The lady of the house thought it very queer, and next day sought an explanation. It was, after some reluctance, given with tears and passionate ejaculations. The lady thought there might be danger; indeed her husband and oldest son had of late seemed too fond of wine. Several conversations followed between the two mothers, and the lady, just previous to the next social gathering, said to her husband at the breakfast table, in the presence of her sons:
"What do you say to having no wine tonight? That story of Mrs. F.'s has really frightened me?"
"Now," said the husband, "don't you go to preaching temperance; it's enough to have one woman in the house teaching morals."
"But," said the anxious wife and mother, "I was not preaching; I was just asking what you thought of it; and if you were willing, I had made up my mind to turn over a new leaf in our receptions."
Husband,—"Well, then I shall go in for abandoning coffee and tea. I think they do a great deal more harm than wine!"
Herbert,—"Yes, and how it would sound with all our fellows here, to tell them with solemn faces, that we were afraid they would all become drunkards, and so we must deny them. Oh, pshaw! I should never hear the last of it."
Mother,—"I can only say that when they were here last, several of them, including my own dear Herbert, drank too much."
Herbert,—"I think we had better turn it into a prayer-meeting at once."
Father,—"Oh well, mother, let us eat our breakfast in peace. We will speak of it some other time."
During the day the two mothers held a long conversation, in which Mrs. F described the beautiful, fresh face and spirit of Charles, before the dreadful thirst took possession of him, and the horrible, brutal oaths and passion which followed.