misery and shame. She made no attempt to deny
her fault, or even excuse it; she was heart-broken; she said she must go
at once. I urged her to stay, and to turn over a new leaf. I promised
to overlook what had passed, and told her that she might soon regain her
former place in my esteem and confidence. But I could not keep her; she
could not bear to remain, much as she loved the children; she must go
elsewhere and hide her disgrace.

"`But how came you to contract such a habit?' said I. And then she told
me that she began by finishing what was left in the glasses of my
friends and myself after dinner; then, as I never locked up the
cellaret--the thirst becoming stronger and stronger--she helped herself
from the bottles, till at last she had become a confirmed drunkard. I
pitied her deeply, as you may well understand; and would have kept her
on, but nothing would induce her to stay. However, I had learned a
lesson, and had made up my mind: I was determined that thenceforward no
one should ever sow the first seeds of drunkenness in my house, or have
any countenance in drinking from my _example_. The very morning the
unhappy woman left, I made a vigorous onslaught on the drink.

"`Fetch up the cellar!' I cried; and the cellar was forthwith fetched
up. Beer barrels, wine bottles and spirit-bottles, dozens of pale ale
and bitter beer, were soon dragged into light.

"`Now, fetch me the kitchen-poker!' I shouted; it was brought me, and I
commenced such a smashing as I should think has never been witnessed
before, nor is likely to be witnessed again. Right and left, and all
round me, the yard was flooded with malt liquors, spirits and wines.
Then I knocked out the bungs of the casks, and joined their contents to
the flood. You may suppose there was some little staring at all this,
but it mattered nothing to me. I was resolved that what had ruined my
poor nurse should never ruin any one else at my cost, or in my house; so
from that day to this no alcoholic stimulant has passed my lips; nor
been given by me to man, woman, or child; nor, please God, ever shall
be.--Now, my dear young friends, you have had the history of what first
led me to become a total abstainer."

There was a silence for several minutes, which was at last broken by
Hubert's asking,--

"And what became of the unhappy woman, dear uncle?"

"Ah! don't ask me. She went from bad to worse while she remained in the
colony. For so it commonly is