Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-02-23
Only One Fault.
BY MARY KYLE DALLAS.

prouder name, and one you may have
heard. Flowers grow about her tomb
and the turf lies softly over it. You
would scarcely guess her life and its
sad end as you stood there. Rather
would you fancy that love and tender
ness surrounded one, over whom such
costly piles of sculptured marble rears
itself, from her birth unto her death.
1t is a story such as | seldom write
this life of hers-one that cannot
be ended by happy reunions and the
sweet sound of marriage bells; but
there are too many such stories in the
world to be quietly passed over, if,
haply, there be any warning in them.
The lives of others are, if we read
them rightly, the best sermons ever
preached, and this of Ruth Holly's is
only too true. Yet it began very
sweetly, like some old pastoral poem.
She loved, and was beloved again,
and the man she loved had only one
fault. He was young, he was brave,
he was witty, he was handsome, he
was generous; his love was devotion,
his friendship no lukewarm thing of
words; he had great talent and great
power. His eloquence had thrilled
many an audience worth the thrilling.
What he wrote touched the soul to
the very quick. He was an amateur
painter and musician, and everywhere
was loved and honOred and admired.
He had only one fault in the world
he drank too much wine at times
When he did so he turned, so said
convivial friends, into a very demi-
god. 1t was wrong; out not SO bad
as might have been, and he would
SOW his wild oats some day, they said,
loving him as his friends all loved
him; and so Ruth thought. Sweet,
loving, beautiful Ruth, to whom he
had plighted his troth, and wooed in
verse and song, and with his most elo.
quent eyes, long before he pat his
passion into words; but so did not
think Ruth Martins father. This one
fault of Edward Holly's, overshadow-
ed his virtue in his eyes, and he re.
fused him his daughters hand, giving
him his reason why plainly and not
kindly.
you'll be drunkard yet, Ned
Holly" said the old man, shaking his
head sternly. live seen men of gen.
ius 90 the same road before. I've oft
en- said I'd rathor have no talent il
-. r---Aliy, since it seems to lead sc
surely to dissipation. Ny sons are
not too brilliant to be sober men
thank heaven, and as for my daught
er, only a sober gentleman shall have
her for wife; you'd break her heart
Ned Holly"
So the daShing man of letters fell
himself insulted, and retorted hotly
and the two were enemies.
| Ruth suffered bitterly; she loved
her father, and she loved Edward
to di8Obey her parent, or to break hel
lovers heart seemed the only choice
offered her. She had other lovers, she
had seen much society, and had beer
introduced to the highest circles il
France as well as in England; bu
amongst all the men she had known
none pleased her as Edward Holly
did. Not what one styles an intel
lectual woman herself, she reverenceC
intellect, and her affections were in
tense. The struggle in her heart was
terrible.
She met her lover by stealth
against her fathers will; but for ;
long while she resented his entreatie.
to marry him in defiance Of the ole
mans refusal. At last, angered by
her persistence in obedience, Edward
accused her of fearing to share tn,
fortunes of one comparatively poor
one who must carve his own way III
ife'S steep hill without assistance
The unmerited reproach sunk deeply
into her warm heart. and in a suddel
impulse of tenderness and sympath,
she gave him the promise he had s,
long sought in vain. They were mar
ried that evening, and before mornin,
were upon their way to far off city
where Edward, sanguine and cor
scious Of power, believed tn a b
should make himself name and pc
sition of which any woman might b
proud. To her father Ruth wrote
long and loving letter, imploring hi
forgiveness, but the answer crushed al
hope within her bosom.
"As you SOW, so must you reap,
were the words the old man wrote
"I have no longer daughter" an
Ruth knew that henceforth-(for sh
had been motherless for years sh
had in all the world only the husban
for whom she had sacrificed fortune
and, what is worth far more, the ter
der protection of father.
In those early days Edward did hi
best to make amends for all, and sh
was so proud of him, and so fond O
him that she soon forgot to grieve.
| She heard his name uttered in prais
t by all. She knew that be had but t
il, keep steadily on, to mount to the higl
: est seats IN tame's high temple, an
: for year she had no fear of his fal
: ering. Now and then a feverish SOM
thing in his voice and manner,
strange light in his eye, a greater flo
+ OF eloquence in his talk, more pa
: sionate demonstration of love for he
than usual told that he was under th
0 influence of wine, out the fact SCENE
s to enhance his power of fascination
e never was he so brilliant, never s
r handsome, Almost could Ruth hay
e laughed at the sermons preached
t. temperance folks, of the harm sure
! follow wine drinking.
l. Ii the story could end here, tt
true story of Ruth Holly's lite,