TEETOTALISM.

Auckland Times, Volume 3, Issue 143, 4 October 1845, Page 4

TEETOTALISM.

We quote further from Mr. Hart's address at the Tea-party last week, the following :■— I need scarcely remind you that the elections in England are generally characterised by disgraceJul dranken scenes which mark their progress and termination. Many a man has had his senses steeped in oblivion, by the use of brandy or ram . and then, in a state of almost insensibility, taken to the Polling Booth to give his vote for those who, in his sober moments, he would have voted against' But even here, woman's mild influence is frequently used to allay the evil. I will give you an instance :

" On the morning of the first day of an election, an interesting scene might be witnessed in a low, delapidated dwelling in the neighbourhood of a bustling city in England. At the time and place mentioned, there might have been seen sitting, at a scantily furnished breakfast table, a man with good phrenological developements— a prepossessing physical structure, but with a countenance moody and irritable. On the right sat a woman (Lis wife), little, if any, past the meridian of life; but exhibiting traces of a premature fading of a face and figure still mildly beautiful. At his left sat his daughter (an unblighted copy of her jpatient, but sorrow-stricken mother) in all the healthfulness of incipient womanhood* In this iyoiurg woman's eyes tears were gathering fast, and, as she turned ber timid face towards her moody father, they might have been seen glistening like the pearly drops of a summer mornifjg, as the first beams of the sun glance on their crysial surface. Her heart was full and her voice tremulous as she at length gained courage sufficiently to ejaculate ' Father 1' The moody man started, as though the sound of long melody echoed in his ears. He heat his gage inquiringly on his trembling child, and, in accents unusually kind for him, said « Well, 33ei!, u hat would yon ?'

Bel! felt emboldened, and dressing her face in a sweet smile, replied ' I would, Father, that you ■would not go to the election to-day.' The ijown re-appeared j it was stern and bitter, as he asked sharply ' Why not ?' Bell could not answer ; she seemed anxious to escape from the angry gaze of a father whom, but a moment before, she hoped to conciliate. She wa« about to withdraw, when a voice of startling fiercenessg to her 'Girl, look on your father! You, but a child, presume to counsel as !o what he should do ; and doubtless act as the agent of your mother, i could have borne to bave begn called a drunkard—aye, a drunkard !' and a shiver passed over him; ' boi,' continued he, 'to bave it insinuated by a child is too much. I shall go to the election; so bring me my hat.' No word of remonstrance was heard, aud the miserable man rushed from his dwelling. That day, bitter tears were shed around the hearth-stone of the miserable wife and child. Noon came, hut so did not the husband of the grief-stricken wife. Wight too, with its darksome loneliness, drew its curtains around; but no sign of the return of the infatuated—the father and the husband. Often "(lid the mother and daughter instinctively cling to each other, as some casual noise induced the belief that the object of their solicitude bad indeed come; but how did they dread to encounter the frowns, mayhap the inebriated curses, of him who was the cause of their vigils ! At length the hour of midnight sounded, and, as its echoes died away, the footsteps of the expected one were heard. How wildly beat the hearts of mother and daughter as the truant entered that door, so long and eagerly watched. He was there before them, but not noisy or harsh ; for he was sober, calm, and collected. So great was the joy of his wite and daughter that neither could give utterauce to the wild emotions that played around their hearts; hut they would not have spoken then for worlds, lest the echo of a voice should have dispelled what seemed a pleasing illusion

'Mabel! Mabel! were the first words that greettd their ears, and in a moment both were crying for joy on his bosom. 1 need not detail the affecting conversation which fallowed, nor the joyful surprise with which mother and daughter Jieaid his resolves and hopes, it will all be sufficiently understood from a single expression of the lather as his daughter was about to retire to rest. They were the sweetest words her ears had heard for many a long, long day ; they were—' Good night my child, aud may God bless you—you Irave saved your father.' The father had been lo the election; he. went pre-determined to drink- —to get drunk, but, as he was about to raise the first dram to his mouth, the pleading counteuunce of his daughter seemed to rise before him. His good genius prevailed—the glass was replaced untasted on the counterhe left the place with a high moral purpose, and hastened to enrol himself among the advocates of total abstinence.

Tba pledge has been religiously Kept-the visage of his mild- and amiable wife is fast losing its care«worn expression—Bell has become the joyous, happy being she was destined to be-—while the reformed husband is fast regaining all his former vigour and nobleness. Often do these contented being* talk over past scenes, while the amiable wife fails not to designate the night of width we have spoken as—the happiest day of her life."