageable daughters, that had passed the first season of their entrance into' soei~ty, and were verging far i~to the second, without losing their maiden title. As tI~ere were some gentlemen of distinction an~ nounced frot~i the neighboring town 4~f 13i-.-., expect. tion was all, tiptoe for 'the important occasion. Our excursion party~ having arrived on the cars, all things were ,in full preparation fQr the anticipated even ning's enjoy4e ~ t, and many a youthful heart beat high with prospect o the' anticipated pleasure. It was tl~ largest, most brilliant party of the season that assemhjled in 'th~e splendidly lighted parlors of Mi~.' Grey's beautiful new 'mansion, just completed, and' built' after the 'most approved, 'aristocratic style iOf the~ reigrv ing order, with its brown 'marble 'front and modern mi- provements. ' A flutter of delighted sensation ran through the sis- sembled crowd when the bridal party were anuonneed. The bride came in leaning on the:arm~of thebridesmaid, page: 150-151[View Page 150-151] THE RECEPTION PARTY. preceded by the taller and more stately figures of the groom and groomsman, introducing them alike to stran- gers and acquaintances. The bride's pretty face and graceful figure was set off by a rich dress of the most tasty material of the season, all fluttering in a fleecy cloud ,oft gauzes, and flowers, and ril~bons, her head ornamented by a single wreath of snowy orange flowers; but not a single article of jewelry, excepting a plain ring, worn unobtrusively ow the betrothal finger, and a very slight, chain, from which a small but remarkably neat wateh.was~suSpOnded. The bridesmaid, so entirely different in the whole contour of her face and figure, handsome but not pret- ty, a beauty more of intellect than feature, ~ figure not petit and graceful, but' mere elegant and dignified, dressed with a similarity of taste, but a shade plainer in Kalinost every respect9 Nora Wilmot could not be said to possess any decided talent for dress, eitherr was she one of the slateruly order; she only dressed neatly 'from an intuitive sense of propriety, No ,wonder 'a murm~r~ of admiration ran through the crowd of strangers, as well as familiar faees, at tha en~ trance of the party, and that the eye of AIf Rayburn should follow his little bride with a proud look of admira.~ tion as she glides through the apartiiients, the particular star of th*~evening. And her amiable, kind manner, ~higbt-. ened by a brilliance of wit and a fund of good humor, make her a most agreeable companion to all, old oe young, grave ~r gay. 'And Eayburn too, Susie said,, he could do the agree- able to half the company at the same time, and not' neglect his little wife any either. He niways has been a favorite in society, one of the freehand easy sort, with"a pleasant word for all. - The girls all liked hini because he was alWays so accommodating andso lively. Many a cap had been 'set, and many a scheming mamma had appropriated him, in her scheming fancy, as a fixture in her own family, hoping he might be her son~in-law be- fore the season was over, for he had a kind-hearted way of never sending any away with a sorry heart, and with nothing to hope in the fut~ire. But now'that he had surprised and disappointed all, both' gentlemen and La- dies, beaus and belles, by carrying off the little rosebud, Susie Grey; after the very first season' of her d~but' into society, there was same apology for his being consider- ed the lion of the evening. Miss Wilmot too, the bridesmaid of the' occasion, ig endeavoring to act her part in the best' possible spirits; endeavoring 'to make herself kind, affable, and free. With those who knew her she has ahvays 'been a great favorite, especially in married society; but, in mixed society, she was never very popular. Rayburn says young gentlemen of comnion, ordinary stripe: stand in awe of her; she has too much dignity and intelligence for their~ calibre-they can't appreciate her, But he says Morley' is one of the npper order; one of her own kind and degree, one that can" fully appreciate all her excellencies~ AIf thinks them exactly suited, never saw a better match, and says they shall hiwi~ h~s very best wishes for a long life and a happy one.~~ll he has to say on the subject. As for Morley, like ~many other literary gentlemen, page: 152-153[View Page 152-153] THE B ~PTI0~I PARTY. 153 152 ~OaA WILmOT. he never has had much popularity in mixed society. Somehow he never had a faculty of making himself at all agreeable there; he can't talk small talk with any- thing like fluency, nor jump quick when a lady wants something; is sure to be reading the poetry when. he ought to turn over the music book leaves; and, some- times, lets a lady stand several minutes without seem- ing t~ notice her. Common etiquette and gallantry, as the world goes, set on him just like a stolen coat, they don't fit at all. Susie Rayburn says he is too high and lofty tbr these things; but then he has an easy polite- ness of, his own that is very agreeable after all, a defer- ence for the opinions of others, 'and a tender solicitude for others' feelings, that render him after all a. welcome member of society. - As was thQ custom in those days, (remember, we are not writing events of the present but of the past,) a waiter come in bearing a tray filled with the choicest wines, and another, following close behind, with water. Of courser as mistress of the evening's entertainment-, it was first presented to the bride; she declined. When it came to the bridesmaid, all-were not a little surprised to see her lift a glass of wine, but instead of raising it to her lips she turned it bottom up in the tray, and then lifting a glass of water to her lips drank it off. This was striking the cause at the right place. The other ladies all followed suit, and not one drop of wine was drank; but - each in turn took a glass of nature's own pure beverage, best suited for delicate stomachs. - The gentlemen would not be behind the ladies even in the cause of temperance; the contagion spread, and before the tray had passed half' down the line of gentlemen it was afloat in the precious beverage, and pure cold wa- ter seemed the rage for that evening at leasA. It had been. said before this, "that actions speak louder than words," but it had been left to the ladies of the growing city of R.-.-.-. too fully verify it. Much had been said on the subject of temperance; several so- cieties had been formed, with pledges prohibiting the alcoholic beverages. Almost every member of society, either male or female, that made any pretensions to re- spectability in the community, had their names enrolled on some~. of the temperance pledges of the different so- cieties. But none had ever tried to strike at the root of the evil. It was all' a mere temporizing business banishing the poor man's drink, but giving countenance to that that was only within reach of the rich;' telling the poor man, A~Jaat had only the means of gratifying his insatiate thirst with a glass of rum or whisky, that he must abstain from indulgence, not alone- for his own benefit and that of his family, but for the good of society likewise; and then patting the' rich man's shoulder, with his well filled decanters and overflowing goblets on his sideboard with richest wines and spark- ling catawba. The doctrine of entire prohibition ~had never seemed so much as to ~have been thought of. And the idea of actions before words of total destruction, and of using 'female influence, were all new; but' they were -all em- bodied in that one act, and; to an active, thinking mind, presented grander meanings and significations than the mere act of emptying out that-wine. It was page: 154-155[View Page 154-155] 7154 NORA WJLMOT. us the voice of a great prophet that will yet be heard lutbeland, seut only~fbr the healing of the nation in its great moral degradation. ~Mr. Grey came in, and bowing very low to the Ia~i~s, *aid lie was so niuch~ gratified with this little de4iion- strotion of pure, impulsive, womanly independence, that lie had witnessed this evening. i~'e~ warmly applauded tli~e course adopted by the ladies on the present occasion, and felt especially gratified that his house should be honored with such demonstration. ~' I feel, ladies," said h~Peap~cially flattered, and like congratulating you all ~r~w of the firm, decided stand you have taken in so noble a cause - one 'that should claim the energy and reverence of the best talents ~in the land; for it must be evident to any purely' unbiased mind, that the pollu- ting, festering stream of intemperance is deepening1 and widening, and spreading, in its ~course through our fair inheritance; threatening to entirely demolish some of the most stately structures in the mental and moral hor- izon of our favored land. Ladies and gentlemen, these things, all this evil I ~mean, calls, in a trumpet-toned voice, to every well-wisher of society, to be up and doing, lest.the enemy destroy our greatest and best." Judge Wood, one of the guests present, and a Judge of one of the Superior Courts in one of the Eastern Districts, and a gentlemen possessed of considerable dignity and intelligence, and a most thorough out and out temperance advocate, ,said: "Mr. Grey, I most cordially agree with your expressed sentiments, '~and would add further, that I am grieved to see the appa- rent letharg~, and entire want of interest, 'that we ~wit- THE ROE~PTIQI~PARTy. ness aln~ost everywhere manifested tow~rda. a~ stilijeet that should excite our~ deel*s1A~oncern. The evil i~ daily grQwing more apparent~ particularly s~ with the rising generation, with the youth of the land -the hope and stay of the future.. The most casual observer must see the rapid inrn'ease of intemperance and ~dissi~ nation in that pait~ inmunivy, and that's just where we ought to guard e citadel with the most jealous care. But I think, ladies an4 gentlemen, I can say I have made a most excellent discovery by attending here to-night. It is the idea of an increase of female to be exerted in a uaore energetic public manner. don't be surprised,, ladies, with the declaration; we of the sterner sex will always stand behind the screens ftnd see fair play done. NOW, just what I am contemplating an~~~evolving in my mental laboratory jnst now is this~ to endeavor by some means to excite up the subject and get a prohibitory law passed, rafter the order Of the Maine standard; for I d~ Oonsider that a most glorious structure, ~vell worthy of imita1i~n and adoption by any state. And I rejoice to be permitted to be the bearer of the glorious iiews of its final triumph in the noble state of Pennsylvania, the Key-stone of the Republic. That state has done herself the credit of passing~ a law modeled, in almost every respect, after the Maine law. Arid if that law is only carried out, according to the spirit of its signification and. tlieory, we will all be tem~. operate enough. And I want to see our people emulating every other state by their ultra temperance enactments," "That is," saId Mr. Bancourt, "you mean, Judge, you Would like to see the Maine ~aw passed~ after, being double distilled and rectified." page: 156-157[View Page 156-157] 16S NORA wXLM~ r. THE W~0EPTXoN PAI~TY. 16,r "Yes, 'sir, I would like to see 'a la~w enacted so very strict that drinking 'and dissipation, in~ any degree, may become a byword 'of reproach among all classes; want us 'as a people, the sober, thinking ones I mean, 'to form societies, and associations, and organizatidfls, public, or ~private, ~r secret, as iftay best in to subserve the in~ terests of the cause; and let t e social, religious, or political, InQntal, moral, or p ~Y ical, as they may be most popular and gain the most advocates. Would like to see us all, as a people, make common cause, as ag4~Ist a common enemy. 'Even if we 6r ours may not' 1* in imrn~diate danger, still we ought to feel that much interest in the general good - especially we that are parents. The increasing 'tendency, at the present time, among young m~n to drunkenness is truly deplorable and alarming, and calls for action,' both prompt and en..' ergetic, from 'every well-wisher of society." Mr. Morley said, "It had ever been a matter of sur~ prise to~ him. that there could be a set of' 'men found; sO entirely regardless of the best interests of society; as to pass ~a laW, grantuiga seV of men the privilege of sell- ing, merely for the purpose of getting gain to subserve their 'own 'selfish aims, an' article the use of which is known to steal away'men's senses, to transform the liii- age of. the Creator to an idiot, a madman, a creature worse thau the brutes that perish. It was perfectly surprising that any community of people had ever suf- fered~ such an intoler?~ble abuse to be imposed upon "Well," said Mr. IRayburn, "I am in 'favor of blow- ing up the whole concern at once by stopping distill- odes, putting an end to the drinking by having nothing to drink. That appears to, me like the only feasible plan that reason suggests to my mind. Jor just as long as intoxicating beverages, are manufactured they will be bought, ai~d just as long as they are bought it follows, as a thing of course, that they will be drank.!' "Well," said Mr~. y, "I like that suggestion very well, but I apprehend ~there may be sN~rne difficulty in getting a Legislature to act on such suggestion. " "Oh," said Uayburn, "I am much disappointed in the tone of public sei4iment, if the great mass of the people are not in favor of any action that might 1* called for on the subject of temperance. I believe the people at large, even the 'drinking portion themselves, would rejoice to see the last temptation removed out of their way; for, with a great many, I am led to believe, from their own declarations7 that is their only hope of reforms" "I believe that position, Mr. Rayburn," said Morley; "I confidently believe that the large mass of th~ drink. ing part of our population wQul& gladly break the 8p011 that habit has thrown around them, that, with many, has grown to be almost second nature; but they fail for lack of moral courage; their inward powers of existence are either weakened or all gone, and temptations beset them at every step. We have a truly deplorable state of affairs at the present time,; but as a thinking, reflect~ ing people, we ought to ~concentrate our energies oii some remedy for the evil, and not fold our hands in idle~ ness, fruitlessly deploring the case, withoiit~ so much as an effort at a cure,, while we are all the time assured 157 156 page: 158-159[View Page 158-159] THE RECEPTION PARTY. that 'the patient is all the while growing worse' and worse." "Well;" said Mr. Dulanee, a strong woman's rights.. man, "my opinion is, sir, if we expectancy relief through the medium of the ballot-box, we will first have to ad- mit the ladies to' a participation in its privileges. But once admit them to political p ges, and I have no fear but that any measure for the iidvancement of tem~ prance or mcirality might be carried without fear or favor." - Mrs. Rayburn said, "Mr. Dulance must be a cham- pion of the sex, and in favor of her enfranchisement in sincerity." 'Mr~ Dulance said) bowing most graciously, "That is' just my position, the true platform on which .1 expect to take my stand, whether it be a popular stand at pres~ eAt or not, ~and feel proud to own' the position."" Mr. Morley said, "It is my honest conviction, that if ever the ladies are voters; and temperance should be made a political- test, a very large majority of the' ladies' names will be found ma~~haled on' the side of temper- e~~ice. But I don't wish to be understood as meaning by that position that I think they are ia'the riiost need' ~f 'shields from that sort of temptation; only because I am aware :that the innocent 'have many times to suffer for the wrong doing of the guilty." " We will accept those compliments, won't we, la- dies ? " said Mrs. Grey; just 'then coming into the' room. "Won't We pocket all such compliments as .those senti-' ments ~einbrace ? "' " ' ' ' "~ Most certainly," said 'several ladies'; "they are quite consolatory to our feelings." "But I think some of our young gentlemen are em-' bracing some new theories of h~te, or have been *~ttend- ing a woman's rights convention, and came away con- verts; perhaps converted by the pretty speeches, or pretty speakers, I don't know which," said Mrs. Wood. "I know young gentlemen are very easily converted, when such captivatin~gbistru.ments are used. '~ "Oh, yes, but we are not going to enfranchise the ladies so very readily as you might presume; we gentle- men have a good many grave objections. that have got to be removed first," said Judge Wood.~ "We happen to have that business in our own hands, ladies, and don't intend to relinquish our prerogative until we are satisfied that such a change will be a mutual advantage to all parties concerned." Mrs. Good, a, lady of considerable intelligence, said, if it wou)d not be an intrusion, on the balance of the company, she would like ~to ~.hear the Judge's opinions defined on1the subject of woman's rights in generaL "On that subject,"the Judge said, "I do not know, ladies, that my opinions will be 'considered at all ortho- dos. They differ, I believe, somewhat from the opim~ ions. of. the wltraists on both sides of the' question. On the grand question of enfranchisement, which' is gener~' ally made the nucleus of all the rest, I do'not believe~ in all honesty, that the exercise of such a privilege (as it is' termed by tt~e advocates of that side of the ques.~ tion) would be either ford the well being or the benefit of the sex themselves. L oppose such a measure 'ou the ground ~of exp'edie~y.; because,, as a ~class, ~females are possessed of war.nier affections, 'stronger. sensibilti~s; 'K *1 158: N0RA. WtLMOT. 159 I page: 160-161[View Page 160-161] 160 NORA WILMOT. TRE O~P~IQN~AJ~TY. 1~i all their finer feelings are more elevated and refined; their temperaments are more impulsive, more imagina- tive, more ardent, and generally more, enthusiastic, with a more trusting confidence. With all these beautiful susceptibilities of her nature, I fear she is not calcula- ted to contend with the sterner elements of success to be encountered in the vortex of political warfare., There are times and circumstances under which ladies might, with entire propriety, go to thg3 ballot-box and cast in a ballot without the least stain on the purest mind, when. her presence might be as a healing balm 'or a re- fining influence. Mid there are epochs, too, in a free suf- ference, that tries the sterner sex of the sternest order; times that. shake the integrity of the firmest, when the whole body politic seems moved and swayed like a mighty forest by the contending elements that are sift- ing and seething to its very centre. At such times there is scarce a. masculine mind, of ordinary mould, that can stand the ordeal, and come out without some stain. of the' conflict t~n his garments; much less the gentle, refined, sensitive; being, that has always been kept within the sheltering protection of the holy influ. once of home,, that has never been suffered to come in contact with society in any but its most amiable moods. I would tremble at the thought of throwing such an one within the area of 'the influence of the political arena, where they must of necessity come in direct con- tact with society of a very questionable class and quality. "There was a time, in the history of thjs Republic, when there might 'have been le~s ground for an ob~juc. ti~n to such a~ change than there is ~.t the parent stage of our history; When our 'politicakh~rizon.was purer and freer from the pestiferous breath of~corruption and de- traction than it is at the present time. We are. ,grow- ing greater and wiser, it may be, as a nation, but not better a~d purer, I fear. But we~ ought, in my opinion, as a free' people, guai~d with a jealous eye the purity of our domestic institutions, especially our hearthstones; because from thence emanate our rulers of both church and state. The mothers train all our statesmen. From the simplest minded' voter to him who AllIs ~the highest office in the gift of the people, and from, the humble believer, with only talent sufficient to eon~prehend the simple tale of the cross, to the most learned theologian, all have received their first and most lasting impressions from a mother's influence. it is the~ female mind that stamps the~ impress~ of the future character. If that portal be not guarded well, farewell, a long farewell, to our boasted free institutions. "I know that at the present~time many good and great men ares trembling for the safety of our govern- ment; but notwithstanding that darkness does, seem to overshadow us for a season, II have not yet lost .11 faith in the Republic. And my faith is all in the known pu- rity and capability of the female p~rt of our aoci~4y in the integrity~' Qf sour . mothers and the purity of our daughters. "I am aware that the great mass 'of our &ffice-se~- ers, &ud very many of our ~ffice.hoiders, are, with a f~w honorable exceptions, ahutost ~a mass of corruption; but as ~new: characters step upton the state of action, and page: 162-163[View Page 162-163] 182 NORA WILMOT. THE R~OEPTION PARTY. 163 new stateR~tnen enter the arena, I know they will bring with them pure 'seiitiinents and firm principles, imbibed from the holy fountain of a mother's pure teachings. II know their impulses have emanated fronWthe most dis- iiiterested"couuselor they could ecek wisdom from. These, ladies and gentlemen, are the grounds of my entire faith in the continued prosperity and lasting perpetuity of our free institutions. Jlnt'perhaps, ladies, I ought to beg an apology, in some degree, for intrud-' ing so much polities on your notice." By no means. Go' on, Judge, go on; we want~ to hear you through; we want tolear your Whole opinion," exclaimed several voices. "Well, ladies, I do feal very much flattered; but would say 'again, I do snot oppose these opinions be-. cause I would disparage, in any degree, the capabilities of the female mind: I believe her amply qualified to fill any office of either trust or ~profit, or in chQ9sing others to fill the same stations. I think she is capable of making a judicious choice, of judging with discrimi- nation, with coolness and~ impartiality; and I believe her 'mind is susceptible of a very high degree of iim~ ~pro4ernent, ~and. that she is just as assiduous in cultiva.. ting it as the other sex. But, notwithstanding all these ex ~ opinions, ladies, I am still uncompromisingly uppo 4 i~o your enjoying the privilege of either hold-. ing office or saying who shall hold it-oppospd to your 1win~ ~oliticiaus; but I only oppose it on ~he ground of e~pediency-only, ladies, ~because I think you are too pure to~come in contact with so much, that is net at all~pnre; and because 11 always want you to be just~ a~ good as you are now, obly~ getting a littl~~etter, 'you know, so you can be setting examples foi~ us men ~ for you see we have a kind of wayward 'tetidenoy to~ be doing a vast~ amount of 'wrong things, thaV w~' ought not to do by any~ means, and then palliating it all by saying, 'Oh, we men have so many teniptations."' The ladies voted the eloquent Judge their sincere thanks for' l~is' truly able defense of their eau~e~ "What are your opinions on the' subject 'of lady speakers, Judge? Are yoii in fwvor of ladies '8peaiking in public?" asked Mrs. E~ayburn. "Oh, on that'niatt~rj madam, it is notju&tentirely to my liking; but if she can aid, by Aany nieans, in the great reformed of the day, which ~em so -much needed at the present period, -L can ~ee no particular objectionn to her voice being heard in public occasionally.: But 'I would not, provided~ they were all under my particular direction, have them travel very extensively, unless un- der Peculiar cireumstan~es; neither would I have her too public In her effortsts~ 'You see ladies, I want to 'make you v~ry domestic, and I don~t' know but thisis~ a little bit selfish, because I think & fine woman is an or- nament.tn ~any relation, kut 'especially so when ~he i§ seen presiding over rher' own household~ I think' the home ~circle is so entirely' waritin~' in all It~~m~ when 'she is absent, 'that I~ cannot make up in my mind's eye any possibh~ substitute for 'her presence in~theAto. mestic sanctuary. "Again': I think her talent maybe exhibited t~ 'particular ~ad.~ant~g~ei wherever suffering humanity is to' be found ~there' I 'think' her preseiio& 'l~ like the'oil of gladuess, and' like cheerfuln~se,~ he'r'pres-. page: 164-165[View Page 164-165] 'i~4 ~O4T~WiJAWf. ence 4oetli4~good like a medicine. .Oh, ladies, there rare so many avenues, with the doors wide ~pen, inviting ~your~ entrance, where your talents, improved to the ut- most of. their ability, r~a~y find full, and free scope for e~e$ion of both ~hon~r and profit, without the, least ne cessity of crowding into masculine pursuits, that would 0nly woundyoursensitive. natures, and render. you less attractive ,.nd amiable. here are the rising generation, each. little prettIer a candidate for eternity, with minds to be traine&- every one, from the cradle upward, all the way to maturity; and whcr can be found so every. way competent to this mighty task as woman, with her gentle nature? And then there is still another sphere where ker talents shine particularly resplendent: she way wLeld hei~ pen to a very great advantage, on. any subject that comes witbin- the sphere of. her influence, with honor to herself and benefit to others. In short, ladies, I desire, as -the, welbwi~her of society, t~ see the sphere of woman's i~sefulness and action not ~changed, but eialted t~ a higher Eminence. And now, I. fancy, we have bad a pretty extei~sive lecture on the subject of woman, her sphere ~f usefulness and influence. What think you, ladie~ and -gentlemen? for I believe we are well nigh all- together. (For - th~ J~udge, with his, little speechingJ~ad gathered almost the whole. -com- pany into one room,. formix~g a nucleus, round which, all h gathered.) ?ar4on§ me, ladies -and~ gentlemen,. for so, far forgetting myself and~ the ocoasj9n2'- -- o trespass, Judge; but all seemed. 4ruly delighted with th~ -e~ening's ente~tain~nent. All then~ repaired to the drawing-room, wher& Mr& I~ayhurn was led4o the :164 THJ~ UEOEPflON PARTY. 16~ piano. Miss Sallie Martin. accompanied ~r the inelo- deon, and Miss Wilmot took choice of the gentle tones of the guitar. Some dozen or more ladies aided the concert of sweet sounds by. the beautiful harmony of their finely cultivated voices, which closed the evening's entertainment, to the delight of all present. page: 166-167[View Page 166-167] THE KNITTING ~ PARTY. 16T 16 NORA WILM&T. CHAPTER XI. - TIlE KNITTiNG PARTY. After Nora had i~qturned from seeing Susie safely started on the cars for her new home in a w~,st~rw Vil- lage, not a hundred miles off, a note was put into her hands by a stranger. Breaking the seal, she read as - follows: DEAR NORA - I hope you will excuse this freedom, J for I do feel in, oh! so much affliction; and have not one kindred heart to which I can turn for sympathy neither father, mother, sister, nor brother; even Aunty, that dear, disiqterested, ,best friend, is gone. I feel ~almost alone in the wide world. I have borne all in si- lence until my heart turns with a yearning for sympathy; and I felt that I could confide to your my very dear friend. Oh! Nora, how can I tell you all! My noble husband, that was so good and kind, has been deluded from his integrity, led by wicked associates to taste the wine when it was'red, until he seems completely infatu- ated, to have forgotten every moral obligation, even the holy obligations and duties he owes to the sweet baies God has given us, that used to be his pride and delight. And last night, oh! horror of horrors! he came home at a very late hour, aDd took the little inno- cents (that' have always been 'nursed so tenderly, for Charley used to be so alarmed if the wind only was suf- fered to blow on them too rudely,) and thrust them out into the pitiless storm, saying, he wanted then'i to grow a little more hardy; they couldn't 4ways be kept so del- icately; he wanted to str&iigthen their constitutions, or they would never be of any account. For myself I would have suffered anything rather than have exposed myself to the pitying eye of strangers......buv thy- babes! I felt I could bear all for them, and so craved a shelter from the nearest'neighbor; and good Samaritans they truly were to me and mine They tookusin, oh! so kindly, giving us the best shelter their slender means afforded, and were so much interested for' the children. They, will ever have my warmest gratitude. FLow can I bear so much? My own dear -husband, the father of my babes, the chosen one in life's early 'morn7 how can 'I see him destroying himself, his credit, his reputation, his health, his prospects for time and for eternity'! Is there no remedy, no hope? Oh! if there only -was no more drink, no place where men 'could procure the means of self-destruction, no more temp~ationl Must it ever be thus, just because men will, only for the mere sake of gain, allure, and tempt, and ensnare ihe victims of intemperance? If Charley only would listen to me as once he delighted to! But-now, oh! I dare not ~o much as make the attempt, for he will not listen, will not heed any warning or any entreaty; will- not even listen to the voice of affection. But I will ~niy say in. con- clusion, do, trny dearest friend, come to me; perhaps you can suggest something or some way. You know a droWning man will catc1~ 'at straws. Bat - do, my dear, come, I want so much to see you. Your friend, To MISS NORA WIIIMOT. MARY PRIC~. - 1 167 page: 168-169[View Page 168-169] WILMWX THE KNITTING PARTY. 169 Little, Mary Price judged aright ~hen she mad~ choice of Nova Wilmot~.as one to whom she could iin~ burthen all her troubled heart; for Nora never could find a place in her W~art t~ harbor one. feeling in to turn. a deaf ear to the appeal of a wounded heart. Her nature was.too sympathetic, and, she had learned to feel another's woe. She was soon on her way to Mary Price's humble dwelling. She found Mary so very glad to see Poor Mary! it was a hard lesson ~he was learning; ~inaIl wonder if she did-.erave sympathy 'of some friendly aid~ Child of prosperity, as she had always been, and reared so tenderly- although left an orphan at a very tender age-~ the l&asV of .~. quite. numerous family which had heen swept offin. one short-week by that fearful scourge, the chQlera~, that left desolate so ~nany heartJa~ stones, sparing neither~age, nor sex, nor, station; sweep- ing alike the man of hoary years, tottering on the brink of the grave, whose pilgrimage was well nigh ended; the son, the -prop on which age was leaning, now just ripening into full maturity; and the. tender babe, prat- tling all ~day long at its mother's side, shedding light and gladness, as none but. prattling infancy can. .When all ~was~ over, and there were none ,left but this tender bud in its helplessuess~ a rich aunt came from a distant part ~f the State, and took the orphaned one to the shelter~of her home; and, ~s her own children had all been taken aw~y in ,early infancy, this little dependent one brought back the sunlight to that darkened home. And, as Mary said, well did those childless parent~ re- pay. all h~r, ,gentle 'afYection When her own mother had died, Mary' was not old enough to appreciate her loss; and her good amity bad so well supplied het1 place, she never had known a difference. flv~ery thing that kindness and affection, aided by wealtlvand influ- ence, could do, to traiii her. youthful. mindj was done..-.. and Mary loved those doting foster~.parents:with all a daughter's guileless affection..,: But they, too, "'flad gone from the earth, And were nuder th~ sod ;" and little Mary Sutton was left a second time an orpha; before she, had, numbered sixteen summers; and,, a~~cept~ ing the kind invitation of a distant relative, in the city ~f R , found a home un4er his roof-.....aad in the same spirit that it was given, it had been accepted. - When Mary first caine-a stranger tQ h~errkew? honie.....~ and was introduced as a member of society, she was the admired of all admirers. - When .Qharley Pric~ won. her young heart~ offered his hand, and was accepted, her friends thought, as the phrase goes on such occasions, pretty Mary Sutton would do so well I Charley had always been considered a. model young man; but rumor had said; the last year previous to.bi8 marriage, that he had,, occasionally, indulge4 in ~ social glass with a great many other young - gentlemen, but. it was all kept very quiet, and there seeme& bu~ little thought of it any way. Those who did- knew it to be a certainty, were generally those -~lio we~eguiit~-of tIi~ same improprieties, and were; of course, inter~ste4 i~i saying nothing aboi~t~ ~ And so Mary, in, ~her y~th a~d innocence, ~theu~ S page: 170-171[View Page 170-171] 140 NORA WIL1~OT. she was giving lieT young affections to one .who was f~Or- section's self. But we will have to take the world just as. we find it, and try t4~ reform it as best we can. There w~asa~ long conference that morning over the ways and means~ best calculated to redress this mighty wrong. ~' Innumerable plans ~were suggested, and then dropped, as insufficient for the emergency. Mary said-but, perhaps, we may be telling family secrets-that there was one house that she thought was the only place Charley visited; and it was one of the genteel' tippling saloons, where the proprietor 'kept only the best order of drinks for genteel customers, under the guise of oysters, ice cream, cream nectar, &c. She had uevei~ known Oharley go any place else, and she knew the proprietor had been' an old acquaintance of Char- ley's in boyhood~ She thought~ they were room-mates in. College, and that this man had a great influence over him. Mary more than half blanied him for Charley's downfall; and there were several others visiting the same place~ that were going just as lie was, who had a very strong influence 'ovet him, too. She thought if that one establishmentt Was only out of the way, Charley might be easily induced to reform. But the proprietor stood like lMkrdecai at the king's gate; he was always layiii.g traps fbr' him. When they had to leave their beautiful home, Mary said she left it cheerfully, because it ~w~ild be taking him into another part of the city, out 4~f the immediate influence of this man sand his establishment ;~ und 'she could plainly see the beneficial results on her husband: he seemed "to be fast'ref&rming, until -Vhis s&m ~ian2had' taken it upon himself toA help THE 1~IITTING PAUTY. '141 Chancy into business, where he would have to pass directly by his establiahment every time he came home; and it was soon evident on his~ manner. " Nora said she thought they could n~ianage his ~a~e h~ getting' up a grand knitting party. She told Mary to be sure to have & nice job of knitting wQrk, ull ready for use, against the next Thursday, aud to have all4bing~ in readiness to spend the day from home. Anti if Mr Tradewelt would not consent to' a proposition to abandon his traffic, they would get up a'knitting party, and un~ke his saloon the theatre of their operations, and they would knit~ on from day to day~ .iintil they would make him glad to capitulate. On her way home; Nora called on several ladies-... some twelve or fifteen.- that' she knew possessed char- acter and' standing in Society, and' disclosed her Inten- tions. Most of the ladies were vi~ry n~iuch interested in Mrs. Price's story, 'and offered but slight objections to the very novel mode of procedure submitted for their consideration. It was an original idea to all; but they agreed to trust all to Sora, and if they got into 'any difficulty, she 'must stand responsible for the conse- quences. They were willing to give their-time and ser~ vices to any adventure that seemed to offer any phiusi~ ble grounds of' aid to a reformation tha~t all savr Abe growing necessity far. First, they drew up a petition, couched. in the most' respectful 'terms, and signed by about forty ladie& & known inthiezice,' petitioning~ in the ~deepe~t ~in~c~ty;' that' 'Mr. Amos Tra4ewell would cea~e 'to vend an.y~and" all articles of intoxicating drinks as a bE~vezage ;'~skihg~ 171 4 page: 172-173[View Page 172-173] ~I0RA WILMOT. THE KNITTING PARTY. 1!~S in ~ firm rejliauce ~u Lhm who has alt hearts in ~TiLis han~js, and ~wili I~riug into judgment~every thought, word and deed of every created intelligen~cethe workmanship of Ihs hand- petitioning hhn, as he valued hiw 4wn goQdnar4e, his standing in society, the well-being of his fellow men,,~ud of the 8oeiety of which he was a mem~ ber, an4 as he valued t1~e future prospects of the ehib dreii %2~oi had i13trllsted to his care to train for future usef~lne~s, fox' the sake of beart~breaking women, and worse, their orphaned children , to' cease to 8end. forth, only for Ihe ~sake' of sordiddross, a poison that will burn up and 41e8tr~?y; ~r~t,~the outwardd man alo'~~ but.; will quench and destroy the divinity+within~ the image of G~o& '8ta~mp?4 on the sotd-asking him to make a firm re~soWe." to c1ean~e his hands, ~nd purify his heart, froi~i that eQvetQllsness which loads men, for* the': sake 'of ino~ey, ~ de~o1oAe and destroy2' . The fair petitiouer& further besought him, for the sake of those unfortunate beings~ ~the strength of whose appetites transcended their mqral ability ;to resist temptation when. thrown. in their way, but who~ if not imp~ediately assailed by strong ten~ptatiens, will remain ~orthy~ members of, ~socieLy; Tj~ey be8ought~ him, too, t~ remove temptation from the youth that wera but just entering on the. 8ta~ge of life; walking fo~h to pn ied~s~en4esr withojit' 1i~xed ~pineiples of action; exposed to evil influences, and ueeding shields~of prOi~eetlQfl, inste.twl of shafts. of temptation: includingg with wstrong~hQpe and ~a.si'~cere4esire, that their ~i~iowmigJ~ be successful, ~izrd aving'*n answer. ',y~iu tw~nty4our ~hQu1V. .&n& then, of course,.. with considerable au~4ety tkkni~w.the result of 1~hia &st. effort. The ansvi~r came Within: the time designated; written in very proper, concise order, entirely respectful as' any set 'of' ladiescould possibly desire; but flatly refusing, in very positive terms, to accede to any part of the petition. For, as Mr. Tradewell said, he~ had;not, iii any one case, been proven to have transcended the limits of thelaws of his State; for the matter' had been well tried, repeatedly,~ and so loiig~ as he could be a laiv.. abiding max4 he thinks he 'would be satisfied. "Yes, ladies, with all deference, I must say, 'that, the laws of my State give me full and entire liberty to pur~ sue my avocation with entire impunity, and IL ca.n see xio reason why my business need be considered so very great a nuisance. If 'men do 'not "govern their appetites, it is their own'fault~ and not mine; I 'ani not accatnltable for 'my customers, and do not wish to be so considered. I never 'have, ladies, been so much' as selfapp~inted guardian for this community. When I get an appoint. ment to that effect, I shall be pleased to 1~t you know it; and whenever that event transpires, you may send in your petitlons, and they shall be attended to in all good faith. But 'nuder existing regulations, r wish "it distinctly understood, that I expect to enjoy the very reasonable privilege of attending to my own busiae~s without fear or fayor, with all becoming deference t& the fair petitioners. '"(Signed~ AMos TRA WELL' ~' Well, the ladies said~ ~" so, let it bet ~' Mr. TradeWell should enjoy thecoveted privlkge of pursuing hI~%v'o~ cation without fear, 'unless he should be afraid of' ~few page: 174-175[View Page 174-175] ~1T4 NORA WIJIMOT. ix~offensive ladies, armed with. knitting-needles as weap. ons of warfare. - There was a deal of arranging, and talking, and eon- Lerring together, that nee& not he told anything about. Neither do we dee~n it essential -to our present purpose, to - say whether Nora Wihuot said anything about the propriety of the knitting party to Fred ~Morley,. or not. Bu1~ we are sure of one thing: we know Mr. Morley is about the most thorough temperance man in town; and we prophesy that Uncle Grey will, some day, be just- as enthusiastic as he is. J~ut he isn't now, by-any means6 He says it is all well enough. Thinks it would ~be a grand thing if drinking- could all be ~lone away with, because- it is almost abominable practice; is surprised that any -man, hearing three straws. for h~s reputation, or a fig f6r his family, ~anAndulge in so ruinous a practice -& ~r~ctice calculated in its tendency- t~ destroy every spark of manhood -and independence, and every moral principle aman may possess; ruinous alike to property and prospects. - - But -many another nan% possessing just as latitudina- ~iai~ principles as Mr. Grey, hava been converted~. sometimes, too, without his terrible. ha~ti~al of arnie- Iu the matter of the knitting party, Mr. Grey thought very lightly of such a motion. Thinks the 1~dies had bettor stay at h&me, and leave such business t~the gen- tlemen's care. Is willing himself to talk to Mr. Trade- ~eU 4hout the impropriety of his course with regard to Uharley Price, when. he thinks the right time has come; but just now, -he thinks, would not answer, as he might 4174 THE KNITTING PARTY. ITh be suspected of being in 4ie - employ of the ladies~ be- longing~ to their- committee~\or something else .-~. thinks the whole matter~ had better rest a few weeks. Bnt, notwithstanding Mr.~Grey's opinion~ to the con- trary, Thursday morning came; and all things being s~s thematically understood previously, our friend Tradewdll was n~t a little surprised with the unceremonious en- trance af several bevies of ladies almost simultaneously amounting in all to some twelve or fifteen6 - - It was a little surprising that so many ladies should be attracted with iv sudden desire to visit Mr. Tradewell's saloon the game morning-! And, then, each company was no~ less pleaded than surprised with meeting the balance of the company- seemingly, there was no concert of action, but they -were all there ! - - But not one lady was present whose name had been on the petition. - It was all curious enough I So thought Mr. Amos Tradewell. That dignitary stepped briskly behind the coui~ter; with a low bow, and a ~bland smile that -wag only on one side of his face, (for some - how he did n~ f~e1 more than half at ease,) he aske& the ladies, as-each company eame in~ if he could ~wait- on them, with some- thing in his line, this morning - would be happy~ t~ accommodate them -.-~ had just received a fine supply~ of southern fruit: oranges, ~of -the first quality; lemons, that he could reconunend. ; prunes, just in order for .culiuarypurposes; pine apples;khe' first of the season and tamarinds, of a sup*~rior quality~ together~ witk- a fine variety of canned - fruits-- would be very ~glad to furnish tall with fruits-~ for the season'~-us& on very low terms. But the ladies did~ not -seem. at all dispos~4 to page: 176-177[View Page 176-177] purchase; and our dapper~ little salesman, after exhaust~ ing his vocabulary of praises on his merchandise, was completely Douplussed to' know what construction to put. on the strange conduct of his visitors: . for it was evident- enQugh, that' there was something ~ in the wind tli~4 our salooi~ man- did n't quite understand, and co~ld not fathom,. ~. I Illis surprise was very considerably increased when each visitor very deliberately~ seated herself, and thrust.. lug a fair hand down -into a capacious, side.pocket, that Mr. Tradewell contends to this- day. was prepared~ espe- cially for '-thai occasion, and drew- forth 'a-huge ~balL of yarn, with a' pair of shining knitters stuck 'demurely into it, and proceeded just as familiarly to -arrange her business as if she were seated. in her own parlor or quiet little snuggery Soon' each pair of busy fingers were. jingling the shining~ needles with as much al~rt~ ness as if knitting had been th~ only business in life worth any lady's attention; all the while accompanying her labor with her tongi~e.- All the most- important; business matters of the day were freely discussed, at full length, 'by the cheerful little company, who seemed ouly- intent .~i their knitting work, as they would still be. saying, and spending' a so~ cial day ;' seeming entirely unconscious that they wei'e in~ trading in any. way or on any' petsoLn's privileges, ~r that Mr.. 4mos- Tr~dewelI's saloon wasn't, a very -proper place fo~ any 4&zen 'ladje~ to'spend a very social ilay. When any subject was discussed oa which the ladies found themselve at issue,- or that they we~ra not entirely - conversable on, they turned to our 'friend Amos, as nat rally as if. that little personage was one of their oWn company~ or was the charming personage they had - come expressly to V1$ltb Thit, to a close observer, thero was a sly twinkle of apparent mischief, just discernible ui the corner of the eye of each. When any of the custom~ ers ~f Mr. Tradewell'~ saloon made their. appearance a;t the door of the establishment,, they would look in so inquiringly, as much as to say; "What does all this mean? What's up now? We can't just understand all this. This matter certainly will admit~.of some ex~ pl~nation, if we can judge aright2' - - But the ladies only laughed, and talked,. and plied thefr busy fingers, without -even seeing anything unusual in the present state of affairs. it proved a long day to Mr. Amos, that jlrst day tvf his lady .vjsit~ He. walkedthe floor, 1~oked out of the' doer, examined- his sale books over and over again, to ascertain that all things. were right,' peeped into his money drawer to count how much that department was improving; but it didn't increase fast that day, custom~ ers didn't call very' freely, and Those' that did come in didn't want anything, only 'to get away as soon as possible. Mr. Tradewell's little grey eyestwinkled. and snapped with incredible briskness, and hisKhooked nose Was el6n~ gated- to an unwonted- length, while his us~ialW' placid mouth was puckered up to .a perfect peapod shape with very Vexation.' Was ever man so tried, since our great progen1to~ yielded tQ woman's temptings in 'the first garden 'Biit the ladies, thoughtless thiDgs,"were' all merry as bntt~r. flies in* a June day. Wasn't it all entirel~too-.t{ad? 111 pro NOIL& WILMOT. TI11~ K~ITTINO PARTY. in page: 178-179[View Page 178-179] J'r8 NORA WX1~OT. TflE KNITTING PARTY. When the- noon4ide meal eame on ~ur visitors went out, three or four' at a time.~ would be gone but a short time, and' then come in, and itnother company would go out. So they-were not all absent at any 'one time. When evening came they knitted on until almost time for candles, and~ then' dispersed in the very best of spirits. When the last fair form-had disappeared i~ound the corner, 'Amos. -Tradewell felt such a relief as he had not experienced for many days, and was heard to' ejacu- late something that might -be offensive to' pious ears. But we won't condemn him, for he has been tried in a very vulnerable point to-day. It has been well said, if you want to' know all there is in a man, try him through ,,the medium of his purse; if he stands that ordeal, then trusthim. The retreating footsteps had scarce died away, until the old customers were' 'fast assembling to know what ILII this meant. But Mr.. Tradewell was 'as' much at a loss'~aa his customers were to determine what it 'might all mean.. 'The ladies had given no intimation, either of their object or of Their future intentions. Bait he was evidently greatly rejoiced' to ~ee the last one leave, and inwardly hoped, when next they shall take a fancy to have another knitting bee, they 'would -honor~ some other establishment- with their presence, and not make his saloon~ their theatre ofoperations. lie wasn't at nil flattered by any such distinctions, and somehow he had many misgivings of what the future was going to bring forth; felt afraid there was~something brewing under all this that'perhaps 'after al'iwon't work much goQd to' his daTling business. 'But time will reveal what is what. Friday morning came,~an& as Mr. Amos Tradewell was surrounded by some dozen customers, wiping their lips. ~nd discussing~ in an animated strain, the very uii- usual transactions of the previous, day, they were all thrown into Lhe direst confusion, by the appearance of the same number of ladies as the, previous day's com- pany, only there were some missing of the former coni, pany, but their places were supplied by new faces, mak.~ ingNup the same number. Again Mr. Tradewell was behind the counter, wishing to know if the ladies wouldn't buy something, bent on making them believe themselves customers. But they "don~t wish to buy any thing in that line, this morning." As before, each visitor seated herself v-ery eomfoit- ably, drew forth the same. job of knitting work~ and was soon busy, plying the same shining needles with her wanted industry. They were soon all busily engaged, comparing the former day's labor, to see whi&h had aow complished the greatest amount of work. It was as~ tonishiig to 9ee how those stockings~. had grown in so short a time. HOW those nimble fingers did draw out the long stretches of yarn, from out the curious pockets where the balls lay, at the very bottom, deep down, as if they had alway~ lain there. flow very cheery the ladies are! All The new~cQmers have to be enlightened with the fact that the others~ ha4 really beeu there the day before, together with Mrs. ,and Mrs. '-, and Mrs. somebody else~ And then all the events of .the day's particular enjoyment had to he carefully narrate4l. What each ~ne said and did, and ho~ very line a ti'~e they alj had. But our friend Tradewell didn't fan&y'thathe had passed half so fine a 4y h page: 180-181[View Page 180-181] '180 ~ro1~ W1L~tOT. THE TT~W~ PARTY. 181 day as the tadies had. Didn't like to ~ee people alto~ gether so happy' at"his expense. But, with all his vexation, he didn't dare to make the smallest outward"demotist'ration of ~Il~'that was revo1v~ lug in: the busy laboratory of his pent-up feelings; for these ladies Ihave, ~ahnost every one of them, a band ' gentlemen; too, of 'standing and some eminence in the wofld. 'And so he must grin and bear it all with a smiling face -just like we would ~like' to see every rumseller, in our whole Wide-spread country, have to do, until they would each one be glad to capituThte, ai~d abandon the Whole 'disgraceful, ruinous traffic. Our saloon man thinks he begins to see through the whole stratagem, and chuckles to himself. They needn't think' they'll 'ever come' it over him in that' way; "not him! He'll stand behind that counter every day for six months and watch ~them knit llrst. He thinks they will give in first, unless they~are great knitters. Guesses the market will 'be overstocked with knitted pr6ducks this season, Fancies the price will certainly depreciate, 'if the yarn doesn't fail.' But no matter. That's not Mr. Tradewell's"lookout, as he is not engaged 'in that business at present. The ladies Will attend to the knit- ting department; it is a part of their province "llav~ ring taken guardianship of that pa~tieular branch of in- du~trial occupation, they don't Wish to be interrupted in the' peaceful prosecution of it, To-day has beeti a stereotype of yesterday in 'almost eVery particu'lai~, the ladies having'kept up a. perfect black~birc1 court, astheir very particular friend" Amos says; and he claims 'to knew all about the whole interesting' matter.'~ Saturday morning' came, and with it the usual complex. ment of~knitters ,to~the accustomed scene of action~, evi~ deftly bent on having another concert. ~And again the busy needles bQre ample:' tes ony~tG the untiring in- dustry of their possess~rs, ~iecompanied by the u~oeastng hum of the 'restless tongues.~. Occasionally, '~a lively tune would hum out from that busy prowd; then' a snatch" of some favorite song, to beguile the hours that were not's~iffered toevendrag'.heavily~ ' ]~1ach one appeared to be just where she wished to be, and occupied. altogether to 'her own peetiliar liking; all excepting our friend Amos; he was evidently grow- ing more nervous every day, althoughh only the day before he had declared it would only be a. very light task to stand~behixid that counter and watch'the ladies pursue their avocation of' knitting every da.y~'for six months. So trnwisitory are' all' human calculations, 'tha~t now, when' the sun' had 'not yet set behind the western hills on the third day, he feels' as if he' must burst with impatience, and he knew nothing when the end would be. Not one word had yet been said; not the slightest intimation, towards '~au explanation ' of all this strange procedure. But Mr. Tradewell is beginning to think of making some offers of: conciliation; 'or' capitulation, or~ some-' thing, or somehow to' get clear z~of his very unwelcome visitors.. He is. beginning to feel extremely ~anxVous on the subject~ lie' wants :a, change, some way, that he; may fall back into his old~ line & business~ Btit, we are thinking, it won't be quite ~so easy a~ matter~o 'bring all that to 'pass. You si~ asking too 'nnuch~ friend Amos.' You will ha'~e ~to lower your present~prete~xisions~. :'For, if we are ~ot mistaken, 'you will 'find, before you are page: 182-183[View Page 182-183] 182 NORA WILMOT. TI1~ 1~NITTING PARTY. through, that every one of these ladies is wide awake, and duly sober at that. It is Saturday evening now. And every lady has knitted to the' middle of her 'needle, in the right place, placed the ends of the needles in the hail, and 'carefully deposited 'the~ knitting work in the side pocket for future use, drawn her hood c~refuliy 'over herface, and ~aIl gone out, just as quietly as they came in this morning. ,Friend Amos is in atran8port of rage. His patience is- all gone, and his feelings all outraged. It is worse than an attack of delirium tremensfar worse than even being chased by the "man with the poker." For he lies tried both - if he never was known to be drunk. He has determined that he positively will not endure these things another hour. They are beyond endurance. Flesh and~blood cannot bear it. Why, he hasn't made three dollars the last three days. It's worse than per- fect robbery! Stealing away the means of supporting his family! JFor their ~akes,~ he won't submit. Won't you, friend Tradewell? If they would only conw 'and threaten to burn down hi~ establishment, or' with hatchet in hand make an attack on his~ bottles, 'and 'kegs, and barrels, he could make some show of resistance'; or if they ,would open a parley, 'or argument, or even abuse, he could meet 'them on their own. ground. But to come so os derly, so very politely and good naturedly, as if it were altogether in keeping with propriety, as if that were oidy a'ohos~u~res'ortto attend to their knitting work in? Why, bocensarned if lie doesn't hate the very sigl~t of. a pair of knitting~needles, and, as for a ball of yarn, with its' globe-like proportions, blast his eyes if he doesn't wish he had every inch of yarn 'in the land, it would Jo him good to 'see it all in ar blaze. ~He hates the very 'rattle of the needles,'-with their quiet click; click, just as he has had to listen to" about twelve set, all going at the same time. Oh, it is the hatefulest sound he ever yet listOned to'! Thunder is nothing' to it! Who wouldn't rather ~be burned out than knit" out? Mr. Tradewell really thinks he 'would. But' to-morrow is the Sabbath, and they can't come then. That's some comfort. Isn't it a great blessing to have one day out of seven to rest? Amos finds it so, for he is a church-going man,' and his good wife is a church member,' and he believes in attending church; always does go' on~ the Sabbath; thinks it a 'duty he owes to society, to pay attention to these' things to pay some respect to the Sabbath, and to give liberally for the support of 'genteel 'places for 'public worship. But time never stands, but is ever 'dropping out mo.~ mont after moment into the great ocean of' Eternity. And now Monday morning has come," and with' it has come the indefatigable members of the knitting circle, bright rand early, as if fully bent on getting- a fine day's work done. This time they didn't even~ get an invita- tion to buy any thing. Mr. Tradewell was very~stiff and surly, scarcely condescending to notice their 'en- trance. But the 'ladies came just as before, knitting and all, each one with a new recruit of yarn, prepared for a regular siege. So~ there could" be no mistaking the in- tentions of ~the party. And Mr. Amos~ consulted some of his best friend's, as tQ whether it Would be best t~ ISB page: 184-185[View Page 184-185] 184 NORA WILMOT. THE KNITTINOJPA~TY. 18& make overtures through the medium. of the ladies' hns~ bands, or to mal~e propositions to the~ ladies themselves, for he .was altogether satisfied that they came as a com- mittee to torture him. itito some terms, but knew not what those terms would be.. But' he felt satisfied, from the patience and sagacity with which they commenced theix~ operations, that he liadn't~ much to. expect, and by this- -time ho. begins, to feel very much as if he was in' the hands of the ex~emy, and would have to submit to su~h terms. as they may see fit' to subject him to. OnifriendAmos thought, as many far more valiant persons h~ye-, thought before,- that discretion was the better p~t' of valor. So, biting his lips with rage, but pu4ing, on, ~a- I~land smile 'outside, he- asked the ladies, with a-gi~aeious bow, if they had. any thing particularin view, in visiting his saloon thus ,day after~day. They need not betold, for they a~e all ladies of intelligence, that such things are out ~of the common ~ourso ,Qf so- ciety. fl:e is led to believe there is some explanation, and wishes to know it, if it will not be considered an intrusive question. ~he ladies could scarcely express how very glad they were of an -opportunity, to bring their protraQted visit to a close. So they deputed Mrs4 Judge Wood to act as speaker 911 the occasb~n. The lady speaker said they had some friends in whom they ,felt a deep interest, that -were- known to have pro-. cured the means of ,intoxication at jiis establishment, for many months, nay, for~years past. They were destroy- ing themselves.~and-. distressing 'their families; breaking th~ hearts ~of their vvivev$ and beggaring tLeir children. '.4' 4. committee had, as Mr~ ~TradewelF kneii~, petiti~rnml him, in the most respectful terms, to cease ~the r~1iuou$ practice of vending intoxicating~. drinks as a beverage; to which 'he- had see~i f1~ to rep1y,'that~ lie wished the privilege of-attending to-his own btsiness~ Soin visw of this fact, and the knowledge they. have of their friends' weakness, they have thought best to come in person, a few at a time, and keep. *t watch over their own friends,' that they may not be subjected to so many temptations. - The remarks continued.: "We are not here, sir) for the purpose of izifriuging upon any person's privileges, or even- intruding upon their tinfe. We only wish to guard. our own. friends from danger, hind hive made preparations to ke~p .a committee constantly on hand, for that sole purpose. As we have a* large number of ladies interested in the znatter~ it can be accomplished without any inconvenience whatever. But, sir, we intend to keep entirely within the requirements of tha law, and are fully posted .just how far we dare go,. without transcendi!lg the limits of the law." If Mr. Traciewell would consent to entirely abandon the traffic, and withdraw temptation frQm their friends, never again sell one drop of an intoxicating bever~tge, and sign .a pledge to that effect, they will withdraw thefr committee. "But, ladies," and the small grey eyes twitched and danced in their socket, and the thin lips Were eo~- pressed with a nervous mOtion, and .the. hands, were thrust' into ~he pockets very quick and jerked out again most excitedly, "can't I have the privilegee, ladies, of 8* 18& 18A page: 186-187[View Page 186-187] z~oi~A WILMOT. * ~s~flhx~~ oiL mypresent stock iii store? I'm wi1li~g to, bind myselff ~not~. t~ bny~aiy~m~ie stock, if I can only ~seia1t~ I have ()U 11aU432' Th~t the ladica couldWt quite appro~ ~f that couro. 2After~ coxfferring together a short time, it W~S agreed to * bny~ll the ready stock~Ir~ Tradewell had in store, pro- vide4 lie would agree to sell ~t ~t. ~t; and then agree to glv& up ~hebusinessforever Lest, advantage might he taken of their eonfl~Ience in future, they expressed their intentionof keeping a eem.~ mittee of observatiou constantly on hand, in the ward in which, the saloon is situated, iji order to report the very slightest deviation from the spirit of that pledge, and, with~ the first intimation of a deviation on his part, the knitting committee are~ to be on ,hand immediately, in full force. "But, ladies, you need have no fears on that subject Remember, a burnt child always dread&~the fire."' The c giittee Were sai;isfied that4hey had friends that were no~l~ and generous, that~ might again be re- stored to their 'former state, and become worthy mem- hers of society~, standing forth ~is freemen, if they were 'released, from the enchanted circle that seemed to bind them is with a wizard spefl,&~ the gordian knot that. bonnd their sense of moral obligation ~of all that is worthy manhood's name to the debasing, sonl-destroy- lbg 'prnctie~ ~f steeping the senses in the poisoningg ef- ifuvia of the ~vine~cup. The i~ommittee warxi~d' Mr.. ~radewel1 to hear ip ~ixind that th~ Word ot In~piratin bas said~ 4Woeto 1dm-that ~iv.th his neighbor drink, and maketh him drunken." "Let no man put a stumbling block, or an occasion to fall, in his' brother's way," "Have no fellowship with ~he unfruitful. :woka of darkness." "Whether, therefore, ~e eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." Mid then, ~fter settling ail~ things amicably; the coin-. i~i1tee took their ~rdtting ai4 d§eparted,. zunch to. the gratification of the~reinaining party. page: 188-189[View Page 188-189] 188 NORA WILMOT. TUE PETITION. J~89 - CI~AP.TER XII. TH.~, PETITION~ Mr~s. R~yburn (our little $usie,, you know, as was) had gone with her husband - t~ a distant part of the State, and left the scene~ of childhood's home to make a name and place among a stranger people, that were all unknown to her antecedents. Small wonder was it then, almost childish as she was, if she did turn with an almost childish idolatry to her noble husband, looking to him for all -father, mother, companion, and friend. For what interest can she feel in those whose faces she has looked upon but once or twice at most, and then only a formal call, or a return in the same spirits? Oh! it is so very different from unburthening every thought to ma, or asking advice of pa, or trusting brother Mark with what ~sEe didn't tell to anybody else, or running to Cousin Nora's room half a dozen times a day to say some- thing she had altogether forgotten to sa~ ~when she was there before, or going to make a short formal call on some one that had been a classmate at school, and the tried friend in childhood's freest hours, and protracting the time, jtist because she enjoyed it, to a day's visit. No formality, no restraint, in those days. "Then the innocent laugh, without any control, Save the sweet one of graeefuLness, rings from the soul." Susie scarce knew the import of such a m as for- inality. Why should she? She had been orn, a~d - - -~ - reared, and educated, just there; evary~ spot w~is fami- liar as household words-the paternal mansion, the schoobroom, th~ college, all in hailing distance. If did leave home for a few days, when she came back every spQt~ so familiar, to childhood's home, must, b~ visited as some old cherished friend, But here, in her ~iew~ home, every object is strange, every conutenance new. Sh~ has no landn~iarks to fasten affection's link upon, not ~one familiar streett, or tree, or line, 'or stone, not one talisman for memory's signet. fl~ow she does turn within her owii heart and busy memory's cell, conjuriiig images of past renieni~ brance, endowing them with an impertanee not teal. But still Susie's hopeful nature conferred images of bliss, and she was gay as a butterfly, dancing in the gay sunshine of her own unsophisticated nature; for she has her heart's chosen one,. and she says, in her young innocence, she promised, voluntarily, to leave all and follow him, and she is happy in th~ promise. What a child-woman Susie is! and, oh I how she did build ~as- ties in these' days, whose firmest foundation~ are only gossamer.-~castiIes of hope, whose fairest outlines i~ere doomed to be marred by iAherhands. AIf ~Rayburn has left ~the place of his studies and gone to another section of the stb~te, where, as he s&ys~ it is comparatively new, &nd he can grow -up with its growth-where he thlnk~ he cain aspire to0om~ polit- iced eminence; for he baa an~ inordinate desire to enter the political arena, and to make a figure ~in the w~rld yet. H~ no notion of living in the world without leaving a ibark behind~~ when he'is gone; not he, and page: 190-191[View Page 190-191] 190 ~QB~A WILM~3T. he-has ~an eye on the white house. Why not? The world is lust a~ wide for him as it is for others, and he is going to strive with just as untiring an energy as the best. ean. And Aif believes success is for 1dm who can dodge the best; so he intenda~to be found trying~ About this time Cousin Nora xecelved a long letter from Susie. While she is reading, if 'twill be consid- eredno intrusion, we will read -over her shoulder, as-we are adixious to know the centent~. ~ran thus: Di~iAu-N9RA :-I have SQ many things to say, I hard- ly. have patience to wait for them tc~ drop, letter at a time, ~off the tip of a pen,. when it would be so m~~h easier to just let the tongue tell so much more than the fingers can be saying.: Then there nust be some order and systeni in a letter.~ The periods must he rounded,. and, the sentences p~iV together with some pteeisiou; and ~9U know. I never did like to have to be orderly. Don't believe I shall ever be able to aspire to the boner of authorship, unless I ~au be sultered- to- tell my ideas just as they -oeenr to-my mind, without waiting to weave tltern4n:, each under their own head, in their own place in the chapter. But you don't have an idea how fast little~ careless -Susie, that used to be such a terror. to every (?rder4eving department in the house,- has liii- proved in. the. one matter of order since she became *s., at: -the head of an est~blishmeflt. Only think! pit, here ar~ my husbaiid7s shirts to he kept in such ui~e- order; yes~ Nera, in order, for he is very particu- lar iu~ 'that matter.. And, I must tell ye ~y fingers iron them all, and AIf does me the credit ~to. say he TULlI PI~TITUYN. never had them so nicely done. Now there's a hint f~r you, Miss Nora. Then I must see that dinner is done just twelvev, for Alf must not be kept fronithe office more than half an hour; then supper at six, precisely, with breakfast before time for business hours in. the morning; all as punctual and regular as clock-work. Then the rooms must be seen 'to, if they are well-dusted and aired, the silver brass nicely cleaned, and then dress for calls. Oh, me, that is hardest of all ~.-...so many str4~nger faces,. without one look of'fainiiar greet. lug, or one: home countenance..~on1y cold formality, Nora; cold' formality. Every call must be returned, too, just as they were made, without an iota of deviation. If you have a two-minute call, (which ~s considered by far the most aristocratic) you must not, positively must not, retur~i it with a caU of two minutes' longer, on pain of losing the everlasting friendship of your new.~znaJe acquaintance. No matter how much yen may be intej- ested in the conversation, or how well pleased with the society, or what the~ circumstances may be, etiquette binds you to a prescribed rule; and you are not to queTs- tion the' whys and wherefores. - Mrs. somebody. else does so, and that is good ground for a reason w~hy you are expected to do just so too. Now I always thought ii was a little foolish thing, and didn't kuow' much; but I think any person; with one etince ef sense, oi~ one spark of feeling~to be throwD among ~tr~augers, must be struck- with the perfect heartlessne~& of sueb associa- tions.' To be all dignified with, the ' tiil~ of frien4shl~ and social enjoyment , when you don'tTeel~hat you have one privilege, but mustbe entirely governed by thvac- page: 192-193[View Page 192-193] 192 NOR& WILMOT. THE PETITION. 193 tions of others, whether your ~wn judgment approve or condemn. Under such oirctunstaxices, the heart musi~ turn, ;with an. instinctive yearning, to kindred and home associations. Oh! wouldn't it be a treat to go and sjt' an hour with Amity Long, or only half aiv hour, if you felt like it, or two hours, it~.wouldn't matters Would all be right; or to drop in at Loo Tailor's, morning~ noon, or evening, all would be the same there. ~Well, now, couldn't 'I l~ugh if I was oulythere? .Think I could laugh till the tears would roll 'down. my cheeks, anyhow, without fear of wounding anybody's sensitive feelings /either. T~ut ;be still, Wny heart, 'twas my o~n choice, knowing:' the change of locality must follow.; Don't you be thinking, dearest, for one moment, that. I am not happy far from it. These-things are only annoyances that I think might be avoided, if we were not so very 'desirous ~to all .beiilike, and aet, and think, and talk, and live alike, when we have such a diversity of tastes, and educations, and ~ireumstauces, thatit mars, in .my opinion, the .free~ dom of individual, enjoyment, to make all bend, and harmonize, and assimilate to the~samo rules. - But, dear~ INora,'I ~have one friend, faithful and true, that. bears with all my waywardness, pets me in my moods, sympathizes with my little annoyances, and takes, oh! so deep an interest in -all that interests my happiness. Livingand. enjoying through the happiness of another! There is a heart-hliswin it all. To feel you have another heart to' lean on, that your happiness is all bouna up in tl~e other sell and that you don't enjoy anything only in their pleasure; and to kiiow if you suffer it is not alone, but that the other s~If i~ bearing all the ~bnrthen that can be borne, just as the right' hand or 'the right eye would sympathize with the other. It is real; unalloyed happiu~s, to even alleviate 'one~ pain, even by the ten-. der condolence of sympathy.: ~WifJi duty and' aff~cti~n leaning upon each other, ard inseparable striving, by every In~ans, td' make the home.h&arth I~appy and cheerful, Nora, it is happiness almost without allot. And Alfred is so g6od-..-all that' my young he~irt 'pic.. tured him in the days of courtship; It appears to me there 'is both poetry and beauty in' such a relation, a softening, refining influence, in the, numberless def~ren- tial attentions that make up the delighted b~~~iiud of the picture of domestic bliss. TO 'me th& happiest' part of the day i~ the eve~4 Dear Aif devotes his evenings to home and its attrac-. tions; and I sometimes think the 'day so hng and ev~n~ ing conies on too' ~1ow. But' 'tis almost evening now, and 1 must close (hut' would say to you, "Go thou and d6 likewise." bo come, and th~i I will tell you all about how very happy we are..-.my husbar~d and'm7e. I~ow isn't that a big word for a little woman like me tQ 130 saying? ]3nt I want to 1e learning to ~say that, ha- cause, do you know, Alt 'likes to have m~ call him my husband, just as w~ll ~as I like to hear him s~y 'my wife; but it did sonnd 6urions enough at first; but they are sweet woifd now, that they have grown naturaL I have forgotten my hurry, so I4ilIdnly ~ay ~od~ye. Your faJthfuifriend, ',: , ,. ~, ToM~Wujwj~* ' StTSL~ GREY YDT~. 9, page: 194-195[View Page 194-195] 194 NORA WILMOT. It was just ,what ~ora expected to hear from Susie. She knew her deep, enthusia~tie nature, her ardent af~ fection, and warm sympathies, would be but ill at ease in the chilling atmosphere o~tlie cold formalities of conventional, life. Although she had been brought up in a highly polished society, where the rules of etiquette were observed to a very considerable extent, Susie had felt none of its restraints. Surrounded, as she had been, by kindred sympathies, and the friends of earliest childhood, with whom she had grown to womanhood, her gay, joyous nature, had made her a petted favorite in society. But; she had ~with only a woman's true devotion, turned~ her back on all these privileges, and gone, with a trusting chperfulness, to new scenes~ and stranger as- sociations,. leaning on one heart alone for happiness. Susie's 1i~tter found Nora preparing for an early walk. Theladies of the knitting committee had decid- ed to make. a more extensive effort for the suppression oi~ the~ baneful traffic, that was gaining ground with such a fearful rapidity, luring the young and gifted ones into. its terrible vortex. Uarents, with' anytl4ng like a. quick-sighted oberva- tion, had their worst fears excited and alarmed for the safety of the treasured ones of, their own household, for temptations were to be met at almost every turn-.not a ward in the growing city but could number its various driuk~ig.establishments.. There were first the genteel saloons, (kept by smart, brisk fellows, many of them young men, whose greatest crime consisted in the want of a thorough moral train- TU~ PflTIT1ON 19~ ing, with not sufficient' inward powers of resistance. to scorn the acquisition of gain, when purchased as the price of character and. reputation young men, too, possessed of a business talent to have fitted them for useful pursuits in life, if. this most unholy traffic had not been presented as a temptation in the way,) where the better order of drinks were kept, and drank by, as they fancied, the best class of drinkers - none of the~' scum of society, the under drift, but pure upper-ten charac~ ters. None that Were less than long nines must. be ad~ emitted at these genteel establishments. 'I~'here w~ere very feii~ loafers seen lounging away the idle hours most of the customers here drank hastily, and left im- mediately, going into a private room, too, kept either for greater. convenience or for greater ecy. Gen~. tlemen. might have been seen going into ~Lhese conv~u~ gently detached apartments who woul& have~ blushed at the mere accusation; but they drank to gratify a de~ prayed appetite, and then efface4 the odious ~ffliwia, that might be attached to the respiration, and then w~ut forth as strenuous opposers to the vile pxae.tlee. We~ll,, better that than worse. We would rather have auiudF~ vidual condemn a bad practice,~eve~u though, a~ vitiated~ taste may lead him astray, and a want of mp~al courage cause him to yield to its indulgence, than to~hear such an one advocate a wrong only because he P~s not the firmness to resist its iufiuence~ While the ~ only the resi~ of a depraved animal appe.t~te, t tl~e legitimate offspring of a debased~judgine~~t and a steel-clad conscience. ~Then there was the low dqggery, usu~lly~ept~by~oue, 4 V & page: 196-197[View Page 196-197] 196 NORA WILMOT. of the lowest class of society,:such5~he common herd of drinkers themselves, where all* the ~'stronger orders of drink were to be had in any quantity, from a comfortable drink up to a whole barrel, if so be any drinker wished the convenience~ of~he article at home. Then there Was~ the lager beer saloon, kept b some broad-faced 'Mynher~r from 'across the briny deep, where his brethren, with broad shoulders and wooden shoes, can be accommc~dated almost a~ well as if they had never been induced by the lov~'of gain to leave th~ father- land" and come to free'America. But the' ladies (bad luck to thim, 'as some of the s6ns of Erin say, lit thim hey their way, and we'd soon have a thry Place) had marked all these various conven- jences for th~[different classes of tipplers, and had deter- xuined to leave no stone unturned to" destroy the 'last vestige of this' soul' and body destroying traffic and are still resolved never to cease, or' to give up the strug- gle while there is one' drop of intoxicating drink sc~ld as a ~beverage throughout' our heaven4avored land. Mothers, and wives, 'and 'sisters, and daughters; all ba~ided together for the entire suppressionu 'of this most inereneable traffic in ardent' spirits that traffic where cruel and cold-hearted "avarice, for the' sake of a few paltry sixpences, palsies every! healthful' pulse of life, and sharpens ever~~ang' of death; where the grim master of the sacrifice hini~elf~, ~oming 'forth from his dark aceld~tna 'of 'buman bI~od, strikes' do o~'tliat can ohe~r, 'and wrings every fibre that' caTh feel, before he gives the final blow that seiids "his suffer- ing~victim to eter~ii~y," Oh ~' ca~i such a'tra~o ever be THE PETITION. I 9.T justified by~ an enlightened and virtuous people, which thus alone 'holds outdhe chief temptation 4o iutemjyer-. ance, and strews the land with beggars, and widows, and orphans, and crimes; which breaks up the founda- tions of social ha consigns millions prematurely to their graves, and fills, the world with failings, lam- entations, and woe? Policy, morality, patriotism~ relig~ ion, all condemn it. Because, at this very moment, all over our wide-spread land, and 'in other lands, there are husbands and wives, mothers and children, pining in in'digence and hopeless sorrow, caused by this firebrand of death.. But we said the ladies were banded against these ar- rows of death-resolved in their strength to battle against even the. manufacturing of a moral~ poison,~ to be scattered among the children of their race. But the present: business of the committee is 'to procure signa- tures to a petition to 'be presented to th&$tate Legisla,- ture for ~a prohibitory liquor law; the object being to secure the name of every man and woman in favor of such a measure, in the whole length arid breadth of the entire state, that the Legislature might know the entire sense of the whole population on the important ques- tion they would be called to legislate on. The 'commit- tee were eiithusiastic of success, they had met with but few refusals, and the names were written with such an apparent ~ alacrity, there ~seemed to be a .preparation on the part of the people. But the ladies had all noted one particular circumstance as something tl~ey could not account for. All the refusals to their petition came from one political party; out of that party they met '~. page: 198-199[View Page 198-199] 198 NOflA WILMOT. with no oppdsitinn,' none refusing their signatures. And they generally urged as an objection that~ they didn't want to sign away their liberties, as Mr. Drake, an as- pirant to office in the, opposing party, said. For his part, he always expected to stand, firmly planted, on the broad platform of civil liberty. "'But' what do you call civil liberty?" was asked by a Mrs. 'Sloan, one of the soliciting committee." "Why, madam, the liberty to do good or evil, just as my own conscience may happen to suggest. ~Neither do I believe that any part of a 'community have a right to say, even by legislation, what I shall eat or drink, or even wha1~ I shall not eat or drinks' "But, Mr. Drake, would you not rather be restrained from doing evil than be tempted to its commission?" "I would rather have no influence ""exerted either way, 'but be left perfectly free to' choose my own course, and then if I. do a good act I merit'sc~xne credit for the action; but if there is no temptation to evil, where would be the virtue of being '~good? I believe in the free agency system-freedom of will, freedom of ac- tion, and' freedom in all things." "IBut 'do you not think any community have a right to pass laws, through their delegated law-makers, to 4 restrain evil-minded persons from injuring the common good?~~ "Most assuredly I do, and believe it ought tq~be done in many instances; but,, at the same time, am not pre- pared to believe that any Legislature, or any other body of people, have any right "to determine anything about what I am 'to either eat or drink, or to arrange what 4 4 TUE' PETITT0N. 199 l)ursuit a man. shall or shall not follow in life. It would be opening entirely too wide a field for fanatical oppres- sion. Once pass your prohibitory law, and we may look next for a protest against tobacco, or snuft or even cof- fee and souchong, or young hyson. It's putting too much power into the hands of a few to oppress the mass of community, madam." "But, sir, don't you think that is only a kind of vague ideal of liberty, when the destroyer, intemperance, is as a sword among us, destroying our dearest and best? Can you, sir, as a member of society- as a father of a rising family, looking to you for precept and~ example- withhold your influence from aiding in destroying the dark floods of bitterness that is bringing the blight and mildew of desolation on the dearest ties of home wringing the hearts of wives,, and. bringing parents' grey hairs in sorrow to the grave ?"' "Oh! madam, 4 wish to be understood as being .a thorough temperance man; but don't think this is just the ~1aator bringing it about: only differ in the modus operan4i. '~ "I believe in inculcating temperance as a principle -a radical principle-into the minds of the rising gen- eration~ Teach our children to abhor the poisoned cup - to turn with disgust from its allurements -to shun the rumseller as he would a poisonous viper, and his establishment as a sink of iniquity, a place of disgra~~e; and the whole thing will blow out for want of custom- ers .-for want of encouragement?' "I shall have no fears, madam, but that when we once train the rising generaffon with such thorough temper- page: 200-201[View Page 200-201] 200 NOUA WJJMOT. ance principles, the ruinseller will have to seek some other outlet for his. time and talent; be~~ause his trade will cease to be a paying business." "Now, that's what I call laying a sure foundation- make our sons patterns of sobriety, order and virtue, and send theni out into the world fortified by correct principles; and then you need have no fears for the in- fluence of the rumseller, or any. other evil doer." "Why, madam, if every rumshop in the land were closed, there would still he evil doers enough, within the pale of society, to startle any parent with the thought of their children's exposure, unless they could have a strong confidence in their moral tr~dning; but when you purify the fountain, the stream will purify itself." "Well, sir, grant that your positions are all tenable, confess I would rejoice greatly in such a consummation of affairs. It would certainly be a desirable formation of society, verging very nearly to the ~period when the lion and the lamb are to lie down together. But I doubt very much the practicability of the plan, even provided the temperance portion of community should be entirely successful in the training of their children. Who, pray sir, is to give the drunkard's child his train- ing? low is he to become a pattern of sobriety and virtue ?" "Oh! I don't expect to hold myself responsible for every drunkard's family in the community; it's enough if I sweep my own door clean. Let my neighbor see to his own: I shall ha~ira enough to do$' "But is it wise to always have the door of tetupta- tion thrown wide open for the inexperienced and weak~ minded to enter, with the fiery temptation always allur- ing through the whole journey of life? We all know from experience, when the heart is riot strengthened by Divine grace there are times in every experience when the heart more readily yields to temptation; when the moral perceptions are less capable of resistance; and I think we ought to remove the temptation, if it were only for the sake of the inexperienced." "Well, Mrs. Sloan, I must say, I am~tijl opposed to your petition on, the, ground of principt~ Can't peti~ tion men to take away my liberties - can't indeed, madam, even to accommodate the ladies. Would like to please them; but don't feel like doing violence to my own conscience." "I will leave' you? Mr. Drake; but hope you will think better of the matter yet. I would like to see you throw yQur whole influence on the side of temperance for the sake of your sons." "Yes, niadai~i, you will always find me on that side. I only wish to do battle according to the dictates of my own conscience, and in my own way~" As soon as Mrs. Sloan was out of hearing, Mr. Drake said, turning to' Mr. Davis, a frequenter of the saloon, "Iii think she had a confounded sight better be at home, ironing her old man's shirts, or darning her children's stockings: I haven't any kind of doubt but that ,~th~y are out at the heel, and need attention. Whew Iby jingoes! if my wife (but ,there 's tarnal little danger) would go to neglecting her family, running, spQuting round to every man she met on the subject of his, duty in political matters, I'd be giving h~r such a setting TilE .PETLTIO~?. 201 page: 202-203[View Page 202-203] 202 NORA WILMOT. THE P1~TITION. 203 down as she 'd not be apt to forget for a month. I reckon some of the petticoat gentry will be out for the Legislature, next thing we'hear." "Well, Drake, she made a darned strong argument on her side, for a wdnian, anyhow; come blasted nigh getting you cornered, too, old boy, say what you will." "Ha! ha!" said Drake, laying back in huis chair with an effort at contempt. "Now, didn't you~ see through all that? I~ There wasn't one spark of original- ity in ,all she hid. 'She had learned all that by rote out of some temperance speech; just like we used to learn declamations at school .- spouting off like Clay or Web.. ster, when we never expected to be able even to imitate them in after life. Did you fancy she knew anything of the meaning or import of all she was saying? Not she. She knows a vast deal more about the dish-cloth and knitting-needle than getting up business for a Leg- islature ~- and it's to her credit to say SQ, in my opinion. The women are all running ~crazy, now-a-days, to be like the men - with theirWomen's Rights Conventions and* women speeches and all; and next they must be helping the Legislature along a little, have a finger in the pie there, for the next experiment. But I can say, one thi~ig advisedly, at least, if Esq. Drake should be the successful caiididate for a seat in that august body at its next sitting, the busy-body ladies might just as well be saving shoe-leather; for I'll never be guilty of present- ing any such petitions." "But what would you do, Drake, if it would become popular with the party, and your constituents should instruct you ~o to do?" "Oh, in that case, I might have to runwith the hare, and hunt with the hounds. But I have little to fear on that subject. Our party leaders are better posted than all that would amount to. They knbw very well if they once touch the temperance question, the foreign vote would fly off like a tangent, and then we are good for falling into the minority~ very considerably. No, sir! the leaders of our party are not such ninnies as all that; they are too wide awake; sir. Why, sir, let ths pro- hibitory law pass, and we are a dead party-dead as a door nail !-without hope of resurrection!" "How do you make that out?" "Plain, sir, as the hat on your head! First, we have our influence with a very large class of what might be termed the scum of society: ,you may have noticed per- haps, sir, the fact, that almost the entire mass of the lower order of men?.- drinking men in particular -vote with our party-z. and, besides, we have almost the entire foreign vote, as I before intimated. Well, sir, this is accomplished mainly through the instrumentality of liquor." "And how is all this done, Mr. Drake, I would like to know? And I have never been behind the screens, you know?" "You know, sir, a large majority of the foreign pop- ulation ate Catholics~ and the Priest allows them the privilege of a 'wa throp,' provided they pay a hand- some sum to his reverence for absolution of the crime.-. and every blessed mother's son of them love it as they do their lives: so you can, easily see 'how we cairruanage to keep them in the traces, and cost but little either. Then page: 204-205[View Page 204-205] 204 NORA WILMOT. T*I11 PETITION~. 2057 the native drinkers are generally the more ignorant class of community, so we make them believe the other party is, doing all that it can to suppress the whole business, and deprive them of tJie, blessed priyil~ege of getting drunk -.-iuaking a most terrible ontery about losing our liberties, and signing away our rights; and so..and- 'SQ we lengthen the chords and strengthen the stakes of our party." "Well, sir, I begin to think I am learning something about wire-working at le~st, something that may not turn out quite so well for 9ur party 5y~U7 term it, U91~, at least, in the lengthening of its ch~ords.. I always have had a fancy,~sir, for ~trying to get into the best company II could, and, as you acknowled ~e that we have the ma- ,lority-Vastly, too-of the very worst, portion of Soci- ety,. and that it is necessary to keep then~ so in:orderto retain them in the party, I begiu to haye strong suspb dons that there must be something~rotten in Denmark rather think, on mature reflection, X shall cast my vote with the ladies. And more: I ~ee clearly from your remarks, that I shall be under the nece8sit,~y of le~9ing, the party with which I have always been identi- fied; because I don't intend to support ~nti-.temperance principles, or to be identified with an party that does. I am a husband and a father, and no act of miuc shall ev~er expose me or. mine to one unnecessary temptation. I Eave felt the power of temptation myself, sir, and kno~ its baleful effects. on the young and inexperienced~ So I am goo& for one narne~ on 'the petitionY "4nd s~ ~rs; Busy-body has made one convert this mnQrfllng?" "No, sir! I am a convert to your arguments against, the doctrine. "So you say, Davis; but it isn~t a feasible story, no how. But .1 .n~ay. coimt on your vote election day, mayn't I, Davis?" "Not too sure. I don't want to send u~ 'a~etition agai~ist whisky, and then send a Vote for the avowed purphs~ of kiliiiig it-that's too inconsistent, en~ireIy." 'I ) - I, 26 20A page: 206-207[View Page 206-207] 7 4 ~6. NOILA'WIL OHAPTKR XIII. SCE~ fl~ A FASHIONABLE SAL0Oi~. * "~s~d. n~orning, Mr. Salegood." * "0~d niornin~, ~r. Sales." "'Spose you heard of the doings ~v to Tradewell'~" "Wh4 the knittin?'party?" - "Yes. iI'hey say 'bout fifteen rale fine ladies~nt up there with their knitting' work~ and jist sot down-to wotk, i~iigbt and main, as if they'd a'been t~ home, and tuck off their bonnets 4is sociable; didn't 'pear to care who come in; they nDver got ~up, nor looked ~eared, or ~'shamed, as if there was anything -wiong 'bout kej~~eeu kriittin' in & saloon. *Wisb~ I'd a'seed 'em tbere.~W "'Twas rather a noyel procednre-.somethii~g ~ut of the common order of society, in the Guess 'twa~~ though; and they y fafrly4i~it him out, made him cave in and promise to abaudoli the traffic ?orever, under penalty of another visit from the tin' ~party. They say' Trade says he ~ouId rather p -a. six~barreled revolver, any day, than a pair of feminine hands armed with a ThIl set of knitting' n~e4les. Ue says, give him a cannon ball before a ~all 0r am and a set of needles-their jingle fairly makes his blood .~. r. Axmor, a veE~v 'small gentlema~i with huge mn&. ta~he~, said it was his opiniqn "a -gentleman ]ia~ ~ziall c1~i~ to soldiership who could be made to succu~iifrtp a ~ petticoats, ar~ied with any 4 of weapon~, much less such puny ones." - V 1 . A * ~A ~AL00N. ~ - lINEr.. Salegood m 'eat flourish~ ~ "lit t1i~ / ladies had seen fit to~ionor Elm with thehv~xqi44 have ma4e th~ni entirely weleomo, and givenht~~~rst' r4e' chance.to do as much knittin' work ~st~#~& to d~, ~i~hout any interruption~on his part. jie wrni~du't have cared 'a rye straw if they had stayed till do~rx~ day. ~hon1dn'!~ hmve let it interrupt a~iy of 'his ~i~range- m&nts in th~e least ~ lie would halve goue abouW4s, liiisi". ness apd waited on his customer~ just as if ~iath~g was the litter." "~ u~er you would 1" ~said Mr. Stil~s~ "Th~t then; erho~s, your customers would have had ~ome~ay in that b~ine~s.~ Theyaay Tradew~Wdid~'VJzavetiwee custon~ers the, last day of the party.; they. di~o~ every mu ~ he place. Who ia-the thunder do Ithink would~ t~h~e when the ribm crowded wit)i woin~n ? wonIdn~t, for one~" , "Nor t I" "~i I" "N~ I 1" said ~ half dozen voices almost 1~1 ~me bi~ea4h. "But here comes M~r.:1)rake; we'll see what lie thinkG of the new move in affairs.". " 1o~d i~iorning, Mr. Drake What y~ur opinipn, of the n~w order pf tbii~s, Drake?". "Qh,- alw~y~ ~ with Wit~4 and tidej" am~ tbe new come~howed in real electioneering style, shakhighands~ witliall present? "But what -tWxd you of the 4oiDgs an4 en~ctm ~. at TradewelPstA~t him fairly~knitted 9ut,~ an& rid of mi$ta~e?~~r * they hova a right to knit, haven't~ they Y~ "Yes; biitrathei~ think Tr~de w9uid~tP~4 S page: 208-209[View Page 208-209] NOfl4 w~koi'. 4' #~uldiA choose his saloon tQ khit in. ~cear~ away all his t~ust&mers; they say." ui~0jj~~ 'pon mj~ord, see any use of' bdng afraid of a few offensivev. ladies, armed with knitters; couldn't d&mnch damage if they'd try. Don't' think" I'd b~ at all itfrai~l.", Mr. make evidently intended not~to commit 'himself this' tim6,' until he kn~ 'which 'way' the wind' blew; didn't 'want to l'ose any' more votes by being over- Lealous. ~tThey say Trade 'made a big sale in the wi~d up; a "~Thd you say Mr. Tradewell '8old out ?" Mr. Drake asked Salegood. "So I understood.' The ladies paid him for his liquors, and then p~nred them all out in the street." "Not 'a bound him very paying business, either. And they're itot to buy aiiy more.~' "Much I'1i care for such' binding as that. By Jerry, 1*11 'sell out'~Al my~ld'stock 6n the sam~ te~ms, and then bring on a new lot of a better quality.; Wouldn't I now, 'aiid"tlien go it with 'a perfect rush! I'd show jA' t hem they couldn't bind' rne~ They're not law-makers, iy ho~ey ~ ~And' I'd let them know it, too, if they'd come7lxaherin~ round me' ~fla~ way; that I would~P~ "I thought you wouldn't care a r~e straww if' they'd e a~d ~tajtill d~oms-dsy, Sale ?~ Id Stiles. "'~IiV I4idn't'know they went"sck far witii th~ joke." "~~mentally! I wish they would e~ie, aboi~ t~r~ity ~f~& pay $ale a visit, and stay 'bout a week.~ ~ be1ii~id a whisky b~rl, Whei~e I could peep oiW '6 SOW~N A. S4LOO1I~I. 209 see the fun-.--see '$ale~'s fac~iengtheu like. Trades did'; his face would he' abQut a fe~VJon~g the lWst wjay." ~" ~eu, ~Sale, you'll hwve tobm~e a giblet hole~ in the barrel;' ai~d put w straw in, or Stiles 'WstMv~~for a drink lox~g before night," said & big, two-fiste~d ~fello~, sitting back in a~ e~er. "Well, sir, I never was dragged from where.the ped- dler froze to death," retorted Stiles. f' Who says I was ever, taken out' of a branch drunk? Whoever says that, lies! And I ~don't care who1takes itupb ha! if the~shoe'doesn't fit don't put it on," said Stiles, tauntingly. The big fellow, whom, we heard eaRed Sam Stokes, jumped up at' this and~ almost flew across theroorn. Con.. fronting Stiles in a meuaeinglwanner, he~ shook his fist in his face, saying, "You intended to insult me, did you 7" drawing back his arm to strike. But~ just as the 'blow was descending, Drake caught the extended arm, saying: "' Tut, tut,'men this is bad business - too~ ba~L" But Stiles said still more tauntingly:' "Oh! let him alone; he needs cooling oW worse than' h~ did' when he was in the branch. Thi ~an~cool him~" Stokes, almost scream ith~rag~ this 4irne4 said: "You're a liar, sir !" with: Vhideous oath, sueh as li- quor alone c educe: "Let me go, till I beat 1ii~z~ ~to a jelly! I'll', im, the lying scoundrel 1" "No you won't;" and Stiles laughed again ~o taunt.. Salegood here interfered, saying to Sti!es: "We 9* 9 page: 210-211[View Page 210-211] 210 NOR& WtLMOT.' want: no' 'more' interrnption hereto-night on your part, Stiles; you must~be1i&v~ 'beti~r or~leaye the room. Can't' have good feeling i~t~rrupted in this manner, sir~9twiIl injure'the'reputati&nof"my house, and ii won't snifer it. I wish yot~ would stay"away till you caii learn to bejiave yourself. Don't want to see gentlemen insulted in thi8 4.nanner'any more."" 2 While Stokes sat mutteringto himself; "Gentlenien in- suIting gentlemen;" and Stokes muttered curses in a lower ~tbiie, until he got up at last, and goingg into the hack- room passed out the hack way. Order being again restored; the old topic, was again started ;. for some how,' light as they all 'tried to treat the' subject, thecompanywhich met at the various drink- ing-houses felt a pretty strong ii~erest in the turn aWairs seemed just now taking in the horizon of their favorite beverage. "Well, Sale," said a rather open-countenanced, ami- able 'looking youth, of not ~ore~ than twenty year~, you WQUIdjfldge from his appearance, a countenance marked by intelligence and an agreeable gentility of manner, but slightly marred by sensuality, who might have been called handsome but for a~ appearance of grossness, as if the soft, youthful skin; ost boyish in its polished sm~othne~s, was 'inc1iued~, eating, who was familiarly called Frank Saybrook: '~i say, do you know, Sale, 'the 'ladies are preparing to have written 4~r the' door of your babitatioji, ~~'Othello's occupation i~ gdne?"' '"flow's 'that; Frank ?"' " "Oh! there's been a company of them patrolling every2war& in town to-day, hailing every man they've SC1~N~ i~ A ~AIhON. 211 met, asking him to give his' signature to a petition' to send up to the legIslature to have 'a' prohibitory liquor law"pa5~ed in 'our State. Won't"that ixp-ti~ip #oti now, 'I 'old boy'?"' it4passe's mayb~ ~t ~ill,'but I half fancy Well, when it hasn't just paRsed ye"t, by'~b~ut a jug full. And~tliat' doesn't more than half tell the tale, either I Do'n't be- lieve our people' are going W be su~h ~. ~et d?~ool~ as to sign sway their right to eat and dritik' what~er" their appetites call for. 'We're' not 'such blockheads a~ t"o give up pur liberties beca~xse a set of old, dried-up skeleton codfish eaters up in Maim have taken' a faiicy'into~their heads to starve the' very s~iil~ out of their bodies ~drink- ing cold water. tBe 'consarimed if I don't beIie~e you might hear their teeth chattering clean down here, if you would only ~et up early s6rne cold morning." "Dcn~'t you 'see, gentlemen, the shoe 'pinches in a tight place? It's pinching him through the medium of thetill; you know the prohibitory raw closes tip all incorn~ from' that source at once-no more dimes coming in~thaV direction." "No,' sir; I'm opposed to all sach infernal opposition on tl~e ground of prince , only principle, 'sir - the broad' principle of' civil 'Ii I'm not going to 'give any set of men the chan~ ~8ayin~ what I shall or~ what I shan't eitherr eat or'di~ ." 'iJiow will m~*foIkW ~oi~)ank ?" "' Oh, they'll go'with wind and tide, of course.'~' 'The old folks will, 'go for the law, of coursee," said Drake, "if for no other purpose than to cheat Fi~ank out "of his fa'~Vorite glass of randyy' Won't t~hey, Frank?" page: 212-213[View Page 212-213] 4 NORA WILMOT. SOEN2E I~ 4 SALOON. ""S~pect so. ~aw the old woman was out with the patrollin' committee." "'Spect the old. luau will go in for it, too; he's des- perate strong I~or temperance," said a man, at least twice Frank's years. "(1~-uess th~ old man's forgot old times, when he sowed his wild oats; he was wild eno~gh~ I tell you; might have made any of us blush; no mistal~e alout that, boys; true as preaching." "I'll t~1l you ~ht~t ~it is, gentlemen," said Salegood, "I think the women are getting. a little too far along, now~-days; a little~,too much set. up in their notions. Don't believe it would~do t4hem one bit of harm to bring them down about a feet. Going poking round, telling business men what they can sell, and what they can't! Wheh! such an idea!' 'Spose. we'll be livin' ,und~r petticoat government, the next thing we know." "Tell you. what's what, if my wife would be seen on tlw stre~pt, at such business, ~'d send her home~with a flea iu4ier ear double quick time; I would, now; no mistake. Highfalutin' notions, indeed !" "'Deed, sir, they be. Why, I've lived about here a good many years, and never saw any thing like it be~ fore. Presume it's because we've got to be a city lately; the ladies think ti ~must enjoy greater privi- leges in a city." "Well," 'said Frank, sittingg across the room, with the air of a man of at least fifty, addressing. the last speaker, "Jack Sample, do let the ,ladles alone. Dear souls! let them h~ve a good time trundling their hoops, and feeling self-important. That 'II be the end of it all, or Frax~k S~ybrook's i~o judge. We are not going to be such confounded fools 'as to Jet the petticoat gentry come it over us after that fashion. ~They can't pass laws, unles "Have we sa.y so,-gentlemen; that's one comfort." you ever voted yet, Frank ?" inquired our old friend Davis, coming in a moment before tha~ im~ portent personage delivered ,himself of his high opin- ions. "No; but I expect to be at it durned soon," and Frank's plumes evidently wilted a little. "Then, I ratherthink, it would be more becoming of you not to talk quite so strong about we men" "Don't care a red cent. I'll have a vote next elec- tion after this one, and intend to be sure to be found on the right side, too, when that time comes round, if I'm not mistaken." "'Spose you'll vote like 4addy ?" chimed in Billy~ Owens, a hopeful youth of eighteen, sitting a little out of sight. "Guess I sha'nt, though; have you to know, sir, I've not been in leading strings for several years past. Think myself capable of judging for myself on ixupor- tan matters; not tied apron striugs~,, like some persons I know of. Don't have to run off froxa~ mamniy every time I go t~1~ saloon, either !" "I suspected you didn't rim off, when you laid all day dead drunk in 'Squire Ayres's office, that Sunday~ while .people that were tied to mammy's apron strings were going to church." "You're a consummate liar, Bill Owens, or ~ny body else that says I laid drunk in 'Squire ~yros's office; and you've, got to take that all hack, Mr, or tak good I 212 21~ page: 214-215[View Page 214-215] N0RA WILMOT. SCENE 1N' 'A SALOON. souna 'thtfeshing~;" and Frank began to array himself in real fighting 'order. ~"Well, sir, iii. I can't prove, by three disinterested witnesses, that evei~'y Word I've said i~ as true as gospel, DII give ~rou'my h&Ld f5i a foot-ball." "J~st listen to the lyhi~' ~oiixidr~l, now, will you! He ought to have, his head broke," and Frank seemed t6 draw in a little; "Mr. Drake, '~ioii't 'you' knb*' that' to be a plain mat. "Oh, Billy, we ought to let;The past bury 0 b ~' said its past and not' ~reYi~ "id ridgese, my oy, Drake, in his blandest manner; "'no great good' ever comes of stirring oliffeuds; none, Bir." "Who were those just now passed through 'to the.. ba~k room, Joe Miller ?'~ asked Drake of a besotted lixiking Object of hifmanity. "Guess they'd as lief not be known here, by the pains they take' ~o slip in quiet; the~'i'e dilrued shady, I thihk."' " "Well, 'who' were they, man'?" ""Gu~s1 it 'was Dr. flvans 'and Lawyer 'Ellsworth! They do~t 'g& to the satPo~~ only slip into the back room ~o get a prime g'o6d ~ar. &e how they pend back' the smok~ ~ur1iig'after them. That's 'all they wan'~ed here ~-'only a nice smoke. they live i~' white hd~e~ th~ don't' 'drink' 'like us e~mmon 'fellows do. I saw both their names down on the long petition." " ~t~eed, sir ~ '"K~w~ar&the petitioners 8ticce'eding'; Miller ? Get- ting a good list of names ?" "Oh, yes';' lots of 'them. Very fe~ refuse, ~vcept it may be a few such fellows as we~ be.-.hard cases, yot know, Drake."' ' ' ' "The names are generally among the ladies, I pre- sume ~ "Both sides, sir; about' an' equal number, I should judge." ' ' "Ati! I didn't expect the gentlemen ~v~u'ld~ be 'so strong for it; thought they generally liked 'to visit the saloons too well." "'Oh, lie, man! tha1~ doesn't make one particle of difference-~plenty~ of theni will put Their' names down for'.a good' el9ak, and then go to the saloons,' and drink when they get fhere'-.- 'run with the hare, and hunt with the hounds,' you know. Suc'h men sign 'temperance pledges only for popui~rity, ~nd 'then dri~ik to gratify their' appetites. In m~r opinion, they' are lacking in point of moral courage. I think more, sir, of the open inebriate, than I do of"any such t~V6Zfaced characters." Oili, honest~hearted rum-drinker (whose gi'eatest fault was that his inward' powers of resistance had ~been quenched iy 'the too free indulgence' of the ruifr-seller's I1te-water,~ didn't kn5w th~t 'he was talking to one who was,' &t that very 'inom~nt, contem~ilating taking the 'very' same course he was 'so unqualifiedly' ~conden~nin'g, but didn't just know how to manage his cards to make the txi~o' characters harmdniz~e together, ~ith~iut' a et~sh- ing of interests and influences. The saw there were dif~ ficulties'in'hi~ray,"that he cbul4 see no feasible plan of surmobnti~ng. IP' wantedd to carry bot'tf' parties, 'to make sure of 'his~1ectio~. ' 9 2n "25 I page: 216-217[View Page 216-217] 2J~6 NORA WILMOT. And nowif he can only get his name on that ~peti tion, to satisfy the few~temper nce~men in the party7 and then gagj them in their intercourse with the rummies, so that he can pass with theui~ as a bitter opposed~ of the whole Concern, he fancied he could see his way perfectly Ke.lear. Buj, then, that is not going to be so ea~y a mat~ ter to accomplish, with opponents all round, ready to take any advantage that circumstances might chance to favor. "Well, Sale, what ~re you going. to do when the ladies- take your business out of your hands? Go to work and get tote an honest man, hey? Knock under and go- to some honest calling, won't you ?" said Joe Miller, ironically.. "Oh, I'm going to wait and see the result first; don't believe in being scared, till i'm,. hurt, uo how. The ladies haven't called upon me yet, sol sha'n't prepare till they come. "WeLl, maii, think you might as well be getting ready. Old Joe Miller's word for it, -you'll h~ve to caye in~ Never saw the women turn their hands to any thing, but what they carried their pint, sir; always will, 8ir~ before they give it up. Since you've opened this saloon, you've got about all o14 Joe's odd sixpenees, and even on~s, too; but guess 'twill soon be through with. Thought, sale, you was going to be the richest man in these digging', but guess ~you'll have to try your hand at something else first." "Joe's very prophetic, this evening, ~entlemon. Thinks he can see at least three inches into a mill-stou~, --.4 Sometimes people a'nt more than half so wise as they SCENI~ IN A SALOON. - 2,17 give tliem~elves credit for." And Mr. Cornelius Sale~ good relidjusted his collar, and smoothed his hair hack from his contracted little forehead, a-s if he didn't more than half relish such logic. And Joe Miller went into the back room, and came back, wiping his lips on the cuff of his coat, very significantly, with his volubility considerably improved. "Well, Sale, if you want .to know why I have so much ~onfidence and such strong faith in the new tem- perance move, I'll tell you. You all know I never had a 'spark of faith in all their temperance pledges. Ive signed a good* i~iany myself, too, but, never had much faith; after all they're so easy got over.. But, I j~st tell you, the ladies now, as we call them, will get up these petitions, and lots, lots of them will sign them. And then they'll present them to the men, and there isn't one in every fifty~of, them that will begin to refuse their signature when the ladies ask them even if they are bitterly opposed to every thing of the kind. A. gen- tleman musn't say 'No,' to a lady, nohow; 'twou~4n't do,. sir; so they get a great many names that the best men in Christendom couldn't begin to touch." "What of all that, Joe? what of all that? You haven't got a prohibitory liquor law. yet. That's got to come from the Legislature, man, don't you know that.?" "Let me alone, sir; haven't, got quite through yet. Mr. Sale, don't you be quite so 1~st Oi,~l Jo~ knows what he's about. Well, as I was.sayingthewomen ~or ladies, (excuse me for forgetting,) :always have'4* way." - - - 10 page: 218-219[View Page 218-219] 1218 'NORA WILMOT. SCENE IN A SALOON. 219 "Oh, yes," said S~alegood, "I've' read somewhere that "Woman's in~.ster passion still, Is to hiwe her sovereign will.'" "Exactly so. Well, they'll send up these same peti- tions, signed by so many ladies, and present them to the gentlemen of' the Legislature as a ~petition presented by the ladies. These sarne~ gentlemen, they're not merely 'politicians now, sir, but gentlemen, listening to the peti- 2ti&n ofa set of ladies-and they knoW justwho'they want to be popularwith~..s& they receive the petition, and the ladies, God bless them! ~s I've~heard said before, get the ~prohibitory law passed, Ike no 2kind of a doubt. Now 'twont be the virtue of the law alone (and it's good ~~nough, anybody knows)~'that passed 'it, but the influ- -elice of the 'petitioners." "Joe, I think wine is in and wit is out, this evening, With you, old man. What do you think?" "" Oh, I think children and fools very often speak the ti~uth.~-~.that's what J 'think." "Well, Joe, what are you going to do when these ladies you've been saying so much about 'stop all the liquor ~selling? What will you d'o for a dram then? You'll have t~'get it by the barrel, won't you? Better 'have a whole barr'ei ~laid by for time of 'need, hadn't you? You won't like the ladies very well for their in- Zetfe~tce, Will ~QU ?" "SN6t Iil4eithe ladies? Jo~ Millernot like the ladk~s tieoau~ th~y~r~ trying to make 'decent men. of us? ~ThThk2 U *ill ~ik th~i ~less their souls,' when they're the only hope we have. Why, man, if it wasn't ~f~* their, blessed influence on us we'd all turn beathen in less than no time at alL And I've got one of the very best of them at heme now. She isn't called 'a lady now; she's only Old Joe Miller's wife now, but the time was when she could hold up her head with the best of them. But U can tell you she's as good as an angel. any day; but she has to wear old clothes and go out washing, but it's all Old Joe Miller's fault. If she hadn't done just like she has 'done, Old Joe, and his children, too, would have been in the 'poor-house long ago, and no kind of help for 'it. But it won't always be so. ~The ladies, heaven bless their souls for it, are going to have these hellish temptations removed out of the way.; and they're just the ones t6 do it, no mistake, if the men 'will only help' them a little~. '~ And then: Lucy IMiller shall' hold up her head'witWthe best; she's good~ enough to' do it, too. After that law passes, sh~ shan't never go out to do another day's wn8hing-. shan't, 'pon honor. Old' Joe Miller has said it; and if these infernal temptations were once gone, he'd stick to it, too; no mistake in ~that matter, gentlemen." "Why, Joe, I thought you ~had signed~ ~several pledges already; you never kept them, it~seems. I'm afraid you'll not be any more successful~this 'time than you' were when you've tried to 'reform before~?' ~said Mr. Salegood, not seeming to, relish Joe's~ 'volubilWy very much.' ' ' ' ' '"That. was~ a different matter, altoge~he~j~ .ctifferei~t matter, sir. Then,~ sii~, 'we had tempt~ti~us at every step, couldn't go to do a ilay's Workbuf~ 'here~would be some old friend of the ~tap..room t6~ph~ek you by the page: 220-221[View Page 220-221] 220 NQILA WILMOT. A SCENE IN A SALOON. 221 arm, with an invit~atiou to take something to drink. Whys man, the thivst~ was always there, for you see it was always getting fed, sir, always getting fed. With temp- tations at every step, unassisted human nature can't resist in one case out of twenty. But if there was no nior~ liquor," and Old Joe's eyes actually sparkled in anticipation of the prospect. Poor, broken-down inebriate and sensualist. as he was, he felt within him that the impulses within and the temptations with- out were move than balanced; and his only hope rested on no more temptation, for well he knew the inward power of resistance was gone-none knew this better than the poor inebriate,, lie had tried, for the sake of that angel wife, oh I so' hard to reform. He 'saw the fearful vortex toward ~which he was so surely tending, but like the commander of. a frail bark, circling~in the waves of the whirlpool, perfectly conscious of its dan-~ gereus proximity, he felt Qf himseif~altogether unable to break the spell. 'He could not now reform, could not stop his downward course, drive him where it might. Joe Miller had originallyy been a man of sense and' Influence, and still had sufficient perception to fully comprehend the blessed results to be anticipated from a withdrawal of temptation. "Well, gentlemen," he said, "if 'the ladies fail this time..-.. but I don't believe they will, but if they should, 1 don't believe 'they'll give us up at one attempt believe they'll 'be 4~ying~ some 'other plan, and they'll succeed yet. So here goes for Joe Miller's name to 'the peti- tion, and his wife Lucy's, too." "And mine, t~o," said Davis. "And mine, toot" said Frank Saybrook, with a right good will. "And mine, and mine," said a dozen more,'almost in the same breath, until scarcely one was left to stand up or raise a voice in favor of King Alcohol, 'except Sale- good and iDrake, and a few striplings, mere boys. "Well done !" said Mr. Cornelius Salegood; the rum advocate, "well done! our temperance speech has cre- ated quite an impression, gentleuien~ quite an impress- ion, and resulted in a goodly number of conversions for a first effort; all clear and sound, too, without so mueli as the aid of an anxious seat. A very fair business-- congratulate you on your signal success~ Mr. Miller; could scarcely have anticipated so much the first holding forth; would be inexpressibly gratified to know when Brother Miller proposes making another appointment, would like to be present to hear the discourse. Believe Brc~ther Miller's text was the ladies; like that text very well; couldn't be better suited in a' text - it's very in- teresting, isn't it, gentlemen 7" "Inexpressibly so," said Mr. Drake, with a mocking solemnity, "especially when Brother Miller handles it; he is so capable of doing his subject justice, I think, gen- tlemen. Acknowledge myself much edified with your first effort, Brother Miller." "Oh! I haven't expatiated on the full abhorrence of your abominably wicked, dastardly, hideous, soul-de- stroying traffic, Mr. Sale," said Mr. Miller.' "Perhaps you'd like to have a sermon on that subject next time? or, maybe, you~~ like to hear old Joe's experience in the glorious enjoyment of rum-drinking?~ You can page: 222-223[View Page 222-223] NORA WILiWOT. EYU4 OQNS]3QU~N0ES. hov~ either any time you see fit to make the appoint- ment, Mr. Salegood." No,, no, Mr. 2NIiUler, don't think I'd like the texts half s~ well. I3ut hope you wo'~'t all backslide before to-morrow night; if~ you £10, gentlemen, just come to Cornelius Salegood for confession, and we'll all confess our sins o'ver~a good stiff brandy toddy." V CHEAPER XI V~., EVIL CON5EQtr~NCE5. "Oh, mother! mother! do come quick, mother! Father's frightened so bad;: he says there 's a big"dog under the bed, and I can't find it; mother, he' Wants you to come and drive :it away. His cyes ~1ook so red; and he stares at me so., Oh! it scares me'; and 71'in afraid of the dog, too.~' ": Oh, mother I do put the 'baby ~down, an4 come quick!" With a heavy heart..-~oh! so heavy-Mrs; rose, and, walking to the' little 4~rib, laid the sweet sleeper down, hushing it with' a low lullaby, as it opened its large, innocent eyes-so like his eyes were before thefr lustre had been dimmed by the fearful destroyer! Tears coursed down her cheeks, and fell upon the face of the sweet innocent, as she murmured, almost complainingly, "Dear me! oh, dear me [has it come again!" Thit her fears were too surely realized; for, as she caine into the room, she saw her husband crouched in one corner -the very farthest removed he couId~ possibly get from the bed -with the covering all taken off the bed, and closely wrapped around his head. Mrs. Norton had once already witnessed such a scene; had seeh her hus- band pass through one such paroxysm; and she felt almost terrified at the prospect of & recurrence of the same terrible symptoms: so ~lie commanded her feelings, making a show of driving tIi~ dog first 'from under the bed and then out at the dooi~ bade him be gone, in as * 222 page: 224-225[View Page 224-225] ~g24 / NO~A WIL1~IOT. authoritative a voice as she could possibly command; then going very quietly, but firmly, up to her husband, she laid her hand on the covering, saying, "Mr. Norton, my husband! I've driven the dog out of the house; uncover your head now; there 'a no dan. iPoor Mrs. Norton! what a shuddering dread crept ever her, as ~he felt her husband's frame trembling with the fearful tremor that she remembered so well. "Oh, God!" she inwardly exclaimed, '~must he suffer again? Is there no hope.-.no remedy?" Drawing back the covering very cautiously, the suf.. ferer loQked out as if to see whether Indeed there was xio danger;; but, with a wild scream, he threw- his arms iu frantic terror around his wife's neck, all the while ~reamit~g with the most lieart~.rending screams, "Oh, 'Mattie.! save me! oh! save me!' Can't you save me, Mattie? He'll have me! the devil will have me yet. Can't you send for 'Squire Johnson. to make a compromise with him? Perhaps he can ma.k6 some kind of a compromise with him to save me; but if he ean't, then there 's ho hope, and I've got to be dragged down-.-oh! horrible 1" and his teeth chattered with feai', and all the while clinging to his poor afflicted wife, who was looking the picture of terror and suffering. "There, now, Harry, husband! won't you got into bed? I'll watelt you all ,the time.- Won't you how, Harry?" but h~ only stared ~on her, with his eyeballs rolling in their sockets, aWed and fiery. "Why, Mattie! you wouldn't have me get in there?" pointing to the belt '~W~y~ Mattie, dear! it's all full EVIL OONSEQU~OES. of snakes, and serpents, and lizards! that ~ ~mado me get out - that was it." Peeping cautiously toward the bed, the poor deluded victim of the terrible manh said, laying his trembling hand on that of his wife's now his fancied protector "Look, Mattie! h~ok! don't you see them? See their red tongues! Oh I do listen how they hiss at me!" Mattie, going up to the bed, and smoothing it 'oft' with her hand, said ~ "Oh, fib! Harry; there 's nothing here. Don't you see there 'a nothing at all here to hurt you? Won't you come now, Harry, and lie on the bed? I'll lie ddwn, too." "No, Mattie! no! I don't want them to bite you; you are too good." "But won't you lie down then, Harry, and be ri still, while I go for Doctor Miles? Won't you, Harry?" "No, no! I'll not stay where the snakes and lizards are. I'll go out where the baby is. There isn't any thing bad out there, is there? I'll go out there, Mat- tie." And with a spring, Harry Norton darted into the next room. Looking fearfully around, he sprang into a corner again, exclaiming, "What's that, Mattie?" "Oh! it's nothing, Harry; nothing at all to al~irm you." "I thought it was a huge black bear, standing right in that corner where the b&by is,'~ "Oh! it's nothing but yirnr epat, 1ta~ry; you are not going to be afraid of y&~ ~wn coat, are you ?" a~d Mrs. Norton shook out the~o~t t~o exhibit its full proc portions -" You are not atraid ~t that, are you?" page: 226-227[View Page 226-227] ~W~A WILMOT. "Not zio~w~! not now! But there comes the devil again. Oh, dear! what 's to be done now?" and Rarry Norton darted out of the door witlv one bound, ere his wife~ could possibly arrest his progress. His almost distracted wife was at the door in an instant. Straining her eyes down the street, she saw her poor, miserable husband, impelled by the dreadful madness, ~dmost flying doWn tho street, screaming ~t every step, "Oh! the devil will get me !-the' devil will get me yet." Running ijfltO Doctbr Miles' ~office, ~arid darting behind the~ Doctor's. ehair/'h~ said, chuckling to himself; "Now, J gu~s I'nx safe; the devil can't ~get~ me now. He's afraid of doctors, ain't he?" inquired the madiAan, lool~ing up into the IDoct6r's face pleadingly. ~" Oh, yes, Norton; if he comes here, I'll fix him: 1 pound him into a jelly, in that big mortar, in less than no time." "Won't you, now, Doctor ?" "Certainly II. will, in double quick time." "1 thought I'd mateh him yet; coming sneaking round me in that manner. But what 's that ?" he asked, starting up in a new alarm from 2some new source. "I~ don't see anything," said Doctor Miles, carefully examining every corfler~of his office; ~' I don't s&e any thing." "Oh I" said Norton, now clinging .to the Doctor's arm, and peering through the window, "it's one of~ ~the devil's imps, ~sure as I'm here. lie's deteriiiined to have yet Now, who'd thought he'd sent on~ of his imps as ~soon, as we got~ throngb~ with the old one himself?" I EVIL ~22~ "Well, never mind, Mr. Norton, I'll just i4.hin~ in the big mortar, too. I can fix the last one of them; just hand them all over to me. I'll attend ~to all ~uch cases: they are just in my line of business." "Well, now, T~octor," paid the poor inehriate, "if you'll put every last one of them into that big mortar of, yours, and grin& tl~e rascals all into pills,~ you shall have the fattest fee Harry Norton ever paid to Qne pill peddler." "Give yourself no further uneasiness, Norton; it shall be done, sir." "Now, Doctor, you are sure you can fix the rascals, so there will be no kind 4 danger - right certain, are you, sir?" "Nothing easier, my dear sir; nothing easier. ]~on't you know it's my business, Mr. Norton, to attend to all such cases?" But at Norton's home I Every moment the poor wife was growing more nervously anxious. At first she felt sure her husband had gone into Doctor Miles' office; but then she was certain if he had, the Doctor, would certainly bring or send him home. But he stayed ~ long, that she began to conjecWre, perhaps she was, after all, mistaken, and he had not gone into the office -the distance had deceived her; or, it might be, there wa~ no one in the. office, and lie would get something that he. might destroy his own life with. As these thoughts flitted through her mind, moments~ seemed' almost hours; and leaving ~tke little one~ th~t had first apprised her of her husband's situation, in~eh~e~f~the babe, she rain, swift as her weary feet woul~; in search of her husband. EVIL page: 228-229[View Page 228-229] 228 NORA WIIMOT. When' ~he reached the' Doctor's office, she found the poor terrified due pleading with Dr. Miles for protection as we hav~e seen, vainly imagining if he could get the devil and his crew disposed of he would be entirely out of harm's reach, not knowing, poor deluded one, that his own fears were his own tormentors. It took but a little exertion for Mrs. Norton and the Doctor to lead the deluded victim of a depraved appe- tite passively to his home, where, after administering a large 'dose of anodyne, they were gratified with the symptoms of sleep manifested by the invalid. The Doc- tor charged Mrs. Norton 1~o keep everything very quiet, and to encourage every disposition to sleep he~ husband might exhibit. And if the distressing symptoms again made their appearance, she wasto repeat the dose of morphine; if sleep did not succeed, and there was a second recurrence took place, then the Doctor was to be sent for immediately. And the Doctor has advised Mrs. Norton not to trust herself to be alone, through the night, with only her lit- tie ones, and her husband in such'a dreadful way6 But sume things are easier said than done; so thought poor Mattie. Who' could she ask to ~it with her and watch beside the drunkard's bedside, surrounded by poverty such 'as her home presented? Small wonder it is that Mattie -did sigh, as she contrasted the present with the past-for she had saw the day when she would not have needed to seek ass~tan~e~~when Harry Norton's. fam~ fly didn't 'need to crave sympathy. But friends, like b~tt~rfli~s, sometimes take to themselves wings when the su~sbine of prosperity sets in the darkness of a drunk- ''4 ]WIL OONSJ~Q1JJ~NbES. ard'S home, though the heart-stricken wife be ever so worthy!. Thit. she could not tell the Doctor that she l~new of no friend of whom she coul4 ask such a favor, and so she sat there, all still, with her little ones sleeping quietly; and Harry, he, too, slept calmly. Mattie thought she could hear her own 'heart beating; and memory was, probing, to its very depths, the fountain of her feelings, and thought was busy with the days of other years. In imagination, then, she was living over agaii~ the firs~ years of her wedded life; and life seemed then one long day of. unclouded happiness; While Ma1ttie, sat thus, so entirely absorbed in her own reflections, there was a tap on the door. She flew to oper~ it, with her finger on her lip, lest the slightest move might wake the sleeper by whose bed she was keeping so anxious a watch. And she dreaded what mij4it follow. She moti~ued her visitors to follow to another room. They were Mrs. Judge Wood und Nora Wilmot. What brought them there to that home of poverty and disgrace? Mattie felt surprised; she 'had few acquaintances in her new home in the West -~sli~ did not wish them, for she had heen reared in one of tha~ best families in an eastern city, accustomed to elegance and refinement, been careft,~iUy educated in all the ele- gancies of female accomplishments, accustomed to move in 'the best circles of society. Mattie knew in her alter- ed situation that she could ~not move in the 'circles she had been fitted for, both, by education and ~s~ociatiou, and she would not bend her spirit to associat~~ith~h as her altered situation would have thrown hera So page: 230-231[View Page 230-231] 230 NOItA WILMOT. she 'preferred 'confining herself ~~~itirely to the' duty of training her little ones, and endeavoring to fit them for admission into 'a better class of society than their pres- ent circumstances'indicated~ And Harry ~ortou why had she married such as he? The am~swer is evident, she had not married such as' he then~~was~' 'But We will have to go back a little in true historic style. He, too, had been reared tenderly, carefully';' no want was left unsupplied'that either money or influence could command. 'With a slave-attendant ~to watch, almost to anticipate, every want, Jiis infancy ~and early manhood had been passed in The midst of idleness 'and luxury,~not heeding~wh&t the future might bring forth, and 'laying no foundation for stability and usefulness, that might be of service in after~years. .' There is one feature"of' family arrangement practiced in' almost every family of wealth in the 'slave states, that Captain Norton adhered to with' strict tenacity, that is well calculated to undermine and sap the foundations of '~. sobriety 'and temperance in any rising family.' The am- pIe side-board, that always stood in the capacious dining- 'room, was never wanting in a plentiful supply of very desirable be~rerage;' and Captain Norton, a' perfect spec- imen of 'the' 'aristocracy, of the Old Dominion, prided himself' on keepingg the very best Wifles in the country, to~ther'with a well-filled larder and cellar. Th&tigh himself a professed %~hristian;atid a consistent man in ~ine things, he shrugged his ample' shoulders, and kLyin~ hiins~lf 'back in his east i3l~ir ~ompl~e~ntly, would sat, wiVh~ such 'an apparent upetu6us' 6atisfa~tion, with EVIL CON5~1Q'UEN~CES. 231 his ~eyes ~ihnost hidde~ by the fat, sensual 'cheekan& the jo1l~ mouth laughing deep down iii the inner feelings: "There'~ no kiiid of harm, none in the least, ih'drink.~ ing this wine .-~ it's only the pure 'juice of the grape. Even if you should drink till ~ou feel it right smartl'y, there'.s no harm1done. Even Christ, our great patten7 made Wine, and"drank it too. And 'they drank wine in th6se days, as the historian tells~ us, till men were well drunk; Then, 'the historiati intin~ates, ihey were not ~s critical judges 'as -at the first; very evidently meaiiing. that they were' ~a little tipsy - a 's6i't of 'how-come-y6u- so, as We would say in th4se d~y~.' Well,"' Vh~ jo1I~ Captain would .say, '"if I can only be as g6od as' the associates' of~ Ohrist were, I'm satisfied~ d.omi't 'want t~ be any better." 56 he enjoyed his mint juleps in the morning, his wine for dinner, and' his claret in the eveniu~, with evident satisfaction, fancying himself a sure passcnge~ on' the Old Ship of Zion; making a safe sail 'for' the port of Heaven, never so much as once dreaming of the influ- ence his example was exerting on those of his own house- hold, nor thinking of "the effect o~n his son;~ivhen'he w~s called up regularly every moiniiig td get his accustomed~' stimulant t6 make him h~althy. "flarry'~ over-itidn1gent~ parent would 'pat his h~op'efulyoun~ progenyoii V1I~ head, saying so 'satisfiedly': ~' There i~n't'a finer boy iri~the county, o~ ohe wittli' ~' sounder 6on~titutIon" ' ' Thit he never n6te& how 'of Harry 'w~seeu at' the sid~board, nOr 'knex# of The long sle'eps tdker~ ~fter diiP" ncr; ~'N6; 'of'conrs~e 'hot; for th~ captain w~s ~nera1iy "; I' page: 232-233[View Page 232-233] 232 i~on~. WILI~1OT. EVIL CONSEQUENCES. 233 enjoying the same luxury himself, at the same hour of the day. And he knew nothing of the horse-races and cock.4ighting in which his~very promising son in- dulged so freely, only because there was no better ob- jects presented as a stimulant for an ~active mind to ex- pend its energies on. But how could Captain Norton know so much? He wouldn't have believed the best friend~ he had if they had told him all about it; not he! It was hi8. very decided opinion that Harry wouldn't be seen at such a place! No,, sir ! harry, has a much better opinion of himself, and is niore choice of his so- ciety than all that would amount to; And so Harry grew up with little or no restrah4.-..with temptations both at home and abroad .~-sent oft' to college at an early age, and thrown into society where there were plenty of spirits far more reckless than himself--- for it. has to be acknowledged that southern colleges are not very appropriate safeguards against dissipation and idleness, and iiot always good schoolss of reform either. flaxry, after graduating with considerable honor to himself and credit to his instructors, returnedhome, with his habitat little better formed for sobriety than when. he had left the paternal mansion. ]3ut to the world he passed for a yogng gentleuian of high talents and ac~ acknowledged ability, and was altogether worthy of his reputation. 4fter he bad spent two years. at a Law School, hi~ doting father pronounced him fully compe- tent to take an elevated stand among the great ones of the land. But, hi~ particular friends ~knew thathe, had I~een ~i the practice of indulging in his favorite ~lass daily; but that was no unusual oecarrenc~ in the society of which he Was a member, and it passed as a matter of but little importance. How little Harry Norton thought or feared the fatal consequences of the insati- able appetite he was even now feeding! When he had been some two years at the bar, Mattie Conway, a beautiful girl from Boston, came to spend a few months with an uncle residing in the vicinity of Captain Norton's, where Harry was in the habit of vis~~ iting frequently. They met, and an acquaintance soon ripened into a mutual attachment. When Mattie re- turned to her eastern home, it was as the affianced bride of a southern suitor. In the autumn Harry went to claim his bride. It was his first visit to a free state, and he was so charmed with the air of enterprise and thrift he saw every where manifested, so altogether different from his native state, or the theory of southern influences, that it required but little persuasion from his new friends and matrimonial connexions to induce him to become a resident of a northern state. And Harry Norton was soon compet- ing, not unsuccessfully, with northern talent. For a few years, Harry's success was almost unparal- leled - he was fast rising into wealth, influence and popularity-gaining many friends in the home of his adoption that were good and true as long as he was true to himself. And Mattie was happy theu as ever young bride was, evei~ in the days of a first betrothal. Why should she not be, surrounded, as she was, by the friends of her youth, with father, mother, sisters and brothers surrounding liter, and within calling distance of the pa- ternal hearth-stone? And her young husband, so entire- 10* I: f I page: 234-235[View Page 234-235] 234 NOILA WILMOT. ly all she could ask him to be in the most enthusiastic moments of young existence so string and proud, so self-i~eliant; and the young wife was proud, too, of his attainments, proud of his position, and proud of his popularity. And with all this outward seeming, he was one of the kindest of husbands, almost vain of hisbeau- tiful northern bride. And she so trustiI~g, thought what Harry said or done was all right, and wouldn't admit of a controversy. So time glided on to Harry and Mattie, without one riffle of adverse current, until two little cherub treasures had come to gladden their Eden home - a son, possess- ed of his father's bold, daring spirit, 'with more of south- ern ardoi~ and restlessness than his gentle sister, who was more like their doting mother. Poor Mattie almost fancied, in' her experience, 'that the measure of her hap- pinesswt~s full - how dared she ask for more? Alas for human happiness! when was it ever unalloyed? It has been ~aid~ well: * "They build too low who build. beneath the skies." And so Mattie Norton found ere she reached the me- ridian of the journey of life. Harry had always spent most of his evenings from home, except the first few months of hi~ married life, under a pretext of business. lEt ~vas a sfro~g drawback on Mattie's happiness, for she said that was all she wanted to complete her meas- ure of perfect bliss. The loving wife thought it would be so entirely a privilege to have Harry in of evenings. But he couldn't be a successful public character, and spend all his time at the fireside; and so Mattie was EVIL CONSEQUENCES. 235. satisfied to make the sacrifice. She had the society of her sweet babes; and, then, the knowledge of Harry's success made amends for all. But, then, Harry's stay- outs of evenings wer~ growing later and later. Some-~ times' the faithful wife had to sit up till her eyes were weary, and her head would 'ache the next day; for she would not lie down till he came home, although he had chided her several times, telling her not to eApose' herself so for his sake. And, sometimes, Harry would be gone allnight, but always returned during the first noon of the day, with some perfectly plausible apology for his absence, that satisfied the unsuspecting wife. But there was soon to be an awakening from this happy dream of bliss; for Harry was brought home late one night very far advanced in a state of intoxication, with his clothes sadly torn, his hair (his beautiful brown, curling hair, that Mattie had always loved so well to smooth back from the broad, marble-like"brow, that she felt such a wifely pride in) all disheveled, and his handsome face marred and swollen by most brutaf abuse. Oh! what a sight for a young, kind, affection..~ ate,. inexperieueed wife! She almost fainted with the first sight. lit seemed so very terrible, so dreadful! Her dear husband! what a sight he presented wheu he became conscious again. Could she believe the evi- deuces of her own senses ? Was her Harry indeed drunk? The mere thought of it made her head reel, and her heart sink within her. Life seemed as Wit, would go out with that first, great trouble, and tlii~ cheek was so' deadly pale. .~ But then she thought there certainly will be some explanation, some~ palliatin~ cir~ page: 236-237[View Page 236-237] 236 NORA WILMOT. EVIL CON8EQU~NCES. 23~ cumstances. Yes, Harry has been temptedd by nsso- ciates, induced to drink, and not being accustomed to stimulants as Mattie thinks, for she has never sus- pe~ted anything of the kind before~-so it took a pow- erful effect on his nervous system. And it wasn't so very bad after all, for it was the first time, and there are few :persons but what are 'liable to be overtaken in a fault sometime. The poor wife tried so hard to find some extenuating circumstances as an apology to her own wounded nature, something that might palliate, at least, the first rough edges of her grief. But, the , de- spite. all her apologies and excuses, all that affection could offer, there lies her own Harry, in a perfect stu- por, sleeping off the fumes of brandy,. all unconscious of external circumstances, and looking so little like himself. Eoor Mattie! what a hard lesson for one so young! But in all her trial she never once harbored one thought of. anger, or resentment, or blame to her husband; every feeling was either of pity or pure, womanly, disinter~. ested sympathy. What wife ever did do otherwise? Even if the poor inebriate one should,' in his paroxysms of madness, add personal abuse, she only pities and en- dures. Hard as Mrs. Norton now thought her lot, she was' just sipping from the brink of the cup that she was doomed. to drink to its very dregs, to quaff its bitter Iliarry was deeply mortified when he came to ihihiself and was told of what he had done, and seemed to try to make amends for his conduct in over-kindness to those whose feelings his reckless conduct had out raged. But it was only a short time until he wa~ over- taken in the same fault; and his friends soon found it waS only the gradual progress of a long established habit, one that had grown with his growth-an insa- tiable appetite, which, when once fed, only requires- more aliment, until, like the daughters of the horse leach, it ever cries, Give! give! Though its unfortunate victim be entirely conscious, the indulgence is like the famous vulture eating up his very vitals. While all the time conscious of danger, and knowing, from every day's experience, where the rocks lay hidden, against which so many barks have made shipwreck, with so much before him, to act as a warning, Harry Norton still pursued his course-feeding the thirst that was de- vouring him soul and body. He had indulged so long, commencing in early childhood, with a morning bitters, and increased as the appetite increased, until now it was second nature. lie didn't feel at all fit for busi- ness, in the morning, until his ideas were brightened and his nerves steadied by a little stimulant, and then he must have an extra dram before each meal, or he. would have no appetite. And so Harry Norton mighJ~ be' set down a regular drinker, pretty well established. To all the entreaties and advice of faithful friends, h' only answer was, he was only treading in his father's footsteps, and didn't believe he was in much danger of filling a drunkard's grave. He knew plenty of men in Virginia that had taken their bitters regularly, frog" boyhood down to ~old age, and then died without being drunkards. He didn't see any kind of use in making 80 much extra fuss about temperance, and temperance socie~~ page: 238-239[View Page 238-239] 238 NORA WILMOT. VIL CONSEQUENCES. 239 ties, and temperance pledges; his name would ncver be found on any such paper; 'twas all 'fuss for nothing; gotten up by a set of demagogues for an electioneering~ hobby, nothing else; any man, that was worth calling a man, could quit drinking whenever he wished to. Harry said he intended to use less than he had been in- dulging in for some time past'; he never did intend using the article to excess. But, then, used only to a reasonable extent, it wouldn't injure any man; indeed, he thought it was highly beneficial to health, it had always been so considered in 'his native state. He knew a great many men that were professing Christians that had drank temperately all their lives, and had died as they had lived. Needn't tell him a man couldn't drink or taste one drop without being in danger of fill.~ ing a drunkard's grave, as the northern fanatics were always saying. He never knew of such a thing as a. temperance society in his native state, and every man in the state didn't get drunk either, But Harry Norton didn't know while he was thus tampering with the worm of the still, that, like a ser- pent in the grass, it was preparing its coil to make him a more certain prey, drawing him, like the charmed bird, within its coils, until his powers of resistance would be too weak to offer any 'opposition. And the poor victim was only awakened to any sense of danger when he found his prosperous business fast leaving his hands, and going into the hands of his temperate asso- ciates, whom Harry had never recognized as anything' like equals in point of 'talent and professional ability. And his friends turned' in disgust from one who would~ not~ listen to one word of counsel or advice. Poor Mattie saw all this with an aching heart, and could not br&ok the thought of living in degradatioti, surrounded by her early associates. Thinking a change of associations and scenes might be beneficial in work- ing a change for the better, she persuaded her husband to emigrate' to the West, vainly hoping it might be a& vantageous. With the courage and devotion of an energetic wife and mother, she bade adieu to parents, and friends, and childhood's scenes, to make a home among strangers, with only a drunken husband and her two little ones. Harry did partially reform when he came tQ his new home, Seeming quite himself again. And Mattie thought the sacrifice of home and friends but a trifling sacrifice, if it only did result in her husband's entire reformation. Again he was successful in' business, for Harry Norton was possessed of a genius of no ordinary mould of ca.. abilities, that might have given hjm a high position among his fellow men, 'and been of signal advantage to hig country. How lamentable it is that so much of the most promising talent of our country should be sacri- ficed on the same ~dtar and' to the same deity. But the new found hopes were doomed to be of short duration. The unnatural appetite was not quenched, it was only restrained a little while, and seemed' have been gaining strength by the temporary restraint; for be was soon seen to be drinking more than ever, indeed he seldom came home sober, and sometimes was so eu~ tirely besotted that he was altogether unconscious of surrounding circumstances, and his devoted wife would be necessitated to assist him to bed, where he would gen- erally sleep off the immediate effects of his excesses. page: 240-241[View Page 240-241] 240 NORA WILMOT. How near the sufferer's heart was to breaking only herself could tell. ]3uV she had to exert herself for the sake of those who would have been worse than orphaned but for her protection and care. Harry's dreadful excesses brought on a severe fit of the drunkard's madness, in its most aggravated form. Oh! how he did suffer! Raving with every iruagin aiy horror until nature was almost entirely exhausted; and then there was such a struggle between life and death, as if poor human nature never again could rally after such an unwanted abuse of her latent powers. Matte had prayed as she never prayed before for strength to bear the. blow, for she lived in hourly expectation of being left alone, with her orphaned children, in a strange place, surrounded by stranger faces. But He who tem~ pereth the wind to the shorn lamb had ordered other- wise, and again her husband was restored to health, in some degree, but not to sobriety. Like many others have 4one before, Harry felt wretched, and turned to the fatal cup again to drown all his troubles and bitter re~ elections in the excitement of dissipation, until we again find him laboring under the same fearful sufferings, and his desolate wife almost in despair. ,Perhaps our readers may claim an apology for so long a digression. When our lady visitors called, we find every thing in the ~present tense in the matter of suffering. But Mattie, real heroine as she is, ha~4'or- gotten her own misery in the contemplation of her hus- band's sufferings; never once suffering the suggestion * that his is self-inflicted to so much as intrude into her * thoughts, but only thinking of striving by every possible means to alleviate his dreadful misery. EVIL OOE~TJF~CEs. 241 What a gleani of sunshiri~ seemed to hav~e shot athwart her pathway at the announcement of the prop- osition to endeavor to procure the passage of a prohib.~ itory law! Oh! was it possible that her poor husband could ever be entirely relieved from temptation.. Itwas a consummation she had never so muckaa anticipated. In her deep distress she had pondered many; many plans, but all were abandoned as fruitless; because. Harry never would consent to listen to any suggestions of re- striction or restraint for the sake of reformation, always contending that he had the moral ability. to reform, without outward assistance-8aying all tb~ while he intended to reform so&n, but all the while sinkiug l~w~r and lower in the scale of degradation. How very, willingly,. even* gladly, did Mrs. N'~rto~i sign her name to that petition, with an inward prayer, so heart-felt, that it might be successful. It was so plausible, so reasonable. Like a light shining in a dark, place, it would be such a safeguard, like a wall of de.. fense, for the most abandoned, beside being a shield to youthful feet. If there was no more drink, oh! the blessed relief! there could, as a contingent consequence, be no more drinking. What a balm to the wounded spirit! Mat- tie's heart was melted in very thankfulness with the blessed prospect. If Harry only would entirely reform and be himself once more, they might again be so happy. She had entire confidence that her gifted husband did' possess rare abilities and talents to insure him success in any avocation in life, when not prostrated by this de. moralizing tendency, this mind, and principle, and soul, 11 page: 242-243[View Page 242-243] 242 NORA WILMOT. ITEMS OF INTEILE5T~ ~243 and bod~ destroyer. But to see him daily sa~rificing his prospects, not for time only, but for an endle ~s eter-. nity; for was it not written by Him who cannot waver or turn, "Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, pre- pared for the devil and his angels." Mrs. Nortcin was not one that could look calmly on and see her talented husband thus so entirely destroying himself; and make no effort for' his recovery; and she readily entered into the views of the committee with an enthusiastic ardor. The ladies were much interested in all they had seen 'and heard. They were interested not only for Mrs. N~orton, but for her interesting family, and pronlibed before leaving to interest themselves in procuring gom- pany to sit with her, in her 'lonely vigil, through that anxious night, and to call again and see how they were - doing. CHAPTER XV. ITEMS OP INTEREST. It seemed a long time since Cousin Nora had heard any thing of Susie Rayburn. And they had always been like sisters. So Nora~sat down and wrote a long, long letter to Susie. We think both Kora and Susie will excuse us, if we do take a peep into a portion of their letter. But, then, we know there is a portion of this interesting epistle that had better not be made pub- lic. For, if we premise right, Cousin Nora wouldn't just entirely fancy having all the particulars about that friendly letter made public. You know young ladies like to have some things kept secret. And we consent to their having some rights that we don't feel just will. ing to intrude on. So you needn't expect to know any thing about that part, unless you can get Miss Nora's consent. The letter ran thus-.--that is, our part of it: "DJ~AR SUSIE :.-Jt is 'a long time since I have 'heard from you, and so much of interest has been transpiring here, in which I know you would take a deep concern, that I will devote this evening to making you acquainted with all our doings since I last wrote you. Perhaps you recollect we had heard, before you left, that Charley Price was drinking worse than ever again. It all turned out to be too 'true. He went from bad to worse, until he~' got to abusing his family in a most shameful manner and, at last, turned the poor things out of doors in a bleak storm, almost breaking poor Mary's 4 % page: 244-245[View Page 244-245] I~O1~A WThMO1~ heart! So, a few ladies of us, with Mrs. Judge Wood, and Mrs. Dr. GilberLan~1 pastor Monroe's wife, together with some dozen others of 'the most enthusiastic temper~ ance advocates - and Cousin ~ora, of course after petitioniu~g a Mr. Amos Tradewell, 'who kept one of Those detestable saioo~s, right on'the corner of' the street where Charley bad 'to pass every time he went to oi' returned from busine~s. This Tradewell had been an .o]d scl~olrnate .of Charley's, and Susie thought if this salmon was only closed, Charley would reform. You know tern~e~~~e ladies never refuse the entreaties, of a suffering sisters. Well, Mr. Tradewell saw fit tQ refuse to comply with the very litixuble petition sent in~ on the ground of wishing~' to enjoy the privilege of attending to his own Etisiness. Then'the ladies, to the number of twelve or fifteen at a time, prepared each with a job of knitting work, proceeded to the aforesaid ~aloon, to have a. grand knittingg concert. Well, we knitted on some three days." On the fourth Mr. Tradewell made over~ tures for a capitulation. So, all things being' signed, sealed, and the' traffic closed I~orever, as far as Mr. 'Tradewell was concerned, the committee took their de~ parture. And very glad they were of a release, too, on. their parts.4--~ visitors and visited' being inntuaUy tired of the little dramatic farce; Th'e~ reform' spirit' being wide awake, and all things astir for an' :enterprise,'it was next proposed to inaije an effort for the 'grand 1lnale~te the whole traffic. ~An4, for theist week, the~Ladies1 Temperance Committee have been busily' employed soliciting signatures to a petition to the Legi~latnre, for a prohibitory la*,~ after the order ITEMS 01' IKTRkEST. 246~ of the famous Maine law.. 'You wQuld no donbt be sur- prised to 'witness the almost entire unanimi~y'mauifested~ in signing this petition. We seldom ever meet with & refusal. Eyen the poor ipebriate, that seems so entirely wedded to 'his eup,~as if he could more easily give' up~ every thing 'else than that, almost without exception put down their names, with a seeming desire and enthri- siasm for its success, as if' it, were their only 'hope and undying faith. This m~ttWr of petition is to be' general all over the~ State. The intention ~is to secure so overwhelming a~ list of petitioners, that' there may be' .n~ chance for op~ position. And then. we expect to secure a strong law. Of course the petition will be presented in yonr town,~ which ~will give you a fair oppqrt~rn1ty t~ eiiroll your name where 'every patriot bea~rt might rejoice to 'wrifr one. I tell you, my~dear, my whole heart is in thia work; for I think it; is the most reliable measure -in~' deed) the only reli~bl~ hope; at the present time, ~f our country. It seems prepostirous to even anticipate the~ prospect that we will ever ~be rid of drunkards~ au4 drinking, so long as teniptatioiis are continually pr~e~ scented, in any guise whatever~ to the weak and uuwa.ry.~ Thit, dear Susie, you know what a holy horror I have of the entire liquor traffic, that yoirwill forgive me if I d~ saysome hard things when IL talk about it. Oh, I have so many things to tell you of when I see you, that I know will interest you; but I can't write them' now; as. I expect' to see you soon, I ~will defer them"at' present." page: 246-247[View Page 246-247] 248 NO~ wn~MoT. ITEMS OF INTEREST. 24't. Then follows a long list of private matters that I told you we had no right to know any thing about, unless the writer were to give the privilege first. But, kind reader, if-we may be permitted to premise a little, although we don't wish to be understood as claiming to be at all in the secret, only as claiming to be right good at guessing about 8mall matters. As ~we said about promising, we think, when Nora does seer Susie again, Fred Morley will be in company; and, it may be, we'll hear of a wedding first. But we don't wish to be accused of prying into other people's business.~-.especially young ladies' secrets. Let them have their own business in their own hands, dear souls, say we! We don't want to know any thing more than they're willing to ~iiih4~de to us. So Miss Nora's secret's en~ tirely safe yet, for we've not told any thing- and don't intend to, either, even if we knew. I3ut, 'pon honor, we don't knoi~r, we've only guessed this much, and we've a right to guess, and if we hit the nail on the head, why, we can't help it - we'll only have to be forgiven, for we live in a free country. But, then, we wouldn't want things so free, that every one could meddle with his neighbor's business; for we wouldn't be at all pleased with having every persOn intruding into our business. But, after all, ~we guess Fred. Morley will soon experi~ ence the happiest period of a man's life if there is any thing to be judged by signs. Now, don't be saying. we make auy pretensions to knowing any thing about the matter, for we never said we did, and don't intend to take such an accusation at all kindly or in good part; wouldn't consider such an accusation at all neighborly, by any means. We propose waiting to see :what turn~ affairs will be taking, holding ourselves in readiness for: any emergency that may turn up. After writing to Susie, Nora concluded to drop th~ letter in the office herself ~ and, as her walk wiuld. leact in the direction of the shanty of her little friend. Michael,, she proposed~ to herself to call and see if they still kept the bottle filled with cold water, instead of rum; and whether the parents had any more encounters, and how~ Michael was doing by the present time. Before she got half through the yard, Michael espiel her, and raising his hand, and stretching his large, round. blue eyes to their utmost tension, with a look of astou~ ished delight, he called out at~the top of his ~roice,. "Oh, either! mither! there's the leddy.....-there's the leddy-~ that emptied out feather's rum, so you an& feather didn't fight no more. 'Tis so, wither." Biddy Mahoning was soon at the door to welcome Nora into her really tidy little abode. Every thing looked so very different from the appearance it pre-~ sented on the occasion of her last visit, when she had found every thing much after the fashion of Irish shan~~ ties in general. But now every thing presented a marked change in their appearance; the bed was covered with a clean spread and white cases; the dishes were washed clean, and arranged with neatness and order on the side dresser; the floor, that before was~ almost twin cousin. with the street, was now cleanly scrubbed, scarce dry from the mops; and the line of~clean, smoothly ironed clothes, hanging drying in the sun, told, in language page: 248-249[View Page 248-249] 'NORA WILMOT. ITEMS .01k E~ER~ST 249 not easily misunderstood, that there had, from some~ cause, been an improvement in the domestic manage~ roent of that habitation. Kora was ushered in. by the broad-faeed daughter of Erin's Isle Witirso niuch apparent good feeling, that she felt an inward satisfaction at having come-. the call seemed .to afford so much happiness to the visited. "flow are you getting along1 my good woman?" asked: Nora, seating' herself in the proffered~ seat, and ~yeing, in Lhe mean time, th~ woman very closely. Oh, dear leddyl so much better ~ so much bet. tlier. Ni#er got al4rng 'sO well in all my born' life, Miss; niver .did, indade." "Do you have as good health, Biddy.? and are your children's heahh 'as~ good ?-" ~ Oh, yis! xini~h betthe.r'; aiid indade the childrenare all the time so well, irnd, as for mysilf, I niver so much as have the pains in my head that used to be distressing me so much." "And how is your husband doing now, Biddy? Is he getting along well; too?" "No; not so-very well. He will still be dramining it too strong, and doesn't be sticking to his work good, and comes home sometimes in such a dreadful temper, and wilIstill be trying to quarrel with me, and still will be a batin' the children; frightnin' thim, poor things.'~ "Then you don't drink any rum, or whisky, now~a- days, do you, Biddy?" "Oh I no, my leddy; not a single drap! Biddy Ma~ honing's give that all.up, and glad of it, too. Not one dthrop 's ever 4iassed ~Biddy's lips since the blissid day I the leddy poured out ~all the ruin, and pift in water instead. -Biddy jist said, 'Now, Biddy, you know. very well you. are falling better, as the leddy said you would; you 'r head 'a falin' better, too, so it is; and you 'r niver falin' so slapy after* dinner, father: so you 'd better be after tryin' 'to take the leddy's advise,;you bad2 So, after tryin'Ait a few days~ Biddy was satisfied, she was, that run~ did n't. be doin' any good, no how; so she'd jist be after savin' of her saxpences to help fix up her house a bit, and it wouldbe little bit like other ones. And .tl~echildt'en have niver had so much as a single taste for a single drap of bitters since that blissid day," and Biddy laughed with. evident satisfaction and delight. "Iv'ry thing goes on so nicely; and I can be gaping iv'ry thing in sich nate othere, and have Itime to do all without any hurry or..throubl&, 1ike~' I used ~to -be havin'." "And haye you tried; Biddy, to get your husband to give up drinking?" "Oh, yis! that's what I have-..4ried so hard;. buthe always says, 'Be after mindin' your own business, will you, Biddy? and jist lave'Michael Mahoning's business to his self.i .31st be after tendin'~ till your childi'ein, and you'll be havin' enough for you to be-a doin'.' And whin I tell him how much better I he. gittin' along; he, says you women don't be a nadin' anything to dthrink ..-...you don't be after bein' in the ~cold- and rain, like we men do: so jist be after houldin' your tongm, Wo~n't you? and lit a man 'alone that's thryin to. do the ~iry best he can. And thin he says, 'Why, Biddywoxnan I don't you know I've drinked iver since I was' a1- boy," and page: 250-251[View Page 250-251] 250 WO~LA WThMO~. ITEMS OP INTEREST. 251 it 's niver hurt me yit ~ What's the use makin' s~ch a big fuss about it now?' So you see I can't be doin' him a bit of good with anything II can be sayin'." "Well, Biddy, you can still hold out faithfully your- self, even if your husband won't listen to you. You can do right yourself, and raise your children right; and perhaps, after awhile, your husband will see how much better you are now than you used to be, he may think better of the matter. You must still hope for the best." "That I will, leddy! Biddy Mahoning will niver go back to her old ways again; she tried thim long enough; and ~he is n't wantin' the children raised up in sich bad ways, Is what she isn't, no how. Little Michael 's a real smart boy, is what he is; and his either wants to see him make a man, is what she does. She does n't niver want to see him drink another dthrop, is what she does n't; if she can help it, he shan't. His either wants to see him be like the American's mens, and not jist like the dthrinkin' Irish mens." "Well, Biddy, I have some good news to tell you~.-. something to encourage you in a prospect of better time to both Irish and Americans." "Oh! I'll be so glad to hear it; I will, indade, my leddy." "Well, Biddy, the people are going to try to have a law passed to stop men entirely from selling anything that will make men drunk." "Oh! wouldn't that be sich a blissed law.-sich a blissid law! Oh ! Biddy is a hopin' they'll be a doin' of it-sich ~a blessed thing, as it would be." "* Then your husband could n't get anything to make .9 him drunk, if he wanted it, if that law was once passed and carried out. There would not be any more drunk- ards, because they could not get anything to make them drunk. Men wQuld have to be sober from necessity.'~ "Oh, my leddy! would n't it be the blissidest thing for the Irishmans! for, you see, they jist will be a havin' of it, if it's to be had at all some of 'em 'ed jist have a dthram, if they'd have to sell the bread out of their children's mouths, to be a~gittin' it; they'd do anything for a dthrop of whisky, is~ what they would.-~there 's a plenty of thim that will." -~ "It would be a good thing, no doubt, for a gi~at many besides the Irish: there are a 'great many others who would have abundant reasofi to rejoice at so salu- tary a law being introduced." "Amirica would be the blissidest country in the world thin.-.., if there was no more dthrinkiu', wouldn't it be a bussed country to live in! It's a nice country any how; but it there only was no more whesky, would not it be the blissidest thing? it would. Here where every body can be a getting' plenty of work, and good pay for it; and a plinty to ate, without ever begin' a bit. But there are so many Jrishmen that, instead of thryin' to make their families comfortable whin they gits their money, goes straight to the dthram-shop to spend it, and their poor families a nadin' it all the time, so badly. There 's a plenty of Irish mens that spind iv'ry cint they earns, and their .poor wives have to be a doin~ iv'ry thing for their families. Some of the Irish women have a hard time enough, livin" in the shanties, and working n so hard, and their mens, some of thim, spending' page: 252-253[View Page 252-253] 2~52~ NORA WILMOT. ITEMS- OF INTEREST. their livin' at the dram-shops. It's bad, too bad for any woman 'till, have to be abearin' with. Bat, thin, Michael is n't~ half ~so bad as Borne are. He does n't spend half he earns at the dthram-shops; he helps ne with the childer & good ale, and buys nigh upon all we ate; and U am after sn.vin' all I can be a makin' to be a dthressin the ehilder with; and to be- a fixin' up the house a bit.~ And. thin IL want to ba a schoolin' the childer some as soon as they'libe'a gettin'- old -enoughtill go to school. Michael, honey, there, begin 'to git his letters right smart, already. I'm a want! n' to git thim raised up; jist the same ~Jike the Amirican. childer are~" "Then,~Biddy, you had better send them to Sabbatit school, and t&k~ them to church, if yo~i want to raise them like the American children. They will have- an opportunity to learn a great many things there that will be. truly viiluable,7 that, perhaps, they~would not learn any place else, besides the advantage of its being no expense to you; and there your children, by associating. with the Americans, will, learn their -manners and 'cus- toms,, and their language and 'opinions, besides learning to read." "And which do you be calling' the Sabbath schoQI? The one that mates- in the Acadamy? or the one that 's matin' in the brick school house~ I b'leve they call it?" I' Oh! the Sabbath School meets in the churches on Sabbath' morning; it doesn't meet week days, only on Sundays" "Oh, yis! that's the -rason they don't be a charging' anything. And can I be a' sending' little Michael,- with-. Out -s~ much a~ askin' any body's lave, did you mane, Miss, did you, indade ?" Yes, Biddy. Just send him next Sundaymorning, at nine o'clock, to any church on this' sqnare.- They all have good schools 'meeting at the sanie hour in ; the morning, and will, any of them, be glad to see him come; and the teachers will strive to learn him some- thing that will be useful to him in after life." "Well, if it's that asy, Biddy 'II be~sendtng~ him, sure she will; and go herself; too, to see what's to be done be- sides, she~ Will." -, - '~ Then you are not one of the Catholic' sort of Irish are you, Biddy? They never go to Sabbath School~ oi~ to any church but their own 'sort, I he~ieve, do they?" "No, niver~ niver!- The paste don't allow it, at ~1l~ at~ alL ~They'd -be thinkiii'- it 'would he~ wekid1~4liby would: No, no-! Biddy Mahoning's none of the&ath.~ olic sort, poor pu~'aste..$dden thing& Biddy 'doii~t waat to be a ~~yin' half she can earn at hard work' to-the paste to get-her sins pardoned, whin Xichael Mahbn- ing can forgive them jist as well, for sure; and the paste is only a man, after all, and how can he be forgtviu~ sins, Pd like to be 'a knowing ? Why, Miss, that'&iat 'laste half the Tason' the poor Irish have to be suffering? so much in Ould Ireland, it is. They are all the time~ payin' 'so-much to the praste, poor-things! And thin'the tithes mon -comes along and takes what. the praste left, and the poor women' and. ehilder -are- left to suffer;aud starve; 'Dade, hiss,- the Protistant part- dou't be~ a s~f~ cnn' nigh as much as the Catholics does, because. they saves the prastes. share; and a good shat~. it~ is, too, sometimes." . - "Yes, Biddy, I -think, too~. that'the'prie4s-geiuerror page: 254-255[View Page 254-255] 4, 25A' NORA. WILMOT. about forgiving sins, and doing penance, and many other things; and I'm glad to hear that you don't believe in such things. But although I don't believe the priest can forgive sins, I believe there is one that can forgive them, and grant us a full and free pardon, without money and without price." "Oh, yes I leddy, the Houly One above can." ~' Yes, Biddy; and we ought all seek for that pardon that comes so free and full, qualifying us for His' service in time, and an abode with Him in eternity. Have you a Bible, Biddy:?~ "No, my leddy; my ould man's been a promising' me one for a long time, 's what he has; but he's not been a geflin' it yet, 's what he hasn't. I want 'him to be after getting' one, so the childer can be 'a lttrnin' to read ~tb And I'd be 'a radin' it a bit myself, 's what I would, sometimes, ~f he'd only be after getting' one." 'frWell, Biddy, as I think every p&son ought to have a. Bible 'that 'can ~read it, and them that can't read it ought to learn. If you think you will read a Bible I will bring you one, and if you will send your little boy to Sunday School, I'll bring him a Testament along too." " That I will, leddy,. that I will. I'll jist be a radin' the Bible some every day I will whenever I can git time from my work, 'a what I will. An' I'll be after trying.' to 'go t6 the matin' sometimes, I will; and be a thryin' to take the childer sometimes, too." "' Michael, wouldn't yom 'like to go to the Sabbath School ?" asked Nora. "Yis, leddy. What is Sunday 'School?' I'd like to ITEMS O~' INTEILEST. 255 be a goin' to school, I would so well, so I can learn like the other boys do. I want's to learn to read like the American boys; I don't want to be like, the other little Irish boys are, that don't be agoin' to the matin', nor to the school father. Oh I mayn't I go to school, jmither ?" "Oh, yes, Michael; whim the leddy brings you a book you shall go. And I'll let you go to the matin', too, whin your mother goes, is what you shalL And whim there's no whisky to git drunk with, maybe my good man '11 take a notion to go too Wouldn't you be so glad, Michael, if your feather hadn't anything to get drunk with?" "Oh! I ~would, mother, I would be. glad. T*n feather wouldn't niver be a whipping' us, elder, or a tryin' to quarrel with you,. either, would he? Oh.! wouldn't he be so good? lie's so good whim he doesn't be drunk. I do wish he'd quit like niither did. Qhl mother's so good now. She don't niver be a seoldin' and a baUm' us childer like she used to whim she drunk whisky." And the little fellow seemed so elated with the blissful prospect that he almost danced with delight, with the characteristic exuberance of his uati'~e im, pulses. And Nora thought, in her natural kindliness 'ef heart and feeling, that it were indeed worth all her effort, and more, to bring so muek of sunlight as~ she saw would be diffused into even this, obscure abode, and in one small family ~of emigrant Irish, amongst a people far moi~e accustomed to dissipation even. in~ its most abject form, especially among the laboring' classes, and those that 4 page: 256-257[View Page 256-257] 1ThM8 o~ ~U~8T~ NORA WILMOt most frequently 'emigrate to' our' shores, coming for the last fifteen years, sinc& the famous famine in their native land; almost like the hordes of locusts 'did to' the once fruitful hind 'of 'Israel, than our people have 'ever been. And we say, with a fervent prayer for its fulfillment, God forbid that they ever should be any more either ad- dicted, or ~accustomed, t& an~r greater depths of degra- tionor dissipati6n ! Nora felt it would indeed be a great work, if' it could only be accomplished, to rid the laud from all such cess- pools 'i~f iniquity, such sinks of polhitiobi and' soul-de- stroying 'dens as ~th~e~ dram-shops are, or any establish~ ment where the liquid poison can be obtained, either p ho oi~ piivat5e *here an imp of satan's own ch6os- 'in~ is ~ vend the pbisonous malaria' that eats 'up'~th& vital~~f manhood-destroying every vestige.of 'the' image! o~'G~d..~.-stam~ed4h 'the workmanship of N6ra~eve~ had' seeui the subject in a m(~re aggravated ~nt~tionthati"when she had listened to this simple Thild ~f ~nothei~ laud; with scarce ten summers experi- enCe, Tejoicing in Nature's own 'language over this first ~leam of hope ft~r a reformation in one that, but for this giant evil, would have been his guardian-protector his guise, his 2patterI. "Oh l~ "*o~1du't' feather be so' good ?" Yes! Well, 'ye-ru~i-se1lers,-why isu't'he good now? Why would he "be good 'if yout business was at an end? Why is it'? ~The~ little boy knowa very well! ~And, oh'! how happy it ni~ikes ~him1 1kw his youngg heart thr~bs~ with "de- 'lighted ~antiOipati6Ds' of'yo~ir o~eu~throw! 1f he ~answer is tbi4ous ~ it is because. y~rn a~e.Ahe'tenipter I I4ke the evil ~ne in the rdei~ y~, are ~alw4s;~re~idy~with the wi1e~ of ~ so~eery, ~o allure the weak~n4. ignQraut, who, possessing a, 4ronger ap tit~pand; at the. ~same time~a less degree of moral resi~taxace7 axe' urn~ble to. re- sist~ your iuviting4emptation& Lmbruing~ imluQralizing and debasing mian's noblest pQwe~sffpr~ the .py~~e of gain, only ro~ Blthy h~cre l T~npting a soul from its allegiance to high heav~u for pro~, ~~heri' ithas )~en wri1~ten hy.ThvAe~o~nn~arub r "What will itprofihm~ maji if he gain'the, whole r1d~k~$ei~is 0Wu soul.? :artd what will & m~tu gi rein ~~h~ngei ~ his soul?" Why, the rum-seller, in full kapwledgeof all '$h4s, will ~ter. bi~ soul, his hopes of :hea~ven and iratnortal '~l~ry~fo~ the Vittanee that should go' to Iwy bread'~o e~d 'the :half~ ~tarvipg children of the po ani-driuking ii~eiriate~, tempting and feeding tb& thirst~ that is daily i~in~~ lug his victim, 'and. blasting hjs hopes for ti'~ie an~ l~* cuing his expectations for eternity - robbing his' family of a protector, and society, in many instances, of a bright ornament. 'For it is a lamentable fact, that some of earth's most favoredsons, many of the most promising geniuses, of the very best talent in our country, have' fallen early vIctims to the baleful destroyer, that 'now stalks abroad~ at noon-day, with uncovered head and front erect, protected in many of the States of our glo.. ujous confederacy by the sacred sanction of law-makers and legislative enactments, and an outrage on common sense or refined feelings - legalizing a traffic That has ever been productive of more abject poverty, and degra.. nation, -and misery, than all other evils that fallen nature 11* page: 258-259[View Page 258-259] 158 t4TGRA WILM0~IY. has ever been ~ hQpe's'youngpromise, setting in aweterR&V night~ of 'woe visions of bli8s that seeded all ~too~ bright for earth, atid peopling the world of woe with biood-bought souls, that started all fair' hi youth, for a life of usefulness and ~honor - that but for this sum of all iniquities, this scml4empter, whose firstorig- inator must have been the "Father of' Lies," emanating from the depths of darkness, whence nought but sin ever tame forth. While some of 'one states encour*ige the vile traffic, both in its manufacture and commerce, others, with laws goi~d and healthful sufficient to *pi~oteet every eitizeui in his most unlimited rights, withholding from evel'y ~man the right to tempt his fellow man to do evil, or to allure his neighbor' to self~destrtiction. But after the law-makers have done their part so nobly, the offi.. cerssuffoi'th~ noble instrument to lie as a' dead letter,* ~hile~ society is exposed to all the evil tendencies result~ ing from the covert dissemination of these monstrous agencies; BE~EflV1AI*; aEBULT& 25~ * CH'AET]~R XVI. B~NE~'ICIAL RESULT$. Nora Wilnwa (for it's Wilmot yet, notwithstanding all our promising to the contrary) had ris~n early, as was her custom. She didu'&b~lieve hi behig ~a drone in the hive; if she couldfind any occupation either f~r her- self or others, 'she believed in being up and engaged with it - not wasting her precious;time that God had given her, as she believed,'for heifer pu'rpo~e8, in useless indul- gence. If she has nothing of higher importance to oc~ cupy her time, she always has an inexhaustible fund of both employment and enjoyment, in the cultivation of' her mind; while ni~ny other young ladies, with ~just~as good native' talentt, and as bright intellects, w~re stff~r- lug their minds and talents to run to, waste like a beautiful garden, with turrets, and walks, and avenues, all elaborately laid aid, bit1suffered to run to Waste, for want of a proper ci~ltivation, growing up with usel~s~ weeds and' noxiqus plants, choking, and deformingaiid dwarfing, the beautiful proportions of all The rare gems of true worth, that should hav&been trained to ~vigor. ens growth; that, with proper trah~ing~ woul& produce tres and flowers to~ enclmn7t th~ eyes of the beli or, worse, dwarfing the inwt~rd excellence by tha vain alluren~nts ot vanity and ftishion~ tQ the excIu~ ion of ~il solid' imProvement! N~ora had come down into the 4ining~.room ~t .~n earlier hour than usual, and foiiud no one in but Uncle page: 260-261[View Page 260-261] Grey, occupied ~1th a newspaper~. soon as he saw Nor& he laid his paper aside.. Motioning Nora t~ a seat be- side him, he said,; l4~oking~np~with *~ grave smile, "good morning, my deLir; yow ~re an earlyriser, this morning, for I took a fancy -to make an :et~lier start than usual, my~elf.". sai4 herself "I urn al- - Nora, seating ways aii e~$y' ri~er. I - aste the be~&~por~- dQn'L like to W ~a, and th~ most delightful by far tdo in ~n~iia1 enj~&yment ~of sIe~~. I alway~ ll~e to' h~v6' fulV two Eours b~for& brea~kf~st." -~ "Well, n~*, I do Thinl~ I ~hpu1d ~like' th~t arrange- m~t very~ iydl ; I thbk~it"w~iuld be conducive ~aa w~1[a~ p1ea~ure. If i c&u only of ~od ys~l~to1~ake off yorni~, as man; ever~d persuad'6 csfull~Ka~[ morniu~! ~a1ly think I should eiijoy J~uttben; ~ora, ~how do yo~ manage to occupy youi'self, when y&n usc' so et~Ay, until break f~sV time? 'Tak~ an ~arIy i~a1k, I presume ~" ~" ~Yes, sir~6meti4i~ Whein the weather'~ i~ fine;but mdst g5prally devQfe these &arly j~otii~to the ~i mejut 4f~y i~ind. I ~nd it ~dlita~ld~to r~a~-the ideas i1r13 so JIi~Ch~ clearer and less b~rrass~d than ~t later'hour~," a "W~li ~done, Norai Wiimo are i~ ghl. 'Whi1~ half' the - t! ~pu pattern of, a young Mie~, .and? nd r&nnatu~e 'years, hi Olijistendom, are bizil~y dozing in '1, oft' th'e' eft~ects of late~ ho~s~and triIIi~ig bed, sJ7e~phig - rnwui~ence, 1~r~ you ~r6 tip witu lark, storing your mind with useful information~ Gi~aver nh~d~inriight learn o6~d'huiitfr~m that~ny gIrl. p~ay~ Miss ~hilos- * '# -- ; - ' ~ut opher~ when do you. make: up for IosA~ timQ, when you, happen t~ keep lat~, houz~s 1" - " Qh, I nevei~. ~uff'er myself tQ]c~ep late hours-than~ ten o'clock, except, for ~sickness, and then 'I make up~the 1~Qss ju~t as my sys1~ni seej)4$,~tQ req~Iiro"' ~ "Better dill, my charming little niece V.. You a4wp1ys were.. ~ very' pattern of exc~llenca; !nig~t give advice. to old heads like mine any day. ~'. "Oh, fie! iITnele Grey,- don't praise me.,. fl~n'tyori Icuow young hudie~ are acc~usedof beipg4 addicted to vanity, ar~y1iow?- ~Now, p1'nt ~you ~afraid of the -effect of flattery on p~ week mind ?" -, "Weak nnin~d, ideedj 1Any y~~ng lidy that-can set on fopt, an~l p1ssist- in carrying out~ ~~s' unique~ and ingenious a* matter of dipl9macy ~s condem.~iing ai 11114.. uess',as a nuis~nee, au& then form a c eerj, o~ soiree, or-.what did you call it ?~.an4 knit ~td~~is~n6t-so very weak-min~ded afler all I But now do -yo~u~ know, Miss4 d~nt :justwquite. approve of ia4ies~ speciallyy single. ~enes, acting in very public ~capa~eities; but LU couldn't, for the, life of me~ condemn that knitting~party, because it was~ go entirely unique, go new,-so diiTerent from any~ thipg that -wa~s ever done befol~eT and s~ slickly ~with~ut the. least, parade, or one. particle of ostentation, st~elias usually attend., these ~tr~~tiops. ~nd, then, Tradeweil i&soeompletely whippe&orerit t~' "Dp you really think, ~Unele~ be will. keep his pledge. f~r~ any ~onsiderable, tbno, in ~ood~ f~ith'~", r.' it-~t, th~e.Jea~t d~uger, not- t~lie leagt, in my opinion; uol, at. least, iu~that ward, Re might, perhaps, after a ~rhile, when he forgets~old rnentories, s~tup~ ~orn~where', page: 262-263[View Page 262-263] 26~ NORA W(LM0T~ else;1 but; my word for it, he'll 'never attempt~ to sell another drop in the ~scene of the knitting operations tiet he! 'They say there is~ no apparition so appalling t&' his terrified vision~ as the apparition of a' 'feminiuc with a set of 'knitting-needles in her,' hands. RurnQr says he ~almost turns' pale at the mere mention '6f the eliek of the knitting battery, as he calls' it No kind of ini~stake in the fact of Tradewell's being used up. 'Keep his pledge? 'Ratlierthink lie will'! 'If you la- dies only had every dram-seller In the State on just the samb grounds; and in the "same interesting position you have our friend Mr.. Tradewell, you might save yourselresof all future trouble and the. 'Legislature all the labor of temperance enactments; the whole matter would be understood at once." "Well, lUnele, if the res~~s'of the first efforts are so very satisfying , it' -would most' certainly pay well to make 'a few more demonstradons of the same order."' "Notwithstanding the gratifying results of 'that one eff6i~t, there might still be some uncertainty in v4ery ex- tended operations of the same nature. That process may ~ueceed to admiration with "one single establish- mont, or ~eveu. with several in 'a neighborhood'; ' but it does' ~ot follow that' the same plan would entirely de- stroy~ the traffic. In the first place, it would ~very~ mate- rially inteffere with. the time and privilege of the ladies, and I am of opinion, when it would become an old song, it wouldn't work with such a magic power. By' being to6 'much in public, men lose their high respect for the female char~eter. - Woman ~l ways maintains the' most exalted position in society' when: she is not too 'frequently 69 BENEFICIAL RESULTS. subjected to the idle gaze of the~ publiceye, aid when she adheres most strictly to the particular sphere' of 1i~r own characteristic pursuits and o~je6s~ But, still, I think there are exceptions to all thes~ 'ru1es'.~ - You know general. rules always doadmit of exceptions. Where w6man, prompted by the purest ~hil~nthropy, rises in her womaii's~ strength, to aid by her infiuenc~ and ability in some great enterprise-toiwert a mighty evil, 6r an eminent danger to :the public peace or pros- ~erity-and where the occasion justifies the means-~- under such circumstances, her ~haraet'er lo nothing iti the ordeal, but rather tends to awe the public gaze by the digrdty of her own disinterested patriotism. And I am fully persuaded ft is entiree~ to the best interests of the world, and females in particular, tbat she shall continue to 'maintain the, same elevated"pusitiou. Be- lieve me, my dear, whenever woman suffer's ~the stand- ard 'of her dignity and position to be in' the least let do she is 'inflicting an injury ow society~,' and losing a vantage ground that she may find it vastly more, diffi- cult to' ever regain 'than it was to 'lose~~~ I at'le~st elaim to be ~honest in my'vie'ws hV these' matters; don~t believe my motives are prompted b~ selfish; or jealous, ~r inter- ested motives. IBut, 'let the motive be wbat it may, I do most hoi~est1y believe that, whenever the tPn~ doe~s come - if 'come it ever ikes, but God forbid it ever should-2 tha4 women~ are se~iV 'at the balkt~bo~, or brawling (please excuse the expression) in public places, on political 'subjects, society will 'rec~iv&~ st&b~ from which it will not soon recover. Look at France; in th~ days of Louis XYLj When it was said' 'woiha~V had a~. page: 264-265[View Page 264-265] BENEFICIAL I~ESULT8. 265 ta~iuedJ~er true position in. society. , The sympathetic jiqa~t. turns with a. pickeai~g revolt, from the scenes of anarchy~,a~d discord, an.d revohiti6n, and bloodshed, that followed "Thekhis~oriau of those times ~ys: 'Women were ~admitted~ t~ all the political~ clubs,, and when the Sab~ tJ~tli t~nd, 'the Bible had beer~ , abolished in that poor, hea~y~n4Grsaken land~ t~iey all1 assembled at the church of Netre Dame, and enshrined afema.le, of questionable eharact~r;;' too, as goddess ,of liberty. ~' The historian ,Ibrthev~- adds:; 'Whew the royal faudly ,fearful, for their own ~afetyiled to Lyons for pr~teotion~ and Ahe rabble .,xirnb~ determined to. bring';them back to Paris, there, were more f~~males than. males in. that fearful .rnass '~f:'midtiight Ba~cliamdians thirsting for blood.' "Aud~what dbl wpman's patent influence~theu towa~rds. quelling~ the sangniiwry tlr& that~ was ~but too fiercely burning? Pid her presence tend to; soQthe ~d calm the ,ev~r exerted multitude ? To inspire fq~elings. of syu~pathy and kindness, or even humanity, towards theii~ ~apJessvictirn~s? Far from it. ~They are. said to b~en moi~e ela~or~us' and snore bloodthirsty than thesterne~ spx~ 7So'fea~f~il was cou~m~tiori, euct so iie'ud4ike' the piob, tl~at the, Queen declared ~he would suffer' ber head. to be nailed to, the walls, of her own apartments ratherthan falL into the power of that corn- ~iany, th2~t 'w~s composed of at, least one~balf her own * "WJ~at I wqmen clamoring for th~ sanguinary destine- ti~ of womeu and children I', It wouh~l be 'w~U' to pause and c~nsider~ ,~'o doubt ignon~ce~ and sppersti- tion had much, very much, to do with those times of sanguinary conflict; but, With, all our boasted intelli- gence, we might still find some ignorant 'ones in our own land and our own society. And then here are our foreign population, ignorant. as France could ever boast of, or apy other country' be ambitious ~f producing. And all these must be admitted to the ballot-box ona free foQting. We boast of having a free country, and we can n~ake no distinctions on the ground of ignorance or ability." "Why, my good Uncle, I fear you will find yourself considerably at issue with some ladies laying very con- siderable claims to' superior intelligence:" "No doubt of it, my dear. Mrs. Lucy Stone would, no doubt, fancy she could blow all my arguments to the winds as easily as a soap-bubble or a web of~gossamer. And I don't begin to 'think I am disparaging the finale character either, not even her talents. And I' believe, too, she~ has a very important mission to fill;' one that requires talents, energy, and intelligence, and that 'it is just as essential that her mind be thoroughly well edu- cated as it is that the other sex shall. God did not give woman to man for a slave, or an inferior either; he only said a help-meet; by which I understand' an equal in all things. 'But it doesn't follow, because we are equal, that all are to do the same thing. But' I think when woman 'does 'attain to her true' position in society, she wilr hold a' very elevated position-...-not 'enshrined as goddess' of liberty, or anarchy either, but 'as a kind' of divinity, Presiding over the rising generation, the most irnportar~t period' of man's~ st~nce, the p.- 12 / /7,,~ 64 page: 266-267[View Page 266-267] BENEFICIAL 1~8ULT8. 266 ~ORA WILMOT. nod when p~ineiples are formed either for good or evil, a true household deity, giving happiness and joy to the family circle, ~nd shedding a most beneficial influence on society in all its phases of existence. Although II would deny, as far as my in4ividual opinions go, all feminine participation in political life, there are a great many positions of trust that J think her well qualified to fill. In the capacity of teacher, I believe she is unsur- passed ;' anti in the medical department, as far as thc treatment of her own sex is concerned, I can see no ground for objection to her exercising her talent for the rellefof.the sjck and suffering9 Her mild, gentle, sym-~ pathetic nature seems to qt~alify her in en. emin~nt tie- gree for the sick-room. So ~you s~eI an~ willing you aht II. he lady doctors, if I don't want you to be politi- "Bravo! Uncle, you haven't so very bad an opinion of us~&fter all, if you won't be a woman's rights man. But tell ipe what you think of the ladies' petition, the get- ting of it up, and aU?" "Well, I think it is about the only hope we have for a prohibitory law in our s1~ate. Now, I don't believe, if the men wouhi get up .ju~t such an instrument, that the Legisl&tur5 wouhi b4 half so apt to act on it as if it is, presented as. a, petitimi coming from, the ladies. You will see th liave that much influence. 'Tis a of ~p~it of chivalry, or gallantry, or deference, Q~ 0Qp1~thiJ~Lg ge~tleinen of refined intelligence ~lways feel for, the fem~4e character, especially when that char- p~4e~ is clotha~. in ~ , ~ame ..~4miring garb.' At~ the present time, men,, of almostall e~iisses, seem, fron~ some cause, to exhibit a 1istlessue~s, an ~naoW~n, or a waiit of interest on the stibjeot of tempei'ance, that is~ truly sur- prising, in view of the vast amount of, evil to society rea suiting from ~this enormouss traffic. , I acki~wledge my- self a predisposition to the same apathy; and all ijhe while I see the yasta~nount of mis~ry~n4i~rime ~ugen. dered by~ this. scoiz~ge tQ the human family. I know jt is Illling our prisons and peniten rie~,witlm convicts, our poor-honse8 with pensioners, and ruining annually thousands of ~tir neighbQrs, that might otherwise ~be worthy members of soel~ty., But ,the worst feature of the whole business is the gro~i ten4encyto4is~pa~ tion aiito~m~ our young men. Nlauy mere striplings, I am told,~ here in our very mi4st, i~. .boys, too, belong. ing to some of the best families, i~ave been known to indulge ~n drinking to an aIarming:ex~eut, and soi~ to ~ state qf beas intoxication., I hav~e been told,, but don't pretend to vouch for the truth of the statementst, that Trank . Saybrook lay. beastly ~nnJ~. ii~ 'Squire Jones's office alt day a few Sabbaths ago,. whije other people were attending ow the ordinances .ofK ~ed's honsQ, As I said before, I 4~o~'t, niuch believe in women being;too mich in public, or engaged much in p~mbIic bnsiness4 but this subject; afrv~ all othe,~s, ~eenms, au apology~ 'hi, its~lf~. for any, exertion she ~nay make, eve~i thoi~gh ~she may transe~n4. the limits ~f her own parti1e~I~r, sph~re liv society... For, ~lthongh she ni~y never be guilty of the first act of transgression in tha4 way herselt; she. ha~ to s~er forJ~he e~'irn~si o~ fathers, and brothers, a~t~d husbands, an4 SQP~. What an#j~ioin4 of vert~y~nd wretchedness I. h~ve seen en4u~e4,, ~4 page: 268-269[View Page 268-269] '268 NOILA WILMOT. BENEFICIAL RESULTS. 269 \\ with so much cheerfulness too, by the wives of drinking men; women, too, that had been raised in the midst of affiuen~e and indulgence, brought down to a degree of ~poverty~ and wretchedness insufferable even in contem- plation. ii have even seen them suffer personal abuse, year~ after year, WithOrUt ever so much as resenting one act of outrage; bnt~ all the While filling the place of a kind, affectionate wife, even when living in the depths ~f degradation. Indeed, I have been astonished beyond conception that such women did not entirely abandon such inhuman inebriates, and leave them to 'their fates. Many such cases, too, I have seen, where the wife pos~ messed intellect and energy to have enabled her with ease to have supported herself; and children toQ, in re- spectabilit~ and c6nifort, if she only could, have been per- suaded to abandon her poor besotted husband; but, in- stead, she Will follow his fortunes until she is broken-heart~ ed and broken in spirit;, and the wonder is that she is not broken down entirely mucb sooner than many are. Nora Wilmot, I don't know but you will make an out and. out temperance man of ~me yet, with your untiring perseverance, if I don't keep a very sharp ~ "Stranger things than that might happen, and more lamentable ones, too, Uncle," and Nora looked in her benefactor's face with a smile: "but 'heaven knows all about it, and the gentle influence so quietly and unos- tentatiouly exerted will be' great records in the angel's book." Mrs. Grey came down, which closed the interesting little tete~a-tete .A.ttnt Grey was a~ fashionable lady, at the head of' a fashionable establishment. She couldn't by any means be persuaded to rise before a fashionable hour admitted of; or retire one hour too soon. She seemed to possess tic higher ambition than to eat, and sleep, and think, and talk, and dress, and to live in all things as othj~r ladies of fashion did. But then we needn't wonder so very much at Mrs. Grey, after all; she had been raised by just such a mother, and, in just the same style; had never yet known anything but pros- perity and affluence. TLerself the only child of rich, in- dulgent parents, and living in the indulgence of every fashionable folly that wealth could command. Married, too, at an early age, to a husband of equal indulgence, never having met with any adverse circumstance, or even providential affliction. Death had never yet dark- ened~ her household, or even th~ paternal mansion; she had seen other mothers weep over their bereavements,. but she could not sympathize with them, because her household jewels were yet unbroken, and her pi~rents still spared to her. She had gone. with her husband when he had been summoned to the death bed, of his sister, Nora's mother; but if she wept at the deaVk scene, it was only because her husband's heart was touched. And when her husband proposed adopting, the desolate orphaned one as their own, she assented with apparent heart-felt tenderness. Aunt Grey was what the world would term a woman of the world, judging from externals alone; although she had a pew in. a fashionable church, most elaborately cushioned, with a root-stool equally well arranged for comfort, and sat stately every Sabbath day and listened to a logical discourse, delivered by~ the verylearnedfl. D., 268 page: 270-271[View Page 270-271] K 2T~ NORA WILMOT. the Rev. Mr. Quintal; who never touched on any of the popular sins of the day. Perhaps it was because him- self and family were leaders in the fashionable wofid) and the good doctor himself enjoyed a ghss of cham- pagne with a relish after dinner. Why shouldn't he? It refreshed him so much when fatigued with the labor of study, and the scriptures justified it so satisfactorily; for Paul says tQ Timothy, ~ Take a little wh~e for your etomac1i'~ sake;" and that Is all the Rev. D. Quintal does. But he doesn't see the influence hi~ bottle. of wine ~has on society; doesn't know that his wealthy parishioner quote his example as an apology for their wine suppers and champagne dinners, and that the well~ to~do meehanies and laboring classes~ use their brandy, and rum, ~and sangaree, with the same apology~ 'and then the saloon4requenter and whisky4oper took com- fortable shelter ~nnder their wings. What a responsi- * ability? l3ut how sadly we have digressed: our apology %8~$~e magnitude of the subject. % Mrs. Qrey has always treated Nora with as much kindness i~s her nature was capable of; but there existed too entire a dissimilarity between the two natures to admit of much sympathy of feeling or concert of action. Mrs. Grey was a very handsome woman, tall and ele- gant in her appearance, very fond of dress and show, ~ and passionately so of fashiouable entertainments and amusements; vain of her husband and children, because they 'all added, in some degree, to her own i*nl ortance and ambition. Her husband's superior talents and in- iluence gave him a very considerable ilegree of popu- larity, and his agreeable manners and kind nature wade BENEFICIAL RESULTS. 271 him a favorite in society. The son, Mark Grey, pos- sessed, to a very ~considerable degree, his mother's love of worldly pleasures, with his father's urbanity of man- ners and kindness of natural feelings; and was, at this time, a dashing young gentleman, that did ~enjoy high life to perfection, but without any apparent predisposi- tion to immoral practices A little thoughtless and care~ less of consequences~ his father thinks, but it is nothing unusual; he has just graduated, after a close confine- ment of five years at college, and~ his father kept him close, too, during his college course. But ~Mr; Grey is just now contemplating the important matter of a set- tlement for his son, in the way of an occupation for life. .Aif Rayburn has ~strongly solicited him to accept a seat in his office as a student of law, with the proffer of a partnership at the completion of his~studies. But Mr. Grey feels some solicitude about sending his son~so entirely from under his own care and observation at a time when his habits are just forming, "when passing from yielding youth, to firm, resisting manh from the easy freedom and thoughtlessness of boyho ,~ to the stern ~realities of the responsibilities incident to an entrance on the stage of life. Mark is now twenty-one, and has just graduated with the full honors of his class. What a critical age! How many rocks and quicksands are set for inexperienced feet to slide on! Flow warily they needs must walk to avoid the hidden dangers! Temptations, too, are sown thick, broadcast all over the land. Mrs. Grey thinks Mark had better go, because he would be so much company for 8iisi~ Poor thing, she page: 272-273[View Page 272-273] 2(2 NORA WITJMOT. BENEFICIAL RESULTS. 2'TS knows she must be lonely, poor thing, away off in that backwoods place, with no privileges of society or amuse- ments. She does wish Rayburn had not gone there; and now he is a candidate for the Legislature, and that will keep bun from home so. much. She doesn't know~ what poor Susie will do away among strangers, poor thing. Mark has added his influence to his mother's, and Mr. Grey has yielded to superiority of numbers, not because his judgments convinced, but because he can't oppose his oyri~ family; his nature is too kind for that, and he enjoys indulging them too well. And so Mark is to go in three months to Susie's west- ern home, to mingle in new scenes and new society; to form new friendships, and, it may be, new temptations. Cousin Nora inwardly hopes the temperance cause is in~a healthy condition where Mark is going, for she hasn't forgotten what Susie. told her of Mark's iriduig- ingjp an occasional champagne supper with Fred Mor- iey~4d Aif Rayburn. Kora has the idea now, that she will get Fred Morley to influence Mark to give his sig- nature to a prohibitory pledge, that has been circulating for some time. The cause has taken quite an impetus since the ladies have been exerting themselves so stren- uou~1~ That will be a safeguard against temptations in that line; for Nora has confidence that Mark will keep, with almost a religious obligation, any pledge he might be induced to make. And she is glad he is going, for Susie's sake. From what she has gathered from S~isie's letters, although she has said in. each one she was so very happy, Nora's quick-sighted penetration has discovered, or thinks she has, a little drawback, as if 'twas not entirely without alloy. And too well Nora feared she understands why Susie has to spend so many evenings alone. But she will not excite her fears, she will only hope for the best. page: 274-275[View Page 274-275] 2T4 . NORA WILMOT. THE MANIAC MOTHER. CHAPTER XVII. TUE MA.~IAG MOTUEB~ Well, gentle reader, next week there is to be another wedding at Uncle Grey's; but this time there will be no ,large reception party, and no great stir of any kind.-. the current of events will suffer but a slight riffle'; only a few choice friends will be into breakfast. The wedding will be a very private one: and then a little company will depart on the cars westward. 'T is Nora's notion! Well, Nora, like other young ladies when they are contemplating some great change in their situation, always have some preparations to make sometimes some purchases, too. So Nora, having tied on her bon- net, went down street to do a little shopping. Just as ~she turned the corner of Smith and Bateman streets, she came in contact with a female of a very striking appear- ance. She was dressed in deep mourning, with the cx- 'ception of a vail, which almost entirely hid her features, and reaching almost to her very feet, of a dazzling white. She was very tall, with a commanding dignity, almost queenly. Her step was very light, and altogether she had the air of one reared in the higher walks of life. As she came towards 'her, Nora noticed what a very small foot and beautifully rounded ancle she had, and so very graceful a step. Just as the strange lady came in contact with Nora, she laid her small hand on Ndra's shoulder, and, stopping her suddenly, said, in 'a very musical voice, "My dear! did you find him? Was he there, indeed?" Then, as if startled by not recognizing Nora, she retreated several paces. But Nora's look of inquiring conceiu seemed to reassure her; for she said, with, a look of disappointment and a sad smile, "It's Eddie I want, Did you see him? They say they've killed him! Did' they) my dear? They would u't do that, would they? Qh!" she said with a shudder, "he used to be so good I Didn't he, dear ?" ~Il the while holding Noni. by the arm. The woman turned sound, and threw back h~r ~Vail, which gave N~ora a view ~f her face. She was at least at the meridian of life, and there were deep lines of suffering and sorrow on her beautiful countenance which told of inward anguish. Nora ~aw that her mind wandered, and felt a little misgiving as to the safety of her position~ But still the woman held.. her arm tightly, and looked into her face so inquiringly. "They killed his poor father, you know!" and she came up as she said this, whispering close to Nora's ear, in a choked, husky tone of voice~-" I know~. that, and it almost broke my heart; but I have Eddis~ left still "- as if she had forgotten for a moment her fears. "You don't think they'd kill Eddie, my poor fatherless boy 1-... my Eddie?" she said, with such a moving tenderness, and with so much sadness, that Nora trembled with ex~ citen~ent. "They say," she continued, ~" he's drowned! Oh, drowned! would n't it be so dreadful? 'T would be enough to break j~is poor mother'a hear't, iw~w would, it not, dear? His poor father was killed along time ago, and there is n't any body but Eddie and me." A bright ~smile' played over the features of the strange maniac, which showed that' the beautiful face had not page: 276-277[View Page 276-277] 2T6 NORA WILMOT. TIlE 1~ANIAO MOTHER~ always been a stranger to cheerfulness; as, looki~gujj~, she seemed to catch an entirely new idea, and said, al- most playfully, "Why, fie! I sent Eddie to college there 's where he is, dear! Ain't you glad, now? I know somebody got drowned, and they said it was Ed.. die. Was n't it a queer mistake, after o~ll ?" She let go of Nora's arm with the pleasing anticipation of her darling's safety, and, turning round, tripped lightly along at Nora's side. Nora had noticed all the time of the singular inter- view, that the stranger grasped something tightly in her hand which she kept looking at every little pause in the - conversation. As they came to a shop-door, Nora said, "I must stop here." The woman caught hei hand quick as thought, saying, "Oh! you must see Eddie! Don't you want to see Eddie?" at the same time 1~ouching the spring of a locket, beautifully inlaid with diamonds, disclosing a picture that Kora thinks she will never forget there was such an almost bewitching beauty in the half-boyish, half-manly features of the face; the lips slightly sepa.. rated as if just ready to speak; the high, open brow, whereon innocence reposedas pure as moonlight sleep- ing upon snow; the mouth, so almost childishly beauti- ful and life-like, you almost fancied, as you gazed upon it, that you could catch the expression of young smiles just struggling into being; and in the clear, hazel eye, there was that in the depth of their expression, as if the deep, blue sea could not reflect with more fidelity the summer clouds that pass over it, than did those eyes the varying shadows of the mind they seemed the re- flected' image of those of the strange attendant, only wanting the look of wildness; and then there was alniost a girl-like beauty in that face, set oft' by the hardier firmness of the boy's character; That face is stamped on Nora's memory with its original distinctness. "That's Eddie !" and the poor maniac looked at the face eagerly yet affectionately. "Oh I isn't he handsome, dear? And he was as good as he is beautiful, before he went to college," and her voice sank to a sad whisper. "But he's not killed though, is he, poor boy? No body would drown him, would they? I know they would n't drown such a handsome boy as Eddie is; and then he's so good to his ma, is n't he? Oh! he does lov~e his ma! Poor dear One! he has no p&to kve now! No I no! there is n't any body but Eddie and me now! '~ and she never once moved her eyes off the locket. Turning it over, and touching another spring, she said, pointing to the other side, "This is Eddie's pa-they killed him! Oh! was n't that horrible! horrible 'I They got him to drink, and then they killed him -stabbed him in the heart! Oh, yes, dear! they stabbed him right through the heart! Oh! "and she held her hand on her heart as if to still its fearful throbbing, "was n't it hard to bear, dear? Oh! so hard I And then his face settled down so cold and still -he never spoke to me again; and then they brought him home, all covered with blood. I hardly remember what they said to me. Eddie was a little, tiny, wee thing, then, and did n't know his pa; but oh! his pa was so good-to us -so good! lie nevir came home whe~i he was drinking though; and then when he did come, ~he'd look so sorry that he had been drinking, page: 278-279[View Page 278-279] 2'r8 - NO1~ WILMOT. 279 you know;" and the bereaved wife gazed into the mute face of him who had been the treasured idol of her young heart~a purest affections as if life would go out with that long, earnest gaze. "That is my husband; dear! "and the poor bewildered one shook her head so mournfully. Nora coul4 nQt but wonder at the marked nobleness of the life-like features before her, and the trnly exquis~ itely intellectual developments, with the striking reseim~ blauce to the boy-man face of ~ddie,. as' her mysterious acquaintance had said. There was the same open brQw, but so strongly' marked by intellect; the same e~pres- Siou in the. parted lips. Noi~a thought there was a lit- tie want of firmness in the expression of the mouth. Only the eyes w~ere a very dark, clearly defined blue, but intensely bright : all else were so ~trikiugly alike. "Was n't he handsome, dear ? "she inquired, closing the 'locket, and-placing it in her bosom so securely..--. right' against her heart. "They shan't have that, if they have killed all .-.~.oh, ftc! now what made me say that? Eddie is n't killed; he's at school now, after all.: Oh, my head gets a little foolish sometiine~ that makes inc say that. No I no 1" and again she shook her head mournfully. "Eddie was good before he went to cob l~ge; hi4 he isn't like himself now." ~And again she whispered in Nora's ear, "They say he drinks some- timesi Oh, is n~t it too. bad! Deaiy me! Deary me-I They won't 'kill him, will they, deai"'? May be he'll be good again when he eomes home from school I" Just Then little girl, of scarce ten summers, came tripping.down the~street, andy looking in the face of the strange maniac, said: "Aunty,' ma wants you quick; she did n't know where you were." "Oh! didn't she? I only came to find Eddie I" And the poor, bereaved one suffered herself to be. led back by that little child, perfectly passively: her whole remaining intellect seeming entirely absorbed in the one subject of her heart's great bereavements Nora stood half-bewildered for several moments scarcely conscious of surrounding objects -reflecting on the singular adventure; ti king first of the beautiful maniac, and then of Eddie and his pa, as the inysteri- ous one had said ; ~and she seemed- to read the history of the' three as if by a kind Qf secret instinct. Then came the heart-sickening thought. The. maniac wife had said in her delirium, "They. got him, to drinking, and then they killed him! ". 'There 'was a volume in those words. But they are for the great record on high) kept in reserve against a great day that is ushering in at some period above the earth, But there~shall not one iota of that inquisition, pass unheeded. They are all in the Angel's book,. written with the pen, of Om.. nipotence, and by the will of the Great Jehovah! Let mortal man beware! ~ -' Nora felt in no very enviable mood for con~ple:Ling her business in pursuit, after, ~o very singulaixan.occur- rence. She felt just now more inclined- to . start in search of some clue to the mysteries that were just then occupying her attention; but where to. go, or how to proceed, were questions not so easily attained as blond lace, white kid gloves; satin slippe~~" or bridal ~~eaths, and orange flowers; especially with fancy stores a~d millinery establishments at every corner. TH~ MA~TAO MOTHER. 278 page: 280-281[View Page 280-281] THE. MANiAC MOTIf ER. 281 280 NORA WILMOT. Nora watd~ed the objects of her solicitude until they turned irkto another street, and then she lost sight of them. That there was a tale hanging on the mystic interview, she felt quite sure of, but how to get a clue to it was quite another matter. But Kora has a fund of ingenuity and enterprise that seldom ever fails her, and above every thing she does love a wee bit of singular or romantic adventure now and then. Having completed her routine of shopping and returned home, Nora found Fred Morley in waiting, some time, sitting tete-a-tete with Mrs. Grey. Our enthusiastic heroine could scarce restrain her curiosity until the first civilities were over. Morley said, "Why, Miss Nora, something~agreeable or exciting must have occurred during your walk, to have given you so fine a~ glow and so much vivacity." "Well," said No2ra, "I can't say I met with any thing very agreeable, but very exciting I certainly did," and she related all the strange particulars of her new adven- ture, even to the mysterious hint about the drinking, and the peculiar beauty of all the parties concerned, and the so oft-repeated ejaculation that "Eddie wasn't dead, after all." Aunt Grey expressed more concern than Nora ever recollected to have seen ber exhibit at any thing not particularly . concerning her or hers.~.-she thought it a most strange 'occurrence, ~and said, with more than her wanted animation: "Why, who can they be? I should so much like to know who the maniac is, and what of her early charac- ter and histo~. There is something really exciting in the circumstance," i ;% Nora thought so, if it could arouse and excite Aunt Grey so much as to interest her feeling& "Wellf~ said Morley, "~ my opinions are, that there is romance enough locked up, ,and yet to be disclosed, in that littJe adventure,, no doubt, and in the~ history .of the strange unknown, to form a modern romance, and we may yet know more about them. Your recital has in- terested my feelings very strongly, I do assure \youY. " Nora said, musingly, "I fancied, when I met her wild, unsteady eye, that I could almost read the ~eri~ihle suffering and grief through which she must have passed, to so entirely dethrone reason 1" It had been no ordinary struggle! For the head was strongly marked for an intellect of. no ordinary capacity. What a whole volume of suffering seemedat once open to the eye of. the beholder! .Trouhle must have~ swept like an avalanche of sorrow ovet her soul I it was written in every lineament ~f her striking features! The traces of her former beautyy and intellect seemed but dimly visible, traced through th~ now shrunken features and wild, unearthly light of those deep-set eyes! Sh~ did not seem to have pass~d,. the meridian of life, but only as if the foot ~of Tin~e had rested there, not lightly, as if treading on~.ba1miest flowers, but oh! so heavily, and with steel..shod tread! breaking down in its terrible ravaging the citadel of her hopes, the seat of her affections,~ and the verythrQne oCher reason! "Did the poor thing revert to any other hope ?" asked Aunt Grey. "No, not in the smallest degree; her whole remain- 12* page: 282-283[View Page 282-283] ~82 NORA WILMOT. THE MANIAC ~O~UER. 283 jug Intellect, if there is any remaining, seems all ab- sor~ked in the o~e~ idea of Eddie's. safety." "Did 'you think it' had been the deathAf her son, ~f~: either fanejed or real, that had been the agent in de- throning reason-?"~ said Morley. ~ It would' seem so; for she seemed entirely' satisfied that ~her ~hu~band .had been murdered long since, and even lialked of it ~with some degree of calmness, but when sh~ looked~ 'at'the miniature of her son, I never beheld such a look of melting tenderness-there was intense love, an almost idolatry, in that look. And when she said, 'Isn't he handsome?' there was a yearn- ing pride lit up her bewildered countenance, that ~showed the mothers innate pride for her beautiful, her bright son, that was so in keeping with the eager inquiry, when she first accosted me, 'Did you find him ?-Was he there, indeed ? '.-~.-. with so tender a concern. " "Po~r otherr !" Nor.a repeated to herself; "I can not' shut out the image of her entire wretchedness and misery, that is making her so unhappy, even in her im- becility. I feel as if it ~would haunt me in my dreams." '"Oh 1"" ~said Mr. Morley, "didn't you know, young ladies musn't dream. of any thing but magnolias, air castles, and 'plum~cakes ? not they 1"' "'You forgot to add, pea-nuts and romance, didn't you '7~~; - Perhaps~tliey might be put in.~ I stand corrected, NIjss." "flave you heard any thing of how Charley Price i~'d~ing.n~w, Mr. Morley ?" asked Nora. "'Oh, yes, Miss; I saw him yesterday afternoon." "how is he looking?" "Oh,' very finely; seems to be altogether a reformed man-as sober 'and steady 'to his' 'business as be ever ~ was in hi~!ife. I have been told~ he ~h~sn't been known to let liquor of any kind or quality pass his lips since the period 'of the' famous knfrting visit-4s that What you term it? I have been: told that' his Wife, ~for whoni I know' he always seemed 'to possess an enthusiastic attachment, until he was led off'by driinking~iwas of that party, and Chancy knew' nothing of 'the arrangement until he called for his usual potation, aiid as he came in his eyes met those of hi~ 'wife in an'~ earnest gaze ;" as they ~c1id so, her's filled with 'tear~,' Which coursed silently down her cheek. Charley happened to be entirely sober at the time. And he toad 'a friend that he never baa such feelings in his lif&f&r' he 'seeiiied "fully to ap- preeiat& her motives in coming there." "" I didn't 'expect,~' said Mrs.' Grey, "there ha4 been .that' much good accomplished by the Whole' effort~, pe.. tuition and all."' ' "Oh! Aunt is one of the unbelievers," said Nora. "Perhaps she may be converted yet~" said Morley. "I sin told they had an interesting time a few evenings afterwards, there. Charley made a' full acknowledg- ment of his whole course of' dissipation to his 'good Wife~, and, of course, she 'for~ga~v~e it all~ and then he drew up a pledge of' en~iro abstinence, now, henceforth, and forever, signed it himself~ together~ with his. wife, and in1ends~to have his ~children sign it, the first intefli.. gible 'word they ever ~wnite. :Oharley says he lost all his property ganibling with" this same Tradewell when he 'was toQ mucitint6xki~t~d'to know what he was4~ii~g, 282 gg page: 284-285[View Page 284-285] 9~4 NORA WILMOT. THE 1~ANIAC W~THER. 285 or to judge ~f his own acts, and he has instituted a suit Thr~its~ re~oi~ery,~ by due process of law." "Do you think he can recover it, Mr. Mo4~ ?" asked Mrs Grey. "Certainly he will, Madam. Such debts are not lawful; if they were, the business itself would have to be legalized; for a~ legal contract can not be based on awillegal procedure." ~"'Well, won't that~ be accomplishing ,a great amount of good, truly, with a very 'small exertion," continued Mrs. Grey, not seeming to. comprehend the idea that there was any sacrifice of feeling to a, sensitive mind, in going to a public saloon, even to knit. Some minds don't comprehend every thing so very readily. Morley said he had heard Oharley Price very severely censured for not sticking to ~Us contracts-called 4is~ honoratde, ungentlemanly and mean..spirited,. ~for his present course in trying to recover his rightful property. "But, for my part, I can say I am glad of an 'oppor- tunity to d~fen'd such a case. Think I can defend that ease sentimentally. It is my private opinion, that he ewes it, as a duty,~ to his family, not thus to suffer them to ~be reduced to poverty, by a designing, ~scheming, slash monsters that would first debase his victim, and then rob not only him, but his innocent wife and helpless children. I 'have found by inquiry that Tradewell, aft~r getting every thir~g else he had in one evening's game, secured his homestead, the only shelter of his afflicted fam- ily; and theii the ruthless , scoQudrel (ladies, please e~- cugethe exp~essioxi) ~never rented eu hour until the deeds wei~e secure, and then he turned them all ~adrift forth- with. Charley says he' insisted on keeping his house until cold weather was over; for the. poor man wan, al- most distraqted with the thought of exposing\his family to the inelemencies of the season, and knew not where to find a shelter for their unprotected heads. And one of his children was sick at the sa1me time, too, he told .me. But his new landlord told him he must leave in three days' tinie, or he would pitch him and all 'he had into the street without further notice, for he knew he would never get one cent of rent from such as he. was he owed him a larger bill now at the saloon than he ever expected to collect." "Yes," 'said Nora, with heightened color~ "and the exposure did 'come near taking the life of his little girl. You recollect, Aunt, Susie and I went to see them. The child was still very sick with croup, but Mary said it w~s getting much better." "Well," said Aunt Grey, "I felt entirely surprised when the ladies proposed' taking the matter of closing up ~that man's business in hand..' I thought they were meddling in a business that did n't at all belong ±o~ their particular province. I thought Mr. Tradewell ~h quite an aggrieve& perso~iage to be so interrupted in his daily business." "You must ~know Aunt has baeu quite & champion, of Mr. Trad~welPs; and' berated the feminine c~nnmit- tee; in round numbers, for. their outrageous interference. Wasn't that it, Aunt?" '~' No matter now, Nora; I begin to see things in. 'a better light. I thought before th~ whole fault rested - with the drinker, ~nd not with the seller; indeed, I did think, in good faith7 that every individual member in 9,MA NORA WILMOT- 285 page: 286-287[View Page 286-287] 284~ NORA wmw~T. society ought to hwve a free and a legal right to offer yA~hing f~r sale that he might wish, and ifKhe offered a bad article, or'one that was an injury to the~ purchaser, they ~were not bound to buy it." "Aunt has neier felt the scourge," said Nora; "that accounts for her opinionS." "No, I never have. I never had a neat relative, or friend, that I kn~W, addicted to drinking to anything like excess." "I think that does make au'apology, in some incas- ure,"s~id Morley ~ "we uevedeel the: force of anything so sensibly, as when 'we feel its smart, or it touches us or~urs. There is no sympathy so 'pure and tender, as the genuine sympathy which flows from a heart~that has itself kn&wn' sorrow. There is, then; an answering chord thativibrates ~to another'ss woes, like~ the ari~w~ering symphony of distant music swelling on the far~off gale, and sending back et~hoes of rneliing"harmony;reverbe- rating, and soothing, and tranquilizing;~~the wounded heart. Experience makes converts very fast, and very sure, too. But to return to our old ~ubjeet. There is ebe thing about this property case that will be caicula. ted'to try the philosophy of Mr. Tradewell~very consid- erably, I fancy. Soon as he came into possession of his Ill-gotten property, Ibe commenced improving aiid em beilishing it for a future residence for his own family, and has spent several hundred' dollars in this way. He is of opinion, if he should lose the property, he'will be able to recover all thi~ money back again, with a strong bill of damages, for a compensation for the disappoii~t~ ment in the loss of his high calculations. and ambitious THE MANIAC MOTHER. 28~t prospects. But I am anticipating a severe disappoint.. meat for him, even in that favorite speculation." "Won't that be rood I'" said Nora: "That would make some sort of~ amends to Mary for~ her in~onve- nience and trouble in moving, and having~ to live in such a hovel as she has had to spend the Winter in." "II think," said Morley, "'we ~can make all these things right, and, perhaps, a little more in damages on the other side." "I don't know," said Aunt Grey, looking more inter- ested than Nora ever recollected to have &een her, "what I should do, if a child of mine Was to be enticed into such scenes as, rumor says, have been transacted very recently by some of our most promising young men. I think I should feel very indigiant towards the tempting ones. But my son," and there*as a mingling of pride and affection in the mother's tones, "has been raised so entirely different, and was always so amiable and kind-hearted, and so Proud~spirited, that I have no fears for him; especially so, when he is 'witk Rayburn and Susie. I have no doubt but that Mr. Rayburn will have almost entirely as much influence over him as his father would have. And, then, he is Susie's idol. They were always so strongly attached to each other, that I did not want them ever to be separated." Neither Nora' nor Morley made any reply to the fond mother's too confident assertions of her darling's strong safeguards; They both felt' 'sure that' any w&rrdng they might add, would only be c&isidered, if riot treated, as suspicious and visionary. ' 'Morley only said: "It must be 'v~i'y' 'ag~reeelAe' to Stisie to have 'her brother with hei~:" ~ ' ' /' page: 288-289[View Page 288-289] 288 NORA WJLMOT. THE MANIA%~ MOTHER. 289 Poor Mother I Alas! for thy confidence. Other mQthers have cried peace! peace! and the tempter all the whule'watching for his victim. Yes, fond mother! trust your young son, just entering the arena of life first tasting the IQug-coveted privilege of freedom from restraint.-.when the impulses within all need watching and strengthening to bring them to a hopeful maturity..-. just as much as the little feeble frame, in its first en- trance into a visible world, needed thy constant, watch- ful care ~iud gentlest offices of affection, lest the tempta- tions without prove too strong for his measure of firm- ness. Trust your heart's idol-for whom you would willingly sacrifice your very life's blood, your existence, to save from the smallest danger-to the care of one who, himself, would put the fatal cup to his own lips, and scorn the veriest* insinuation of interference with his freedom-one who has already planted a thorn in the trusting heart of her who, but one short year since, he took fr9m a happy home, and, promised, before the Recording Angel, to love and cherish, even until death should separate, which will fester on until it con~urnes its victim! Ahi fond mother! watch with a jealous care! 'T is a sacred trust committed to thy keeping; and when the Master* put the wee thing into thy gentle bosom, lie said, "Train it up in the way it should go, and when it is old, it will not depart therefrom." Wasn't it a sacred trust? Mother! 'tis thine! See thou to its fulfillment, lest the iron enter thy own soul, and the ~Master bold thee not guiltless! Think, too, of the past, gay mother of the *Qrld, as thou art now. Has all thy teachings, of precept and example1 been with an eye to the great reward? Dids't thou hear aright, mother, when the teacher, thou hast committed thy pre- cious idol to, scorned her gentle teaching, and would none of her counsels; but turned him to the bacchana- lian board, and looked on the wine when it was red! Father, remember thine own early teaching! How was it? Who was it kneeled morn and evening; after reading lessons of Divine wisdom out of the Sacred Or~ acles, to petition blessings on thy' head, and to crave strength and wisdom for the present and the future? IRememberest thou not? Is it not a part of thychuld- hood's memories? And of the low, white church, with its mute appointments of shaded walks and quiet grave stones; with the choir of nature's singers, which needed no outward aid of maii's inventions; for the music was the breathing of the heart, fresh from the white throne. But long years have passed; and the hoary-headed pastor, whose words then dropped as wisdom, has' long since slept with the clods of the valley.- "and the mourners have went about the streets." What owest thou not, Father, of thy present prospects to that early training? ilast thou forgotten ~he veilerable heads, bowed with hoary hairs and weight of years, resting in yonder's home of the dead? They have long since been gathered to their reward, when the weary hands were meekly folded, and 'laid away to the long dreamy rest; when it was said, by the .holy man of God, "Blessed are the dead that ~lie in the Lord." Will it be said, when there is another laid away ~to rest in that same quiet, family abode? and will the bereaved survivors have the same consoling legacy left as~token~fremembrance? ~ 13 page: 290-291[View Page 290-291] ~9O NORA WILMOT. I CHAPTER XVIII. JOYFUL ANKOU~CEMENT. "Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah! Three Cheers! Yes, I say, three times three cheers I" and a deafening shout rent the air. "Temperance now, and temperance for- ever! No more liquor! no more drunkards! no more rumsellers! no more rum! no more ruin! no more pov- erty,, and starving, and crime! I say, no more drink- ing!, Hurrah for the ladies and temperance for- ever!" was shouted by a score of voices, in the midst of which we recognized that of old Joe Miller, in a state bordering on excitement: "Hurrah! it's worth all the pledges that ever were signed, I know it is. Old Joe can live sober now. We've got the prohibi- tory law now, and have got to thatik the ladies for it, too; heaven bless their souls I" and a rimless old hat went flying off at a rapid rate. "Hurrah for old Maine! that set us such a glorious example," shouted another vAce. "We've got a liquor pledge now that we can't break if we want to," chimed in another voice, "and glad of it, at that, ain't we boys?" "That we ar?, and no mistake. Give us entire pro- hibition; no more temptation, no more temptation now. We'll be men now, and take all our money home, and be able to take care of it when we get there, besides. Hurrah for good times and better coming! "'and the victory of the new principles was hailed with a joyful JOY~'UL ANNOUN0~MENT. 291 jubilant of rejoicing by men clothed in rags, and filthy and degradation. "Let's have a jubilee over the pet law, boys, and go down to Salegood's and call for a brandy toddy," said a man that was recognized as one that had taken conserv- ative grounds on the prohibitory question, ,and had finally voted against the measure. "And two whisky punches," sajd a second of the same school. "And I think it's a grand pity your head wasn't well punched," said old old Joe. - "And three gin cocktails," said a third, "and all drink a health to the new move and a farewell to the old. Come boys, who'll go?" But, to the gratification of all well-wishers of society, the three speakers had to hear each other company. And Joe Miller chu%~kled to himself as he watched them enter that sink of iniquity and (~urruption, and said, "Well, they'll find they're not going to get old Joe so easily; he's not going to dis- appoint Lucy's hopes this time; he'll be more of a ma~ than that, a great sight, no mistake. Joe's going to have a broadcloth, coat, and a new hat, and & better house, too, for Mrs. Miller to live in, and better clothes for her and children to go to church in. Hurrah for better times!" and again the rimless hat swung round in the air with locomotive speed. All joined in the hearty rejoicing over the better prospect of the good time coming, and then dispersed to carry the joyful tidings to cheer their poor families, where hope was so nearly a stranger. As we passed down. the street in the- midst of this page: 292-293[View Page 292-293] 292 NORA WILI~OT; JOItJUL ANNOUNCEMENT. 29S season of rejoicing, a son of Erin was passing on the other side, muttering with an air of bitter disappoint- Inent, "It'll be a thry place thin I'm thinking, " which we recognized as our old friend Mahoning~ How many heads were that night pillowed on sober, manly breasts, that had not dared hope for many dreary years! How many hearth-stones were lighted with the bright beams of thanM~ul hearts, that were doomed to set in the bleak winds of disappointment, only be- cause i~nan's heart is. fully set in him to do evil!' Be~ cause man's heart by nature is selfish; if he may only gain his own selfish aims, he stops not for the conse- quences to his neigliber, let them be ever so fatal, either to his peace or prosperity. Because a few schem- ing jjolitieians, for' their own selfish ends, by deceiving the innocent and ignorant, by a wonderful will-o'-the. wisp story of 'trampling on somebody's rights, and rob- bing people of their rights, &c., tights of somebody or something~that nobody knows anything about, blinding eyes by th~'dust of ignorance, to their own injury and of everybody else except the rumsellers. And their rights oughtn't to be protected ahy farther than their traffic is for' the general good of community, and the candid reader can judge of that matter. It wasn't the rejoicing of one neighborhood, or town, or city' either; it was the glad, free, heart-felt thank-offering of a whole state. "Oh! how many hearts throbbed with the antich patios of the future'! No more temptations I so con- consoling. It had been the only hope of the most sin- c~rely enthusiastic friends of the cause. Pledges had been tried in varied forms, beginning wjth a mere absti- I '4 K' I I $ nence from all alcoholic drinks, and had progressed, step by step, through, a regular gradation, until all bev- erages, of every grade,' even wine and cider, were em- braced. But the act was entirely voluntarily to pledge or not to pledge, and very many men of weak inward resisting powers and strong appetites were fearful of the measure of their own resistance, with temptations all around them, and mercenary men in waiting to take ad- vantage of their weakness. Many such there were that saw, with deep anxiety, the whQle force of the, danger, and would, oh! so gladly have broken the soul-destroy- ing habit, had they only possessed the moral ability; bnt such habits, after being long indulged in, requiree no small measure of moral courage to successfully break the hateful chain of custom. Such pledges had done much, .vastly much, in their day, towards staying the putrid stream 'that was sweeping over our fair h~nd previous to the first efforts of philanthropy. At that time ~~oe one household but had at least one offering to B~ehus, the god of the wine cup. It was no rare sight in those days to even s~e the gentle sex furnish an occasiOnal devotee to the same all-using deity. Don't start with a holy horror, gentle reader, at our singular' testimony; ask some veteran grand-sire, still lingering on the con- fines of time, for its confirmation - his young heart, it may be, has wept tears of blood over the waywardness of such an one. Heaven's fairest, best gift to man, reeling under the effects of a too strong potatiox~. of tea? No! brandy 1' Wasn~t it a sight for the angels to weep over? Oh! ho~ many parents did weep scald~n~ tears over blasted hopes in thos~ days. page: 294-295[View Page 294-295] 3O~TUL ANNOUNCEMENT. 295 294 'NouA WILMoT. But those efforts were found inadequate to the terrific evil ; although it did abate the storm, it was found in.~ sufficient to destroy the traffic, because just so long as there is anything to drink, the degenerate sons of a fallen race will use it in some form. As long as the countryy is suffered to be flooded with the noisesorne pestikrnce, that sweeps not only at noon-day but in the shades of evening and in the darkness of night; man~. ufactures vomiting forth the very blackness of darkness at the rate of so many barrels an hour, and adding to its moral depravity a poisonous drug, that it may be more certain of its work, by destroying the body with the soul and not leave its~ poor deluded victim cursed above ground; only because it will add to the manufac- turer's gain by ,increasing the quantity of liquid poison, to be dealt out t& images made after God's own likeness, lest by any ir~ans they should return to God, repent, and livo~ But, r~der, we would rather, oh! an untold measure rather, take chances with the tempted than the tempter in a' coming day; for heaven knows it all, and there will be another great record in that book. "I was hun- gry, and ye gave me no food; naked, and ye clothed m~ not; sick and in prison, and ye visited me not." Rumsellcr! ~hat will be thy answer?' How we have digressed again, we didn't intend to say all this, just here; but somehow it happened to come first, and lest it might be lost, or left out alto- gether, we thought best to put it in just where it occur- red, and so shall have to beg another apology; but that doesn't disturb us iw the least, we 'like a spirit of humility, for we have read of a haughty spirit before a fall. As we are not over punctilious about sticking to any particular locality, but like occasionally to go off' on an excursion for either pleasure or profit, we will just take the privilege of a peep into a quiet little snuggery in a comfortable mansion, located in an out village in what the Eastern world would call, the West, Where we find our old friend; Susie Greyllayburn, sitting so demurely and housekeepingly beside a work table, with work in band, but not, apparently, as intent on her work as she is on a most spirited conversation, that she is just now carrying on with AIf Rayburn and Mark Grey, hus- band and brother, you know, over the great temperance victory. Susie is perfectly enthusiastic in her rejoicing over the anticipated good in prospect; and her bright eyes twinkle and dance just ~as they used to, and there is the same smile of easy grace sitting round the corners of the mouth, and the countenance has the sarne~sparkling joyousness in its expression, and the hair is still hang- ing in curls around the face. But, if we mistake not, there is a slight shade of disappointment resting on the sweet face, for Alf and Mark are both opposing the measure. So we will hear what they are saying. "Well," says Rayburn, "I'll tell you my opinion of the new angled notion: In the first place, I don't think we have any use ~for such a law. If men want to drink and make beasts ~of themselves, they certainly ought to have the free, uncontrolled right to do so. If we had n't the right to dispose of ourselves and our own page: 296-297[View Page 296-297] 296 NORA WILM02X' JOY~'UL ANN0UN0J~M~NT. 2~7 individual acts, what rights have we? What's the use of boasting of our free country, with legally enacted laws to govern us in what we shall eat or drink? It's worse than despotism, a great sight. I fear we are all getting wise, above that which is written. It's perfect humbuggery, and nothing else; gotten up for political capital, no mistake about it. And the women are head and ears into the business., just as if They had received a commission to govern. the~ world. The next petition, I am expecting tosee, will be a petition from the ladies -bless. their. honors !~..asking very I humbly that the abominable practice of chewing tobacco be abolished - and Ithen cigars will go next." "Well, Alt;" said Mark, "when that comes we'll~ bring in a. twin sister, in a form of a petition to abolish the drinking of tea and coffee, and: taking snuff. Won't we have them, then?" "Oh I yes ~ but I'd be perfectly willing to give up tea and eoWee~ and snufF, too, if it would only have the effect to destroy all the drinking in the land," said Susie. "Now, listen Mark! Is n't she growing just exactly like Cousin Nora?" "I do believe she is; though you know she took les- sons a goodly number of years. We might anticipate some results from so long a tuition, unless she were a very dull student." "Indeed, gentlemen, I cady wish I was one-half as able an advocate of the cause as Nora is; and was possessed of only a tithe of her talents and persevering energy." "I can tell you one thing, Mrs. Rayburn," and Aif looked vastly consequential, "you'll never have your husband in leading strings, as Mrs. Morley has hers,. I can tell you that. You'll never get your husband to go chantingg round, spouting and gassing over the country about temperance, just because his wife thinks getting drunk is the worst thing. in the whole catalogue of crime" "But, Alf, there. is some excuse for Nora, if she is a' little ultra, a little extra enthusiastic, on that subject;" said Susie, apologetically; "she. has felt the smart; and, besides, she promised her mother, on her death- bed, to use her whole influence against the entire traffic." "What of all that? Fred necd n't make a fool of himself on that account," said Rayburn, impatiently. "I'd let her gass away as much as she saw proper; but then I wouldn't make myself appear ridiculous for all those weighty reasons, I'm thinking." "Oh!" said Mar14 "Susie did n't begin right for that- she did n't begin before marriage, like Nora did~ That's the time, in my opinion, to fasten a fellow- be~ fore hand, when they don't like to refuse. I've often wondered why the girls don't take more advantage of their influence before marriage than they do; they might get a fellow to make a deal of pledges that they can't get so easily made afterwaiff." "I guess Susie would have found that she had n't Fred Morley to deal with. It would n't have answered a very good purpose for any girl to have tried any suck project with me: they would have~ found themselves 296 page: 298-299[View Page 298-299] 298 NORA WILMOT. JOYFUL ANNOUNCEMENT. 299 mistaken in the man, or Pm much mistaken. If a girl would* once jilt me, I'd live and die an old bachelor ten times over, before I'd go whining back a second time to sue for favor-and I told Fred so." "And well would it have been for one poor heart if it had been so. Oh! I never tried you," said Susie, ~mP hug but not one of her old smiles, it only went half way down now. Why was it? Well, why? A very critical observer might ~have marked a change in the personal exterior of the bridegroom of but two short years. ile is not much older in appearance, but there is a look of sterner purpose, marked by a. slight line of selfishness, and a something amounting almost to sensuality, in the face that is growing, evidently, more full and a~ little more llorid, too-with a kind of "I don't care" expression that is altogether a new development in the physical programme. Taking the entire expression of the really intelligent countenance, there is no marked improvement. The trio seemed deeply interested in the discussion be fore them.. Rayburn said, for his part, he "took conservative ground on the whole subject of temperance; which, you know, is only another name for a moderate oppose of the whole entei'prise. I don't believe," continued he, "that the new law is constitutional; and I believe the whole thing will be entirely quashed in less than a year. Just let Judge Long get one blaze at it, and the thing will be understood at once." I "I do hope it will not!" said Susie, with more than her wanted animation. "And I do hope it will, if it's not constitutional. We ought to adhere to the constitution, at all hazards. For if we once trample on that, in one matter~, there is nothing to prevent it in another, until we will find ourselves with~ out any safeguards to our liberties, and will beliable to shipwreck on every rock of discord." "But," said Mark; with a careless indifference, "you don't understand the ladies, Aif I They think we have too many liberties, is the trouble I They don't want us to have the liberty of taking a social glass, occasionally! Guess it's because we 're sell~sh! and never insist on their helping us; that's all. But, for my part, I don't care three blue beans for the whole law. Pd take a glass of brandy just as soon now as I would before. I never have thought a little spirits did any man any harm, if it is n't used in excess; and no man that cares anything for himself will do that. I believe I think as little of a drunkard as any other individual need think, Mrs. Rayburn not excepted. Neither do I believe in 'straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel,' in any matter of life." "Don't you know, Mark, my brother 1" and there is a small hand laid on his shoulder, and the gefttle voice has a slight tremor in it, "don't you know the first glass is the fatal one, it is said 7" "Oh! I know there are a great many things said that I am not just bound to be governed by - because, you know, I don't just altogether believe in them." "Older heads than your's have, you know, my brother; and more experienced ones, too. Drunkenness, generally, page: 300-301[View Page 300-301] 300 NORA WILMOT. JOYFUL ANNOUNCEMENT. 301 commences with the social glass; if there was no social glass there would be fewer drunkards." "I don't believe, IRayburn, that Morley can boast of any more eloquent temperance lectures than you can, after all! Just listen how pat she has all the hackneyed arguments! Social glass, and all !" "Oh! I was busy taking notes, sir; and was just weighing a little business transaction in my mind as to the chances of success, ~ "Let 's hear what it is," said Grey..-.laughing so lighb heartedly as if danger could not come nigh his habita- tion. "I was thinking of starting out on a grand lecturing tour Mrs. iRayburn and myself! Let her lecture in favor of her peculiar views, 'Prohibition,' 'No more Drink,' and all that sort of thing; and then let me fob low, with my views of an occasional 'Social Glass,' and a 'Little Wine for the Stomach's sake,' and th~ many infirmities of 7poor human nature, and see which will be the most successful in procuring signatures to their pledge." "Capital, sir! Ifancy that willbe a most capital cx- periinent, and; besides, a fair test' of .popular sentiment6 Now7 you see, thefools are making a great glorification. over this wonderful dernonstratb~n of the popular will, as it is said to be. And I don't believe, if there was a fair vote taken, oft the whole voting.' population to-day, throughout the State, that every third man would be found in favor of this prohibitory law. It only passed because the ladies were at the head of it! And some: men are such ninnies they can't say 'No,' if a woman's Il name is on the list! That would n't be gallant, you know?~~ "I am glad we have so much influence with the 'Lords of Creation,"' said the persistent little girl-wife6 "We ought to accomplish some great and important good, by means of such an influence.! "Well," said Rayburn, with considerable warmth in his manner, "I should be extremely sorry to see a wife of mine so much out of her appropriate sphere of ac- tion as to be seen patroliug round over the country, at- tending to other people's business. Home ought to be the sphere of woman's talents. If she attends well to that field of labor, and discharges well her duties there, she has done all that should be required of her, in my opinion." "Don't believe you are a good woman's rights man, Rayburn," said Grey. "But I think I am just the right kind of a woman's rights man. I believe they have rights; and I want to see them attend to them. But I don't believe that right includes the right to interfere in other people's business! To say what men shall, and what they shall iiot, do0! And what they shall eat~ and what they shall drink! Women going to a public shop and staying till a man has to give up his business to get rid of them! Such things are perfectly ridiculous! Absurd in the extreme, and should not be encouraged. If I had been. in the place of that saloon-keeper, I would have eat my own head before I would have thought of submitting to such an unreasonable interference." "If women didn't have to sulYer so very large a share page: 302-303[View Page 302-303] aoaN O RA WILMOT. JOYFUL ANN0UNO~MENT. 303 of the evils of which intemperance is the author, there would be a more reasonable ground for objection to their course," said~ Susie. Suffer, indeed I Women are only a set of simple block.heads for suffering any such things. If I were a woman, with a drunken husband, I'd settle the business in short metre, by leaving the beastly sot to his own fate. Any man ought to be treated ~o that will so far forget what is due to his family as to make a brute of himself; for a man is no better than a brute when he is intoxica- ted, or drunk. U do, myself, hate a beastly drunkard, staggering round the street. Such an one is a stench in my nostrils. We ought to have a law passed to put every fellow in jail as soon as he is found drunk, and keep him there till he gets sober. That would do more good, in my opinion, than all the attempts to do away with the use of it that have ever been tried. That would be striking at the root of the evil....-.beginning at the right place-at the abuse, and not at the use. It's the abuse, and not the use, that does the harm. The simple use of the thing doesn't harm anyman." Well, sir, we will admit it's the abuse that does the great, incomprehensible mischief. But, then, where does the abuse commence? Is it not the social glass that induces the beginning of that thirst - that at last consumes the whole moral principle of the man's nature? IRayburn had been a candidate, on the anti-Maine Law ~side of tht, popular question, for Congress, from the district in which he lived, and had been defeated on that platform. It was his first political defeat and his spirit was chafed over iL, He knew his opponent wa~ in no way his equal-in point of either talent or quali- fication. He felt piqued, too, with the decided stand his gentle wife had taken in favor of a cause that he. knew had been the sole ground of- his ill success. And~ so he determined to wage an open warfare against the whole law. Vain man I Dost thou expect to sow the wind and not afterwards to reap the whirlwind? Mark Grey was, like his mother, yielding and easily~ influenced - either for good or for evil4 He~ was a young man possessed of good talents, of a fine personal address - easy and graceful in his manner-. affable, almost fascinating, in conversation-and altogether at- tractive in his general deportment. 1{ayburn had imperceptibly, without being at all con- scious of it himself, attained a ve~ry strong influence over Mark's amiable nature; and now we find him taking sides with him against his gentle sister-she that had been his idol in boyhood! and his almost constant com- panion, as they advanced to more mature years. Ray- burn's was an impetuous nature-ardent and passion- ate, with~ strong tendency to one-sided views - that never saw both sides to a question! But when once committed oii a subject, lie went into its support with the whole force of his ardent nature, and waa a whole host in himself. Pity it was he did n't enlist hi~ en- ergies on the right side of the question this time. Wasn't it? - While we are taking so general a survey of the tem- perance ground, we '11 look in oi~ one other of our old friends that we are feeling a deep interest in, that we page: 304-305[View Page 304-305] 804 NO1~A ~VIL1~I0T. JOYFUL A~N0U1~0I~MENT. 30f~ have already- introduced to. our readers. §Mlattie Nor- ton is sitting in her~quiet home, beside the little crib, containing a little, precious, pearly jewel - with eyes so like Harry's used to be I No wonder, is it, if she does smile one of. her old, calm smiles, as the bright, piercing eyes are turned toward hers,, and the chubby hands are raised and patted together in innocent glee? How contented Mattie is looked! All her surround- ings are plain, but. so neat and comfortable. And look! There seems an air of plenty in that abode where pov- erty once reigned I Listen-! Mattie is singing, "Bright things can never die." Why is Mattie Norton singing? What makes her heart light enough to sing? She is just now feeling as if she were beside her old piano, that used to stand in her drawing-room in New York. She could strike its keys with as light fingers, and as light a heart, too, as ~he used to in those happy years. But she doesn't re- pine; her heart is too light for refining, aiid too full of thankfulness. What has wrought the change? Why, Har~y is him- self again. The temptation was removed. And Harry is not one of those to stoop to subterfuges to procure the means of self-abasement. He only lacks the man- hood, the moral courage, to resist the temptation when it is thrown all around his pathway. Harry is a fine-looking man-tall, well-proportioned, and very attractive in his general deportment. But now his naturally fine, intellectual countenance, is marred by sensuality and indulgence, amounting almost to 4- I grossness.- ~And his eyes ar& stjll ~r~l and ~swimining. But; Mattie think8 he '11 ~oori look live himself again. Ueh~siai1 pDl4~e nowAne~ iu~sspaitof the city, r811& has the offer of a pq~t rship:with an established attor- ney in a fine, lucrative business, who is himself a firm advocate of the new law; and the wife has urged an immediate acceptance. The quick eye of affection sees there will be a strengthening influence in the association. She has no fears for her husband's talents; she well knows he is not only talented,- but well educated like- wise - both literally and legally. He has graduated, first at the Virginia State Institution, and then at the Anapolis Law School, with honor to himself and credit to his professors. Harry Norton was not one of those students that are graduated by means of money -or influence. When he commenced a study he made a thorough work of it; it was his motto, "th~t what ever is worth doing, was worth doing well." And, as with many other individ- nals, the elements of good he possessed, when they were debased by the demon of destruction~ made him only a far worse character~ - because vice had- more strings on which to play. But now Mattie's prayers are answered; and her husband is clothed, and in his right mind. Oh - happiness! Thou maiden of celestial birth I Where should be thy abode if it be not in the family circle?-. the home of our young existence, where cluster mem- ory's brightest, fondest page, in long after years, when chilling age and care has robbed us of the bright bloss- oms and rainbow hues of life's early joys,, and we hear 13* page: 306-307[View Page 306-307] 4 306 NOUA~ WIL1~OT. STORY OP TU~ MA1~lAO MOTHER. no longer, as we used to do, the playful murmurings of the little brook, ami tht willows upon its glassy borders; where the hearthst~u~0 Is ~wi~eatlied about with ~he mu~ C H A PT ]~1 1~ X 1 X. tual love of faithful, trustix~g)i~arts. STORY OP TRI~ )(A2~IAC MOTH~L "Oh! grief hath changed me since you. saw in And careful hours, with Time's deformed hand Ilath writtenn strong defeatures in my face." Mrs. Morley-our Nora, you know-like her sex, did perhaps possess a 'pretty stron~ curiosity, e~peciaIly where things happened to very considerable sprinkling of mystery in theii She had felt a great desire to know more of ti of her poor maniac friend, ever since her siii counter in her shopping expedition. But, hitb mystery seemed written on every avenue to a of any thing relating to her or hers, until cha~ the desired information in her way. Nora and Fred were traveling on the cars just seated themselves after a change of Nora raised her eyes to take a~ survey of ~h passengers, when she was struck with encouni steady gaze of a countenance that did not at quite familiar. But the deep mourning dra off by the white veil, brought the image of h friend to mind. Soon as their eyes nietfther same look of faded, queenly beauty, and sad; * disappointment, marked by the same stiess wildness in the deep~se~ eyes, as if sh recogni as one she had before met,, hut when or where, ;b vision was too much impaired to fully con 3~fl e last,, many of ~ share of possess & bearing. ~e history ~gular. exi~ erto, only discovery ice threw and had the cars. er fellow~ ~ering the first seem ~pery, set ~r maniac e was the yearning look of zed Nora ~r meut~1 prehend. - page: 308-309[View Page 308-309] 308 ' NORA WILMOT. Rising, she walked two or three paces to whert Nora was sitting. Extending her hand, she said, "I'm going to see Eddie dear, he's at school I" and seating herself beside Nora, she looked contented for a few moments, and then, as if h4~r mind reverted to some great calamity that she could scarce comprehend, she said, starting up in cvide..nt alarm: ~' They s~y they murdered Eddie ~ drowned him at school! Oh, deary me! they didn't though, did they, dear?" with ~the same sad tones Nora remembered so weil~ Her companion, an amiable look~ ing lady of perhaps forty, came up, laying her~hand on the arm of the harmless maniac, and said, "Come, sister Esta, won't you sit with me ?" J3ut, as she turned.- to go, Nora looked into her face with such a sympathizing look of inquiry., that the stranger whispered back, "You'd like to learn my poor sisters history?" "Oh I so well I" said Nora, in reply. "I've met her before?' - After Nora's return, the* following history was put into her hand by a ~tranger. Opening it, she read thus: "My poor afflicted sister, whose strange conduct has s&Warmly enlisted your sympathy, was once the gayest of' the gay. Esta Langley was~at eighteen a -belle, ~nd beautiful without a rival, and innocent as she was beau~ fuL With, oh! such a sparkling joyousness,- in the sunshine '~o~1 her budding womanhood, 'her lips fairly ~p~rkled~with- smiles,' and when you looked~ down into. th~e clear ey~s,- it seemed' like looking into a calm sx~ooth river, shining in the sunset.' STORY OF THE I~IAN1A0 MOTI~IER. Our father was a resident of New Orleans, possessed~ of an ample fortune, and an influence that gave his children a ready admittance into the best circles of society, in that city of taste atid refinement. * To say that Esta Was a favorite in society, is to use an expression that scarbel~r comprehends the extent of her influence. She was idolized by a large circle of admiring friends, among' whom she moved, a bright, particular star. - Lovers knelt, with sincere' adoration, at the shrine of her fascinations, but her heart was still untouched.- But my sister was no coquette; only'she- could not give a return of affection to any of the many s~uitors that her beauty not more than her ~uniability and gentle manners called around her, and many turned away with disap.. pointed hopes to pay adoration to other hearts of far less sincerity. But my gentle sister's affections were' not to be thus left so entirely uninterested. In the* winter of -her eighteenth year a gentleman was introduced into society in 'our city, from the Northern States, by the name of Campbell. Ernest Campbell was in every respect apparently Worthy the entire confidence of Esta Langley, or any other lady that ~miglit gain his adniiratiom ' For, you must know;' we Southern girls ~always fancy it quite a feather in our cap to &aptivate '~. Northern beau; e~peciafly if he is either hawThorne or genteel. And Campbell possessed both' these requisites. Besiles being really' talented, he -was possessed of a 1~~ie personal' appearance, and an easy grace which per~ded4hi~e~r~.. movement, with jnst'enongh reserve to make an agree- A. I page: 310-311[View Page 310-311] 81Q $OiIA WILMOT. ax Or TIRE MANIAC MOTHER. 311 able stranger acquaintance. Such was Ernest Campbell when I first knew him. Rumor said he was a Northern adventurer, and the gentlemen were not a little piqued with his popularity in society. But Campbell said his health had been seriously im- paired by too long and too intense application to his studies, and he had been recommended by a medical a& viser to go South to recruit-to try the effects of the balmy breezes of the sunny climes of' the orange and the magnolia on an enervated system. And he. spent the winter in our society, winning the esteem and confi- dence of all who made his acquaintance. But when he returned to his Northern home, it was as the betrothed of Esta Langley. And he was accompanied by our brother, whom he had invited to visit his home in the North. Henry Langley was no less pleased with the cloud-capped hills, and pines, and firs, and clustering roses of Can~pbell's home, than he had been with Henry's sunny southern home. And when henry returned, late in the autumn, it was as the accepted lover of Clara Campbell. So, you see, the families were. to be united by a double marriage. How delighted poor Esta was with this second union of the families, and with the glowing description brother Henry gave of the beautiful Northern country, and of his new acquaintances that were so soon to be more than acquaiz4ances. Ernest Campbell came, too, to claim his Southern bride; i~ t~hexi I3sta Langley gave her hand to her ratheru ~~ii'itor, it was not with her, heart in it, for he *as in possession of that long sinQe. I never saw a K -' * gayer bridal party than was that evening assembled in my father's princely mansion. And wine. flowed among the guests as free as water. And why not? My fa-. ther's cellars groaned under, the weight of barrels and deniijohns, gud long rows ~of bottles, carefully stored away, that had not seen the light of day for many ~long years, but, were brought forth that evening to regale the guests, and that the newly made son might appreciate the real flavor of a southern nabob's wine. I shall never forget the look of mingled pride and re~ serve with which Ernest Campbell said, when .pressed to drink only a glass of wine, "Thank you-.-I never drink F" But my father said, "Poh, man! it's only wine !" But Campbell said proudly, "I am pledged, sir." "Oh!" my father continued, "you Northerners are such fanatics! you never do any thing in modera- tion. Whatever you undertake, you have such a ten~ dency to run off into fanaticism -.-a kind of predisposi- tion to ultraism! Who but a Northern ultraist would think of such an idea as pledging himself not to drink the pure juice of the. grape? Why, sir, there's no more ha2rm in that glass of wine, than, there was in that cup of coffee you took this morning for your breakfast,.' Perhaps, though, you are pledged against coffee, too ?" said my father, ironically. At this open irony I thought Campbell winced a little and half extended, his' hand to take the goblet that was' still held toward him! But, somehow, I felt o~n inward desire that he should resist, and maintain his integrity unswervingly n 't tell why though, for I had always been accu every person drink, both ladies and gentlemen. 4 page: 312-313[View Page 312-313] 312 NORA WILM0T.'~ STORY 0]? THE MANXAO MOTHER. 313 always had Champagne for' dinner parties, and Port and Macleira for evening parties. Custom had rendered it a ~kind of~ necessity, in the' general preparation in my mind. But somehow I looked on Campbell as different from Southern gentlemen..-..he wash' so mnch more re- serv~ed and strictly moral, never had drank, or played even for amusement, or attended places 'of general amuse~nent,~exeept where they were eithe~litrn~ary or' very strictly moral, and he was s~ very punctilious in his at- tendance at church regularly at every service on the Sab- bath, so much so that fashionable gentlemen called him L Northern Puritan. 'My father, with his usual pertinacity, did not give up his point until he. had accomplished his purpose, and seen 'his new 'son; a~ he familiarly called him~ tip his glass and drain it 'to the dregs; 'and then he shook his hand playfully, ~nd 'patted hi~ shoulder, saying he was worthy~of his bride. But there was something in the 'manner of drinking that glass of wine whi&h startled me. He drank it off without once taking the glass from his lips.~-..like one that was athiret-as if he had tasted before. But dear 1~sta only laughed a long joyous laugh, and said she could drink wine with 'him. Ernest 'said the Northern ladies were all pledged agah~st its u~e. Esta said she would 'learn them better. She 'd learn them there~ was no more harm in an innocent 'glass of Sl~ ~ aga~ than there was in a dish of the famous ee a ed beans. At least, Southern ladies did n't And the blue eyes of the angels looked deep down into that young heart, with tears of sympathy over the innocent tempter. That evening, when Ernest Camp- bell retired to rest,. his pillow pressed a cheek flushed with inward excitement,' and his eye was not so caIrn and steady as was its wont. Deplorable it is, the future must have so much fore- shadowing-that such dark clouds will drop~ over the fairest sunshine! When Esta took a farewell of her sunny Southern home, it was with a glad, happy heart, though the tears did blind her eyes. She said, answering back and smiling through her tears, "Oh, father, mother, sister, you '11 all come soon." And when the spring came, brother Henry went again to the North, to claim his bride. And he brought back ~word of our dear Esta's happiness in her new home. As letters came, they breathed only of an entire content with the new, beautiful country, and of so much unalloyed happiness in her new relation. Ernest was so good, and kind, and so noble! With Esta, he was always, "My noble husband!" All, that seemed want.. ing to complete her measure of perfect bliss was, that her friends should come and make their home in the country of her adoption. And now, after two years of so much happiness,~Esto~ was rejoiced by the birth of ~a beautiful boy-the re- flected image of his noble father, as Esta's letter said, except his eyes, and they were his mother' ame swimming look of lustrous, earnest love, beaming ft~ beneath the long lashes, that rested on the sweet diuk- 14 I 319 page: 314-315[View Page 314-315] STORY OF THB MANI4O MOTHER. 315 814 NORA 'wILMoT. pled cheek of Eddie Campbell; for, with a gallant deference, Ernest had insisted on having this, the first- born, christened for Esta's father. When I first saw Eddie, he was a little merry prattler of but one short summer, the pride of both parents, and the most beautiful creature I ever beheld. His image is lithographed upon my memory, at this day; just as I beheld him at that first interview9 And he was so joy- ous a little creature, he made a happy sunlight in that household, with his innocent, graceful prattle. And Esta and Ernest looked~ into the sweet face of 'their beautiful boy, and wondered if sorrow could darken their dwelling with the sunlight of such an angel presence. And the long golden curls, that dropped like a bright eh~ud about the fair child's face, as he looked wistfully up to return their happy smiles of loving tenderness, seemed half angelic, to those happy, thankful hearts. Eddie was the household pet, &r, as Fanny Forrester would say,' "the household baby.~~ He was such a sweet, gra~eful'creature, every body loved him. For his heart was so full of love, and his clear, swimming eyes re- ~realed it. Such was Eddie C4mpbell's infantile years, full of loving trust and innocent return. But, when I again visited Esta, some three years later, what a marked change I was doomed to witness in the 'parents of the happy child! Ernest had, I subsequently learned, been somewhat addicted 'to drinking to excess, to fits of inebriety when a s college, and his friends had strong fears for is~ future prospects. But, by a very great exertion, they s~xe~eeded in inducing hun 'to join a society, 'or secret organization, just then originating; the object of which was, the~ suppression of intemperance, under the very beautiful and significant title of "Sons of Temper- ance." With this strong safeguard, Campbell succeeded in con- quering the ruinous habit and, stepping ~u~t on thethe. atre of life, a very pattern of sobriety and orderly deport- 2ment, he bid fair to spend a life of usefulness and honor entirely free from the withering curse of the soul-de- stroying practice of intemperance.. When-he went south, his friends had -strong fears of the influence which south- ern society might exert on his too yielding nature; but when he returned with his principles pure and' unstained, there was rejoicing over his unshrinking firmness, and his brethren of the society gave him an additional ad- vancement, and they, too, felt an inward joy that his principles were so firm and ~?nyield~ng. Alas! why is it, that they who would be good and pure, must be' met by temptatkm at every turn in the pathway of life ?~ if the victoryy is 'gained, it must be by resisting, with 'rio time to relax the hold on the vant- age ground, - lest th& arch 'enemy; ever on the alert, should open a broadside from' an unexpected quarter. How could Ernest 'Carnpb&il even so much as antici.. pate an attack from his wily, secret-foe, when surronuded by his friends, and with his beautiful bride, of but one fleeting hour, by 'his side; handle, ~Who should have felt deeply interested' in the 'purity &f' his moral principles, himself the tempter? ;'; But so it was, and so it will ever be, as long asi~te~i~'. pera~aee is, in any degree, sanctioned by the usti~&of ,4 page: 316-317[View Page 316-317] STORY OF THE MANIAC MOTHER. 3i~ 816 NORA WILMOT. good society. II have since learned all this in the sad school of bitter experience. When Campbell returned with his blooming bride, he brought back an awakened thirst for the wine-cup -a thirst that was never again quenched, until it was quenched in the blood of its victim! As I said, when I returned, there was a change. Esta looked as if secret care was preying on her system, and a corroding grief consuming her youthful bloom; her cheek had lost its freshness-..-- no roses bloomed there now; and there were lines of care and sorrow, settling round the sweet mouth, and marring the chiseled polish of the open brow, that I had always thought so partic- ular~-a beauty in Esta's fine, ingenuous countenance. And Campbell! what shall I say of him? The change was so marked! I have, perhaps, said. he was hand- some! But now there were unmistakable evidences that he was indulging in sensual gratifications. The manly beauty of the face was so~ marred, showing an unwanted fullness of the finely chiseled proportions - the eyelids were thk~kened and protruding, and the eyes had lost much of their wanted brilliance; and the lips and cheeks showed a tendency to bloating, which, alto. gather, gave the face a sensual expression, foreign to the open, manly look of Ernest Campbell, as I had first known him. I soon ascertained that he was indulging, to a very dangerous extent, in the use of intoxicating beverages, and spent~ most of his evenings from home, frequently not returning until sometime during the following day. Poor Esta I at such times she never suffered herself to lie ;down, but would watch all night with a ceaseless vigil. When Ernest did return, he was always entirely sober, with no signs of dissipation, only his nerves would seem unstrung, and he would be paler than usual; and there would be such a marked tenderness in his manner toward his poor, suffering wife, and his innocent boy, as if his conscience was not quite at rest. But my poor sister was now always pale as a lilly; but still she would strive so hard to smile on him, just as she used to when the warm sunlight of happiness looked into her heart. Then the tempted one would break off, and seem, oh! so very penitent! and once he pledged himself again to drink no more; but this time his resolution was inade- quate to the trial, and he agaiiryielded, and turned, with a renewed energy, to the fatal cup. Oh! how my sister grieved in secret, over her hus- band's sad infatuation! But still she never reproved him, or abated one iota of her wanted offices of affec- tion; but was the same kind, affectionate, loving wife, that she had ever been, endeavoring by every means in her power to win h~m back, if possible, to the paths of rectitude and virtue. But the inordinate thii'st, which was consuming him, was now too strong for his weak- ened powers of inward resistance, unless the temptation could have been removed entirely from his pathway. And Campbell turned from his weeping wife and prat- tling boy-they who had once been his pride and joy~ and the sunlight of his heart in sober hours to min- gle in scenes of Bacchanalian revelry. One night, when. he had been drinking all day with some boon coinpan. page: 318-319[View Page 318-319] 818 N~RA WILMOT. STORY OF THR MANIAC MOTHER. 319 ions~ and every moral energy was steeped in utter de. basement-when his manhood's: vigor was paralyzed, and sunk in the corrupting malaria and poisoned effiuvia of the drunkard's favorite potation a dispute arose between himself ~and another victim~ to the rumseiler's traffic by the name of Blakely (Frank. Blakely was an old schoolmate of Campbell's,, who had started with fair prospects in early life; but,. alas! the tempter had decoyed him, ere he had reached the meridian ~of life.. The worm of the still had. wounded him, and, like other victims of the insatiate monster, the wounding had s~ infatuated the. victim, that he only turned to his destroyer to be again wounded with five-fold more severity.) The dispute had grown out of an arguiaent on the compara- tive merit of northern and southern ladies. Blakely said something highly derogatory tQ the merits of south- ern ladies, and that reflected pretty strongly on the standing of Campbell's wife.. Campbell became perfectly infuriated with rage in a moment. Seizing a wine bottle, which they had just emptied of its contents, he dashed it with all his strength, now increased, too, by passion, into the face of his antagonist. The blow was aimed too. surely, and took effect on the right temple of Blake~ ly's head, shivering the brain in an instant, lie rolled heavily on the floor; his hands dropping powerless by his side-and all that was once the hope and joy of fond parents, lay a weltering corpse! - Stanley, a young brother4n-law of Blakely'swho had been a' witness of the whole scene, soon as he saw the glazed eye and stiffened limbs of the dying man, rushed up, with a. demon-like fury, while Campbell stoQd almost petrified with horror at the thought of the act he had committed in a moment of anger, induced by a state of inebriety, drew a dagger from his sleev% and, before the by-standers were aware of his movements, buriedit to the hilt in the heart of Ernest Campbell! Drawing the deadly weapon from the wound, still reeking with the warm blood of his victim, he was about to plunge it a second time into the side of the dying man, to make his work doubly sure, where, alas! death was but too fatally doing his work already; but the murderofls weapon was stayed, ere it reached its destined aim! But, alas! for the tempted one! The bridal wine- cup had been his destruction! And he, whG had once quenched the fiery appetite-had once broken the allur- ing chain.-.-.had, at last, fallen a prey to the fiery demon of man's sure destroyer, leaving his wife a widow; while yet in the dew of her youth, and his darling boy, fatherless! The angels turned away from that sickening sight, and valued their faces, lest their gushing sympathies should be too strongly excited. it was a sight to freeze the life's blood which was not all adamant! Two manly forms lay struggling with the king of terrors, whom, but for the tempting beverage, might have been useful and ornamental members of society, surrounded by happy friends and prosperous circum- stances. When a friend went to convey the sad news of the fearful tragedy to the poor, bereaved wife, he found her still up, although it was far advanced in the night, pa- tiently awaiting the return of her heart's idol. When page: 320-321[View Page 320-321] 320 NORA WILMOT. she was told of her new affliction, and had fully rea- lized that hope was at an end, reason reeled to its cen- tre. They who bore the mangled corpse, although men who were accustomed to scenes of bitterness and woe, shrunk back at the sight of such terrible suffering. It seemed as if existence would go out and life would leave its citadel with that heart struggle. When she beheJd the mangled form of him who was the adored of her young imagination, with a wailing shudder, followed by one long scr~~i of horror, she fell prostrate over that beloved form; straining him to her bosom as if vainly imagining she could impart life and animation to those stiffened features that had settled into the stillness of the grave, ere it reached her tender embrace. On the face of her murdered husband, her eyes were all the while fired, with a kind of fascination. But she never spake.-her agony was too strong for words. And when they attempted to force her away from her dead, by gentle means, ~she yielded, and suffered herself to be led away like one in a stupor, seeming almost, un- conscious of what was transpiring around her. When they questioned her of the arrangements for the funeral ceremony, she only said, "Oh! don't; I must see him. Oh! don't take him away! don't take him away, now! II can't bear it! Dear me'! don't take him away U Eddie will have no pa! Oh! we can't live without him !" There seemed such an obscurity of intellect, that when they had to carry out her dead, she too went, not seeming to comprehend the full, extent of her loss. But the mental shock had been too much for Esta STORY OF THE MANIAC MOTHER. 321 Campbell's delicate nervous organization, and an attnek of nervous fever was the result. Life flickered on the confines of the grave for weeks, and all the while the poor sufferer, was unconscious of her great bereavement, fancying brother Henry was her husband; At last nature triumphed over the fearful disease, and the poor, stricken one, awakened to a knowledge of her loss, but has never yet known that her lost one was a murderer in his last moments. Gradually reason resumed her dominion, but she moved about more like a spectre than a living, respon- sible being. Her heart was broken -her affections crushed! But her fatherless boy claimed her attention, and was soon her constant care.. With what an intense, yearning love, amounting almost to idolatry, did she now regard him, the only remaining solace of her deso- late heart! How tender and watchful was her love, filling up, in the measure of its almost extravagant exuberance, in some good degree, for his deep deprivation. He was ever at her side yielding such a willing obedience to her every desire and wish, her constant companion-.-and she his only counselor and friend. Well did he repay all her anxiety aird care. As her beclouded reason is still assuring itself, he was so good before he went to college! His instincts were all so pure, and his princi- ples so noble and honorable! They seemed a depend- ent safeguard. At the age of fifteen, I think I never saw a youth of more hopeful promise than Eddie Campbell was. His mind had been trained by a mother possessed of refined 4 page: 322-323[View Page 322-323] 322 NORA WILMOT. STORY O1~ T~UE I~ANTAO MOTHER. and elevated principles. And he did not even seem to desire other companionship than his widowed mother. And she,. what a happy, heart-loving task it was to keep him ever by her side, watch the gradual unfolding of his active mind, as Nature ,unfolded its sublime capabilities, and fitting him for the ~responsi- bl~, arduous duties of a life of usefulness and honor! What mother could but love, with her heart's sincere devotion, an only child! And he so beautiful, and protid-spi~tited, and affectionate! 'He seemed in some degree to supply the place of .her murdered one ~to save the bereaved heart from hopeless, utter desolation! But the time had arrived when Eddie must leave his mother's side, and mingle in sterner scenes, to come in contact with baser elements. His thoughts must go be- yond home and his' mother's holy influence! ile could not always be shielded thus b~r her angel presence! Dearly as they loved each other, and firmly woven as was the chain that bound them, Eddie must be prepared to struggle manfully; honorably, in the great worldwhere, in a few years, he was to be a busy actor and worker. And hardly did my sister struggle with the sense of duty that impelled her to the sacrifice. Her woman's instinct, made more acute by the lavish of her affection, made her tremble with a fearful apprehension and anxi~~ ety, in view of the innumerable temptations that she was so sensitively aware would surround his pathway when exposed to the alluring temptations of college life. But the partial mother trusted in the correct prin- ciples she believed1her darling son in possession of, and Eddie weiit"ft~om the paternal roof with 'ardent hopes ~nd high ~is~ations. The first year of absence there was little change per- ceptible in the noble, manly boy. When the vacation came, he hurried to his anxious mother with so tender a solicitude, that she felt her fears had all been ground- less.-her gentle boy was still pure and uncontaminated! A second came, and the watchful, jealous eye of the mother fancied she perceived a recklessness and way- wardness of will which startled her! But she hoped it was only the passing from yielding boyhood to a higher maturity-with the change of society to that of a sterner order. But when with his mother, he was like himself again-the same gentle, childlike nature - and his mo~ ther trusted he would be always thus. But rumor said he w~s a wayward boy at school-full of impulses and passion, and, at times, so very impa- tient of restraint. When the fourth year of his studies drew to ,a close, he did not come home as usual, soon as he was free of restraint~ but went with a wild, reckless youth to spend the vacation in a distant part of the State, not even writing h~s mother word until he was gone. It was so little like Eddie Campbell! and was a most bitter disappointment to ~his fond mother! * She had lived during the~ long, dreary months of his absence on the bright anticipation of his annual visit ~honie, during the time of vacation! Must she wait now a whole long year, impatiently numbering the sluggish months till his return, and not once gaze on his dear familiar face, or hear his fine musical voice, now growi~ so much like his pa's had been! But, while my poor sister was still striving to school her feelings to endure this~ to her, afflictive disappoint- page: 324-325[View Page 324-325] 324 NORA WILMOT. STORY OF THE MANIAC MOTHER. 325 hent, the, dreadful tidings reached us that Eddie was indeed drowned I Hi& companion and himself had gone out for a sail, on a be~utifiil sheet of water in the neighborhood where they were then visiting. The afternoon was a calm, cloudless one, without wind or storm, but the boat was found capsized a few hours afterwards, with no clue whatever to the fate of its occupants! Nor was it ever obtained, or any of the particulars of their untimely end,.~ excepting that, after searching for several days, ti~eir swollen and disfigured bodies were found, some miles from the scene of the melancholy disaster. For weeks the hearbrending tidings were kept from his unhappy, desolate parent. But she must be told! And I myself was commissioned to break the news of the sad affliction, that we all feared would either sever the silver chord that bound her to a wretched existence, or entirely darken the sky of her mental vision. But never, while the warm blood courses through my veins, do I want to execute another such commission! The recollections of that scene are impressed upon the tablets of my soul-.--.a picture never to be erased, while memory holds her dominion, or earthly scenes have one ray of distinctness! 'Tis engravedn as with a pen of steel! I had tried to prepare her mind in some degree for the afflictive recital, and did imagine her fears were somewhat alarmed that the news would not come altogether unlocked for. But oh! that cry of wild, unearthly anguish !-.it seemed an avalanche of woe, uttered from the deeps of an agonizing heart! It was as if humanity could not endure all its weight of woe! I never had witnessed such agony in any human being. It was as if the struggle would sunder soul and body, leaving the poor 'suffering heart powerless to ~itker half the woe that. was fast crushing out its very iife'~~1pod! It was a fearful baptismal of affliction! At length words found utterance. And ~he said, oh! so sadly! "My Eddie!.-Oh!'xny poor Eddie!-My precious boy! Oh I how can I ever live without him! - Oh! how can I live all alone Oh! all alone I" It was more than Nature could sustain. A brain fever followed, and we watched beside the weary suffe ~ for long months without one ray of hope, feeling that life were scarce a blessing with such a burthen of misery to bear~ But the Master had something still for poor, afflicted Esta to do, or suffer. Slowly, almost imperceptibly at first, the ~sufferer began to~ exhibit signs 6f recovery. Then the blood coursed so slowly through the sluggish veins, existence was struggling between life and death. Gently the hand of affliction was removed from the feeble body.~ But the mind was left. just as you witnessed it4 Years have rolled into the ocean of the Past since these startling scenes have transpired, but still she re- mains the 'same! Seeming, at some times, to have dliii foreshadowing of the fearful event; then, as if suddenly recollecting herself, she says a~suringfy, just as you heard her, "Eddie 's not dead; is he? He 's gone to college; is n't he, dear?" But she never talks on any other subject for a half-hour at a time, and never appears to have her mind off of her own bereavements. She is constantly hunting Eddie, and inquiring of every one page: 326-327[View Page 326-327] 32& - NORA WILMOT TH~ CONSUMMATION. 32T she meets, just.as you saw her. But she is peffeotly conscious ~f the entire circumstance of her husband's untimely f~te. It was said, when Eddie and his classmate started on their sailing excursion, they had a Champagne bottle in company. And busy Rumor said further, that they had both come near being expelled from school, for in- dul:ging in the same ruinous beverage. And these cir- cumstances, summed up together, give ground for a very ~tr~g inference that there was a reason for their sad mishap. We had sedulously avoided the slightest inth motion of these startling facts to his already too deeply afflicted mother. But one of those ever-busy meddlers that are to be found in almost every society, carried the news to the bewildered one, relating every distress- ing partb~ular, to add, if possible, to the bitter cup of her affliction, after she had already drained ft to its very dregs. Ever since those fearful disclosures, Esta Camp~ bell has remained a hopeless maniac, but entirely harm- less. 'Such, my stranger friend, were the fatal effects of one glass of wine, that was thought to be as 'harmless as s cup of coffee! '" CHAPTI~R XX. THE CONSUMMATION. Time has been stealing on apace, and rolling into the great ocean of eternity. "White winters and rosy summers-full half a score. of them-have cast anchor on the shore of the past," since we have looked in on our amiable little friend Susie. Year on year has pass- ed, and each,~ as is the custom with years, has left a token-" a great one with the great, and a simpler one with the lowly." But we find our Susie the same grace- ful little sprite of a thing she used to be long years ago, and presiding over her household with the same easy grace. But there is a shade of anxious melancholy settling on her joyous face that we never noted there be- fore; and she ~seems to have been growing old faster than the years will warrant; for on a close ~scrutiny we find lines marked upon the polished brow that must, be of care, and her feattires have a sharpness that her years would not give. And then there is an expression of the mouth that marks anxiety, and that never accompa- nies a mind entirely at ease. Why. is it all so~? $~e has two as rosy little pledges of affection as ever bls~d a mother's arms, that have come to gladden her he~ since we last locked upon her home. 2 "Little Mark "- a beautiful boy of five summers the reflected image of his father, only the chestnut curls and winning smile of his mother. But he is "a manly little fellow," as Uncle Mark says, "and pretty nearly page: 328-329[View Page 328-329] THE CONSUMMATION. 325k 328 NORA WILMOT. a finished gentleman already." And then "little Nora!" A very cherub! Looking almost like a rosebud! With May-blue eyes; and sunny hair clustering in wavy curls-with smiles dimpling all over her round face, and sparkling in her eyes -with long, brown eye-lashes resting so bewitchingly on the rosy cheeks, she looks the very image of what Susie has once been. Small wonder AIf and Susie think them perfection's self! Two priceless jewels! Child-angels, with such winning ways; so lovely almost like the white- winged ones above. So sweet and graceful, they seem~ ed to be exhaled, like dew, from the hearts of flowers; at least so they seemed to their fond, doting girl- mother. But will their feet come up, through life's brightest sunshine, all the way to man or woman-hood? Or will darkening shadows drop over their sunshine like rain- clouds in a bright day? Man knoweth not! 'Tis hid- den with the angels, up where the white throne is set on high. But why do tears fall from Susie's eyes on to the golden head that is nestling close to her beating heart, all unconscious of the pearly drops that fall and lodge in the golden curls? The mother's heart is sad; she is thinking of the bright past, and' looking, almost prophetically, to the future. There had been so much of perfect bliss in the first years of her wedded life; and she had been so indulgently reared. Well might Susie's eyes overflow with a gush of tender sym- pathy as she looked on that fair bud of promise-~- a gift sent from heaven, and entrusted to her care, to train for the bright abode above. And Rayburn, what of him? Has his past; years, since the sunlight, of wedded happiness has shed its coruscations of hope round his pathway, been always blessed with a ray of sunlight in his heart, and sweet home dreams for a pillow? flag happiness, unalloyed, been his portion during all those years that have been going to be numbered with the things that were, joining the years of the past? We trow not. For that coun- tenance is singularly changed. There are now two deep perpendicular lines strongly defined on the fine, open brow; round the compressed lips lines of caret or time, or disappointment, are reaching half-way down the chin, blending, too, with a slightly troubled, uneasy ex- pression, as if the mind was ill at rest. And there is ah unnatural flush, amounting to fldrid, on the face that used to be pale, and almost thoughtful at times. And his face has been growing broader, and fuller, and rounder, with such a sensual look-verging to gross- ness! So we find things at present with our old friends. But now we had better go back and take a review of these past years. When last we were with them, AIf had just been de- feated in a political campaign. The prohibitory liquor law had just been passed, and Rayburn was opposing the measure most bitterly, together with the party with which he'was identified. And Mark Grey went with the tide through the influence of Rayburn. But Susie re- joiced from the very depths of her feelings over the ap. parent success of the heaven-favored measure, although she had forborne to give it any aid personally, from 14* a page: 330-331[View Page 330-331] T1LI~ CONSUMWV[~10N. 331. NORA WILMOT. reasons into which we had better not pry too closely at the present, we think. Rayburn had said when the law first c~rne into opera- tion, that Judge Long could soon up-trip the whole con- cern. Even our esteemed friend Uncle Grey thought it not constitutional. And time proved 2Rayburn no false' prophet. For the happy results its friends had so enthusiastically anticipated had only began to be felt, before its enemies were busy endeavoring to pick flaws, that at last resulted in the entire abolition of the whole law. A case was brought up before the ve~ry redoubtable Judge Long, who ought to have been confined to his room all that week by a fit of gout, or pleurisy7 or agI~e, or some other of the catalogue of diseases to which human nature has an heirship, that his business mantle might have fallen on more patriotic shoulders; for we doubt amaz- ingly,'if there could have been found another heart within the limits of the judiciary sufficiently lost to every obli- gation of humanity as to thus disappoint the fond hopes of so many sorrowing wives afid broken-hearted parents, who were rejoicing in the bright prospect of a better time, for loved ones that had been thought past all hope from any other source. But Judge Long, whose poor, pusillanimous soul would have banished his own father to the ice-bergs of Nova Zembla, if he had been at all convinced it could in any way advance his own political interests, had been steeped in the fumes of champagne until every spark of pure, manly spirit, or tenderness, or even human sympa- thy, had been, dried out by the unnatural fires that were burning and consuming his better nature, both soul and body. Well, the case came up before his judgeship; but wO are not advised as to the exact number of glasses that dignitary, entrusted with the great boon of freedom, laW and justice, had taken for the purpose of clearing head. and heart before making the important decision that the entire prohibitorylaw was unconstitutional. Oh! what is man, when clothed with a little brief authority I And again the rainbow visions of hope, and the faith- ful labors of the many friends of the great benevolent act were all trailing in the dust of disappointment, and the rum-seller was once more protected in his lawful at tempt to sow the seeds of ruin, degradation and death broad-cast through the land! To get unholy gain to himself by making wives widows and children orphans-.-. making homes desolate, and filling poor-houses, and jails, and penitentiaries! , Sending souls unprepared into the presence of a judge of, too pure eyes to behold sin with the least degree Qf allowance! As we have before said, Rayburn had been a most bitter opposed of the whole measure from the getting up of the petitions to the closing scene; and he rejoiced over its final overthrow. Again he had been a candidate for Congress, and, this time was successful: riding into office on the liquor question by an overwhelming ma- jority. ~ut the time he had &pent at Washington had been no advantage to him, in a moral point of view. Very many men, of the best talents he had met there, were in the daily habit of indulging in a social glass; and wine suppers were of nightly occurrence. Biiy~ page: 332-333[View Page 332-333] ~ORA ~VJT~MOT. TlE CONSUMMATION. 333 burn went with the tide of evil doers. His quick tab ent, ready wit, and enthusiastic temperament, soon drew around him a circle of kindred spirits. When his term of office expired, he returned home with an appetite fourfold increased for the fiery licjuid, which prostrated and leveLs talents, energy, and every other principle and holy aspiration of the soul, bringing all down to a coin- mon level of the drunkard. But Rayburn still stood high in the community as a man of talents, sense and probity, and very high as a politician-especially with his own party. Many there were that looked on Susie almost with an envious eye, on account of her talented husband. But poor Susie knew the sandy foundation on which her hopes of happiness rested. With what a sinking heart she turned from the congralAilations of friends! lit all seemed to her so hollow hearted~. She knew her hus- band possessed generous, xiible impulses, a fine mind, with a principle which, when not prostrated by drink, would scorn an ungenerous or unmanly act, and would not stoop to meanness or anything degrading. How it did wring her heart, and force the scalding tears down her pale cheeks, .at the thought of his great danger; and, worst of all, he did not seem at all conscious of his position himself; still arguing that a social glass, taken in moderation, did not injure any man. Again Rayburn was returned to Congress from his own district; but he went this time with a determina- tion to keep himself aloof from all society where the alluring glass was the first object of interest. Seem- ingly, at this time, he realized that there might be some danger in a too free indulgence. He even went so far as to give his signature to a pledge, which did not re- quire a very strict abstinence, before leaving home. And the anxious wife felt so rejoiced. But resolutions, be they ever so good, are not easily~ kept in an atmosphere where convivial parties and wine suppers are so frequently the order of amusement for so many choice spirits; where, tou, the best talent of the country were assembled, and so large ~ portion, at that time, yrine~bibbers. Men of sterner resolutions than Aif Rayburn have yielded to less temptation. He met many of the same members he had met there be- fore -gentlemen of fine talents and good minds, but sadly addicted to this leading vice of all vices. Washington was literally crowded with the vicious and voluptuous; and intemperance stalked abroad through every avenue of society, sitting alike in high as well as low places. It was a stern resolution, and a firm, unshrinking zeal, that could resist the manifold temptations which beset the pathway in that hotbed of fashionable allurements and follies. IRayburn's purposes, when he went there this time, were good, and, had the surroundings influence been good, or only a preponderance, he r~ t have kept his integrity, and returned a bette~ man. ut when he did try to maintain his purposes and adhere to his princi- ples, he was railed at for his want of moral courage, or called weak-minded for pledging away his liberty. The consequence was, that, before the session was half over, he was further gone in dissipation than he had ever be- fore been. But he drank nothing stronger than fer- page: 334-335[View Page 334-335] NORA WILMOT. THE OQN5UMMATION. 885 merited liquors, and they were entirely within the limits of his ti~pIer's pledge; which was the very extent to which Rayburn could be induced to give a signature. He had said so much against a prohibitory law, or a total abstinence pledge so often sworn in his wrath never to support such fanatical measnres-.--that false pride, if no other sentiment, would have deterred him. He would nQt put it in the power of his enemies to say that he too was turning ultra, by giving up the liberty of rising anything as innocent in its tendency as a glass of fermented liquor was considered. Tie was willing to give up alcoholic beverages, and that was all. Often did Rayburn enter the House, during that session, with a step so unsteady, and a countenance so flushed, and with ~o excited a manner, that the most casual observer could not mistake his true condition. What a repre- sentative for a whole district! But it was not that his whole constituency were drunkards, or anti-temperance men, at heart: it was only the party that had elevated him; had espoused the rumseller!s interest on the broad platform of civil liberty-.~ that is, granting one man the privilege to amass gain by opening the broad avenues of temptation to the young and innocent, the weak- minded and unwar ; who have not the inward power of resistance to wit and such a resistless mass of t~?npta.. tion; that he may get accursed gold which will canker in his coffers, and dry up the tender avenues of his con- science, leaving only a blig~~ed mass of moral putridity! Rayburn returned home to his kind, loving, affectionate family~ a far worse man than he was when he left them. How soon the eye of affection marked lhe change! Susie saw it all at a ~glance I She knew too well ttie meaning of that unwanted $Iush of the' countenance; the leaden expression of the eye;. the quick, nervous motion; and the unstrung nerves on first rising in the morning What a sad melancholy change the last ten years have wrought! But Rayburn's fondest day-dreams have been more than realized!. He has been verysuccessful as an attor4 ney; has amassed a comfortable little fortune, and lives in style in his adopted town* decidedly the best , and has twice been elected a member of Congress from hi~ district. Is Rayburn happy, now that he has attained,. so early in life, so high a position in the world's estimate wealth, honor, influence? 'T is all this world has within its gift to offer! Alas! while he had been grasping for what this world has to give, he had, all unconscious- ly, been sowing to the wind, and what wonder if he does reap the whirlwind I It was a dangerous element that IRayburn, the gifted son Qf geniu~ was tampering with! full of quick-sands and shallows, and the shore, meanwhile, bristling with cragged rocks; which were scarcely hidden from view, and the syren voice of the tempter beckoning on, with sweet odors all the while dropping from her lips to hide the deformity of her fi~arful end! And Mark Grey! what had the eventful past been reading for him during all these years which have been joining the past? Has he been gaining golden opin~ ions, and weaving a woof of virtue and merit for future filling up, which will ma~ke the meridian of life~ ~glorious page: 336-337[View Page 336-337] 336 NORA WItMOT. THE CONSUMMATION. 33~ and the end perfect peace? What has the Recording Angel written in the great book for future reading? What? Or has the accusing Spirit kept tally for these years that only forgiveness will blot out? We fear some dark clouds have dropped over the sun- light which should have been altogether unobscured, with one so gifted by nature, and who has enjoyed such ~nquestionable advantages from earliest childhood. We fear Mark has yielded to the influence of iRayburn's ex- ample; and has gone in through the door, which an evil example, set by a character that he admired, not for the evil it exhibited, but for its shining marks of talent, and learning, and' eloquence, which hid the inner de- formity, exhibiting only the outer gilding to the eye of inexperience, had opened wide; and he has been travel ing downward in the pathway of ruin and destruction, all the while deeming himself secure as long as he kept within the limits of his bright example, for the fiery poison had been dimming his noble perceptions. All the while the wife and sister was in a state of anxiety and excitement. Her' woman's instinct was so painfully alive to all' the perils of both husband and brother. When she talked to Mark, in her warning voice, and pointed out the dangers that beset his path~ way, he only pointed to her gifted husband, saying, he was only following his example, and if he could only reach the eminence' he (Rayburn) occupied, he would be a~t the acme of his wishes -the ultimatum of his ambition-(for, at this time, Rayburn's prospects for the Presidency were by no means unpretending.) So all Susie's warnings were treated as idle fears. She did once hfnt her apprehensions for her brother to her father, but he only said he would charge Rayburn to' be more strict with Mark-and then Susie' could not tell her fears any further. What loving wife could ? Mark's declensions were becoming perfectly notorious. He had seVeral times of late been perfectly drunk, and Rayburn had reproved him in no very :measured terms. But such reproof only served to exasperate the young man. lie was now a partner with Rayburn in business, and claimed the privilege of choosing his own course of conduct, and did n't just relish being reproved so very sharply by the individual whose influence' had first led him from the path of rectitude, and who he was aware was in the daily habit of' far more indulgence than he was ever guilty of, even in his times of greatest'excess. Had Rayburn's example been removed, Susie's influence would long since have induced Mark to become athor- ough temperance advocate, and to have pledged him- self to the pure principles of total abstinence. His temperament was so 'excitable that the fiery poison acted so quickly on the brain, that his mind was easily inflamed and his nervous energies 'paralyzed by the same quantity that would be little more than perceptible in its effects on the less nervous system of very many ofher men. The amount of Champagne that it would take to stea- dy Rayburn's nerves would make Grey entirely drunk, as the world would say. But he certainly was acquiring a very considerable fondness for drink, but all the while so~ entirely unconscious of any danger. Rayburn had taken an orphaned niece tb~ the 'shelter of his home some~\three. years 'previously. ' She was the 15 page: 338-339[View Page 338-339] 338 NORA WILMOT. TIlE 06N$UMMATION. 33$) only child of a favorite sister, who had died suddenly, bequeathing this, her only child, to the love and protec- tion of Susie and Alfred. 'Lelia Mahon was but fifteen, when she had come to find a home with her relations in the West. To say that she was pretty, will hardly fill the measure of our intended description. When she first came to her adopted home, there was a shade of melancholy mark- ing her striking countenance. Her dearest earthly friend had been consigned to the grave, leaving her an orphaned one. And all were strange In her~ new home, and she had just bidden adieu to the home and scenes of childhood, to try new friends and new scenes. But now three years have gone to join the years be- yond the flood, and the shadows have all gone off from her sweet face, and the purity, of her fresh, happy heart is written on every lineament of her beautiful features. Her eyes, 'a clear bright hazel, with long drooping lashes, that rested like a silken fringe on her rosy dim- pled cheeks; and the brow so beautifully arched, with a forehead of classic mould; hair jet and glossy, added toa figure of sylph-like grace, completes our picture of Lelia Mahon at eighteen. From her first residence in the' family, Rayburn had felt an undefined dread of her interc rnrse 'with Mark Grey. For, sensual as he had himself become, he loved the gentle orphan, not only for her own sake, but for the sake of her who had bequeathed her to his care. And too well he knew the consequences of such a union. Mark' would 'have been his choice for his favorite niece before 'any ~ther; young gentleman in the circle of his acquaintance, but for his fatal appetite, that he feared was fast obscuring his fairest prospects; and paving the way for his sure desfructi~ii, with the flag-stoue~ of civil liberty. He had entire confldenee in Grey's talent and natural qualifications. His energy and application to business were pre~minentiy good. His prospects for success had been decidedly flattering. And his heart, too, when he had first known Rayburn and some other young men of the same social habits; was pure as a young girl's just merging to womanh~Yod. Susie had been his companion from the earliest childhood, and all his thoughts, feelings, sentiments, and principles, par- took strongly of the gentle nature of his society. But more recently he had been mingling in a social atmos- phere of less purity. But, despite all Rayburn's fears and precautions, there had been an attachment* growing up, all the while, between his really interesting brother-in-law and his beautiful niece. It could scarce be wondered at. For 'even if Mark was seen now~and then a little, the worse for drink, or even if he had shown a decided fondness for pleasure, rather than "business, Lelia could not look into the future with ~doubt or fear. She did not believe the half that was told her. 'And she be- lieved, as other young ladies have reasoned before liter, that her love was strong enough to win him from all evil allurements and vicious associations. - Rayburn had just come to a knowledge of the fact that Lelia had already lighted her faith to Mark Grey, and he felt grieved; afflicted and insulted, that his e~un~ sels ~hould have been so entirely neglected by ~ne in page: 340-341[View Page 340-341] 340 NO1~4~ WILMOT. THE CONSUMMATION. 341 whom he had taken so lively an interest, and felt so deep a concern; and he had ventured to expostulate with Lelia, on the impropriety and even dangerous risk of a union with a man of known profligacy of life and habits. But it was like strewing chaff before the wind. She loved Mark, and how could she harbor fears I~or the un- defined future? It is always thus with the young! The future is always strewn. with roses, and bright pro- mise! It is only age and experience that makes calcu- lation for dark clouds and coming consequences! If there Is any thing in this world of change that is perfectly chimerical, and entirely out of the common order of things, different from every thing else under the sun, and beyond human. calculation to account for, it is the subject, of matrimonial alliances-of pure heart af- fection. 'Tis a new hope arising in the heart, faint and timid always, as the first waking up of light in the early dawn; but a hope whose realization will make life fall and joyous; a tender, answering sympathy of heart answering heart ;~ a giving up of other preferences and admiration, of all the elements of awe and heart-wor- ship that have ever before been felt, or idealized, for one i~nage, one self, one presence, ~et there in the hidden rece~es of the mysterious abodes of the heart. 'Tis loving that other self better than all the world beside. 'Tis giving all we have to give- the free, full fount of the affections- all to the keeping of another. Barter- ing affection for affection, and being happy only in an- other's joy. And that other may he, to the world's opin-. ions, ~all unwQrthy, or unequal; but the heart realizes its own answering. Some little time after Rayburn's conversation with his niece, he and Mark had been indulging in a convivial party with some companions of congenial habits, and had lengthened their orgies far into' the night. A dis- pute arose on some trifling subject between Rayburn and Grey. Words ran high. AIf said something very cutting to Mark, who retorted, saying, perhaps. he had better make another attempt to interfere ifl a heart af- fair with a young lady's engagements; but, if he did, he could assure him he would have his labor for his pains, ~~which wiuld be all the reward he would be entitled to. "Well," said I~ayburn, "do you wish to know what my opi iions on that subject are? I think you are not worthy the confidence and affection of Lelia Mahon, or any lady of merit." "And do you know," said Mark, maddened by the insult, "that I don't think the opinions of a drunken inebriate ate worth resenting, or that insult would not go unpunished." "Call me a drunken inebriate, will you, when you are drunk as a madman yourself and have n't been sober for a week?" "Well, sir, if I do drink, your evil example first led me to the ruinous prae'~tice." "Lay all your sins at another man's door, will .you?~~ and leaning over the table by which they were seated, Rayburn slapped Grey's ears, just as a mother would a wayward child. Mark was stung to the quick in an instant, and spring- ing up, made a vigorous effort, clearing the table at one bound, he shouted at the top of his voic~, "You 're a page: 342-343[View Page 342-343] 342 NORA WILMOT. THE CONSUMMATION. 343 base scoundrel, sir, and shall answer for this insulting out1~age 1" and clinched iRaybnrn by the throat and com- menced choking him, until the big veins commenced swelling in his neck and-throbbing in his temples. Rayburn had, unperceived,, drawn a short dagger from a concealed sheath; arid; drawing it back, he plunged it in the aide of his now infuriated antagonist! then, quick as thought, and before the bystanders were aware of the~ action, he drew it out and plunged it again, to the very, hilt, in the heart of Mark Grey! He stag- gered, ~reeled; and fell back! Looking into the face of lLaybnrn, he said, with a faint smile, while the death palor was fast gathering on his brow, and th&!t~ht of the bright eye becoming dimmed, and the mysterious damp dews gathering on the face, the dying man said, "Rayburn! you have killed me! Oh! tell Lelia I loved her! even in death! Father! mother! Susie! all ! -tell them to forgive my waywardness! Oh! it will kill my mother! And good, kind Susie! oh, why did n't I listen to her warnings! It would have saved all! all!" The death-rattle was gurgling in his throat! At mention of killed, Rayburn was sobered in a. moment. Kneeling by the side of his now dying victim, he tried, by every possible means, to staunch the life's blood that was fast oozing from the~ too fatal wounds his own in- furiated hand had inflicted. "Oh, Mark! not killed! Won't you forgive me, Mark? Won't you? Oh! I was uiaddened by wine and by passion! Oh, God I has it all ended in this? A murderer! Oh! God, have mercy on~me! oh I have mercy on me! Oh, it will kill Susie! Poor Lelia! Oh! why did I-why did I strike you, Mark? Oh! why did I carry a dagger? my best fi'iend murdered, by my own infuriated hand! Wine made me a demon! Mark! forgive me ! -only say, you forgive me!" But, alas for Mark Grey! the dull ears were not hearing, and the basy tongue- i~ mute forever, and the spirit is in the . presence of its Maker! page: 344-345[View Page 344-345] THE UNLOCKED FOIL ILETURN. 345 344 NORA WILMOT. CIIAPTEIL XXI. THE UNLOCKED FOR RETTJRN~ The course of events will needs call us back to the quiet, peaceful home of Morley and Nora. And after the exciting scenes of the last few chapters, through which we have been called to pass, we cannot but welcome the agreeable change. It is a bright afternoon on the hither side of October, but 'tis one of those undefined days, that don't just seem to be identified with any particular season ud a little inclining to hazy. But still the sunshine looked with a June-like smile into a quiet; comfortable back parlor, furnished in neat, plain, but convenient style, with no ornamental furnishing, excepting a delightful profusion of odorous plants and late autumnal flow- ers, that told of refined feelings and elevated sentiments of the dwellers within - the very atmosphere breathing of. the blessing of a happy home and a contented heart. But the most interesting picture in the tableau is the half-girlish, half-matronly figure, sitting with one arm tenderly encircling a little miniature form, with rich, waving, brown curls, falling round his plump shoulders, and jet black eyes, looking with a pIeadi~ig earnestness of manner into a pair of hazel ones, that a~e looking an an- swer back of loving sympathy. Litth~ Willie (for so we will introduce our little friend to you, reader) is looking so much like Fred Morley, in miniature, that we might, per~ haps, have been somewhat puzzled to solve the seeming mystery; had we not, by mere chance, overheard the lit- tie fellow call Nora ma, and that explains it all satisfac- torily. Willie has come in from his pa's office, and oxi~ the street had met a little girl with a wretchedly ragged dress and no shoes on her little feet; and the little sympathizing innocent is trying to make his ma compre~. hend the urgent necessities of the case. What a pleading ear1. 'tuess there is in the sweet child-face, it does so much ~'vnind us of N~ora. He can't be past five years old and. ~, his whole instincts are aroused with sympathy i~he little neglected suf~ wear them ~ II give he~~' new shoes, ma? I only church, an i~Mh eso will do very well; you know I always wore them before pa got the new ones. Can't she have my blue cloak, ma? I'm sure I can do very well without it; won't you let me give it to her, ma? Poor little thing, her dress was so ragged it didn't cover her arms; and her little feet looked so red and sore. I wish she would come and get my shoes and cloak;" and the bright eyes were filled with brim- ining tears. There is a fountain there, deep down in Kora's heart, that will never be suffered t~ dry up. 'Tis the fountain of her enduring charity and kindness to suffering human-. ity; and now, though little Willie doesn't comprehend why his ma is so silent, and doesn't seem to care for the little ragged girl that has so strongly enlisted his feel-. ings, she is'pondering the- best ways and means to be ernploy~ed to search out and relieve, not only the little ragged girl, but to ascertain if there were not more suf page: 346-347[View Page 346-347] 346 NORA WILMOT. fearing members of the same family. And her charities have already settled the matter that she will hunt them up and administer to their necessities. Nora always had a sober, intelligent look, and she is, perhaps, look- ing a little older; bi~it age sits lightly on a brow where the mind is at ease; and still Nora's face i~ wearing the same. happy, beaming smile it did of yore, the sure index of a pure spirit. Fred' Morley, her noble husband, is a gentleman in the fullest sense of the term, and is one of the strongest temperance men in the state. Lectures, too, on the subject, (as Bayburn onc~prophesied he would, when- ever he sees an opportunit~r~o advance the i ts of the cause.'. His business h~ increased gradually and steadily, until he may now be called a decidedly popular attorney; and he is a consistent member of a Chris- tian Church. He seems to be successfully harmonizing those two incongruous subjects, the practice of law and the obligations of a holy life, in his character; neither seems to deteriorate, for he always makes the lesser ob- ligation bow to the. greater, and so all harmonize and form a consistent character. Intoxicating beverages, neither alcoholic nor fermented, have ever passd his lips since Nora Wilmot rejected the hand with the heart in it of a tippler. Fred is decidedly popular as a politi~. cian whenever the temperance party are in the ascend- ant. But his principles are too firm to ever sacrifice one iota of his own honest convictions of right for the sake of office or popularity. He is now Judge Morley, having been appointed by the last general ~assembly, and gracefully does the new honor sit on one who is so mod- est, and yet so altogether worthy of the trust. THE UNLOCKED FOR RETURN. 34T Fred has just come in to tea, ~nd while little Willie has taken shelter on his pa's lap, and is very earnestly relating his adventure with the little ragged girl, and is urging on his pa the propriety of supplying th~ 4esti- tute one from his own wardrobe, his~ ma is assuring him of her willingness to administer to the little, one's necessities, making the bright eyes sparkle and dance with thankful delight. W& will listen to the pleasant converse of the happy home circle. Kora is tripping around, making all things comfortable for her happy household. Fred is looking over the evening paper, listening to Willie's interesting recital, and watching his graceful wife, the help-meet of his wedded blisg, as she moves around with such a quiet grace; and he is thinking meantime of a home without a wife in it. But suddenly recollecting, he said, looking up, "Nora, there will be a temperance lecture this evening in Centre Hall, advertised by a gentleman of the name of Wilmot. Perhaps he. may be a relative of yoi~rs, the name is the same." "Did you learn what the other name was?" "I did not learn farther than that the name was Wil- mot, and that he hails from Maine, the true land of tem- perance reform." "Then he is not likely to be of our family, I think. I don't really know much about the history of my father's family; but from what little I have been able to gather, I think my grandfather had no brother~ My father had several, but one went to the West Indies and died there, two emigrated to the western world, in early life, and I never heard of their returning. But, if my page: 348-349[View Page 348-349] TJI~ UNLOCKED FOIL RETURN. 349 348 NORA WILMOT. memory serves me right, I think there was a family ot~ the same name living in the town of M-, where my mother died,"~ and Nora sighed as memory reverted to her ill-fated father. "You will go to the lecture, will you not, Nora ?" said Fred. "Oh, certainly; it wouldn't do to miss such a treat, as a lecture from the very fountain-head, the ultimatum of perfection in the cause." "if you will sanction it, I' will invite the Thcturer to spend the night with us." "Assuredly I will, it always gratifies me to assist' in entertaining any person you may invite to share the hos- pitalities of our mansion; and, besides, I shall be pleased to hav~e him here." At the usual hour the bells rang out an invitation to every one, both friend and foe, to come out and, as the advertisement said, hear what an inebriate of twelve years' indulging, and who had twice 'suffered with the drunkard's madness, had to say in favor of the temper- ance reform, as it was understood in the land of Maine. The circumstance of the speaker being a reformed drunkard, and coming from Maine, the birth-place .of the prohibitory law, was a sufficient stimulent to call forth a crowded hduse; and the immense hall was crowded at an early hour with eager and attentive listeners. As the speaker passed up the aisle, it was observed that he had a very perceptible halt in his gait, as if one foot was maimed, and the left arm was off entirely at the elbow. He was apparently a man of fifty, with lines deep drawn, settling in broad furrows down his checks. Jlis eyes were deep sunken, and his forehead, which had once been broad and smooth, w~s now seamed with time or care, and his figure was bent and stooping, appa- rently more with sorrow than age, and his voice sound-. ed deep and sepulchral.. The ~isual preliminaries of such meetings being gone through with, a reverend gentleman offered up an appro- priate prayer, and the stranger rose with the air of one long accustomed to such scenes. With a scarce peroepti.. ble bow, the old man said: "Fellow-morteis and travelers to the bar of that Judge who readeth every purpose, and knoweth every secret desire of the heart, I rise this evening before you the wreck of what was once a man, created in the image of hi8 Maker, in the image of the everlasting God. But it is of what marred that image that we come here to- night to talk. Twenty years ag* this head, that is bloss- oming for the grave with such a rapid progress, but not more from the effects of age than from sorrow and dis- appiutment, was black as the wing of the raven. This form, so bent and marred in all its proportions, by abuse and exp'osur~, was erect and manly. And these eyes, sunken and lusterless, shone with the light of intellect. And this heart, that now beats with sorrow and regret, mourning over the follies a~id crimes of the past, once beat with joy and affection for a loving, affectionate wife, with pride and hope for noble children. Yes,, stranger friends, I was once a happy husband! But this heart has long been widowed; was once a hopeful father, but all my household treasures sleep with the clods of the valley. And I alone, of all that household band, am page: 350-351[View Page 350-351] N0L~A WILMOT. left-a leafless, withered thing-blasted by the storms of time, for the rude winds of sorrow to beat against; to finish my journey, alone, with the corroding sorrow ever gnawing at my heart, that my own crimes and mis- deeds broke the heart of the best of wives, and dug the grave for her worse than fatherless children! Oh, God! what memories I" and the scalding tears of bitter con- trition coursed down the furrowed cheeks. "But there was a cause for all this sorrow; and that cause rested in the fact that man, in his eager desire to amass a shining, glittering thing, that will turn to worm- wood and gall the noblest impulses of ~his nature, will continue to manufacture, all regardless of the direful consequences to his fellow man, a destructive poison, unlike every thing else in its tendency. Other poisons only destroy the body, but this liquid fire burns up soul as well as body; it kills beyond the grave. The Divine - teacher said: 'Fear ye Him who is able to destroy both soul eudhody.' We read, too, of the murderers of fath- ers and the~ murderers of mothers; the rumseller is 'the murderer of fathers, and the murderer of mothers, and o~ innocent children too~ "Oh, friends! this hydra-headed monster is the sum of all iniquities -the author, the mover and promoter of all others! What misery is there that poor human na- ture is heir to, that' this vice is not the legitimate parent of? . Ah! that heart must be well nigh calloused to every nobler impulse tha~t can look abroad, all un- moved, over the harrowing scenes of misery and poverty that is every where to be met with, that are all trace- able to the use of that poisonous beverage that is turn- THE TJNLOOKED ~FQR RETURN. 351 ed out by hundreds of barrels daily from some single establishments; cont~uming thousands of bushels ot grain, the product of legitimate labor, sent by. the All Giver to supply the honest demands of God's creatures. "But if we would endeavor to reach the fountain-head of this corruption, and dry up its streams, we must stop the production.-~- 4~lose up the manufactory~wind up the worm of the ..,still, and let no more 'liquid .~oison emanate therefrom. "As well might we expect to have dry . roads and smooth pikes, with a flood of. water over-spreading the land, as to expect to correct all the abuses of the rum traffic - to do away with drunkenness and rum drink- ing - while millions of bushels of grain are yearly turn- ed into the fiery poison; and thousands of acres of valuable land rendered worse than useless by being ap-' propriated to the culture of the grape7 and they manu- factured into fermented liquors. "If these beverages are not to be drank it were use- less to buy them; and if they are not to be bought, it were vain to mani~ifacture them. Why labor for that which satisfieth not? 'Ah! with what eager zest does the heart drink in of evil! There is a great, a mighty cvii abroad in the land! The air is darkened by the dire pestilence, that walketh in darkness and wasteth at noon-day!' Our citizens - some of the wisest and best - have been for years striving for its suppression, by every means that wisdom has yet been able to sug- gest; but still the evil is alarming in many of the States. "It has been ascertained by actual census, that within page: 352-353[View Page 352-353] 352 NORA W1LI~iOT. THE UNLOOKI~D FOR RETURN. 353 the limits of the United States there are annually the mouths of fifty thousand graves opened to receive the poor, bloated, disfigured victims of this accursed traffic. And to follow out the picture, not less than forty thous- and wives made widows, and one hundred thousand children made orphans! What a picture for humanity to contemplate! Would that we dared draw the man- tle of oblivion over such a picture, and forever shut it from ~ur view; but we dare not, s& long as the slayer is abroad - slaying the first-born in every house, and scarce leaving the little fledgling safe from contamina- tion so long o~s temptations stalk unmolested at every turn. "Ah! this is an enemy that is strong, fierce, active and wily in the pursuit of his ends. Sparing none that come within the circle of its vortex neither manhood, youth, nor trembling age, tottering on the brink of thd~ grave all are alike the victims of this insatiate thi~t~ ;Who then i& safe? None! while this direful pe~tilence stalks abroad through the land. "But, my friends, our object in assembling here to- night was not, I trust, so much to talk of the effects of this lamentable evil - all can see for themselves; but it was that we may suggest some means, or some meas- ures, for remedy for these manifold afflictions. "I have come here from the far-off land of Maine, where temperance has achieved more signal victories than any spot on which the genial light of the sun sheds his beam. Man walks abroad there in his native strength, untempted and untried. Because there the tempter is shorn of his trophies by the majesty of the law. When I I went there, guided by an unseen power, I was a drunk- ard. From respectability and affluence, I had plunged into degradation and poverty. Oh! I was a fanatic, and madly following the malign light which had led me to ruin! But that air was too pure for the drunkard's breath. Man had said in his wisdom: ~ We will no longer suffer the young and inexperienced to be tempted by the accursed demon of the bowl.' My friends, it is the only hope banish it forever, break down the strong-holds of the enemy and drive him from the land. "For ten long, lonely years I have traveled almost without ceasing, for the avowed purpose of aiding in the great business of ridding the country, this fair and beautiful land, stretching from Maine to Florida, and from the blue waters of the Atlantic to the placid streams of the Pacific, from this monster evil, this source of all crime and misery, this father of sin, this moral pesti- lence! Oh! it is the augmentation of the sum t4ta1~i~f human misery and human wretchedness ! - deran~liig and stupefying man's intellect, rendering oblivious every social and religious obligation, extinguishing the love of honor in the human breast, and obliterating every high and holy feeling of the soul which tends to elevate man above the brutes that perish~ and allies him to the high and holy God! "My friends, when we contemplate the fa ~conse- quences and results of this, traffic to society; of~auffering and crime, and misery,' and degradation, and di~~point- ment, and anguish, and poverty, and disgrace, and ruin, and woe; all other crimes whiten into innocence when 15* page: 354-355[View Page 354-355] 354 NORA WILMOT. THE UNL00KEI~ FOR RETURN. 355 compared with the crime of creating and pouring upon mankind this desolating stream of moral death, this cata- ract of liquid fire, to blast the rising glories of our country, and desolate the land. "Time was, my friends, when it would have~been deem- ed a chimerical suggestion, that there was even a possi- bility of banishing this evil from the land -a time when the moderate use of ardent spirits was deemed essential to the necessities of the human system. But a new, a glorious light has arisen a light that I would might shihe all over the broad expanse of the whole habitable globe, and be written, as with the finger of God, in glar- ing capitals of living light, in characters of unutterable brightness, upon the margin of the heavens, that all men 'might read the joyful tidings, that it is not only possible, but a tried and proven fact, beyond dispute and beyond comment, that the poisonous liquid does not possess one essential element to the human system; that even in a medicinal point of view, (and I speak advisedly friends, for I have tested these matters during a fifteen years' practice, and can sincerely say I never met one single case where its place could not have been supplied by other ~remedies,) it is not essential, even when used in the greatestL possible moderation. Why then, oh! why curse. the land with that that is only a curse, and that continually, and under every possible circumstance? "No one can longer plead ignorance with the broad, unblemished' light that is now shining all over the land, on the subject of temperance. No one can longer deny that from this source (the manufacture and traffic of this destructive fluid) flows a train of evils which embody every variety of human misery and human crime; Which converts the blessings of heaven into curses, and those of life into the tortures of disease, the madness of de- spair, the premature agonies of temporal and eternal death! "It is too late, I say, to deny either the criminality of this traffic, or the magnitude of the evils that flow from it. It has been written by the mandate of the Great All Father, "Therefore, whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." I would ask, Can any man lay his hand on his heart and say he is manufacturing this poison for the glory of God? What! corrupt the morals, madden the brain, and blast and destroy every manly feeling of the human heart, and pour the fiery streams of agony and despair into the once happy and cherished circle of domestic peace and love, all for the glory of God! Yes, fill our alms- houses, our penitentiaries, and our dungeons, with in- mates, for the glory of God! Suspend fathers and husbands, and sons and brothers, on the gallows and the gibbet, all for the glory of Him who. cannot behold sin with the least degree of allowance! Oh! it is a great -a mighty--an overwhelming evil, which is darkening the streams and polluting the fountains of society, wher- ever its putrefying waters are permitted to glow. The guilt and wretchedness flowing from it, and foll&wiug in its train, surpasses all finite conception. It palsies every effort for improvement, hinders the success of the gospel, and prevents the progress of the kingdom of Christ. It is destroying by hundreds, and by tens of page: 356-357[View Page 356-357] NORA WILMOT. THE UNLOCKED FOR RETURN. 35'~ thousands, both the bodies and the souls of men, annu- ally; cutting them off from all possibility of enjoyment, and plunging them into endless darkness and everlast- in~ woe. "These are the sad, the melancholy effects, my friends. We, who have felt the scorpion's sting, know best the pain of the wound! Men can talk and reason very coolly about that which they have never felt; but to those who haTe bowed down to the yoke, and felt the iron enter their own souls, it is not so light a matter to talk of these fiery temptations with composure and self- control. But where is the remedy-where the hope-the healing balm for these bleeding, lacerated hearts? Ahi my friends, this is the grand ultimatum, at which we wish~to come. The people of Maine have done much, nay, more than has ever before been accomplished, to- ward ridding society of this moral pestilence. She has set an example that other States would do well to profit by. But, my friends, have we even there reached the ne plus ultra-the greatest extent-the utmost effort? Is there nothing beyond? Is it the summum bonum-. the greatest possible good-that can be accomplished in this reform? We wot not, but we would not dispar- age their efforts: they have done gloriously, have achieved wonders-we might almost say, miracles-in this greatly. needed reformation; and all, perhaps, that could be accomplished by a single State. But, friends, I believe when this reformation is accomplished in its magnitude, it will be by the entire suppression of the whole traffic; the everlasting, eternal overthrow of th~ rumseller's trade, and in the abolition and destruction of the manufacturer's profits. It will be accomplished by furnishing no more fuel to feed the fires of this consum-~ ing thirst, by an entire withdrawal of temptation." The speaker paused! "I seem to hear an answering response! And it cometh on this wise, with the accents of a seeming dread and disappointment: Can it be accomplished? Will we ever witness such a consummation ?~ Yes, friends,, my heart is full of hope! I look away yonder through the dim vista of coming years, and a bright vision seems to float before my view: it is of a people, free, prosper- ous and happy! 'There is a light in the evening-sky, and angel mothers rejoice over the return of prodigal sons, and the spirit-wife smiles over him who again turns back to virtue) and honor ~' and fathers, husbands, sons and brothers are all walking iii the rectitude of their new found liberty, because temptations are banished from the peaceful abodes of men. "We boast of a free country, where the will of the majority is the governing power; and I have an abiding faith, which altogether refuses to believe aught but that a very large majority of the citizens of this -glorious Bepublic, which is the admiration of all nations, are decidedly opposed to this traffic. All that is required is a concert of action, that the subject, may be so pre- sented as to ~admit the free expressirni of the popular voice; that it may be, brought within the purview of legislative enactments; and, if the plan of pursuit should not be deemed consistent with constitutional lim- its, there is still a remedy; for the constitutionn is not like the laws of the Medes and Ipersians, to remain for- page: 358-359[View Page 358-359] 4 358 NORA WILMOT. ever unchanged. The whole world is in a state of pro- gression ;~ science and arts are all advancing; and the schniee of government, in particular, is advancing with a celerity never heretofore known. Then, if the present constitution is inadequate to the wants and necessities of the people in its present form, why not change it? Why not so amend it as to take the required measure under its protection? A great crisis always demands a great effort -an exertion consummate with the neces- sity. Well; the present is a decisive era, demanding the untiring zeal and energy of the best hearts as well as minds in the land; because the slayer is abroad in the land! The circumstances require a mighty rally I Let none stand aloof, hut let every friend of the cause rally to the rescue, and, forming one mighty phalanx, push the battle to the very gates. I am fully persuaded that, when the public mind is once fully aroused on this startling question, the victory will be half achieved. Let the tide of popularity but once set aright, and leg- islation will accomplish all the remaining labor. "As. I before said~ I have traveled for years, laboring in this cause, and have pondered well its bearings; I have been bitten, wounded, and well nigh slain, by the enemy, and I know its serpent sting: 'God has forgiven me the ruin I have brought on me and mine.' But in my striving, I I~ave endeavored to perfect a plan which might work the emancipation of my species from this bitter thraldom. "The Maine law is the very best which has ever yet been tried; but~it is cumbrous, requiring constant vigi- lance and exertion. But if we would tax the manufac- THE UNLOOKEP FOR RETURN. 3~9 ture~, in his unholy prodi~xction, with so enormous a tax that each gallon of his liquid poison should cost h~ 'jot less than ten dollars; and again tax the vendor si~ that he would be necessitated to add an additional Lx, to the manufacturer's neat little bill; and then it would be a sad omission to pass by the consumer as altogether un- worthy of notice, and so we would enact a law, provi- ding for his especial benefit, which would provide most beneficently for him in his imbecility and helplessness, by having him confined in a secure place, shut out from all the noise and bustle of the busy world for not less than three days after each known dereliction, giving him ample time and favorable opportunity for reflection and repentance over his folly; slaking his thirst, meantime~ with the pure ale furnished so bountifully by the giver of every good and perfect gift. "And then for secret committees to report delinquen- cies, I would suggest having an equal proportion of males and females. Don't start with surprise, ladies, or be alarmed; because we cannot possibly dispense with your services.......for, do you know, ladies, I have an enduring trust and confidence in the energy and perse- verance of your character. I know if your sympathies are enlisted, from a conviction of duty, you will never yield the point until the imposed task is completed, or hope is clean gone~.~~~set in the darkness of disappoint- ment. There is almost a potent power in the earnest pleadings of a wife, a mother, a sister or a daughter. ]Ie who can turn a deaf ear to such tender appeals7 must be well nigh lost to every human effort. And with 'entire consistency you can labor in this cause, not k page: 360-361[View Page 360-361] NORA WILMOT. because your own sex are in need of so much resti9aint, ~ause feature has endowed you with sympathetic he , s~ that you may feel another's woes~ "My friends, 'tis a noble task, congenial employ for graphicc spirits, to raise up the bowed down, to pour in the oil of gladness to the wounded spirit, bring joy and peace to tlie broken heart, and light and happiness to the darkened dwelling of affliction, and to send plenty to the home of poverty and want, to 'Sit down beside her who is crushed to the earth, And to put in her mouth a newsong2 "Ladies, do you know, are you aware of the influence you possess? Do you know man is almost what wo- man makes him? Especially so in refined, cultivated society, where woman enjoys the full meed of her influ- ence. What a weight of responsibility then rests npon your hands-you were created ihelpmeets. for man-and it is yours to aid in the great moral achievements that society requires, to throw all your influence into the scale of morality and religion. Woman was last at the cross and first at the sepulchre, and let her ever be last in vice and first in virtue-ever shedding a halo of pu- rity in her pathway that will bring down blessings on her head. "Much has been said and written of womar~'s rights. Ladie~ I am an out and out woman's rights man. I believe, first, that you do possesss they right to do all the good you possibly can, and to influence man, by every mebus in your power, that he may be far better than he now is, or ever has been, or ever would be with- out your blessed influence. Then go, ladies, and aid by THE UNLOA~KED FOR RETURN. 3~i j~ersuasion,~ by precept, by example, by, every means yoar fertile minds may Suggest, this great, cause may accomplish much with your earnest pleadings nd~ gentle warnings; and you are deeply interested, nQt personally, but sympathetically. Oh! how deeply! There is in your nature ~ pleading, interceding element, coming in constantly to temper - and soften the spiriL~. like to that element in the Divine mind, which they scrip- tures represent by the sublime image of an eternally in- terceding high priest, who, having e2KperieI~ced every~ temptation of humanity, constantly urges all that can be thought in mitigation of justice. That principle of the moral constitution, whfch exists~in some degree'in us all, leading us to experience a sensation of pain at the sight of wrong or cruelty, should become an absorbing ele- ment of every nature, prompting the heart to a disinter- ested, enduring~ strife, for a continued mastery over every evil, both public and private, that may beset the pathway of tempted humanity. "Oh, friends, if I had but listened to the warnings of a fair angel-creature, who once smiled in my happy home, 'with eyes as mild as a summer sky, and a heart as faithful and true as ever guarded and cherished a hus- band's love!' But her blue eyes grew dim as the floods of sorrow washed away their brightness, and the trust- ing heart was wrung with anguish until every fibre was broken. I did heed her once, and turned back to the good and the right way; but a demon tempted me, and like a demon .1 yielded; turned a deaf ear to the pleadings Qf tba~ angel wife, spurned her councils, and broke her faithful heart. It is ever ringing iii my ears, 16 page: 362-363[View Page 362-363] 8~2 NoRA~WL~. ~ke a death 'knell, 'she d~ct of 'a broken heart, and you * er murderer.' And my-children! where ~are they? h !~ h~w I have prayed for forgiveness! but eon~ sdence' is never' at' rest, always gnawing at my vitals, eating like a canker, and refusing. to be satisfied; and so I must 'pass 'on to the night of death '~ my hopes ~wrecked, my ~afthly prospects' blasted.' The ~last link would*bre~k if there~ was not a God of mercy. "O~u1d I have stood~by'that dying"couch, and heard e blessed words ~of forgiveness fl the dying' lips, it '~aight have tissuaged my ~bitter grief; but it was denied me," anti. "'again th& old man wiped his streaming eyes, abut' it~ Was' denied w~e! All 'I knovvl myw is, they are gOne, and I 'am left alone." . Ai~i then the ~speakeTr went on to give a history of his eaAy life; 'how he had been reared 14 parent~ that we~ iiot ever zealous in th&ir efforts to reAtraiki hig youth~ 4~rdnes8 ~' how be ~'' grown to man'~i estate, and fal wayw became, first, a prominent physician, and then a politi- r eian~ and yielded to temptatiofl, and' learned to indulge ih the"fatel cup bythe evil example 'of congenial conipan- ioiYs~-at~ the first indulging only' in a social glass; how the p~ernicious practice had gr~wn, so i4~idious1y, until e~ery sense of moral obligation 'was gone, lost, stnpe~ fled, swallowed up, absorbed, in the thirst, atid was still nnsatisfie~d~; and in a moment of frenzy he had started, ~ ~or wlienee, only he was miserable a~nd he~~h~d~ de~ermifled to fly from his misery.. "Rut the fiery demon 'still pursued him, 'with its scorpion tongue and its bu~iug thirst, giving him ~io rest 'day or night, ~leepitrg or waking. THE UNLOORED FOR RETURN. S63 At mention of starting off~ Judge.~ ~Morley had feW the hand that was resting ~nhi~ artn, slightly *ve~ and press his arm tightly. Looking into the face ~4, wife, he ~aw she was watching the speaker with a strange interest and ~ countenance unusually pale, and excited by strange emotions; but he attributed it to her interest in the thrilling recital. In a fit of the drunkard's '~adness, induced by inebriety,~ he had, in terror, t~ken shelter from a pitiLess~ storm, (that jie, hal fai~cied was the furies from the ueth~r: ~ world contending for, his spirit,) in the midst of a he~~ of cattle, an~ had. his foot mahned.for life by being frozen, by lpnge~posure to the inclemencies of a win.. ter's night, among the hills. of. ~m2~sy1va~nia.. ,'~ J~jor, my friends;?" ~ "niy:,feet, ~a~ll unguided by. my will, (for I neither knew nor earedwher0 they~b&re n~e,~ were all, the whi bearing me to.th~ l~nd~of h~pe,~ to . the Qnly sppt~~n earth .wji~re~ 1' ever~ could. have. formed the abuses of n~y~ I was far; hey~nd t~e point where reasqnings, persuasions, or '~pledges~ crnld have reached my case-nothing but the inability 1te~ procure the means of ~self~ahasement.. I' woujd have bartered every prospect f~r t~r~e and f~r eternity for~ a single dram of the fiery liquid. But ~ good genius was stilt guiding me op~ 't~ the~' point of, &betinenee' without my will. I felt a presentiment of a better l~pe dawning, amd a~ irnpulse.'pronipting~ m~ forwardd ~ 'hut' I was never sober~ only on 'firs isinginr~he ~inoi~uing~, un~ til I could7 proenre th~means of getting 'intodcated.' One .ij~ight, after a~day~of InGre ~tha~ ~sua~,4ndi4ge~io~, I fell fr~rn a. flight "of steps, and mane'iq~ru~~s~e: I 1' p 1. page: 364-365[View Page 364-365] 364 NORA ~iVILMOT. THE UNLOCKED FOR RETURN. 865 that amputation became necessary. After my recovery I still pursued the same direction. But on rising one morning, judge of my surprise, when, on inquiring for my morning's rotation, I was told I could not be ac- commodated in that manner until I got to another state. In astonishment, I inquired what state I was then in; and was answered, in the state of Maine-the land of no more drinking nor drunkenness. "I was sober then, and the thought came, almost as an audible whisper, now you can reform, there will be no temptation to resist. The joyful anticipation ran through my enfeebled frame like a shock of electricity. IL was the dawning of a new hope of light, where all had been dark as Ethiopian gloom. "But for weeks Nature had to strive for the mastery. Her rules had all been broken, her laws disregarded, her requirements unheeded, her functions outraged and abused I But, poor inebriate as I was, I found friends there, good and true, ready to take me by the hand, and speak words of comfort and encouragement. Slowly and gradually the poor, abused system regained so much of its wanted vigor as you now behold. 44With returning health came the desire of a return, to family and friends, but there was a dread of exposure to temptations. But friends advised the propriety of re- maining where there was no exposve, and sending for my home idols, ~'at least for a few years, until t unnat~ ural thirst was abated, and I could walk forth free man. I wrote letter after letter to my poor afflict' d wife, but never received one word in reply. Then I wrote to other friends, with no better success, until three '1 years of wretched anxiety had been passed, sometimes almost willing in my despair to believe my family had cast me off, as all unworthy of confidence! But I knew that would not be like my Mary I Oh! it was like 'madness to my brain! And had I possessed the mean's of drowning my reflections in the social glass, the temp~ station might not then have been resisted. But, thank God, it was withheld, and I am still a free man. "Then I started to find lost treasures, at all risk. Butt friends, Death had been ~there before me, and had claimed all my treasured or~.es I - had taken them, one by one, to his icy embrace,~ah4PAhey were sleeping quietly, side by side, in the home of t~e dead. I learned it all by chancing to meet an indi~i~~~il that had lived in my native town. My wife had died of pulmonary disease~ brought on and aggravated by grief and sorrow, and scarlet fever had swept off her orphans, and given them to the angel mother, before I reached the place where my home had been, and I had not the moral courage to go nearer! I could not look upon that home that was now desolate! My heart jewels were all withered! I felt that I Was without friends, kindred, or home! I could not go there, for it was not so once~n~! my friends, I could not go there, but I felt like flying to the farthest corner of Earth, and devoting my remaining~ energies to the dissemhI~ation of those principles that will save my fellow-beings a fate far worse ~han prom death! For if I ~ rnv4a~ enemy, and my heart was so 'vile that I cA~i1d~w~ ~ cursed with the' bitterest curse Earth is heir to, I would only condemn him to the drunkard's thirst. / page: 366-367[View Page 366-367] 3116 NORA ~iLMOT. THE UNLOCKED FOR RETURN. 36'I "In my wanderings I have traveled over seven States, lecturing all the time in this great cause, that should deeply interest every citizen in this Republic, either male or female~ But I have never yet had the courage to visit the quiet village, where so many happy memories cluster, and where so many bitter recollections linger I But now my face is set thitherward, and should the Great Shepherd spare my poor existence another week, I expect to stand by the graves of my own household idols. 'Tis in an adjoining State, in the thriving village of M~-. There they all sleep side by side! And there I desire my own ashes to~ repose, after the labors of life arealtover!" «V. At mention of theh. ~ ~f M-.---, Fred Morley felt his arm more tightly awed. Looking into Nora's v face, he saw it was ashy pale !~ Almost gasping for breath with excitement, she said, "It is my father! oh! I know it is my father!" At the wQrd father, the speaker paused, and turning in the direction where Mr. Morley sat, he said, "Whose voice said father? It was so like my Mary's ~ But Nora, now too much excited to think of decorum, was making her way to the speaker. Soon as their eyes met, the man of sorrows said, "Oh I who are~you, that is so like my lost Mary?" The answering voice was only, "My father, it is your lost N~oraA" And father and daughter were clasped in each other's arms I All in that vast audience were melted, to tears! And the husba~ and son stood by, enjoying the new-found hap- pii~ess, and ~waiting for a recognition. Or. Wilmot, the Maine temperance lecturer, did re~ It -t .-,~----.~--- ceive a most cordial invitation, not only to spend the night at the ~hospitable mansion of Judge Morley, but to spend all the remaining days and nights of his earth~ ly pilgrimage, surrounded by all the comforts and enjo~~ ments which duty or affection could devise, t& soothe and tranquilize the evening of hi~ existence, shedding such a halo of peaceful joy, as the meridian of life had scare promised! It was a privileged evening....-, that first evening of a * happy, but unlooked-for reunion ag Nora rehearsed all the intei~esting but painful particulars of the death- scene, when her mother's happy spirit went to join the * angdlic 'choir; and how ~h~pr~yed for' the poor, mis- guided wanderer, even with the last words her palsied tongue was heard to utter! and how, subsequently to her mother's death, her only brother and sister had been swept off, in a few short hours, by that withering scourge of parental hopes, the scarlet fever! And then she herself had gone to an adjoining State, to find a home and a protector, through the sheltering kindness of her Uncle Gre~r. Hence the incorrect information of her father's informant. And he, the widowed one, how many heart struggles, and lonely hours of utter desola- tion, had he to tell of, that first happy evening of pure, heartfelt thanksgivin o? The crushed, withered affections were again gathering up their drooping tendrils, to circle and cluster' around this lost-found treasure. It was the budding hope of a new-found happiness, where all had been shrouded in regretful despair! a joyous light in that evening sky! And they were happy tears-those tears of repentant 366 367 page: 368-369[View Page 368-369] 368 NORA WILMOT. forgiveness, . shed for very thankfulness~ and gratitude! The ferv~i~t prayer of d~yiug faith had not been lost~-it had gone upto tAie upper sanctuary, and an an~er had pmejI~k to Earth, in the return of the wanderer to ~ of virtual and rectitude.! ~ faithfully has the dying injunction, made to that lonely orphaned ~ long years ago, wheti she, the dying mother, said, "Nora, my daughter, use all the influence God may ever give you,. against the sin of intemperance ! "-faithfully has it. been so exerted, and very salutary have been the results! But 'tis wor~an's right-nay more, her duty~-to thtis use air j~flu- ence in the 8ublirne c jiuman Ref~rm~tMi ~ND. k ~5. 4~ Ah, ,