The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-03-25
HOW SHE SAVED BIN,
Or the Inebrlate Reclaimed.

We must part, said Annie. pleas
antly, yet with decision, aud hence
forth remain apart; though / shall
always be ready to do you any kind
I ness in my power.
[ don't blame you for casting NE
away" Andrew humbly replied
wrong you by coming into your pres
ence | am rot worthy of your re-
gard Icauuot ask you again to for
give. Forgetsme aud he happy.'
And they parteds
They bad been intimate from child
hood he, the-brightest, most athletic
and largest hearted boy, and she, the
fairest, gentlest and most atfectionate
girl in tie neighborhood. Twice he
had saved her life-Once trem drown
ling, and once from being dashed IN
5pieces by the hoofs Of fractions
horse. Time and again she had saved
him from contention, unisdeeds and
misery, by her sweetpersuasive plead
ings.
So they grew in stature and affec-
ton, till as man and woman they
were alb the world to each Gother,
and long bright future stretched be-
fore them. But there was a serpent
in their young Eden
As the boy ripeneG into manhood,
his strength, agility, wit, genius and
generosity, gradually developed, till
he was unanimously voted the. finest
young man in town. No athletic
sport, no festal gathering, no merry
making party could be complete
without him, and hence he was in
vited everywhere, and flionized by
all classes. g
The ordeal was severe. Forawhile
he retained his integrity; but the
temptation was oyerpoWering and
gradually virtue gave away; and he
began to slide toward rain. He in
dulged in late hours. draak wine and
sometimes whisky, gamBled little,
used profane language aud associated
with vile people. It was a sore trial
to Annie; and she strove with all her
pure love and angel energy to bring
him back to virtue. In vain; her eff
forts only delayed his fall. Like
thousands OfOtheFs who have gone,
or are now goings down the broad,
easy grade road to destruction, he
FIRST laughed at her tears andrwarn-
ings as needless. He knew what he
was about. There was not the least
danger = Gradually becoming more
Incorporate and abandoned. The at
length perceived his folly and.Drom-
ised to reform. But the Delilah of
his indulgence. had .shorn himof his
strength, the terrible grip Of habit
was upon him, and bis vile compan-
ions drew him down. After repeated
efforts and failures, hope ard manli-
ness fed, and he sank into utter and
shameless degradation. Then, at last.
came the final separation to which |
have alluded. 81
They parted. notgin anger but in
despair; he to be stung by keenregret
and bitter remorses as he gr0veled
downward, and she to pine away in
praying without faith, in hoping with
out promise or prospect, and in suf-
fering the typhoid heart-aehe of a
lonely, disappointed soul. Every
evening on Bonded knees, when none
but the good Father saw her, the pure
maiden sent up petition for the i'm
pure reprobate. and each day brought
more painful tidings of his8ate.
| tAs the weary months wore away,
Annie mental anguish had affected
her health. She became weak, nerv-
Gus, thin, languid, and some thought
! eonsumptive Everything was done for
her that medical ingenuity could sug-
gest, butstillsshe dropped and faded
| As a last.Tesort, her physician advised
country air and quiet, and she was
| sent to reside with an aunt In the
suburbs of a pretty village, some
/ twenty five miles distant There she
1 found pure aud braeing atmosphere;
but it did little good, because It was
not her lungs but her heart that was
in need of medicines.
III She was not too weak to walk out,
! and as it was early Summer, she often
strolled away from the house to hear
| the living birds sing, and inhale the
fraQrace of the young leaves and
| flowers. Mature can sOothe those
| whom it cannot cure.
Itf One fine evening, after the family
with whom she was stopping had re-
tired, and all the village was quiet. a
strange, strong impulse moved Annie
to 60 outpn the railway that ran near
| her auut's house. The young NV
moon gave light enough to walk by.
and hurrying along She was soon half
a mile away from home, when she
was startled by hearing the whistle
of an approaching train, and seeing a
man lying on the track a little way
ahead. Instantly perceiving both his
danger and her own, she trembled
with weak ness and fear, and shouted
for help No one answered. No
| other human being @was near. The
train was running with terrible haste.
/ The p94, moved enough TO show that