The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1858-03-25
Original Storg,
Written for the News.
The Girl-Friends.
ny MARY B
CHAPTER XII.

from the room, looked back aG me with /
an expression so touching and sorrowful, !
that Ibowed my proud head, Nellie, and
wept, Thoughts henever knewit. henever
came again and pillowed her head on
my shoulder, to plead with me; and I !
never told her that my heart would rest
more peacefully, if she was there.
"I did not stay at home much; and
when I was there I was gloomy and ir-
ritable. often saw the tears gathering
in her eyes, as she sat quietly near me;
and then my heart would ache, and I
would firmly resolve to quit drinking,
and bring the sunlight back to my Ma
ry's life.
"Sbe often prayed for me, kneeling.
down by her portrait; for she thought
that I still loved her, and so I did,
At such moments a wild yoarning would
throb in my heart, to kneel by her side
and pray with her but P1ide-oh,
what.a mOckery it is!--kept me back.
~ still attended to my business; but
II became nervous and ezeitable, and
but few came to me for paintings Two
years had passed away, when God gave
us little Willie. How I loved him.
Nellie, my beautiful irst-b born! and
loved my Mary; but the curse of my
sinful habit was destroying my spirit
ual nature, and would taunt her,
when Willie was but a child, by placing
to his sinless lips the poison which was
running me. Then the great love Of
the fond young mother would speak,
and kneeling at my feet, she would i'm
plore me to spare her boy; not upbraid-
ingly, but in the saddest voice 1 have
ever heard
"Don't weep, my child, said the old
man; though the tears we're in his own
eyes; "don't weep, darling, she has gone
to that land, where the wicked cease
from troubling"
In a low, tromulous voice, he con.
tinued;
"I heard her pray again, Nellie; and
she prayed that God might take Willie
up to Heaven, or spare him the dread.
full doom of the drunkard. One night
the Death-Angel did come for our boy
bent over that little form, so dear tc
me, when the bitterness of death surg.
ed high. Why must he suffer SO,
cried, when he never siuned2 There
/ came an answer. It seemed like one
speaking from heaven: 'Wondcros
thou, fond father, why he suffers so?--
Wonder no moroI The great eternity
of bliss, that is waiting for our cherub
, boy, is enoughr
at was near the midnight hour wher
he died I sat dumb and sorrow-strick
! en-, under this heavy blow, but his moth
e er tenderly closed the sweet mouth, ant
laid the curls back from the innocen
, white brow. And as she pressed thu
r lids over the beautiful eyes, that ha,
p been so like her own, she knelt dowl
and whispered, they will open agair
in the starry skiesr
81 followed my frst-born to the silen
grave but instead Of melting my hear
to repentance, it was filed with rebel
lion and bitterness.
'I sat that evening by the dim ligh
Of candle, gloomy and desolate, an
d wondered why Mary did not come
i At last her light footstep fell across tn
floor and I turned towards her, for
70 felt very lonely. Never shall 1 forge
how she looked. She was dressed il
. her bridal robes; the faded brida
wreath twined in her hair. She cam
and knelt at my feet, and her voice wa
earnest and impassiOued, as she spoke
" You'll take me to your heart ono
more, dear husband? See, I have come
the same as when you took me FIRST
only the flowers have faded, like m
hopes. Oh, take me to your heart ono
morel Willie is gone, and you are al
all that's left to love me. Oh, do no
turn me awayP
~ clasped her to my bosom, an
d bathed her sweet face with my tears
: and once more solemnly promised {
drink no more.
! "When I laid down with her in IN
arms that night, she fell asleep frst-
I looked, and a happy smile was on he
:, oountenanoe
\ "Ohl my child would that / coul
y tell you 1 kept my promise sacrodl-
Would that I could pass over the laps
Of one year Of my life, as though I ha
never lived IT, I grew wor5o I wei