The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1873-08-21
sci eCt al q
Nlabel's Request.

Mabel Clifton sat before one Of the
windows of her fathers magnificent
mansion. A servant stood in waiting.
She was making out list of artic
les wanted for the next day. coming
footsteps arrested her attention. She
raised her eyes from the paper and
looked out. The crimson flush deepen.
ed on her bright young face, as "Oh!'
in tone of deep regret escaped her
lips.
She turned around after an instant
of thought and said:
"John, L am not just ready to fin
ish this list, and shall not send for an
hour yet. II you have anything to
attend to in the meantime you can
do it,
Mr.. Clifton had been reading in n
distant part of the room.
Hearing the door close after Johns
departure he said:
You have not forgotten to send for
those wines spoke of my dearl'
"He has not gone yet, papa.
"Ah, well, do not make it late. They
will be very busy tonight" her
father said, turning again to his paper.
Para"
"Well ?"
"a boon, papa. Promise to grant
me, this last day of the year, my
boen!"
"What is it my love!"
''Promise TO grant it first,
"Not in ignorance, my child"
3 @Trust me father'
She had an eager, earnest noble
look in her eyes that her father did
trust in, and he promised her.
swell, you shall have your way.
"Father, let us abstain from using
, wines tomorrow
"What! No, no; cannot grant you
that No wines Why child, have
n you gone crazy? For twenty-five
years past I have offered my friends
wine on New Years day and never
have felt that I was dong anything
wrong. What has come over you"
;. "Oh, father have never felt just
right when Offering men wine, and
;, Just now when was making Out
=. the order for John, Glanced tC
l. raise my eyes just as Edgar Living
ston was passing
: 1T needed but a glance to sec 1t
was very much under the influence
of liquor. Father, his mother is {
widow; he, her only child, all hel
4. earthly hopes are in him. Will the.
). not be wrecked, think you if he in
a dulges in the wine cup! Tomorrow
= he will make many calls. Beautiful
women will offer him wine. lie vii
A not have the courage possibly, tc
10 wish to decline. Tomorrow nigh
most likely, then, he will return hom'
to fill his mothers heart with soirow
I don't wish to contribute one drol
to that bitter cup"
A. "My dear, whether we have wine
re or not, with him it will be all TN
II same, as you say he will make man.
calls"
"Father, if you had son yo,
would talk differently.
J.. "1hink how many young men 9
nd the brightest future have failed, ma
" worse, won truely disgrace and eal
lis ly graves from the love of wine.
y Ifeel as if Edgar Livingston stoo
on the brink of a fearful precipice
Father stretch forth your strong arr
to draw him-if only step by stel
If we do not save him, it will be
comfort TO think that we urged hi
not forward on his fatal course.
Mabel, you are very much intel
ested in the young man. Am
pa. conclude"
,st st IN, thing more than for his ow
and his mothers sake, | would Ell
= deavor to save him, or any otht
young man in his danger, father.
IN "Here will be one OF his first call
; Q. Possibly / can detain him Ion
\" enough to prevent him visiting mar
places where he would be exposed
/. great temptation. Oh, father, pleas
w. grant me this T.
"Really, dear, I feel disposed
grant you this wish, but SO mar
n will be disappointed. Besides,
~ have no. the courage TO make I'll
:" great change, and set five hundr'
- tongues to work, speculating abo
the cause of it. Some will declare
am about TO fail, others, that I ha
grown penurious. Ali what is
D joint"
just then . servant entered q
handed him an envelope, SAYING
AZ "A tolegram, mir"
~. OllIaA tors Il quickly op'