The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1873-04-11

| "Miss Reynolds Il must beg to decline
| your invitation to dinner. Since you have
given me an opportunity to address you
again, have few plain words to speak.
Perhaps you may be interested to know that
| the only inheritance my father left me was
the almost unconquerable appetite of a
drunkard. You probably know that last
New Years evening l was drunk use
plain language-I am aware that it would
be more graceful to say intoxicated but l
am in no mood to pick my words, or hunt
up smooth sounding language with which
to-describe the awful crime. Plainly, then,
| was drunk, hopelessly, helplessly, I'M
tashionably so. 1t is not the first time. l
have known what it is to roll in gutter,
and spend nights in the lookup. Five
years ago | made resolution to reform.
| signed total abstinence pledge. Inever
from that day have tasted drop of the
cursed fire in any form, until you, on New
Years day, with the face and voice of an
angel, tempted me to my ruin. If it is any
satisfaction to you to know it, / may as
well tell you that believe no other hui
man being could have had this power over
me, that you were more to me than the
whole world combined, more even, God for
| called on Him for aid. Perhaps you can
have some faint idea of how strangely it
struck me, that the only face that could
have tempted me back into the drunkard's
hell on earth, was the one who was the
first, and l might add the only one, to cut
my acquaintance. 1t seems you have repen-
ted So have |. l never want to see you
again l might say never dare to, you
WELD too awful power over me, and you
do not scruple to use it. am going away
from this place. have dissolved my bust
ness connection. l hope never to return
here. God only knows whether the demon
once more aroused within me will ever be
exercised this side the grave. l have
fought it day and night sirceI saw you last,
and to fight it more successfully l want to
put miles and miles between you and me.
l am glad of this opportunity to speak
word of pity in behalfof young men in
general. You will consider mine an eXcep-
tional case. You do not know men as well
as do; you do not know how many hun
dred just such exceptional cases there are
in this very city; besides, ifthere were but
one poor wretch here and there in danger,
how are you ever going to know but it is to
such an one you are sweetly holding out
the fatal cup implore you not to ruin
others. III have written harshly, may God
forgive me; only He knows what l suffer.
'Good-by.
"HENRY D. WARDEN"
1t is confidently reported in "their set"
that Miss Augusta Reynolds is not going
to set wine before her guests en- this COM
ing New Years day.-He Reform.
A DINNER ExcUsE.-Apologies for poor
dinners are generally out of place. But
when a lady has forgetful husband, who,
without warming, brings home dozen
guests, to sit down to plain family dinner
for three or four, it is not in human nature
to keep absolute silence. What to say,
and how to say it, form the problem
Mrs. Tucker, the wife Of Judge Tucker, of
Williamsburg, solved this problem many
years ago. She was the daughter or niece
q am uncertain which, of Sir Peyton Kip
with, and celebrated for her beauty, wit,
case and grace of manner. Her temper and
tact were put to the proof one court-day
when the judge brought with him the &C.
customed half score or more of lawyers, for
whom not the slightest preparations had
been made, the judge having quite forgot
ten to remind his wife that it was court
day, and she herself strange to tell, having
overlooked the fact. The dinner was SER
we'd with elegance, and Mrs. T. made her
selfvery charming. Upon rising to leave
the guests to their wine she said: "Gentle-
men, you have dined to-day with Judge
Tucker; promise me now that you will
all dine to morrow with me-" This was all
her apology, whereupon the gentlemen
swore that such a wife was beyond price
The judge then explained the situation, and
the next day there was Il noble banquet
Moral: Never worry guest with apollo
gies.-Lippincott's Magazine.