The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1872-08-23

tire MOFSt OF all terrible evils, II sharp
ems the appetite tor more; and then
There comes na0re, mon, m0rel till-it
kills me to think OF what Il leads TO. -
"Well, you're quite eloquent, a real
little philosopher but all slall be as
am r."
"Yes, Willie, | can stay alone this
once. remembering it'll be the last
time. Baby will sleep III his cradle
BY my side, and III sit aud sew. In
wait for you, Willie; don't stay late,
and be sure aud come yourself you
know
"You may he sure Of that. I'll not
stay later than eleven; but you had
better 60 to bed, darling" i
NO; III wait for. you, Willie. It'll
not seem long till eleven my happy
thoughts will be such pleasant COM
naily."
wen, then, goodbye. little one.
Don't get lonesome /; and II tllose dear
eyes, red with so much foolish crying,
get heavy, creep into bed and 90 to
Sleep" 2
And pressing kiss after kiss upon
check, brow, lips and eyes he left her.
lie hal reached the hall door, when
she cried, willie, come back mo-
ment, dear one.'
| lie returned, "Well, what Ia II, lit
tleoneg DO you want any more prom
ises?"
mo, dear; ] just wanted to look
into your eyes, that | love SO well,
once more; and to feel your strong
arm around me just once more for !
feel SO strangely weak tonight.
-
The city clocks have just cllimed ont
the hour Of three In the morning,
when Willie Graham, leaning heavily
on the arm of a companion, walks up
the steps to his front door. Ills com
paniOh applies the nigAt-kcy, and bids
him ''go0d-nigllt!' The young man
tumbles and staggers up stairs, and
reaches tile door Of his chamber. En-
tering, all is still. The fire has died
out in the CRATE, but the g;ls-light over
the table, beside which Sits his wife,
still shines brightly. The infant in
the cradle sleeps sweetly. The
drunken man siuks into a chair just
inside the door. and looks at his wife.
Ills entrance has not disturbed her.
She has taken down her hair for the
night. and the long golden ringlets fell
IN rich clouds over her white wrapper.
One hand lay against her left side,
and the other in her lap. Her eyes
were closed, and the long, thick gol-
den locks swept tie Glir face tender
".
The drunken man gaae,l at her
steadily for few moments, and then
something sPenled to flash across his
whisky nnnthetl senses. "Mary!n he
screamed. No answer; tho snowy
linen was not disturbed by even q
breath or a pnlsation Of the heart be-
meath. Then he spraHg to his feet
and to her side. lie was s0berd In
an instant. Fantically he knelt beside
her, and drew the golden he,sd to his
bosom, calling her precious names in
piteous tones, and showering kisses on
the cold, dead face.
"YOu said you'd ,sdit for me, Mary!
And you have waited; but ., God,
what n welcome for me. cannot,
cannot live without her: Speak 10 me,
my darling, just once more! Tell me
| am not too late to receive your for
giveness for thus breaking my prom
isc to you, dear angel !"
But she never spoke again. The
doctor said she had died of disease of
the heart, and had been dead three
hours, at least.
20, God! Had come at eleven as
promised her, ] would have found
her alive. But she waited for me till
then, when she saw | lsad broken my
promise her precious heart broke. God
forgive me! I've nothing to live
lOr."
lie was q refoFRael man. He never
frank Of the fatal cup; but he was
nver after. a s0rr0wfnI man--a sad ev-
denCe that. for the attainment of any
,arthly happiness, reforms often come
''too late"