Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1866-07-13
THE TWO ANSWERS.

passion ON me, aud do not press me any
further"
Mary Grandville stood before me as
she thus spoke, her hands claspcd and
her head bowed, trembling like an as
pen, and fancied there were tears in
her eyes. She was beautiful girl, and
thought her as good and pure us she
was beautiful and further than this, /
had believed that she loved me.
She was an orphan, and had been en-
gagged during the past teaching school.
OF her early life | knew nothing save
that she had been well educated and
moved in good society; and had good
reasons to believe that at some time her
parents had been wealthy, but her
father had failed in business, and 1t had
been told me that the sud reverse had
killed him. l had known that Mary
was poor-that she was dependent upon
her daily labor for support-apd the
thought that could offer comfortable
home, with the advantage of moderate
wealth, had given increase to my hap
piness. But this unexpected answer
dashed all my bright hopes to the
ground. E .. "#| .t.'..
"Do you mean," l cried vehemently
that you thus dismiss me9 Am
cast otf?" = @tt "-a
cannot be your wife," was the
reply; ;, IL.
! than might have betrayed under other
circumstances, leave you to yourself
and while strive to shake off the love
that has bound you to me, l will only
hope that ere you lead another int
your net you will conclude beforehand
whether you will keep him." .."7
| remarked that under other circum.
stances | might have been more COO
and collected in my speech and what
do you suppose, dear readers, the at.
tending circumstances were? | viii
tell you candidly.
was little heated with wine.
had just drank enough to warm my
blood and give my brain an extra inn
| pulse, and my words We're not choser
as l would have chosen them had tn,
| spirit of wine been absent. AS walk
ed toward my home | sought to per
suade myself that had fortunately es
capped the snare of a coquette, and tina
/ might be the better enabled thus t.
reason, stopped ut the hotel where
found q few of my companions an,
helped to dispose OF half u dozen bottle
OF wine.
On the following morning awok
with headache, and when / called t,
mind the events of the preceding even
ing l was anything but happy. l be
gan to realize how much | had love,
Mary Grandville. There was an ach
ing void in my heart and fairly wep
as 1 contemplated my loss. 1t was m,
first love, and influenced every fibre q
my being. The beautiful girl had be
come more dear to me than | could tell
and groaned in bitter anguish when
thought that she was lost forever.
had resolved that 1 would feel yer
angry and indignant, but when th
sweet face was called up to mental view
such feelings melted away, leaving m
sad and desolate.
The following Sabbath l attendc
church, when | saw Mary once more
She played the organ, as she had fo
the past year, and rs her fingers swer
over the keys, | fancied that L coul
detect tremulousness which l ha
never noticed before. Was it only i'm
agination, or was it really plantivenes
IA sadness in the expression of he
music?
no me it seemed Mt times .as thoug
the organ mourned and wept. 1t w,
like the wailing of the daughters
Zion by the river of Babylon.
When the services were over, and "
went out from the church, | saw Mary
face. 1t was pale and wan rs thoug
she had been sick. What could it DC
Was she suffering MS | had suffered
The thought flashed upon me tba
some one might have told her som.
thing to my disadvantage. l had en-
emies in the village-cnCmics who en-
We'd me because l inherited som
wealth-and, / fancied enemies wh
envied me the love of Mary Grandvill,
| Another week passed and | becam
sad and lonesome. My business wa
irksome to me, and my books an
papers offered me no respite. In fac
1 could not read, for my mind wa
never upon the page before me-
4 Another Sabbath at church | saw Mar
again. She was paler than before, an
her eyes looked rs though she had bee
weeping.
During the following week + receive
Il visit from my old college chum, Jac
Stanton, who had just opened La
office in Berryville. After supper, {
cigars, suggested that bottle of win
= would not be aniss. Jack shook h
head " ~
mo, Charles "we'll leave III
wine for those who need it,"
You used to drink it, Jack"
Yes, but it never did me any good.
"And do you think it ever did yo
any harm ?'
AS to that l will not say it ncve
shall do me any harm. i know
harmed others, who were as strong as
y am. But, by the way, Charlie, ism
Mary Crandyille here ?D
Yes" said I.
Do you know her ?'
1 turned away my face and pretendc
to have heard something at the windov
~ have seen her." replied, when
had composed myself. "She plays IL
organ in the church."
She and | were schoolmates,o pu
sued Stanton !" speaking of wine brinl
, her to my mind. Do you know an.
thing of her early life ?''
Nothing" answered
"Poor Mary! / never think of h,
without feeling my resolution of tot
abstinence grow stronger. When "
, were schoolmates together, her faith,
was the wealthiest man in Berryvill
and she and her brother were amor
the happiest Of the happy.
"Mr. Grandville was in the habit (
urlnklng wine. ana Jne naDlt grew upG
him until he felt he could not live wit
out his brandy.
He was of social disposition, and
time it came to pass that he was gr, 8 q
intoxicated. OF course, under such eli
cumstances, one or two things mu
happen--the man must reform or
: must sink. Mr.. Grandville did not r
e form, and ere many years he died
: drunkard's death, leaving his family
proyerty and suffering.
!. "Thomas, the son, was four yea
> older than Mary, became dissipated, ar
: at the age of eighteen was killed in
street fight in New York. Mrs. Gran
vile survived her son but few mont
absolutely dying, the doctor said, OF
broken heart.
Poor Mary, thus left fatherless al
motherless, without brother or sister,
the age Of fifteen, was forced to ea
the bread she ate-and nobly she h
done it. you know her, Charlie. v,
!. know one OF the noblest women tn
ever lived. But-w hats the matte
Why, bless me, you look as pale as
> ghost"
struggled with myself and told In,