Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1872-10-25
SELECTED STORY
A SKETCH FROM LIFE.
BY MYRONA WILLARD


Make, are you sure that you love him
we'll enough to be his wife p
eyes, Nettie I believe that my love for
Edgar is strong enough and true enough, to
exist beyond the boundaries of time, into
the life beyond"
And Make raised her dark eyes, swim
ming with bright tear drops to the face OF
her friend
II have DO wish my darling to cloud
your prospect; and | cannot judge others
by myself Sometime l will tell of life but
now we Will talk Of your prospects I have
no doubt that you love Edgar, but I have
heard slight rumor that Edgar partakes Of
the vine cup and if il should be SO, you
will need to love him with powerful love,
to lead hin, in the path Of right, lest his feet
stray in the road to ruin
II have heard that Edgar INDUCES in the
use of wine sometimes, replied Make,
''and in reply to my questions, he assured
me that I never need worry; that he was
strong to look out for himself; that be eel
dom partook and then sparingly"
II hope and pray, dear Make, that for
your sake he will renouncc, entirely, the
company that lead him on.
edgar told me the way it happened was
this: After be graduated from Bowdoin, and
went to N. Y, to the hospital, he was in
company with Ned Rodgers; you know
him. He was very smart, but be would
take glass occasionally. His excuse was
that most of the physicians of our day did
the same; and his influence over Edgar was
not of the best But now they are separa-
ted and I trust that Edgar will see that. if
be wishes to succeed as physician, he mus
let drinking aione,' said Make :
Make Raymond and Nettic WILDER bad
been friends for several years. They had
been chums at school, and since. Make had
been teaching and boarding with her friend
Make was an orphan. Her father was
suddenly killed by being thrown from his
carriage while on his way to business He
had been in business for several years, but
had been unfortunate, and at the time Of bis
death. left his feeble wife and only daugh-
ter, Make, in strai ghtened circumstances.
Mrs Raymond's health failed rapidly and
she soon sank under the terrible affection
and was laid beside her husband in Mount
Auburn Cemetery.
Make was left alone. She had no means
left for her support but the education which
her kind parents had given her, and which
was all that she could call her own.
1t was about this time that she formed
the acquaintance Of Edgar Everett, a young
physician.
He was fine looking man Of twenty-five
above the medium height His eyes were
deep blue, complexion fair, ard hair beau
tiful brown.
He had finished bis course and was stop
ping with friend in Boston, previous to Sc
Letting place 10 which to locate.
On the afternoon that Mr.. Raymond was
thrown from his carriage, he was pessing Z
along NJ Street, On which Mr. Raymond
resided.
He saw them carrying the senseless form
of Mr.. Raymond iuto his home, and know
ing the necessity of immediate medical aid,
he stepped to the door and profFered his SER
vices as medical man.
When DR.. Everett left there be promised
to call again. In the evening he called with
the friend with whom he had been stopping,
who CHANGED to be an intimate friend Of Mr..
Raymond's family,
Under the circumstances, he was doubly
welcome, and soon the physician found that
it was net only from desire to assist the
bereaved and suffering widow, that caused
him to repeat his visits to the home OF Mrs.
Raymond, for he saw reflected in the beau
tiful face of Make Raymond wealth Of
soul far more precious than the beauty Of
face and form.
He saw with what strength and uobleness
of soul that she concealed her own sorrow
and with what love and tenderness she cared
for her mother, who was so surely passing
away, to leave her alone. Alone All! i
is cruel word. 1t vas not long before ll1
gar found that be loved Maxie Raymond
with an earnest passionate love, and that i
she refused bis love, life for him would be
one dreary space, unillumed by the love Of
the only woman that could be to him lead
ing star. And when Edgar told her of hi!
great love, and besought her to be bis wife
her answer was
"pear Edgar, my love is yours, aud
will be faithful to you while life remains.
Edgar's reply as he folded her in his arms
was:
God grant that may not be unwoTth!
OF the great trust that He has given me-
the love of pure and noble woman. :"
1t was but short time before they stood
by two graves, and the plain slab Of marble
with the words, "My Father" and "My
Mother" marked the resting place of Max
les parents.
It was arranged that Make should renal,
awhile with her friend, Nettie WILDER, ana
as soon as Edgar should make arrangement
for home, then Make should go with him
Mr.. WILDER, the father of Makes friend
Nett'e. was wealthy merchant, of Boston
and rasidad q four ,o;fo, o,,t IF the citus on,