efore, had been so unsparing in her
condemnation of those who, for the sake of indulging a degraded
appetite, wrecked their own prospects, and blasted the young life and
future happiness of their helpless offspring? Ah, no! for she, who so
proudly had boasted of her own strength, had also been overcome and laid
low by the mighty tyrant.

Little by little, with many a struggle at first, and many a
fair-sounding promise, did she turn from the beaten track she had marked
out for herself, and in the security of which she had prided herself,
until now the very desire for a better life seemed hopelessly crushed
with every trace of womanly feeling. She looked about in a
half-stupified fashion for a while, then raised herself on her elbow,
still continuing to groan.

"What's the matter, mammie?" Mattie ventured to ask.

"My head's fit to burst, child; you must fetch me a drop or I shall just
go crazy," replied Susan, in thick, husky tones.

"Where's the money, mammie?" tremblingly asked the child, well knowing
that the last coin had been spent in their frugal breakfast.

Susan felt in her pocket, and, to Mattie's intense relief, withdrew her
hand, simply saying: "Drat it, every penny gone again! Just like my
luck!"

Her glance went round the room, but there was absolutely nothing within
those four walls which would fetch the price of a morning dram.
Presently her eyes rested upon those three bright patches hanging
against the discoloured wall, with a curious expression of wonder.

"What's them?" she asked at length.

"They're pretty cards as was given us by a gent yesterday, and he said
we was to hang 'em up," answered Mattie, wondering what the effect of
her reply would be, and devoutly hoping that, whatever untimely fate
awaited the cards, she and the little ones might escape with no more
than their usual share of rough and ready treatment.

"Let's look, can't you?" were the next impatient words; and Mattie took
down the three pledges, and, handing them to her mother, stood patiently
by, awaiting the result of the prolonged investigation. She was never
more surprised than when it came. Tossing the cards aside, Susan threw
her hands over her face, and rocked herself backwards and forwards in an
agony of shame and remorse, while floods of tears poured through her
fingers.

Mattie bore the sight as long as she could, and then said: "Don't cry,
mammie; if you're bad, I'll run and fetch the doctor."

But Susan took n