Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1872-09-17
VIRGINIA, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER II. 1872 NO. 3S

as she caught sight of himl He held In his
right hand book from his scanty library.
She recognized it at once ;. but he was not
reading now. He had allowed it to drop,
with its pages looking mutely to the ceiling
and his face was supported, half concealed, in
the lett hand, the elbow resting on the table.
Was he asleep, or was he buried in a sad re-
.verie! Nettie thought that the latter was
the cause, aud her heart was touched.
sk"l wish had borne with him, she said to
herself
But a moment later her heart was more
than touched, when she was sure she saw a
tear roll down his cheek aud drop upon the
book. The lonely man was not asleep, he
was crying.
ooh Harry"
Her voice auivered with emotion.
ssWhy, Nettie ~ he exclaimed. trying to
hide his tears-men are ashamed of them
'Is-it you ?"
s'Yes, Harry!" hiding her face in her
hands, 81 was passing-l looked in-I saw
you sitting here so lonely, and could not help
coming in. l thought of the time when we
were happy here, and"
Then her womanly tears could be repressed
no longer. There was no uso tryipg4to hide
them. Besides, her voice broke down and
she could say no more just then.
"Ne,tie," he rose aud took both her hands
from her face, and then held them in his
own. 81 thought you had blotted mo out OF
your memory.
''No, no. Harryw she sobbed, al could not
do that. I could not help leaving you; but
loft you loving you more than ever. Oh /!
have been unhappy siuce!"
'sNettie, you heard that L"
''Yes, l have heard that you are changed
that you do not drink any morc-that you
are again manly and Industrious as you used
to be; but how lonely you must bc hcror" aud
the tears gushed forth anew as her heart felt
what her lips spoke.
<'1os, am lonely, Nettie-more so than
you may think; but 1 deserve this punish>
ment for the way [ have acted, had no dis
couragemcnts. 1t was only passion for
drink, that it seemed impossible for me to
overcome. You were all wife should or
could be. When you left me 1 thought 1
should become more reckless than ever. Only
day or two after knew you had left me for
good, | was in town, drunk, aud I heard
some of the village people (.hey did no. think
L could hear them across tho street) passing
all sorts of remarks about me, saying that
was doomed man for certain, that my de-
structlon was near. Although intoxicated
it startled me, and for the first time felt the
full force of our separation, and realized that
ruin stared mo in the face had bottle of
whiskey in my pocket at tho time, and when
[ got out of town I smashed it, bathed my
tacc in a little clear stream of water at tho
roadside, and silently resolved never to touch
whiskey again, | had tried it long enough
to know that could not drink and be tenn
perate. 1t was hard to keep my resolve for
the first week or two but [ stood it, and
soon my taste for drink disappeared. l caro-
nothing for it now, and would not touch it if
it ran in streams. Now, Ne,tie, if you love
me as eyer-and God knows that love you
the same-let us start anew, let us got mar>
ried over again, and the bitter experience of
the last two years will only enhance our hap>
piness. Nettie, dear, what do you say I"
Harry, she finally sobbod, in a self res
proachful way, 81 might have borne with you
longer"
No, no, Nettie, it was best 1t has brought
us certain happiness now. God bloss you for
coming into my lonely home this EVENING"
His arms were around her neck, and he
kissed her forehead.
The moon was rising, and it had never
looked SO happy as it did while he walked
home with Nettio to her fathers
So Harry Rogers and Nettio Ray married
again, and there is no divorce that could sep
arate them now.