Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-04-02

hTnWnt mat nhAllt lld NtlIh Ntth hlOhlll lliI
brow and over a fair, white, tempting neck
arose before nv minds eye, again and again,
and I could not resist the impression that the
fathers fears for himself had fallen upon his
child. and that the horrible idea he had ma
med was but a phantom Of his own imagina-
lion. .'Can a rose so fair-a plant so per-
feet. bear within it the germ Of a disease so
fonl ~ asked myself, and in reply | see-
med TO hear the thrilling echoes of Helen's
sweet voice, as I had often heard them in her
youthful sports, or as / had heard them but
the day previous, the most musical in all the
village choir-answer, MOI
At that moment the fathers eye, calm and
neaceFul as of old-rpsted Il, ION my face, AMI
must have read there some trace of my tho'ts;
for. without a word, he slowly rose from his
chair and beckoned me to follow him, and led
the way into an adjoining bedroom, through
which he PASSED into another. 1t was robed
in white-pure and s]potless as the heart and
life Of a maiden should be, and a transient
rlance convinced me that in whatever else
the fair occupant sinned, she was not def
Client ian those evidences of emale refinement
-neatness, order, and taste.
A cold shuddcr shook Mr.. Greenwood's
somewhat cmaciated frame as he carefully
closed the door behind US, and approaching
the bed, drew aside the muslin curtain, per-
hitting the rays OF lamp to fall for an in
slant upon the youthful sleeper. A half
smotheled cry of anguish burst from his lips
as | involuntarily started, for at the first
glance the fearful truth was reYealed-H 1cas
the siupor Of intoricaiion!
as she often thus" | asked as | gazed
upon the red eye-lids, the crimsoned and
bioated cheeks, the swollen veins Of the neck,
and held fer an instant her burning hands.
s'No, thank God not often," murmured
the heart-brokcn father, as he dropped the
curtain and returned to the . study" n o
often, or it would be beyond my strength to
endure. The propensity early manifested IL
self, and remembering the horrors Of my own
life, | have never allowed her to 90 from me
for a day; wherever | have been she has ac-
companied me, and at night she has lnvaria-
bly, reposed in her sleeping room within my
own. Occasionally, however, she plead IA
severe headache and retired TO her room du-
ring some part of the day. Little suspectlng
the cause | at one time went in to ascertain
if she was suffering much, when-Good God!
how the recollection Of it fires my brain even
now when | found her as you have just
seen her, with a bottle of brandy under her
pillow. For two years | have carried this
degrading secret in my bosom, laboring night
and day 20 conquer in her this powerful and
thirst, as | have hitherto resisted it
myself, but in vain. In spite Of my vigilance,
she somewhere procured the poison, and with
a slender and yielding constitution, finds her
self unable TO resist the voice of her nature.
Tears, entreaties, appeals to her approbative-
ness, extortiuns of solemn promises, have
alike proved fruitless; and sleeping or wa
king the fact is be(oye my eyes in living,
burning characters-that my beautiful child
the idol of my heart-is,-is"-and he
uttered in my ear a word which to him COM
bined all the trials and torments of earth.
"Compose yourself, if possible, my dear
sir,' | said, when he had finished this pain
fnl recital, and after a few minutes reflection,
| will give you my advice" A few thoughts,
however, revealed TO me, how very little
medical aid could do against the constant
pleadings of that desire which had been one
of the earliest, and was still one of the strong
est peculiarities of her organization. Still,
what could, | resolved should be done with
out delay, and assuring the almost distracted
parent Of my deepest sympathy, | left some
written directions, and turned my steps home
ward. 1t was somewhat late when | again
entered the sitting.room, where my wife and
/ ldUniltI SUN Sdl. ulAlDuS ~ lGdlu INC cause
of my unusual detention at the parsonage"
Without betraying the secret of the erTing
girl, | contrived to create in the mind of my
own Mary an additional interest for the health
of her young friend, hoping she might aid
me in the plans | was forming for her recov-
cry. What those plans were, matters not
now-it is sufficient that they PARTIAL v or
perhaps for a time, wholly succeeded, and
,l,,t ,ho D,gt,r'S c,,ilo uyo- ,no, ,,Cr, From
and unchecked.
Helen Greenwood had now reached her
nineteenth year, and upon her bridal eve
was again summoned to the "Parsonage."-
Strange and fearful thoughts revolved in my
= mind, as, according to custom, | touched
: with my lips the brow of the youthful bride
y all radiant with beauty and the Joys of a de-
voted and requited love,-and pondered with
in myself whether the cure was perfect one
With his wonted vigilance, the father hac
- prohibited the usual accompaniment of wine
and fancied | saw in Helen's soft eyes
h slight look of disappointment, as she tool
from the servant a cup of coffee instead o
the usual beverage but it instantly disap
peared beneath the sweetest smile that eve
\, greeted my eye, and with a determination t
- Danish all fears, | mingled in the g~aities o
~ the evening. Towards its close the clergy
=" man again invited me to his " study
81 have done what is right said he rrae
-, ping my hand, 81 have revealed to Helen
% husband her fatal inheritance, and besougl
~ him if he still persisted in marrying her, t
i watch over her private hours with a nev,
~ %slumbering anxiety-to trust her not-for sh
~ has within herself no power of resistance
10 And now doctor, let me beseech you to IT
tain over her the influence which You at pr,
h. sent exert, and we may hope-yes, we wi
~. h9pe. 1t is a blessed feeling which for man
a long year has had no existence in nv b,
ID som, but now it lives again as in the pas
M and | owe all thanks to you"
lis Whatever fears ! privately entertained f
es- Helen, | could not at that moment darke
the countenance Of the good man by any So
le- forebodings, and | soon turned the conyers
ort ton to the young lawyer who would SOC
~ 1eh