FullReads

Nor was this all. Debts were contracted which Gordon was unable to pay. One or two of his creditors, more exacting than the rest, seized upon his furniture and sold it to satisfy their claims, leaving to the distressed family only the few articles exempt by law.

Things had reached this low condition, when Gordon came home from the shop, one day, some hours earlier than usual. Surprised at seeing him, his wife said–

“What’s the matter, Henry? Are you sick?”

“No!” he replied, sullenly, “I’m discharged.”

“Discharged! For what, Henry?”

“For spoiling a job.”

“How did that happen?” Mrs. Gordon spoke kindly, although she felt anxious and distressed.

“How has all my trouble happened?” asked Gordon, with unusual bitterness of tone. “I took a glass too much, and–and–“

“It made you spoil your job,” said his wife, her voice still kind.

“Yes. Curse the day I ever saw a drop of liquor! It has been the cause of all my misfortunes.”

“Why not abandon its use at once and for ever, Henry?”

“That is not so easily done.”

“Hundreds have done it, and are doing it daily, and so may you. Only make the resolution, Henry. Only determine to break these fetters, and you are free. Let the time past, wherein you have wrought folly, and your family suffered more than words can express, suffice. Only will it, and there will be a bright future for all of us.”

Tears came into the eyes of Mrs. Gordon while she made this appeal, although she strove hard to appear calm. Her husband felt a better spirit awaking within him. There was a brief struggle between appetite and the good resolution that was forming in his mind, and then the latter conquered.

“I will be free!” he said, turning towards the door through which he had a little while before entered, and hurriedly leaving the house.

The hour that passed from the time her husband went out until he returned, was one of most anxious suspense to Mrs. Gordon. Her hand trembled so that she could not hold her needle, and was obliged to lay aside the sewing upon which she was engaged, and go about some household employments.

“Mary, I have signed the pledge, if that will do any good,” said Gordon, opening the door and coming in upon his wife with his pledge in his hand. “There,” and he unrolled the paper and pointed to his name; “there is my signature, and here is the document.”

He did not speak very cheerfully; but his wife’s face was lit up with a sudden brightness, followed by a gush of tears.

“Do any good!” she replied, leaning her head upon his shoulder, and grasping one of his hands tightly in both of hers. “It will do all good!”

“But I have no work, Mary. I was discharged to-day, and it is the only shop in town. What are we to do?”

“Mr. Evenly will take you back, now that you have signed the pledge.”

“Perhaps he will!” Gordon spoke more cheerfully. “I will go and see him to-morrow.”

Mrs. Gordon prepared her husband a strong cup of coffee, and baked some nice hot cakes for his supper. She combed her hair, and made herself as tidy as possible. The children, too, were much improved in their looks by a little attention, which their mother felt encouraged to give. There was an air of comfort about the ill-furnished dwelling of Henry Gordon that it had not known for a long time, and he felt it.

On the next morning, after breakfast, Gordon went back to the shop from which he had been discharged only the day previous. Evenly, the owner of it, was a rough, unfeeling man, and had kept Gordon on, month after month, because he could not well do without him. But, on the very day he discharged him, a man from another town had applied for work, and the spoiled job was made an excuse for discharging a journeyman, whose habits of intoxication had always been offensive to the master-workman.