Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-01-09

had been very attentive, and she grew
to love him, feeling sure the time was
not far distant when he would come to
tell her of his love. But months rolled
by and he spoke not. Gradually his Wis
its grew less frequent, until they ceased.
What it was that had come between his
love and hers she could never think but
she felt perfectly sure he did love her,
and so, hoping that time would solve the
mystery and bring balm to her wound
ed spirit, she watched and waited for
the coming.
New-year's day came beautiful and
bright. Mabel and her friend Flory
never looked lovelier. Mabel had ex-
planned her wishes, and fully infused
her own spirit into her fair friend.
1t was impossible for an Indifferent
person not to feel their powers of fascin-
alton. To Edgar Livington, who was
one of their first guests, they were quite
irresistible. He fingered on, notwith-
standing the many efforts of a young
friend who accompanied him to draw
him away.
''D0 stay and help us, said Mabel,
and when Florys beautiful eyes repeat
ed the wish, Edgar yielded.
Few, if any, went from Clifton house
dissatisfied. Everything that heart could
desire or mind suggest, in the way of
delicacies and luxuries of the season,
Mabel offered her guests. But as her
father had said, many tongues were busy
specializing about it, and in few hours
| it was widely known that Miss Clifton
was having a Temperance reception"
Eagerly Mabers eyes sought the door
on every new arrival of guests. She had
hoped for the coming of one. But the
hours passed, and when it grew late in
the day the hope faded and almost died
out She had seated herself YEARLY in
an arm chair, when the same greeting
that had fallen on her ears so many
times that day, Happy New Year Miss
| Clifton, caused the bright light to re-
turn to her eye, the beautiful flush to
/ her face, as she rose to receive Ernest
Addison.
There was an expression in his fine
/ eyes, when he received from her the
fragrant cup of coffee, that relieved the
suspense of years Her heart was
| bounding with new hope.
Edgar Livingston had drawn FlOry to
the window. They were looking out on
the passcrs by. A few moments, and
reeling along the sidewalk, shouting and
singing a drinking song, came Edgars
companion of the morning.
FlOry turned from the siCkeDing sight.
Edgar followed, saying:
|'But for YOU Miss Clifton, l might
| have been one of that party"
And going up to Mabel, he said:
Miss Clifton. your slumber tonight
should be very peaceful. You have not
helped to cloud either the brain or heart
Of any of your friends to-day. Accept
my warmest thanks for having saved me
from feeling both.
Edgar saw an expression in Ernest's
eyes that made him think it would be
quite as agreeable to all parties if he
would take Flory back to the recess of
the window, to the piano, or anywhere
out of hearing, just then.
A few moments after his fine voice
was blending with hers in q we'll chosen
duet
Then Ernest told Mabel of the love
/ which had been hers since first he knew
her,
i came one night to lay my heart be-
/ fore you You had many guests, and
offered them wine. Gou noticed that |
placed my glass untouched on the table
| left early. | dared not WOO the heart
of one who held out such a fearful temp
tation before me; why you will know
when | tell YOU my only brother went
down to a drunkard's grave, the woman
he loved urging him on.
For a time mother and | had won
him from his fatal passion He was do
ING well. We believed he would fulfill
the bright promise of early youth. He
grew to love a beautiful girl. She was
wild and thoughtless; and one night. at
a party in her fathers house, she urged
him to drink.
One glass. Every one but you
takes wine, she said.
He resisted. She tainted him about
having to abstain entirely because he
had not the self-cOutrOl TO use wine in
moderation. He yielded, accepted the
fatal glass from her hand, and drank,
first moderately, then on and on in the
old fearful way, until the end Came-a
ruined life, and a mothers broken
heart.
$40 You wonder that fled from you?
Every hour since yearning to return, yet
daring not.
To-day | heard what you were do
ing. Earnestly thanking God that light
had dawned upon you, | FASTENED here
to lay my heart before the only woman
l have ever loved. VIII you be my wife,
Mabel?"
Her heart was too full of joy-she
could not tell him in words how happy
she was; but her little hand lay still in
his. She raised her eyes a moment, and
he saw the love of years beaming there.
He needed no other answer.
Judging from the low tone into which
the voices in the other room had fallen,
| think some fOther hearts had found
their mates. But the pairs were separ-
ated, or rather joined again, by the re-
turn of Mr.. Clinton, who entered, call
ing out:
"Mabel, my dear, to me these rooms
look rather Clark. Let's have the gas
turned on, if you please.
Certainly, papa.
And when there was light enough for
Mr.. Clifton to look into his daughters
eyes, he saw a brighter light shining
there. Another moment, when Flory
came to greet him, he said, with a sly
smile:
'sAh, [ see why you young folks knew
nothing of the surrounding darkness
guided by the light within. Well, have
you mao " pleasant day ?"
"a hdgpy day, re.thpr. there are no
regrets to steal in and mar it," Mabel
said with bright smile.
81 am glad Of it-glad of yourresolve,
Mabel. How glad you will know when
l tell you that this morning I closed the
eyes of a father whose only son was
away in some drinking saloon How
my heart aehed for that dying father
And what balm it was, to think at
that time my daughter was not holding
the fatal glass to any young man" said
Mr.. Clifton, his voice trembling with
emotion.
Before another New Years day Mabel
and Flory each presided over an estab-
lisbment of their own. The happy re-
membrance of their receptions is never
clouded by the thought that they have
added one drop to the cup of bitterness
which so many wives, mothers and sis
tiers have to drink-that cup of sorrow
which is so often prepared for them by
sister women.