RECOLLECTIONS OF POVERTY. 1? 



" Two days afterwards I was seated at the bed-side of my mother. 

 She was in a high fever. For some days her life was despaired of; 

 at length, after a long confinement, she was able to leave her cham- 

 ber, but her spirits were broken and her health was ruined. She 

 never fully recovered her strength, and ere long she was the victim 

 of an insidious and fatal disease, which, in a few months, terminated 

 her sufferings in death. During her last illness my father seldom 

 saw her. Now and then he would sullenly enquire after her health, 

 but he never showed any contrition for his conduct, never evinced 

 any tenderness or pity for one who had been so long a faithful and 

 affectionate wife. He was a confirmed drunkard. The unhallowed 

 fire that burnt within him had dried up the springs of affection and 

 love, had scorched and withered all those fine feelings which elevate 

 and adorn our nature, had rendered him at once an object of pity, 

 horror, and disgust. But my mother loved him yet. In the most 

 touching manner would she entreat him to relinquish those habits 

 which had robbed her of her peace of mind, had destroyed her 

 health, and had brought poverty and disgrace on his family, For a 

 moment he would seem affected, as if hesitating whether to disengage 

 himself for ever from the vile thraldom of his passions; but no, the 

 chains of vice were too fast rivetted to be unloosed, and in the so- 

 ciety of his wretched companion? his short-lived resolutions would 

 vanish, and sensuality and vice would again be predominant. 



" Our means of subsistence were now very limited. My father's 

 employer had dismissed him long ago, and my mother, who had al- 

 ways contributed something to our little stock, was no longer able to 

 work. For the first time we suffered want. This was most keenly 

 felt by my sick parent, who was deprived of those comforts which 

 the circumstances of her sickness required. I will not weary your 

 patience with relating the particulars of her last illness ; it will be 

 sufficient to tell you that after seven long months of painful suffering, 

 evincing all the time the utmost patience and resignation, my .excel- 

 lent parent died. A few hours before her death she asked for my 

 father. He came to her. With downcast eyes he stood at her bed- 

 side ; he attempted to speak ; in vain, he could not utter a word. At 

 the sight of her whom he had rendered miserable, whom once he 

 had seen happy, revelling in plenty and blooming in health, but now 

 sorrowful, comfortless, laid on the bed of sickness, about to close her 

 eyes on him for ever. Hardhearted as he was, inhuman as he had 

 been, he could not bear this, he wept my mother wept also; for 

 some time both were silent. At length, stretching forth her withered 

 hand, she told him she forgave him all, and entreated him with her 

 last breath to protect his only child." 



Evidently affected by dwelling on so painful a subject, my patient 

 was unable to continue her narrative. When I next saw her, she 

 proceeded thus : 



" For some time after my mother's death my father was much at 

 home, avoiding his former companions, and attending regularly to 

 his work. I then fondly hoped that he had turned aside for ever 

 from that course of life which had been productive of so much mi- 

 sery. Our neighbour, and who till lately had been his constant com- 



