The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-08-10
ASHLAND ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO. WEDNESDAY MoRl


and the foremost in his class, and they hate
him for it. They will injure his good name if
they can, but never in my estimation" +
aGod bless you, my love- was all could
say. There were tears in my eyes and prom
ises in my heart, o she4was SO beautiful, so
good that afternoon can see the dear eyes
that have made shed many bitter tears, look
ing up at me now with the same soft, loving,
pleading, yet trusting glance. I can see the
dear red lips with my name. trembling upon
them.
awe parted. go to my disgraced home to
cold averted looks she to be sheltered, pettsd
and loved by all who know her. My faith
er, with incredible exert 6sa, procured me sit
uation in the service. 1t was the worst thing he
could have done for me, though that there would
soon be fighting promotion-if lived-was
possible, nay almost certain. But temptation
was on that vessel, on deck and in her cabin
took leave of Annette ard went to sea. Once
on the ocean, / forgot prudence, love, Annette,
all things pure and good in my devotion to the
cup There was wine at the table. A young
officer who .etook" to me had supplied himself
with champaign and various liquors. Twas al
ways to certain extent, drunk. Our destina-
ton was Mexico. There for the exhibition of
drunken valor was appointed second lieuten-
ant-before had been third. All sir, lived
a gay life dare not tell, nor even think of
my excesses-they were horrible. Onceagain
/ was promoted, and came home with the hon.
ors of first heutenancy thick upon me. Then
i was lonzed. Annette's friends forgot my
weakness. The glitter of my epauletts filled
their vision. They could not see the drunkard
in the uniform. / went to Annette's home as
/ listed.
"One night I called upon her. I had been
drinking freely, and was not sensible of my sit
r I, III haf
turing into her presence. She never looked
more beautiful. What said or did that night
1 never knew distinctly. / remember her wild
look of affright-fnally her locking herself in
her room, which made fruitless attempts to
enter, then my leaving the house with all the
doors open, and then comes blank,
"The next morning dawned upon me in the
chamber of friend. As looked up with
aching brain noble face bent over me-the
face of one who had been fellow collegian,
and who was then studying for the ministry.
81 asked feebly where was.
"sHorace and found you PROSTATE in the
street, a few rods from here. You were utter
ly helpless. We lifted you against your most
imprecating struggles; you cursed us with
every breath, but we finally brought you here,
and here you have slept till now. 1t wants a
quarter Of eleven. I closed the blinds that you
might sleep it off,
AZ did not ask what he meant by it. I was
ashamed to look at him.
stI limited at the effects of southern fever,
but from under my nearly closed lids saw
something like sneer- on his face.
"He sat down by my bedside, and pleaded
with me for about an hour. For Gods sake
he besought me to break from my ruinous hab-
it. He held up the very fame of he'll till 1
shuddered. Then he spoke of Annette, and l
knew by the tremor of his lips, and the husk-
mess of his voice, that he, too, loved my dar-
ling. had suspected it before, but now /
was certain, and it reused the widest feelings
of jealousy. Madly l boasted of her uncon-
querable attachment, fool that was With a
course, unskillful hand barred his own heart
to his view, till he shrunk from me in agony.
Then arose, forgetting all gratitude for his
great favor in bearing me senseless, disgusting
as I was, from the clutches of the police or
watchman! saving me the shame of opening
my eyes in station house, and have my name
bruited about in the public prints.
az went to the door of Annette. I was
ushered into side parlor, where she lay upon
a lounge, her cheeks as colorless as the dead,
her large eyes shining ftfully and looking as
if they never had been closed in sleep.
Gas I bent over her she said softly:
"'Please don't come so near me, Mr.. Isling-
ton I am ILL., W2%
81 started at that as if had been shot. 'Mr.
Islingtonp
1 repeated my own name, looking at her
with wandering glance.
"Oh! if / could believe it was not you, but
some other she said sighing in weary way,
and shutting her eyes tightly, though not SO
as to prevent the teaIs that would ooze
through. aEfJ
"What can you meanp / asked, and my
l.. II,
ished her.
".O, Richard you don't know what you said
last night she cried convulsively, passionately
you don't-you can't know what you did. O,
Richard the very recollection of it crazes me.
Don't don't come near me, indeed / can't bear
it. The recollection-ohi terrible, terriblep
"'For Gods sake Annette, what did [ say !?
What did do? Tell me that may ask your
pardon on my knees, and then I will leave you
forever
"sO Richard, she moaned Then she caught
my hand with impulsive tenderness drew me
towards her, laid her head on my arm as she
said in a tone that haunts me yet
"tI will tell you little, and then you must
go. 1t will be best for both of us, Richard
for both. 1t may break my heart; but it would
be broken some time. Richard, 1 cannot say in
words what you said to me. Now, it would
kill me to hear them. Oh ! never thought
this would happen-aiter all have said-allI
have felt for you. jau rs .-ls5
-.Riehard you have revealed some horrible
things to me- Oh were you 80 wicked in
that foreign country? Did you love and de-
ceive that poor Spanish girl2 o, God help
you, poor Richard God help you if you did
81 sat stupefed-pale with horror. She
looked in my face, and shuddered as she.said
brokenly =
81 could forgive all but that" a. at
"I felt condemned criminal. For while
sat there struggling for voice, and then told
her that however wicked I had been, had
never deceived a woman. sa h
"Oh, 1 am so gladP she said, sinking from
my arm to the pillow of the lounge. But,
Richard, how. can I forget last night2 Don't
get down to me in that way. 1 know now-I
knew then you were not yourself; and for that
reason because you will not conquer that fatal
habit, we must part. Don't say another word,
dear; weak and yielding as seem, / can be firm
Remember that your own hand has thrown the
cup from your lips. have tried to believe