Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1860-08-29

~ now and then. On! Anna, Anna, nov
little you know of the agony of seeing ont
you love fall. She has never loved as
have or she would not have spoken so care
lessly. His honor is more to me than idle
mirth." So thinking, while tears. the bit
terest her eyes had ever shed, fell thick anC
fast, the young girl walked with quick steE
along the well known path, to the home o.
her widowed mother, mile or more from
I the revelers' hall in the village.
1t was thirty years ago, that Ellen Camp
bell thus deserted the dancing hall. wher
young men sought their partners at the
twilight hour, and went with them to places
of amusement without form or ceremonies.
Customs have changed since, but human
nature has not
Ellen Campbell. as has been stated, was
the only child of a widow, who in early
married life had borne all the sorrOws of a
drunkard's wife
One son had been born to them, but in
one of the fathers drunken revels, he had
turned wife and children out in the chill
winds of winter. The babe died the next
day, of convulsions, and there was no
physician, to tell the gossipping world, that
the mothers agony and fear, had given
poison nourishment to the babe she loved
50 well. The father died soon after,
died by his own hand, not by putting a
dagger through his heart or a rope round his
neck, but as surely by his own hand as if
life had been ended by either of these
means, died by lifting the cup of death
daily to his lips.
But strange tosay, he had not lived long
enough to squander all the fortune that
Mrs CampbelPs father held for her in her
own name So that the two had lived in
ease and comfort, and Ellen had been ed
ucated as well as the time and place
would permit.
Anna Luke and Ellen Campbell were
cousins, and inseparable companions and
friends. Both beautiful, both betrothed.
The village of A. had not many in
ducements of business for young men, and
Win had been absent some months in
neighbOring city, and the ball had been
got up in honor of his return.
Ellen thought him rather merry when
he called for her, but did not suspect the
truth, till he offered her his hand to lead her
to the ball room. Before the first set re-
tired, she had taken her resolve, and with
strong will carried it out
. A few moments after she left, supper was
announced, and VIII sought Anna, with
bOisterous calling for Ellen.
ELLEN Campbell has gone home"
"GOne home, what in the does that
mean?"
"YOu must go and ask her" replied An
ma, as she gave her hand to her partner,
who was Wills city companion and no less
under the influence of wine than himself
''Darned if care enough about it, +" said
VIII, as he rushed alone to the supper room.
We will not follow the parties through the
vagaries of night; the next morning Will
Heron found himself upon the floor of the
ante-room, in strange position, and with
a fearful headache. He crawled home and
hid himself from his friends through the
day.
There was great gossip over the village, |
and leud condemnation was poured out up
on Ellen Campbell. Anna Luke would not
call upon her, although she had herself
been obliged to 60 home with staggering
beau at was a shame" she said, ''for Ellen
to be so fastidious," and Will Heron went
back to the city without seeing the light of
his life. |
He loved Ellen Campbell; they had play
ed together in childhood; and walked the
same village path to school through all the
early years of youth. As he in his sober
glanced backward of life's track,
he could see no spot of brightness, upon
which her radience did not shine; no hour
Of pleasure, which her presence had not
eheered; no music strain in which her voice
had not mingled. He tried to think the
insult offered him too great to be forgiven.
But the more he tried to forget her, the
the more he remembered, had he not insult
ID her by presenting himself to her in such
state? was she not right? would he not have
eft her had he found her tipsy with wine?
Pure hearted, beautiful Ellen, he loved her
III the moro, and cursed himself for his
wickedness and folly.
Weeks went by, and his pride still kept !
lim aloOf from the village. He could not {
wen write; how could he pen letter to
me who had so spurned him? But in all /
hese weeks he had not once looked in up ]
IN his boon companions, and if perchance
ONE one offered him the wine cup her :
orm seemed to stand beside it, and he
ancied he felt the grasp of her hand upon
lis own; he loathed it, loathed the COM
'aniOnship of those who used it; became
cry attentive to business; more thought
ul, more earnest But upon his heart there {
ly nightmare of sorrow; he grew pale i
nd sad c
Who shall ever say "lOvcd Once?" he loved '
till. f