“YOU’LL sign it, I’m sure,” said a persevering Washingtonian, who had found his way into a little village grogshop, and had there presented the pledge to some three or four of its half-intoxicated inmates. The last man whom he addressed, after having urged the others to no effect, was apparently about thirty years of age, […]

A MAN, who at first sight, a casual observer would have thought at least forty or fifty years of age, came creeping out of an old, miserable-looking tenement in the lower part of Cincinnati, a little while after night-fall, and, with bent body and shuffling gait, crossed the street an angle; and, after pausing for […]

“IT is two years, this very day, since I signed the pledge,” remarked Jonas Marshall, a reformed drinker, to his wife, beside whom he sat one pleasant summer evening, enjoying the coolness and quiet of that calm hour. “Two years! And is it, indeed, so long?” was the reply. “How swiftly time passes, when the […]

[THE following story, literally true in its leading particulars, was told by a reformed man, who knew W–very well. In repeating it, I do so in the first person, in order to give it more effect.] I was enjoying my glass of flip, one night, at the little old “Black Horse” that used to stand […]

“HOW much have you taken in to-day, Sandy?” asked a modern rum-seller of his bar-tender, after the doors and windows of his attractive establishment were closed for the night. “Only about a dollar, Mr. Graves. I never saw such dull times in my life.” “Only about a dollar! Too bad! too bad! I shall be […]

PART FIRST. “HOW beautiful!” ejaculated Mary Graham, as she fixed her eyes intently on the western sky, rich with the many-coloured clouds of a brilliant sunset in June. “Beautiful indeed!” responded her sister Anna. “I could gaze on it for ever!” Ellen, a younger and more enthusiastic sister remarked, with fervent admiration. “Look, Ma! was […]

FROM the time Mr. Andrew Grim opened a low grogshop near the Washington Market, until, as a wealthy distiller, he counted himself worth a hundred thousand dollars, every thing had gone on smoothly; and now he might be seen among the money-lords of the day, as self-complacent as any. He had stock, houses, and lands: […]

“DEAR father,” said Mary Edwards, “don’t go out this evening!” and the young girl, who had scarcely numbered fourteen years, laid her hand upon the arm of her parent. But Mr. Edwards shook her off impatiently, muttering, as he did so, “Can’t I go where I please?” “O! yes, father!” urged Mary, drawing up to […]

“HERE, Jane,” said a father to his little girl not over eleven years of age, “go over to the shop and buy me a pint of brandy.” At the same time he handed her a quarter of a dollar. The child took the money and the bottle, and as she did so, looked her father […]

“HOW can you reconcile it to your conscience to continue in your present business, Mr. Muddler?” asked a venerable clergyman of a tavern-keeper, as the two walked home from the funeral of a young man who had died suddenly. “I find no difficulty on that score,” replied the tavern-keeper, in a confident tone: “My business […]

MR. SMITH kept a drug shop in the little village of Q–, which was situated a few miles from Lancaster. It was his custom to visit the latter place every week or two, in order to purchase such articles as were needed from time to time in his business. One day, he drove off towards […]

“SHALL I read to you, ma?” said Emma Martin, a little girl, eleven years of age, coming up to the side of her mother, who sat in a musing attitude by the centre-table, upon which the servant had just placed a light. Mrs. Martin did not seem to hear the voice of her child; for […]

“DID you ever see such a queer looking figure?” exclaimed a young lady, speaking loud enough to be heard by the object of her remark. She was riding slowly along in an open carriage, a short distance from the city, accompanied by a relative. The young man, her companion, looked across the, road at a […]

“OUR parlor carpet is beginning to look real shabby,” said Mrs. Cartwright. “I declare! if I don’t feel right down ashamed of it, every time a visitor, who is anybody, calls in to see me.” “A new one will cost–“ The husband of Mrs. Cartwright, a good-natured, compliant man, who was never better pleased than […]

IDLENESS, vice, and intemperance had done their miserable work, and the dead mother lay cold and still amid her wretched children. She had fallen upon the threshold of her own door in a drunken fit, and died in the presence of her frightened little ones. Death touches the spring of our common humanity. This woman […]

“AMY!” Mrs. Grove called from the door that opened towards the garden. But no answer came. The sun had set half an hour before, and his parting, rays, were faintly tinging with gold and purple few clouds that lay just alone the edge of the western sky. In the east, the full moon was rising […]

ONE evening in winter as Alice, a dear little girl whom everybody loved, pushed aside the curtains of her bedroom window, she saw the moon half hidden by great banks of clouds, and only a few stars peeping out here and there. Below, the earth lay dark, and cold. The trees looked like great shadows. […]

A LADY sat reading. She was so absorbed in her book as to be nearly motionless. Her face, in repose, was serious, almost sad; for twice a score of years had not passed without leaving the shadow of a cloud or the mark of a tempest. The door opened, and, as she looked up, pleasant […]

“WE shall have to give them a wedding party,” said Mrs. Eldridge to her husband. Mr. Eldridge assented. “They will be home to-morrow, and I think of sending out of invitations for Thursday.” “As you like about that,” replied Mr. Eldridge. “The trouble will be yours.” “You have no objections?” “O, none in the world. […]

MRS. CALDWELL was so unfortunate as to have a rich husband. Not that the possession of a rich husband is to be declared a misfortune, per se, but, considering the temperament of Mrs. Caldwell, the fact was against her happiness, and therefore is to be regarded, taking the ordinary significance, of the term, as unfortunate. […]