Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-05-11
" That Reformed Me.

You look surprised, my old friend.
We'll, Col, confess am greatly
surprised. To refuse a social glass
with an ol d friend twenty years
abroad, is enough to surprise any one.
What does it mean p
1T means that aerer drink intori-
eating liquor
Excuse me, Hal, but you were not
always so-particular shall | call it ?
What cured you, if | may presume on
old friendship and ask plain ques-
/ tiOn 2
The conversation occurred between
two old friends and college chums,
Col. Halbert Morris, and Geoge Roth.
The two, twenty years before the
time of the above conversation, grad
uated with honor and promise. Nor
ris entering a law Office in New York,
and Roth going to New York in the
employ of prominent business house.
Morris, at the time we write of, lived
in one of the interior towns OF Mich
! igan, where his old friend had hunted
him ont.
The rest of our tale-an Der true
one shall be told 10y Col. Morris.
Il do not much wonder, Roth, that
you are surprised, and in view of old
friendship and association. perhaps
have right to an explanation. Walk
out by the oaks and will give you q
history which has been kept sacred ii
my own bosom for many year. Ii
is heavy burden to carry-thc grea
sorrow of my life, and | had though
to bear it to my grave without whis
pering it to human ear. But you vii
understand me and pity me. Here i
fine shade please be seated"
: Morris tones grew lower and sad
, der as his words turned his thought
r upon the past, and his full eye moist
encd while they sat a long time in S
lence.
DO you remember Jenny Williams
Morris asked, abruptly, though hes
tatingly, laying his trembling hand o.
: Roth arm.
i Remember her? Right we'll | dc
4 as one of the tairest of Gods ere;
n lures, and | reioiced for your SAX
= when | heard you had married he
It Shall | be frank, my dear friend, an
is to you reveal the fact that my own il
tcrest in that sweet girl, was OF
cause of my going to Europe?
would have laid my fortune at ht
, would have married her!
Would to God you hadI sobbe
I Morris, as he bowed his head in h
hand and wept for several moment
- Her life then he continued, 'wouI
L not have been a hell on earth and h,
death a murderr
Roth was startled and awaited wi
- most intense interest the history.
WELL said Morris, it may as we
lr n- come; my poor heart aches with Il
d. fullness of its bitter memories, and
ar ar you, my old FREUD, | must talk, ifyt
n. curse me.
h, 4 need not dwell minutely on t
re- past. Jenny's mother, you remembt
was of an old and aristocratic famil
and in their changed pecuniary CO
dition retained strongly all her sen
ments and prejudices. When we we
+, married, wines and liquors were fl
nished in abundance. Not only til
j, but the well meaning old lady won
insist on our keeping them constant
IT'S for the entertainment of friends. T
1 result need not be told became
ftbS' drunkard. In ten years had vast
for my property, and became little bet
ee' than common dram-shop vagabol
, at last being driven out of miseral
hoe -, tenement in town and finding ho
'ot- i'll wood shanty up among the Ind
feP fep Spring Bluffs.
'How my poor wife suffered fr'
neglect, and oftentimes cruel. viol
of abuse, can never be told. She ne
Il gave me an unkind word in all tn
years, but gradually grew pale and 5
c of the very tenderness of her sadness
asperating me. She was slowly DIR
ing away from me but | was smit
ort- with the madness of drink, and wo
\. have thrown away a thousand an
wives and my own souls salvat
for rum.
asrs Matters grew worse after we W
part to the Bluffs. | left her days a
to 70 time, spending my time and the Ii
'ex, | could earn in doing little jobs in
v v Of village with the vilcst. That Je
Q 70 70 suffered for food, fuel, and clothin
with know. | Knew it then, but | cur
!, an, !, and drinked to drown the accu:
thought, plunging into the mad W
n. of debauchery where it was blacl
- and deepest.
Is. Christmas was close at hand
-, Ianny ncarhpr confironopf Tho