Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-10-28

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his wise's happiness. which, however, the
latter did not apprehend until some months
after their union. Harry Langley was
cursed with fine voice. Itmay, therefore,
be easily supposed that at the parlor Of the
Blue Boar he was welcome guest on club
nights. 1t was not until Harry began to
spend several evenings in succession from
home, and not return until late, and then
slightly excited, that Edith augured danger
from this source; as soon as she did, she
gently cautioned her husband against form
ing bad habits; but chow could refuse a
bit Of song, Edith :" ssic would ask, and
with the beisterodsH echo. Of the maudlin cbo-
rus:
every good song!
ss. Very well sung!
Jolly companions every One:
yet ringing in his ears, his vanity was graf
flied, and he failed to listen to the voice OF
his home charmcr, though she charmed new
er 80 wisely. ''Faciis aescensus avermi. "
Harry had of late, returned in an incbriated
state from Bath. and with great concern his
young wife received complaints from the
village people that their commissions had
been neglected Her uncle had also heard
of the carriers irregularities, and talked
with him on the subject only two or three
days before the period at which our tale
commences. The result was that Harry
had faithfully promised to avoid temptation
in future, promise which would quite set
his wife's mind at rest, had she not known
but too well his weak point. He promised
fairly enough, and he meant to be faithful
to it, Edith could not but believe him,
though she believed with trembling.
A gay city is Bath-with its promenades
pump-room, gardens, terraces and the like.
You can scarcely walk through any one
street without some kind of temptation as
sailing you. Shawlshops for the women,
and taverns and gambling houses for the
men, to say nothing of host Of other pomps
and vanities. Bath is the place to see gray
old dowagers sitting from dusk till dawn,
and from dawn till dusk again, playing at
whist to see dashing rakes squandering a.
way fortunes at faro, roulette or hazard to
see footmen with monstrous calves, like
those sketched by Thackeray in "Jeames
Yellowplush's Memoirs gentlemen's gen
tlernsn as these worthless are called, who ape
their masters absurdities and vices; Bath
is the place to see all these things, and a
great many others besides, and therefore,
we cannot wonder that, what with its gaiety
and its genteel dissi patton, it was place Of
great attraction to Harry Langley. It hap
pened unfortunately for him. that the tavern
which he made his headquarters in this gay
city, was the resort Of many Of the upper
men servants of the first families Of the place
and by degrees they patronized and fatter-
cd in their swell way, the young carrier,
whom they pronounced "a doosed good fell
la !-rayther verdant, perhaps, and unpol-
ished, but "dayvelish good song" And
SO it came to pass that before long Harry
was free Of the gentleman's gentlemen's par
lors, in which he sang many . ''dayvelish
good song" and drank many more glasses
Of grog than his brain could stand, or his
pocket could afford
Half past three o'clock had chi,ned from
the clocks Of the Bath churches, when Har-
~, having completed all his business ex-
cepting purchasing the shoes for little Ellen,
walked towards the stables to pack his cart
and have Cap'n put in the shafts. Many
invitations to drink had he that day refused
and he was priding himself on bis drmness,
when the window Of the gentleman's gentle
mems room was thrown up, and ''Hullo.
Harry, my boy come in" greeted his ears.
Cant, I'm just going" said Harry. NOV
ing on, and he did move on to the stables,
where he gave his orders.
Ocne more no passed the window, and a.
gain resisted temptation. He then proceed
ed to shop, purchased the red morocco
shoes, and returned to the cewyard with
them dangling from his hand, thinking bow
proud little Ellen would be Of them, and al
most fancying he heard the batter Of her
tiny feet a. she danced with glee on the dear
cottage floor.
"Why, who are those far, Harry y ask
ed one Of the occupants of the parlor, whose
window was still raised.
"Why, for my little girl, my Nellie p "a
Their proudly replied Harry. 'Its hel
birthday, to-day, and this is my present.
Bless her, how her blue eyes will sparkle,
to be sure, when she gets sight ofthem."
''Nay, then, Harry, you must come in and
take one glass, only one"
"Not Drop" said Harry, ''thank you all
the same; but must be excused ?
What not enc to your Nelfie's good health
on her birthday? A pretty sort Of father,
you must be- Come come in, let's have
one song and then we'll all drink health and
hanniness to YOUR daughter, wife and all the
family besides"
But no, enter he would not. Seeing this,
one Of the company called for glass OF
brandy and water, aud thrusting it through
the window, forced it into Harry's hand. ~
Thus prepared, the young man slipped
'.many happy returns Of the day" to Nellie,
and presently, as matter Of courtesy,
drank all the gentlemen's good healths. -
Before long there was little difficulty in per-
suading him to so inside. So tossing the
shoes into the cart, which by this time
was at the door, he entered the par1or.
Among the company was very fashy
looking individual, of sinister aspect and
ihsinuating manners. He was soon on in
innate terms with Langley, from whom he
speedily. now that the latter was under the
Influence Of liquor, wormed out all his Sc
erets-such as from and to whom he carried
valuable parcels, aud the like. necessarily
Piled with drink, Harry became thoroughly
intoxicated, and it was not until nearly
eight o'clock in the evening that he depar-
ted from the city. Fortunately the horse
was steady one, and knew the road, and
TT 80. .~orrb loft - aNo,w ~ y -,