Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-12-02

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TIE door hall rung, ana the CONVEX
sation was interrupted.
Company was announced, and Har-
rison slipped out upon the street to
quiet his perturbed spirits in the moon
light.
"The way Of the world, )" hemutter-
ed, as he passed to and fro before the
elegant mansion that now made his
home. t'My father makes it Q boast
that he was once . poor man, and has
worked his way up from poverty to
wealth by his own ererny and prudence.
Yes, he makes il his boast, butC inter
all, I think it's more luck or good for
tune, or perhaps We may say the unex-
ampled growth of this great country,
than anything else, that has given. rs
our position. Little dreamed he when
he bought his farm here, that twenty
years would increase its value one hun
dged fold, Then he looked up to farm
ef Boyd as superior, and was de-
lighted when his boy played hide and
seek. in the summer moonlight with
the Congressman's daughter. And
mother, too, how much pains she took.
Bah and now that misfortune hath
fallen on the household, and Kate, the
gentle Kate, strong in the purity other
own nature, is doing the very thing
that father and mother have all their
life long taught me were right and
proper and praiseworthy, I am called
upon to act the poltroon and forsake
her. Oh! it is strange how deeply
rooted is this prejudice against female
labor, and particularly household labor,
ins the hearts of our Ameriman people.
From the haughtiest aristocrat Of us
all, q say us, for we lovingly profess
to be band Of brothers, who traces
his proud blood back to some offshot of
nobility. down to the ignorant body
whose father was . coal HEAVIER, and
who, by some sudden freak of fortune,
has grown to millionaire-through
every branch Of society, to its most
,, minute rami6cation, is this feeling
found. Vice itself, if it happen to be
a fashion, is not so obnoxious as hard
labor, to the mushroom aristocrscy of
Republican America = Heaven
: save the mark what Republicans We
, are! But I'll not budge-not I! I'll
marry Kate-God bless her; nspite Of
them and there is another thing
must do" (And dark shade came
over the brow of the young man, 81
must save Mary from Preston, or ]
: must save Charles Preston from his
wine." -
As the thought glared through hia
! mind, his ear caught the sound Of a ia
miliar laugh through an opened door
from an inner room Of a fashionable
saloon that he was passing. Though
not frequenter of such places, he
, stepped in and inquired for Preston,
and was ushered without ceremony in
to the presence Of his friend. 95-
Lounging in a recess half concealed
by the heavy drapery, with his head
/ resting against the shoulder of dash
ing belle Of the city upon whom rumor
had already fastened dark suspicious,
but whose fathers wealth and influence
, still kept her on the top wave Of gen
, tility, was the lover of his pure minded
sister. Before them stood the wine
bottles, and they only waited for their
oysters to commence their evenings
dissipation. Oh, fatal lures are the
oyster and ice cream saloons with all
their elegance and show, too often, but
the gilded doors that usher the young,
, unsuspecting and thoughtless into dens
Of deeper and darker intemperance and
crime.
Preston started and colored, but COL
|, Letting himself instantly sprang quick
, ly to his feet and gave Harrison q kind
" grasp of the hand and a warm well
come, inviting him to be seated and
partake with them, at the same time
ordering another dish of oysters, and
another bottle.
"Not for me, not for me-" remon-
stra:ed young Grey, 81 never drink
wine under any circumstances, and sell
dom eat oysters, except at my regular
meals, so excuse me. l heard your
merry laugh, and just called in to ask
the news. Have you got throug h with
that railroad case 2"
A dark scowl fitted over the features
Of both the beau and belle. Without
giving Preston time to reply to Grey's
question, the lady replied with affected
pertness :"Not drink wine, MIR. Grey !?
How very queer; not te-totsler 20
81 drink no beverage stronger than
pure water"
ella me. I don't believe water was
ever made to drink, it's so insipid."
cit may be, Miss Leland, to those
who indulge daily in high seasoned
food and drink, but as I do neither, it
is very delicious to my palate"
'sYou may drink it all for me-" said
the proud beauty, with . toss of her
evidently piqued at the young
mans sobriety. 81 have no sympathy
with those who make capital out Of
their own weakness. A man that has
not resolution and character enough to
use the good things Of this world with
out abusing them, is no man at all.
Come, now, let me tempt you to taste
this delicious-beautiful wine. Come,