Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-07-27
AUNT cLARA,s sroRr.
BY DEBORAH.

DEbOhAAs
''Now, Aunt Emily, won't listen
to temperance lecture from you.
just as if one could not take little
too much wine now and then with
q friend, or AZ an oyster supper,
without dying a drunkard."
Thus spoke Edward Hall, whose
flushed cheek and bloodshOd eye
were evidences that his aunt had
some reason TO feel anxious. After
a few moments silence, he muir
INJURED TO himself
Il wish Aunt Clara was here;
she's not fussy old maid, who
fsneies a boy ON the highway 10
destruction IL he has q little fun
once IN n while"
He had hardly ceased speaking,
when Miss Hall observed from her
seat beside The window:
edward, your wish was granted.
/ see Clara coming up the walk. i
will meet her and send her here"
She quickly rose aud left the
room, but as she passed the sofa on
which Edward was lying, he noticed
that, quietly as she had spoken, her
whole face was Quivering with
emotion, which she was striving
20 suppress Angry and impatient
as he " as, the sight OF that sad face,
trembling with griefat his unkind
taunt, touched his better nature, and
he earnestly whished he had been
more gentle in his replies TO her
close Questioning Of his companions
and whereabouts ON the previous
evening.
His thoughts wandered over the
past, and memory pictured many a
sceie IN which his aunt's untiring
DEVOTION TO his happiness seemed TO
be the aim OF her lite.
So interested was he IN his retro
,spect, that he forgot his Aunt Clara
and all things else, until be felt her
cool hand on his burning brow and
heard her kindly say:
p "Does my boys head ache so bad
lf that he has no welcome Tor me,
" hen i came through ali this snow
to congratulate him on arriving at
mauhoodis years, and wish him
many happy returHs!"
Why Aunt ClaTal So this Is my
birthday. l had forgotten It. /
do believe that was what Aunt
Emily was trying to make me un-
-derstand, when / got angry and an
swefed her like a heather. I'll go
this. minute and ask her forgive
ness" --f 70
! He sprang from the sofa 10 seek
his aunt, but Mrs, Preston, gently
Iavihg her hand on his arm, detained
him. while she said;
--CssN OF quite so fast, my dear. Stay
with me-. Emily has gone 10 lie
down. She needs rest alter last
nights yigils. This is sad ami
Vefsarv TO her. 90 "
! ! -ITYigils! Surely she was not up
all night on my accOunt!' hastily
said the conscience-smitten boy.
aNo, Edward; not on your ac-
count does she keep this anniversary
with tears and prayers; though 1
doubt not she has been praying for,
you, too. Have. never heard. that
this should have been the aflhiver'-
sary Of Emily's Weddingr' l-elo ~
.sig Aunt Emily's Wedding. Why
WAS she not married? Did he diesD
SsYes, my dear, he died by his own
hand. Poor Emily, her kind heart
b as been lsorelg- tried" ul rro lf 4
E1"Teh mo the story please do
Poor Aunt Emily; she must think
me q brute. i was tormentiDg her
on being an old maid just as you
caFna.in.f =, md rf 13gl .-n0
GSit down again, and / win tell
yon,'' said his aunt, who had been
Arranging his pillows; and had
drawn an easy chair near the sofa.
% II hardly need to tell you that
Emfly was beautiful, our darling
and our pride, when first Harvey
BeItOn met her. He was, a class
mate of your father, and accompa-
MED him home for the summers Naca-
tion. o.Oh, how we'll l remember
the dayl Edward was our only
brother. and Emily idolizod him.
His return, which was a great Joy
TO all seemed TO ill her cup OF hap
piRess TO overaOwing.o day she
was. busy filling vases, Wreathing
garland and festoOns to decorate
the house, humming his favorite
tunes; now and then bursting into
fun gush of melody, as If her happy
heart could not keep silent. Ed
ward will soon be herei Edward
will soon be hereP' she kept repeat
ing, until Ireplied, $50 viii Al
fred Preston aud Cousin Tom. Ny
wreaths and flowers are for them.n
Our mother had always made the
return of the absent members Of the
family an occasion Of great rejoicing.
TIE Whols honse was decorated 70
De fhen honor. 81 want my chill
dreh to feel that no one, or at no
place. are they so welcome as at
their mothers heart and hearth. -
This was ever her answer when
questioned. So she spared no pains
10 make il the brightest, ..happiest
place on earth TO each Of. US. No
trfie was too small, no trouble too
great that might add to our pleas
ure- -crr5U rrrrsa -- el
"HoW beautiful eur Emily looked
in her simple white dress, with a
cluster OF heartsease IN her hair,
they were Edwards favOrite flow
ers, and she always wore them
when he was to be with her.
lsShe had Just approached father
to ask when the carriage should ar
rive, as the door opened and Ed
ward entered, followed By Harvey
Belton.- .l- ,-...
II cannot describe Harvey, but
thought ham the handsomest man /
had ever seen, and 80 he was. lean
see him now, as he gracefully ac-
'knowledged mothers remark that
she was pleased that he had accom-
panied Edward home
"Ohi! that happy, happy SUMMER
Harvey was the life of our circle
Not a picnic was planned, not an ex-
eursion proposed but that he was
on hand to assist and add TO our
pleasure.
ain those days it was customary
to keep wines and liquors on the
sideboard TO be passed to All who
called, and Harvey had not been
with us long before we learned that
his weak point was love for strong
drink. Could il be possible that
amid so many noble traits one evil
habit could have power 10 blast
the happiness of life? Alasl il was
too true. -.-t ---
Father had become much inter-.
ested in Harvey during the vacation
and ne talked long and eauestiv
with him on the evil that cw6nltT
surely follow il he did not shun the.
wine cup. He promised to try, and
when the Christmas HOLIDAYS
brought him again into TO our midst,
we reioiced in his reform. -Cu Trfa =
''Time passed on; he graduated
and studied law. A careful reader,
clear and earnest thinker, ali who
knew him prophesied brilliant ca
reer In his chosen Profession. III
"He and Emily had beer. engaged
a year, and during that time he had
never yielded to temptation We
fondly believed that there was no
longer any danger. But we were
soon awakened from our delusion.