76 THE FIRST GLASS OF WINE;

 

soon relieved their minds on that score. He
stoutly refused to accept of his father’s invi-
tations, and told his mother she need not be :
afraid for him ; he had seen what drink had.
made his father, and he wali never touch it —
of his own free will.
‘¢So things went on, , but as the Shihan |
grew older, they were more and more impa-
tient of their father’s bad conduct. Lhe
mother, with her deep love for bien, could.
endure what they could. not who only remem-
ber him as harsh, unfeeling, and tyrannical.
More and more, as they succeeded in making |
~ themselves respectable and respected, did
they feel that he was a deep disgrace to
them. They began to ur ge their mother to.
beg him to go away and leave them alto-

gether. This she refused. But the time

  

oa Rogrben it had to be done.