The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1873-08-12

to her eyes. 1
She raised her head from its resting
place, and looked searchingly into his
eyes.
"Do you mean all that, Willie Will,
you leave the club forever,and stay with
me, as in the first blissful year of otE#
married life ~
Most truly do mean it, Mary. Do
you doubt your husbands s word ?" a
mo, M, darling, only it seemed to,
good to be real And now, Willie, one
thing more-will you never drink again,
never, never?" 1
"Never, darling, if such be your wish Z
though ] must say thirk you're fools
ish little puss to ask that. What hiist.
can social glass do fellow now sssze
then2 And one is ashamed to htys.st
always refuse to be sociable with hiss
| friends"
"Ah, Willie, that socia5le glass is the
worst Of all the terrible evil lit sharpens
the appetite for more; and then there
comes more, more, more! till it kills me
to think of what it leads to-"
"Well, you're quite eloquent, a real lit
tie philosopher; but all shall be as you
say, And Pm to go, then, this time,am
II"
eyes, Willie. can stay alone this
once, remembering it'll be the last time.
The servants are in the basement, and
I'll not be afraid Baby will sleep in his
cradle by my side, and I'll sit and sew.
III wait for you, Willie; don't stay late,
and be sure and come yourself, you
know" f
"You may be sure of that. I'll not
stay longer than eleven; but you had
better go to bed, darling"
mo, III wait for you, Willie. 1t will
not seem long till eleven; my happy
thoughts will be such pleasant compa
n.y."
"Well, then, goodbye, little one
Don't get lonesome; and if these dear
eyes, red with so much foolish crying,
get heavy, creep into bed and &c, to
Sleep"
And pressing kiss after kiss upon her
cheek, brow, lips and eyes, he left her.
He had reached the hall door, when she
cried:
! "Willie, come back a minute, dear
one"
He returned. "Well, what is it little
one Do you want more promises =
"No, dear; just wanted to look into
your eyes that l love so well, once
more; for feel so strangely weak to-
night"
The city clocks have just chimed out
the hour of three in the morning, when
Willie Graham, leaning heavily on the
arm of companion, walks up the steps
to his front door. His companion ap-
plies the night-key and bid him "good
night" The young man fumbles and
staggers up the flight of stairs, and
reaches the door of his chamber. En-
j teriug, all is still the fire has died ont
IN the CRATE, but the gas light 5ger tssE
table, beside which sits his wife. still
i shines brilliantly. The infant in the
cradle sleeps sweetly. The drunken
man sinks into chair just inside the
door, and looks at his wife. His en-
trance has not disturbed her. She had
( taken down her hair for the night, and
the long, golden, shining ringlets fell in
rich clouds over her white Wrapper
One hand lay against her left SIDE and
the other in her lap. Her eyes were
closed, and the long, thick, golden
locks swept the fair cheek tenderly.
The drunken man gazed at her stead
| ily for few moments, and then some
thing seemed to fash across his whisky
numbed senses. "Mary!' he screamed.
No answer. The snowy linen was moi
tdisturbed by even breath or a pulsa-
ton of the heart beneath Then he
, sprang to his feet and to her side. He
was sobered in an instant. Frantically
he knelt beside her, and drew the gel-
den head to his bosom, calling her name
| in piteous tones, and showering kisses
on the cold, dead face.
"You said you'd wait for me, Mary
And you have waited; but oh, God,
what welcome for me! l can not,
can not live without her! Speak. to
, me, my darling, just once more! Tell
, me am not too late TO receive your
forgiveness for thus breaking my prom,
Use to you, dear angel"
But she never spoke again. The doc
) tors said she had died of disease of the
heart, and had been dead three hours,
at least.
"Oh, God! Had 1 came at eleven, as
!, II promised her, Iswould have found ksssr
alive. But she waited for me till then,
and then, when she saw I had broken
my promise, her heart broke. G sd
|, forgive me. I've nothing to live for"
| He was reformed man. He never
more drank of the fatal cup; but he
was, ever after, sorrowful mana sad
evidence that, for the attainment Of any
earthly happiness, reforms often come
"too late