The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-09-26
Brandy and Water

Romances from rural resorts are gener-
ally such lncOrrigible repetitons of the one
tamely-ending style Of comedy, that even
moderate tragedy may be tolerated for Il
change. Writing from Madison, in Wis
cOnsiu, to the St Louis Djypdtch a CORES
pendent dilates upon the picturesque beau
ties OF Lake Monona, fine sheet of water
near the former city, and cOmmends it to
sentimental respect with tale of its agency
ia one OF its last years love stories. The
daughter OF a wealthy gentleman Of Madison
had been wooed and brought to the usual
engagement by the son Of another prosper
Gus citizen, and the marriage was to take
place so soon a. the young man could give
trustworthy sign Of reform from his 'one
great fault As the correspondent does
not alege that this fault was first discovered
after the betrothal. il may be supposed 10
have betrayed itself before that event, and
this circumstance should be taken into con
sideration in the due assignment OF respon-
sibility for what followed. The great fault
in question was intemperance, 70 speak
with the plainness Of uncOmprOmisinom moral
Justice, the young man was Il drunkard, and
not the usually refining and strengthen
inginfuence pure and beautiful woman $
assured love sufiiced to reprcss his miser-
able vice In accepting the suit Of sutton
thus yiciously prone, that young lady prob
ably reasoned that their mutual affection
would speedily rescue him from the down
ward path, and afford a beautiful illustra
ton Of the moral efficacy Of holy passion.
Such is the manner in which her sex gen
orally argues for an imprudent engagement
of the kind and the fact that the first
stages of said passion do not always involve
much assured sign Of the objective saliva.
ton is seldom allowed to have any effective
weight against the argument. Finding
however, that after their engagement her
betrothed still yielded to his one great fault
as before, the heroine Of the present mar
rative decided TO adopt the climacteric
reformatory device of temporarily dissolv-
ing that engagement. She was ''piqued,
says the correspondent, lat his persistent
weakness and seeming Indifference to her
wishes, and greatly doubling the debth Of d
love which could make no sacrifice, thought
she would try a little experiment n
very profound knowledge Of the pervers
tics Of erring human nature is required foi
the inference that this method Of dealing
with a drunkard was not the wisest in tn,
world. Ii was either tooharsh or not sever,
enough. The unhappy seli-destroyer hat
evidence that he was threatened with expuI
sion from his paradise, yet not such 6na
certainty thereof as to make him credi
wholly his misfortune. As a consequence
in sheer confusion and disorder Of mind h,
drank the deeper, and while in condition
Of maudliu intoxication intruded his pres
ence upon tht lady when she had othe
company. The result OF this was remorse
full remembrance on the following morn
ing and prayer for pardon, which wa
e0ldy repulsed by the yet indignant objec
Of the affront Then good-by my dear,
said the poor sinner, turning iorlornly iron
the interview you shall never be troubles
by me again. When, q few hours later
she repented her anger, and not only wrot
a letter to- that effect, but also renewed tn
broken engagement, there was no lover b
forgive and be recalled He had left he
presence TO seek his boat ON Lake Monon
and castohimseK headloup therefrum int
depths that should wash out his RUNE
life forever. Thus ended in tragedy ,
saaAt one aummer'seasou's romance and /