CHAPTER XV.GEORGE AND MARY.
THE Sunday-school having been successfully organized, Mr. Steele was extremely vexed, and he withdrew himself as far as possible from those who went with the missionary in the movement. He was, besides, ambitious and proud—he could not bear to think that “a traveling loafer,” as he termed the missionary, should overcome him; and, being considered the champion of the opposition, he mingled with the wicked, courting their praise, and bringing himself to their level. He was fighting in vain, for it was against God.
A few more weeks passed away, and ithaving been quite a while since George and Mary had seen their friends, they asked their mother if they might make Henry and Eliza a visit; she referred them to their father for permission. George persuaded Mary to ask, for he knew that his little sister’s winning manner would be more likely to accomplish the object; watching her opportunity, she climbed upon her father’s knee, and putting her arms around his neck, kissed him; she had done so before, but not for some time. The caress pleased him, and he returned the kiss. Not thinking of anything in particular, he said, “Well, what else do you want, my little pet?”
“You wouldn’t give me what I wanted, anyhow, would you father?”
“Certainly, anything you ask;” and he gave her another kiss, adding, “Well, pet, what is it?”
“George and I wouldsomuch like to go see Henry and Eliza—may we?”
For a moment he was in doubt, the nature of the request being so unexpected; but for once he allowed his better nature to have sway, and consented on condition that they would come home early. They were soon on their way, as happy as the birds on a sunny morning.
Henry and Eliza were delighted to see them, and entertained them by giving a minute account of all that transpired in the Sunday-school; they also gave them some of the cards and papers which they had received there.
George and Mary kept their promise to “come home early.” Whilst they were showing their mother the Sunday-school cards and papers, their father entered the room. He became very angry upon being thus reminded of the subject so disagreeable to him; so, seizing the children’s gifts, he tore them into pieces and then threw them out the window, and declared that the childrenshould never go to Mr. Brown’s again. The result of such a course on his part, was that the hearts of his children were hardened against him; they felt that they had been unkindly and unjustly treated, and they very soon became irritable and peevish in disposition. Their father soon discovered the change, and knowing the cause, he determined to restore them to their usual spirits by affording them amusement; so he induced them to seek new playmates, among those who did not attend Sunday-school. They obeyed; but, at first, such company was exceedingly disagreeable to them, for the children with whom they associated were profane and vulgar and did not regard God’s Holy day. They had been taught by their mother that such conduct was wrong; but the father now ruled with a rod of iron, and all were compelled to bend to his will.
The downward course is rapid; it was but a few short years before George and Mary,surrounded by such influence, could mock with the mocker, at the prayer-meeting and Sunday-school.
The father, annoyed by the success of the good cause, and a consciousness of wrong-doing, sought relief in drink—hence he was thrown into the society of the worthless, vulgar drunkards, who lie around the haunts of vice. Insensibly, he was drifting down to irretrievable ruin!
He never expected to be a drunkard—not he! No, he could drink when he pleased, and let it alone when he pleased. He would show “that crazy Truman,” that a man couldgovernhis appetite, and that he did not speak the truth when he said that confirmed whisky-drinkers would fill drunkards’ graves.
He found out to his own sorrow who spoke the truth; for the time came when he was compelled to give up his comfortable home to satisfy the tavern-keeper’s demands. Hiswife, through disappointment and abuse, lost her health and died broken-hearted, before her husband and children had run their whole course of sin.