husband's approach, had buried her face in her Viola sprang up in the light

trembling hands.

hearted joy of an all undoubting love, and ran

to the door to welcome-a drunken father.

CHAPTER II.

'There is a fiery cup,

Whose ministry of wo

Can melt the spirit's purest pearl,
And lay the mightiest low.'

HA! ha! ha! Viola 's always glad to see papy,' was Clifford's salutation to his innocent daughter, as she opened the door and greeted him with one of her most affectionate smiles. Take hold of my hand, pretty dear-there, there, that's a sweet little violet-ha! ha! ha! yes, yes, a sweet little violet-papy's so tired !'

'Poor papa! Viola will lead papa, when he is so tired,' said she, offering her little hand to help him cross the threshold. The wretched man bereft of his guiding power, tottered and reeled from right to left, in spite of her eager efforts to conduct him safely to the firesideand when at length he succeeded in reaching that destination, he fell upon the rug which Viola had occupied, and pulled the little girl into his lap.

'You are the best treasure of my heart, Viola -my witless babe! yes, yes, when all the world

frowns upon me, Viola smiles-when all the world scorns me, Viola pities-when all the world hates me, Viola loves-ha! ha! ha! yes, Viola loves-Viola loves!'

He laid his head in her lap, and laughed loud and convulsively, while the tears of bitter anguish, even in that moment of deep inebriation, burst, free and abundant, from his crimsoned eyes. So she does-Viola does love dear, good papa!' she replied, joining her own gentle, light-hearted mirth, in all the simplicity of her sympathetic heart, with the wild, unwitting laughter of the conscience-stricken inebriate.

'What an association for thee, sweet injured innocence!' exclaimed the mother, half audibly, 'Oh! must I, can I suffer it ?'

'Dear mamma,' whispered Ellen, 'God will make her an instrument of his salvation. She holds the key of his heart-she will open it for us to remove the poison. Do not fear for her -she is protected by a talisman from heaven. Her very simplicity is a safeguard.'

Mrs. Clifford could not be soothed. The picture of that pure, unsophisticated child, confidingly reposing in the arms of an intoxicated parent, and mingling with his coarse hysterical laughter, the silvery melody of a heart that never

dreamed of sin, was too harrowing to her tender sensibility. She begged Ellen to take her sister to bed. She would have obeyed, but the father repulsed her. You shall not take her away! No, Ellen, you may go yourself--but Viola shall stay with me. She shall sleep in

my arms, pretty dear, if she will; but I say you shan't take her away.'

'But papa,' said Ellen, 'you are weary and sick. Shall I not get you a cup of tea?'

'No, no, Ellen, my girl, I am too nervous, I can't drink tea; my nerves are stretched upon a rack now, see how my hands tremble! Have not you a cup of brandy to give me ?'

'Not a drop, papa. And besides, brandy weakens, instead of quieting the nerves. I will get you some paregoric, if you would like.'

'None of your doctor's stuff for me; poison, all of it. I'll have something that has some strength in it. Haven't you any gin?'

'No, sir.'
'Nor rum ?'

No sir; no spirit of any kind.'

'No wonder your mother is sick, fed on pills and powders, without a drop of anything to stimulate or cheer her. Poor woman! she shall have something better than these narcotic drugs.

Bring me a shilling, Ellen; I'll run down before the shop is shut, and get a pint or two of brandy.'

Clifford' said his wife reproachfully,' go not to purchase intoxication for me. My heart requires something more powerful than inebriating draughts to remove the iron hand which is crushing it. You, Edred Clifford can raise it, but not by exciting liquors, not by bacchanalian potations.'

'Dear soul, what can I do to please you ? Am I not a good kind husband? Did I ever injure you, or scold at you, or neglect you? I always mean to treat you well, I declare I do; I would not hurt a hair of your head for nothing in this wide world-ha! ha ha! no I vow I wouldn't for nothing. I wouldn't ask you for a cent of money if I wasn't driven to it; you know I'm not stingy, nor a hog as old Tom Caldwell is, miserly rascal! I've worked for him all day long, chopping and splitting his wood for him, and neither a glass of liquor nor a cent of money have I got for it. If I had not by good luck happened to have a ninepence to buy a glass of gin with, I might have been as crazy as a loon before now, I'm so dreadful nervous. I declare I must have something to keep up my spirits. Do, Margaret, let me have a shilling;