ge it. The widow sat at the head of the table, and her son, a young
man of two-and-twenty, next to her. There were three younger children,
two girls and a boy, all looking bright and healthy. We had a hearty
welcome, and poured out news while they poured out tea, which with
damper (an Australian cake baked on the hearth), and mutton made an
excellent meal. When tea was over we had a good long talk, and found
that the young farmer was an excellent son, and in a fair way to
establish the whole family in prosperity. Well, the time came for
parting, they pressed us to stay the night, but we could not. Just as
we were leaving, my companion took out a flask of spirits, and said,
`Come, let us drink to our next happy meeting, and success to the farm.'
I shall never forget the look of the poor mother, nor of the young man
himself; the old woman turned very pale, and the son very red, and said,
`Thank you all the same, I've done with these things, I've had too much
of them.' `Oh! Nonsense,' my friend said; `a little drop won't hurt
you, perhaps we may never meet again.' `Well, I don't know,' said the
other, in a sort of irresolute way. I could see he was thirsting for
the drink, for his eye sparkled when the flask was produced. I
whispered to my friend to forbear, but he would not. `Nonsense,' he
said; `just a little can do them no harm, it is only friendly to offer
it.' `Just a taste, then, merely a taste,' said our host, and produced
glasses. The mother tried to interfere, but her son frowned her into
silence. So grog was made, and the younger ones, too, must taste it,
and before we left the flask had been emptied. I took none myself, for
never has a drop of intoxicants passed my lips since I first left my
English home. I spoke strongly to my companion when we were on our way
again, but he only laughed at me, and said, `What's the harm?'"

"And what _was_ the harm?" asked Mark, in a rather sarcastic tone.

"I will tell you," replied John Randolph, quietly. "Four years later I
passed alone across the same track, and thought I would look in on my
old entertainer. I found the place, but where were the owners? All was
still as death, little of the fence remained, the stock yard was all to
pieces, the garden was a wilderness, the cottage a wreck. I made
inquiries afterward very diligently, and heard that the young farmer had
taken to drinking, that the younger children had followed his example,
the poor mother