Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1858-10-14

reason or listen to reason, and, as usua
with such men, he few into passion
and charged Annie with loving another
al do not love another" said Annie
with some scorn in her manner, "but
will never marry drunkarde'
Harvey regarded her with some
amazement for few seconds, and ther
bursting into coarse laugh, uttered
some maudlin nonsense and tried tc
take her hand. but Annie firmly repuls
ed him. and left him 10 his own un'
pleasant meditatiohs.
"Pshawl" he muttered. "She'l
soon come to. Besides, only take 9
glass in moderation"
Thus deluding himself he went on hi:
way, daily becoming less liable to re.
sist the dreadful habit that was coiling
round himsin folds as strong as those o
the boa constructor.
Annie, prayed, entreated, held up tc
him examples, warnings; and finding
all Of no avail, to her fathers surprise
but not regret, she caused the marriage
TO be postponed indefinitely. The nat
ural purity of her nature revolted at the
idea of marrying a man who had so fai
forgotten himself 1t must be admitted
that the never-to-be-forgotten pale face
at the wicket-gate, seen in the twilight.
very much influenced her determine
tion.
"Have you and Frank quarrelled?"
inquired her father.
"No-thati is, not much; but he keeps
too much company, and l am afraid
-" Annie did not complete the SEN
tence. She still loved the erring young
man. and would not degrade him in her
parents eyes.
Harvey, with all loves eloquence,
pleaded for a reversal of the sentence
he promised conformity to her wishes
even to taking pledge.
Annie, although her heart beat vio'
lcntly, was unyielding; all that she
would grant was years probation. !,
"Why, we may be dead in that timep'
he exclaimed. "Besides, isn't it better
to SOW my wild oats before, mafriags
than after % -. 81
/ Annie had been a great reader, Sc
she Indignantly replied, "Wild oats, ID.
deed And do you expect me to tais
for husband, a man who has been sod
ed in all kinds OF mire? You might as
well ask me to live in house without
troof or windows. Harvey, you are
much mistaken ifyou thinkI will give
my hand to man who has not been abis
% controf himselsE And askS Ssss;;t id<ss
plainly tell you, Frank. that, simple
country girl as I am, know that if q
man has wild oats before marriage, he
is pretty sure to have an abundant crop
afterwards"
Harvey considered himself ill-used.
and Annie did not see him for week
afterwards. When she did, she was
gratifed and surprised at visible i'm
provement in his appearance, and this
continued throughout the winter, and,
as il to assure her that the change was
real, no more injurious reports reached
her ears. But this amendment was on
ly artificial, for Harvey, profting by the
evil counsels of his companions, pursued
his career of dissipation away from his
native place. This hypocrisy, howev-
er, only served to harden his nature and
strengthen the awful habit into which he
had fallen. 1t also, by inspiring in him
too much confidence in his powers of en-.
durance, brought about its exposure and
punishment.
"I'm seasoned now, and defy even
Annie to see there's anything the mat
ter with me-" he said, vain-g n-gloriously,
as one evening in June he called at An
nie's fathers house, and took bis accus-
toned seat in the parlor.
Annie observed with horror that he
was very much intoxicated, and the
memory Of the pale face at the wicket
gate came over her with sIckening dis
tinctness. Her father, although short
sighted, noticed something strange in
Harvey's behavior, but had the latter
confined himself to ordinary topics the
old man might not have known the
cause. As the fumes of the poisonous
compounds he had swallowed to excess
mounted to his brain, Harvey became
excited, and presently all sense Of dis
cretion vanished in the vain desire TO
communicate what he considered good
news.
Congratulate me-" he exclaimed,
with difficulty suppressing a hiccup,
Congratulate me II stand a chance
of making three thousand pounds"
"Glad to hear it," said Mr.. Lee
Through a deceased relative, l sup
pose ?"
Deceased fddlesticks l' exclaimed
Harvey. mo. Look you here! An
ME and are to be married next year,
so 1 thought i would risk hundred or
two to make her more comfortable like,
so l took Tom Higgins advice, and laid
'em out on the next July cup. Sure to
win-so Tom says; and although ii l have
lost to 'un, never venture, never win.
So you see, Annie, I shall put three
thousand pounds in your apron next
month. What do you think of that,
sweetheart ?"
With this rhodomontade Harvey at
tempted to draw nearersto Annie, but
she retreated behind her fathers chair,
saying, "Frank. go home, pray do"
Mr.. Lee, now clearly Sperceiying the
condition of his intended son-in-law,
seconded the request, but Harvey, like
a man blindly rushing upon his ruin,
took no heed of the intimation, but be-
nan tn talk ahont his ha4n md hn-rar