Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-12-23
MORNING LEADER.
ANNIE LEE
OR,
The Happy Results of AIaiden's FIrmness.
LContinued J

assure her that the change was real, no more
injurious reports reached her ears. But this
amendment was only artificial, for Harvey, prof
| iting by the evil eounsels of his companions
pursued his career of dissipation away from his
native place. This hypocrisy however, 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 endurance, brought aboutits exposure
and punishment.
81 am seasoned now, and defy even Annie to
see there's anything the matter with me" he
said, vain-g -gloriously, as one evening in June be
| called at Annie's fathers house, and took his
accustomed 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 sick
ening distinctness. Her father, although short
sighted, noticed something strange in Harvey
behavior, but, had the latter confined himself to
ordinary topics, the old man might not have
known the cause As the fumes of the poison
Gus compounds he had swallowed to excess
mounted TO his brain, Harvey became excited,
and presently all sense of discretion vanished in
the vain desire to communicate what he con-
sidered good news.
Congratulate me" he exclaimed, with diff
Guilty suppIessing q hiccuP, Congratulate me
II stand a chance of making three thousand
pounds"
'Glad TO hear il" said Mr.. Lee. "Through a
deceased relative, suppose !"
Deceased fiddlestcks =" exclaimed Harvey.
''No. Look you here Annie and are to be
married next year, so thought I'd risk hun
dred or two, to make her more comfortable like,
SO 1 took Tom Higgins advice, and laid 'em
puf on tho paVt Iulv cun Sura tn Uiu-sO
Tom says; and although / have lost two 'un,
never venture, never win. So you see, Annie,
shall put three thousand pounds in your apron
next month. What do you think of at,sweet-
heart ~
With this rhodomontade, Harvey attempted
to draw nearer TO Annie, but she retraaiad ha-
hind her fathers chair, Saying, "Franl,g home,
pray DO"
Mr. Lee, now clearly perceiving the condition
of his intended son-in-law, seconded the re-
quest, but Harvey, like man blindly rushing
upon his ruin, took no heed of the intimation
but began to talk about his bets and hOrse-ra
cling, and other matters connected with the turf
Mr.. Lee at length lost all patience, and author
Itatively bade him make the best of his way
home.
Home! why this is as much my home as
the farm, isn't it" shouted Harvey with drunk
en- levity.
"Never!" exclaimed Mr.. Lee, thoroughly
disguised, ''never shall it be home for drunk
ard and a gambler Leave the room-leavt
the house see now why my wise, good An
ME, put off the wedding Oh Frank, l did no
think this of thee and right glad am l tn.
father is not living to see tit would hav'
broken his heart Leave the house, say, thol
degenerate, ungodly son of a Sirtuous and godll
father and mother"
Supplied at these weIl-merited reproaches
| Harvey Looked frn--- f-tI-eI d-sLt-- ~apeat
edIy, but as he caught the stern expression G
the old mans eye fixed upon him, a. glimmer
ing perception of his disgraceful state stol
into his mind, and without uttering anothe
word, he staggered from the room, out of tn
shop, and into the street, where he mounte
his horse and rode rapidly away in the directiO
of Liverpool.
"My dear child" said the old man, embra
cling his daughter, as she threw herself sobbin
on his breast, "my dear, dear child, be con
! posed. This is great deliverance, thoug
painful"
+ After soothing Annie as well as he could b
warm caresses and every endearing parents
epithet, he opened the family bible and read
fayorite chapter, habit with him when annoy
ed or perplexed Afterwards, he remained in
stdtc VI IClcCLlOA AOI d lew lllluulcSg anu lutl
as he phrased it, "his mind was made up
: There was good deal of the stern old pur
, tan spirit in his disposition, (for remnants
, the old Cromwellian Independents, perfect
: all their features, form and costume, abound
the small towns and villages and remote di
!, tricts of Lancashire,) and when he had d
!, termined on q course of action, he was infex
= bic. "The match was broken off," but /
would speak fatherly and gently to his beaut
full Annie.
"Annie, Annie, child of thy devout mother
he said, "pever marry q drunkard. The hab
! is easily, frequently innoeently got. but hard
be got rid CT. Look at that miserable bod
Jenny Thompson, wasting body and sui
stance in pot-hOuse, and his wife and chill,
!, rem starving at home (The good man sal
: nothing about weekly allowance of bres,
&c And look, Annie, at our ehurchyard
how many drunkards, how early cut off, 1
,, there! In q corner, Ike dead dog, liz
William Jackson, prsiseworthy man in SON
! respects, but he was bad to himself, and he die
in a roadside ae-house. His memory
jeered at by his surviving reprobste compal
ions and those who kept themselves uprigl
speak of him harshly, and never give him cred
!, for the real good that was in him Oh, Ami
= = my dear, darling Annie, never marry drum
: ard-it's sin, railing sin against Gods Pro
8 idence."
u ''Father, neverwill," ;" replied Annie frml
! 81 have told Frank SO repeatedly. But, faith,
!. dear, cannot help feeling for him, he vi
once so different"
THE finest lad in the parish - said the o
:, man. "I must see him and admonish him
: the awful error of his ways" When ne WI
: alone, he muttered, "and SO Frank had turnt
: what they call "a good fellow y Poor Lac
: poor lad l never hear those words, but 81
= looming in the CHASTITY distance, either a wor
house or a prison"
The proposed match was now definite
broken of, and Harvey's exeesses soon becan
. SO wild, that The most respectable inhabitants
the place began to shuD his company. Ann
2 exerted herselfto reclaim him. A true won;
never despairs until the grave has closed ov
II the object of her affections. She wrote hi
Of the most kind, affectionate letters, employ
argument and entreaty, but all to no avail
Harvey's only response was, will you mar
me-will you keep your promise ~
Wien Annie, who at this point felt so aeut
ly that her health suffered, examined her Ov
conscience, she would excIaim, II cannot y
And, if burst of womanly tenderness escape
the recollection Of the pale face at the wick
gate subdued it in an instant. Her moral eoU
age was very strong, for her love was full
warm pLlsations and tender clingings.
Harvey and she only met casually duril
! several months, and that only under cireul
stances that did not admit of private intt
view. During that time the infatuated you
Y man had become the talk of the neighborhoC
His dissipation and gsmbling losses had invol
ed him in pecuniary embarrasgments, unfort
e; nately TO greater extent than was genera
surmised At length they met. 1t was Su
day, and Annie was returning from school
some distance from her home, in which she
casionally assisted, as teacher. The part
the road was secluded and they had often n
there in the sunny days of their love
"Well, Frank ;" said Annie, sorrowfully,
cd she regarded his changed appearance, his hs
: gard features, sunken eyes and untidy aPpar