Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-05-23

turned away my face and pretended that
heard something at the window.
" have seen her" replied, when | had
composed myself. "Sho plays the organ in the
church"
"She and | were schoolmates," pursued
Stanton "and speaking OF wine brings her to
my mind. DO you know anything of her early
life
" Nothing" l answered.
" Poor Mary | never think OF her without
feeling my resolution Of total abstinence grow
stronger and stronger When we were school
children together her father was the wealthless
man Boa Bryu.le, aud che and her brother
@er. among The happiest Of the happy.
| Mr. Granville was In the habit Of drinking
wine and the habit grew upon him until he
| lelt lie could not live without bis brandy. lie
was OF a social disposition, and in lime 1t came
TO pass that be was grossly intoxicated. Or
course, under such circumstances one Of the
$50 .hings must happen. The man must re
! form, or he must sink Mr.. Granville did not
reform aud ore many years be died drunk
Irds death, leaving bis family in poverty and
suffering Thomas, the soD, was four years
older than Mary, became very dsspated, and
40 the age Of eighteen, was killed in street
| dght in New York. Mrs Granville survived
uer ION but lew mon.ns absolutely dying the
doctor said Of broken heart.
Poor Mary, thus left latherless and mother
Iess. without brother or sister, at the age Of fl
teen. was forced 20 earn tho bread which she
eat and noby has she done it, If you know
her, Charlie, you know one Of the noblest wo-
men that ever lived But what ia the
matter Why, bless me, you look as pale as
a ghost"
struggled with myself, and told Jack that |
had swallowed lot OF cigar smoke arose
and opened one If the easements stepped out
upon che balcony, where the fresh air partly
restored me u my former self.
Ata late hour Jack departed for the hotel.
and when had retired 10 my chamber ! paced
~ and fro until long part midnight. | could
lo oneer misunderstand the motives which had
acJuated Mary 10 rejecting my hand. She knew
that vas 10 the habit Ol using wine, and shat
on that evening when last We met she must
have discovered that | had drunk enough to
bring a false hush TO my cheek.
" OI. my God, - | CALCULATED, as | sank into
a chair, wonder not that she feared to trust
her luiure hle 10 my keeping She has suhsr.
cd enough from the accursed cup. The nigh
lul sorrow and desolatou has been long enough
upon her. Sue would be worse than mad u
take d husband whose opening pathway Of lite
led towards the PIT into which the loved ones
LOT other days had fallen.
" But. asked myself "why did she not
tell me the whole TRUTH
found no difficulty 10 answering the ques
ton. Sue had shrunk from woundlns my eel-
lngs. knew how sensitive she was, and !
knew that she uad b en- AFRAID Of offending me.
Perhaps she thought me proud and heatstropg
enough to res ut such liberty on her part, and
perhaps she imagined that ! might look upon
her course as the Offering OF her hand IN c5nsid-
Grafton Of my reuOuuolng the wlne-cup, and
ihat might spurn said offer.
On Friday Jack stanton left me, and on Sat
urday evening ! called at M4ry : boarding place.
Mary herself answered my summons She
started whon che SAW me, and ! saw her right
hand move quickly towards her heart
/" Mary, sld /, speaking very calmly, for |
had a mighty strength OF will now to support
mo 90 have not come to di.Ness you. have
come us q friend, and | humbly ask that you
will give me audience for a ieS minutes
She went into the paror, and ! followed her,
coslug the door behind me aud when We were
alone she set the lamp upon the table, and mo-
TONED me TO Il seat
No. sad /, 81 will not cit down yet.
Give me your hands, Mary.
Mechanically she put forth her hands, and |
took them in my own. There was a wondering
look in her l'ce, and a slight dush had come to
her pale cheeks.
Mary continued, speaking slowly and
sofdy-and knew that moisture was gather
mg IN my eyes" you must answer me ono
I.tl fs ..ffrafttu Ars "a vDu Ulpaaa and
lake ms solemn assurance that | only ask it Tor
my goOd Tell me-Do you love me' No, no
do not take Your hands away yet. Answer
me it you can. Fear not-O, fear not Tor |
would rather 20 forth into endless night than
DO you wrong. Tell me, Mary, do you love
me
81 clunot speak falsely" she tremblingly
whispered. For my own peace perhaps love
you too well.
", Listen to me one moment" | added, draw.
ing her nearer to me "and when have told
you what have TO tell, you shall be The judge.
She did not strive 10 lrse her hands but she
( zsd up eagerly inte my face, and her eyes
bcamed with q hopeful light.
" You know JOnn Stanton ~ said
" Yea she replied,
4" lie was my best friend while we were at
college AMI our friendship has not grown less
lie came to see the, snd told the story of the
trials aud sulI rings Of one Of the school.mates
oi his Cariior days. o, Mary, lhink know
very wil why you refused my hand, and
blame you not IL may be that our paths will
bo din rent through lie but YOU shall at least
know hat he whom you have loved will so live
that he shall not be unworthy Of yoar kindest
rcmembnuca, know that my feet have hith
cr,0 wandered into the path Of danger, but
henceilrth | am tree from the dread snare. In
der the new light that has daaned upon me
hold tho wine cap 10 be fearful enemy. aud
will shuu itas | would shun shameful life
and cloudyd death. bed For my own sake
will do this, S. that my sainled mother, il she
oau look d0wa from heaven upon her boy, can
smlle spprovnglY upon the cours. he has chosen.
Aud NOW, Mary, ii, at s0me future time, yuu
should feel that you can trust your happiness
in my keeping, you will give me some token
thereof, aud will come and ask YOU again loI
your hand and should it b. my blessed lot tt
receive 1t, will devote every energy OF my be-
lng to making your he joyous and peaceful
one.
let 20 bor hands, and bowed my head tC
wIpu aWaya tear. | had turned toward tn,
door, really intending to depart and give hel
time Tor reflection, when she pronounced M
name. looked back and her hands wer,
stretched cut towards me.
Not uow," whispered. 81 will not usl
your answer yet Wa 1h me-pr0ye me. 0nll
give me To know that nave your love, and
viii
stopped speaking Tor Miry's head had beer
lpilluwud upon my bosom, aud she was weeping
like child.
" Now now she uttered, as wound m