The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1866-05-25
THE TWO ANSWERS.


mo- Charles, 1t can not be. AS friend
| shall respect aud esteem you; but | can
not be your wife. Have compassion on me,
and do not press me further" ...
Mary GRANVILLE stood as she thus spoke,
with her hands olasped and her head bowed,
trembling like an aspen and l fancied
there were tears IN her eyes. She was a
beautiful girl. and had thought her as
good and pure rs she was beautiful; and
further than this, had believed that She
loved me.
She was an orphan, and had been engag-
ed during the past year in teaching one of
our village schools OF her early life |
knew nothing, save that she had been edu-
Gated, and moved in good society and |
had reason to believe that at some time her
parents had been wealthy, but her father
had failed in business, and it had been told
to me that the sad reverse killed him.
had known that Mary was poor-that she
was dependent on her daily labor for sup
portland the thought that | could offer
her comfortable home with the advantage
of moderate wealth, had given increase to
my prospective Happiness. But the uneX
pected answer dashed all my bright hopes
TO the ground.
"Do you mean" l cried vehemently,
| ''that you thus dismiss meP Am | cast
offP
"Then," said ], with more warmth than
| might have betrayed under other circum-
stances, II leave you to yourself, and while
| try to shake off the love that has bound
me to you, l win only hope that ere you
lead another into your net, you will con-
clude beforehand whether you will keep
| him." ..
She looked into my face with painful,
| frightened glance. but did not stop to
hear her speak further. turned and left
| the house. ..-
| | remarked that under other circum-
stances might have been more cool and
collected in my speech; and what do you
suppose, dear readers, the attending circum-
| stances were? I'll tell you candidly.
/ was heated with wine. | had drank
just enough to warm my blood and give
my brain an extra impulse, and my words
were not chosen as | should have chosen
them had the spirit of wine been absent.
AS walked towards my home sought o.
persuade myself that had fortunately es-
capped the snare of Il acoquCtte; and that
might be the better enabled thus to reason,
| stopped at the hotel, where ! found a few
of my companions, and help to dispose of
| half dozen bottles of wine. oI
| On the following morning / awoke with
the headache and when ! called TO mind
the events Of the preceding evening ] was
anything but happy began TO realize
| now llhs loNtu
There was an aching void in my heart,
wept as / contemplated my loss. IL was
my first love, and its influence had pcne-
trated every fibre of my being. The beau
tiful girl had become dearerto me than
could tell and groaned in bitter anguish
when ! thought that she was lost forever
/ had resolved that ! would feel very angry
and indignant but when the sweet face
was called up TO mental view. such feel
ings melted away, leaving me sad and
desolate.
On the following Sabbath | attended
church, where / saw Mary once more.
She played the organ, as she had done for
/ the past year, and ns her fingers swept over
/ the KEYS, | fancied that | could detect
tremulousness which had never noticed
before. Was il only imagination, or was
IL really plaintiveness---a sadness in the
expression of her musies
TO me 1t seemed. at times. as though the
organ nloaned and wept. 1t was like the
wailing of the daughters of Zion by the
rivers of Babylon. l.y
When the services were over, and we
went out from the church, | saw Mary's
face. Ii was pale and wan, as though she
had been sick. What could IL be Was she
suffering us 1 had sufferedg The thought
flashed upon me that some one might have
! told her something 10 my disadvantage. |
had enemies in the village--enemios who
wealth--and fanoied enemies who envied
me the love of Mary Granville w
Another week passed, and became more
sad and lonesome. MY business was irk-
some TO me and my books and papers af-
forded me no respite. In fact could not
read, for my mind was never upon the page
before me. Another Sabbath at church and
D saw Mary again. She was paler than be-
fore and her eyes looked as though she had
been weeping. iH.F.II .HL Hii-'
During the succeeding week received O
visit from my college chum, Jack Stanton,
who had just opened law office at Berry
vile. After supper as we sat 10 our cosy
parlor smoking our cigars. suggested that
bottle of wine would not be amiss. Jack
shook his head. Ir..t
''Oh, Charlie.r he said ''we'll leave the
: wine for those who need itn
"You used 10 drink, Jack sn
"Yes, but II never did me any good"
a "And do you think that il ever did yoI
g any harmln
. "As, 10 that, will not say IL never shal
do me harm. know Il has harmed other
who were as strong as | am. By the way
i. Charlie, isn't Mary Granville heres"
q Yes said l. aif
'e "Do you know her?r '5 -H
N turned away my face and pretended {,
have heard something at the window.
II have seen her." replied, when ha
composed myself. ''She plays the organ 4
r the church." . Lill
"She and were sehool-mates,p pursue
Stanton land speaking of wine brings ne
|. 10 my mind. Do you know anything Q
q her early lifelp 'fu1H a1c
10 "Nothing,p / answered. 1H sH..
, Poor Nary | never think of her with
y out feeling my resolution of total abstinenC
le grow stronger and stronger. When "
$, were school children together, her faith,
was the wealthiest man In Berryville, an
she and her brother were among the haI
= piest Of the happy.
Mr.. Granville was In che habit of drinl
ing wine and the habit grew upon him ui
IN I'll he felt he could not live without
brandy. l'nN lN
tsf lcoNcLUDED ro-MoRRow.l