Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1858-06-15
used 10 say SO, and didn't he die drunk
ards death She couldn't forget that.

ards death She couldn't forget that.
. am young, and have strong mind
Dora. For you | could do anything, and
1t will not require much effort to shake ea
the slight grasp which the rum demon has
on me now
Dora would try him. God willing. the
young man would be saved, and Dora
would be his wife after two years of trial.
And so bitter experience taught her a
lesson. If 1t hlighted the happiness of
her childhood, perhaps the meridian of
life and the geing down In death at last
would be all beautiful.
Hoping and fearing, and looking ahead
the girl toiled on. Perhaps she shrank
from the battle where blows of trouble
fell thick and fast, and regretted. for mo-
ments at time, tha, she had turned poor
Ben adrift on a two years cruise alone,
and perhaps on cruise for life. But
she would never marry him with ,he
bEghting curse of drunkenness clinging TO
him. She had had enough of that
Wearily enough a year sped on, for
she had seen nor heard nothing of
Ben during all that time. He had said
when he left her that the two years of
trial should be years of penitence for the
past since it had given Dora sorrow, and
he would not allow himself TO be blessed
enough II see her. Brave fellow he
kept his word, but il would have been
even a harder task for him had he known
how the girl mourned for him.
She was tired and weary with the world
and It's strife. She wanted something
more than a mere friend, and only Ben
could satisfy her. Why could he not write
to her. or at least let her know something
of his wh ereabouts? But she respected
HIM more that he was true to his VOW Of
silence. If he was only true TO temper
ance and-Dora
9 1t is always the darkest hour before
day" It seemed to Dora that the day
grew darker and more difficult day bv
day, though she was rapidly nearing the
end Of the two years of trial. Almost
unconsciously she looked around, expect
ing to find g somebody" near her, in hours
of Joy or trouble, to sympathlze with her,
and her burdens grew heavy, because
she could not give her whole strength to
lifting them. Out in the darkness her
little, freckled, toil-worn hand was stretch
ed with a heart in the palm, and why did
not Ben come and take it ? At least, why
did not time move faster His wheels
rumbled as if under a heavy load, and
sreaked as they slowly turned Out in
the darkness the gray eyes peered anx-
iously--as they did the night of the snow
storm when she sat IN the old farm house
all alone-but she was looking for the
beacon-hght Ben carried now.
And so the time went slowly on until
the last day of the two yaars of trial and
Of penanoe- came on. Glad ,vae Dora on
the morning of that day, and vet sad, for
there were foretodngs of evil that she
could not drive away, and her heart throb-
bed as much with pain as pleasure.
The morning wore away into noon, and
the noon went out. The sun crept slow
into the west, and at last set behind the
hills. Still Ben did not come.
Poor Dora, Hope sunk low in her
heart, and flickered feebly In the socket
when evening twilight came on Ben
did not come. He had fallen back into
the old way-Poor Ben or else he had
forgotten Dora.
Her head sunk low in her hands, and
her breast rose and fell with sighs.
{" Oh! Ben-Benr' she nurmured
with quivering, broken voice, and she
wept, for Ben was faithless to his word.
" Dora -
Somebody stood beside her-a tall,
handsome, manly fellow, and his arm
stole around her waist about the time a
kiss fell upon her lips.
" It's me, Dora-Ben and he's been
as true to his word as 10 you, and that is
saying much, Dora"
II Is all right now. The storm has pass
ed. Spring melts the snow away from
graves, and gives the world new and
youthful lease Of life. The Winter of
Dora's life has given place 10 SPRING
Sorrow has gone with the past, and hence
forth her path lies across flowery mea-
dows instead Of drifted snow.
Tho w nd Il ..na.zl