St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1872-07-12
Lucia's Enemy.

l. l.
When Harvey Rose. at twenty five.
brought home his girli>h wife. just
turned eighteen. all their friends said il
would prove II happy marriage. And.
indeed. there seemed Il fan prospect for
happiness.
Harvey had worked steadily for Years
at Il good trade. and ont of his earnings.
and small sum left him 10y his mother
ut her death. he had purchased and
gradually furnished. the little house in
which they were /" live. Every thing
about il WAS as fresh and neat ;l> Il new
cedar pail. and there was no lack of
stores for sensible house and home
keeping.
For two wears nothing occurred to
mar the surface of this life 81 happily
begun. business pro>pcrcd and Harvey
set up Il horse and wagon To aid him III
his work. while Lucia. not to hc behind
him. started something ON her own ac-
count. \ cradle. with Il sweet girl baby.
occupied the co>ie>t nook 10y the living
room fire. and Il fair copy of fathers
/ handsome face pccpcd out. between
maps. ut the sweet Young mother trnt-
! ting about hli>kly from one Ia another
.
No thought had Lucia that her future
could ever lack anything of the comfort
and plenty which made warm and
bright her present II" thought until
well it was like this:
She was sitting one bright hot July
day beside her window. knitting socks
for baby Lu. The air Was full of sweet
odorS. and druWSV with the hum of bees
in the garden. The gentle breathing of
/ her child. asleep in II shaded corner.
/ and the loud ticking of the Kitchen
clock made the silence only more com
plctc to Lucia a. she sat almost dream
ing over her work. and hearing. a. if
through sleep. the Whettiny "t the
ScVtlc> in the meadow over the Way.
and anon the tap of IIarvcy'S hammer.
as he memded the gate latch down 10y
/ the road. RoU>inY herself to rcSIIm"
| her work Lucia >aW Il man spring
hastily over the meadow fence and rum
across the road /" speak To her husband.
who. casting aside his tools. followed
the man instantly into the field. and
Joined thc mowers where they were
gathered in Il group about something.
Lucia could NOT see what.
Presently Il hoy left the rest, and
came across the road. toward the house
Seeing Lucia at the window he rlm
directly To- her and handing her Il key
said
MI. Ross. wants Nou to get me the
black bottle out of his tool closet. |
am to take il over at once: then I"
her wondering look. ''nme of the mowers
in Pr..>I"n'S field has cut himself with Il
,c>thc and hes deadly faint with the
blood running 81.
Now the closet named WAS Il little
p"kl hole h> the kitchen chimney. the
inside of which Lucia had never seen.
Harvey was tu>~N ;thnu1 his tools. and
could never endure that other hands
than his should touch them, 81 Ii" kept
the closet always lorkcd. and his wife.
hriu. >uprr>tiriuu>lN timid about such
articles, was clad he did. and never had
either wish or occasion /" open it. She
went. however. at once t" the chimney
cupboard. and tiudu% the bottle. gave
it To the boy. noticing ~ she did 50.
that it WAS labeled Pure old Brandy.
Liquor Wa> Lucii's enemy. She
hated the yer, sight of it. since the
bitter Years of her @irlh""d. when with
her widowed mother she had toilrd
early and late T." keep want at bay.
grandfather. " hose death Na> finally
caused h> his darling sin.
. IIar>rN knew how she felt about this
matter. and it seemed queer that lac
should have bad such Il lhim" 81 close
at hand without her know ledge. unless.
indeed. he kept it ;t> medicine. in view
of some such accident a> this. But
then there were other things that would
do ;ls we'll nr better. and people didn't
often cut themselves and go faint in
front of their very door.
Lucia WAS thoughtful and almost
worried the whole afternoon. moving
about her house work and bahN-tcnding
AID forgot the wounded man in think
ing about his remedy. 1t WAS like the
phantom of her "irlhoud. which she had
hoped laid for e' cr. mcnacing her COLDER
present with dark and terrible doom.
Toward evening Harvey came i'll
bringing with him the bottle now near
" empty. At sight of it LuciaS Gus
tomarv greeting trozc upon her lips
and missing the glad word and tender
smile. her husband bent above her, beg
ging to know if all We're well.
'.YeS. dear Harvey" she replied
"only do not feel quite at ease: anC
pointing to the bottle which he hat
, placed upon the table. Il never knew
before to-day. that we had that about
us. and it worries me. Need we keel
it amy longer. love
'N"nS,n>e. Lucia. replied her hus
band. laughing to hide some real annoy
ancc. "y"u've never been hotherims
t. about such il tritlr aS that hope Lucky
for poor HawcS did have it at hand I,
prop up his failing courage-the MAJ
was more frightened than hurt. an,
became quite faint at the sight of hi,
own blood"
:, "Well." said Lucia signing. "I'm gla,
e if it did Halves amy good. but | nevtr
Il, had anything save grief and trouhl,
i come out of Il thing like that" Moth
ing more was said. Harvey replace,
. his bottle in the closet. and Lucia wen
d about the preparation of supper, trying
hlavely To put on IL bright face, an'
shut ont all unhappy thoughts. Sh'
was too true and loving ii wife t" irli
tate her husband by useless chidlng
and she hoped he did not labitually list
liquor, from mere liking of it.
f Time went on. Harvey was steady
, and thriving at his work. loving an'
kind i'll his home, and Lucia was s'