St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1867-10-25
Mdry's Choice.

wise chOlcc NOW may save you q life
time of sorrow. do not insist that YOU
shall accept the hand, of Urbane. be-
cause he is dear to me, and Christian
man, unless you can love him, but | en-
treat OF you to refuse to marry Mr.. Arch
er, because he is man of the world,
and a drinker OF wine.'
This was the conclusion of long and
troubled conversion between a widow
and her only child. Mary Harper was
a beautiful and interesting girl She had
also a few thousand dollars in her own
right, which made her hone the less at
tractivc. Several young men had sought
TO gain her in marriage but the two
her mother named were the only ones
May had ever regarded with special
favor
For some months prior to the formal
'proposal' Of these young men, the wild
ow had observed, with regret, a growing
preference for Mr.. Archer on the part of
her daughter. And with him. now that
she was required to choose between hun
and rbanr, Mary prOfessed herself deep
ly in love.
lie was very handsome and pleasing
young man, in good business, and in GOOD
society. He was cheerful and witty,
and extremely intelligent, possessed of a
thousand charms with which to ensure a
maidens heart. Bat lie was selfish, IN
dolent, and scl!-induIgcnt to a degree
that gave promise Of little happiness to
whoever should become his wife. All
these faults the mother SAW, and tried
faithfully to show to her daughter, whose
eyes were holden that she could not or
would not see.
To her all was beauty, grace and de-
light in Mr. Archer, and for the good.
and true, and plain lrbane, she began
to cherish nnInl5t;lkabir dislike He saw
how it was and sorrowfully. but silently,
withdrew. The widow objections were
overruled BY charges OF unkindne>s
and unreasonable aversion, by alternate
irctting and coaNing, the pretty Mary
won from her mother reluctant con-
sent TO her wishes. and III due season
she became the wife OF Charles Arch
rr.
With more love and confidence than
wisdom, size placed all her little fortune
At once in her husbands hands Her
mother lived but two or three years after
Mlry'S marriage; and besides her hus-
band and child, Mary was lett with no
near relative i'll the world
Murder, Murder The sound cleft
the winter air. thrilling us with terror
We sprang to our feet, and Kate, ever
ready for action, rushed, bonnetlcs<.
into the street Our street was a quiet,
secluded one, and, during the day wo-
men and children were itS chief occu-
pants.
Too we'll we knew the voice that ut
tered that appalling cry too we'll We
Luc>>ed the reason tor il.
\ neat-looking house stood near our
own and upon the high steps OF it sat a
-hivering child, scarce three years old
lie had nothing on his pretty curly head
and there was no shawl OF cloak over hi,
my form though it was a severe after
noon III December.
Me not like my papa. He beat
my mamma, the poor baby was cry
lng.
Kate was disappearing round the cor
ner towards the police station.
Through the open basement door We
heard the voice OF cursi. Z and the groans
Of fear and anguish, uttered by those
within. We entered, but were beckon-
ed s>ide by another occupant Of the
house.
She carefully closed her door after we
had obeycd her signal, saying
don't 80 into Mrs. Archer's part.
Iou can DO no sort Of good. lie uW
kill her sure enough, il anybody not able
to handle him answers her call. He has
a great butcher knife that he is flourish
mg about and threatening her with. He
las often frightened her almost to death
but when she screamed 50. he came near
to killing her than ne ever did before.
| do hope the NJ. T. will come soon
Ju>t then a policemen appeared at the
cate, and he and Kate entered the house,
aud were passing towards Mrs Archer's
door.
As the pollceman's hand was on the
door, it slowly opened, and face that
looked more like one from the dead, than
ANYTHING else, looked out. A trembling
hand wa, laid upon the breast OF the
officer, and he was gently pushed back
ilom the entrance Mrs. Archer came
out. and closed the door behind her.
"lIe had laid down at last" she said,
''and am afraid to have you take him
away. lie has threatened me terribly
what he will do to Inc If | have him
touched and | am afraid he will do as
he says. They would not keep him up
long, and what ShOoId | do wien he got
out. lie would certainly be revenged on
me and the children"
She succeeded at last in getting the
!, officer to leave the house without seeing
4 hcr husband ; and as we could be of no
further service, we returned home.
; The reader las suspected the truth.
ID Inns wretchcd victim of a drunken tyrant
to to was the once beautiful and happy Mary
y Harper. We lave 'Jdmcy Shetches'
: enough in the papers. Better now and
then 10 read something that is true, >
Ii and po,do it. This sketch is terribly
l. true. Charles Archer began with wine
, and cigars but he went rapidly onward
!. III the way to destruction, and by the
g time that his fourth child was born. he
was. as has been shown. Mary, before
ID her mother died, had began to realize
Al what sort OF choice she had made, and
: had made no ol, ,jection to having the lit
.e lie property her mother was TO leave
secured beyond Archers reach. Had ii
~ nnt boon t,r this they had all lono since