Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1873-07-16
Select Story.
Mabel CIifton's S Reward.

Mabel CliftOn's Reward.
Mabel Clifton sat before one OF the
windowa of her fathers magnificent man.
sion. A servant stood in waiting
She was making out list of articles
wanted for the next day. Coming foot
steps arrested her attention. She raised
her eyes from the paper and looked out
The crimson flush deepened on her bright
young face, as "Oh !! in tone of deep
regret escaped her lips.
She turned around after an instant of
thought and eaid:
John. / am not just ready to finish
this list, and shall not send for an hour
yet. If you have anything to attend to
in the meantime you can do it,
Mr. Clifton had been reading in dis
tant part of the room.
Hearing the door close after Johns de.
pdl NC sdiu.
"You have not forgotten to send for
those wines l spoke of my dear 2"
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.
Papa -
"Welll'
"a boon, papa. Promise to grant me,
this last day Of the year. my boon !"
"What is it my love"
Promise to grant it first"
"Not in ignorance, my child
Trust me father
She had an eager, earnest noble look
in her eyes that Ter father did trust in,
and he promised her.
| well you shall have your way
Father, let us abstain from using
wines to morrow"
"W hat Nc, no cannot grant you
that. No wines Why child. have you
gone crazy2 For twenty five years past
l have offered my friends wine on New
Years day, and never have felt that l
was doing anything wrong. Wha; has
come over you :"
"Oh, father l have never felt just
right when offering men wine, aud just
now when | was making out the order
for John, 1 CHANGED to raise my eyes
just as Edgar Livingston was passing.
"It needed bat glance 10 see he was
very much under the influence of liquor.
! Father, his mother is a widow; he, her
only child, all her earthly hopes are in
him. Will they not be wrecked, think
you, if he INDUCES in the wine cup
70 morrow he will make many calls.-
Beautiful women will offer him wine. He
will not have the courage, possibly, to
wish to decline. To morrow night most
likely. then, he will return home to fill
his mothers heart with sorrow. don't
wish to contribute one drop to that bitter
cup"
"My dear, whether we have wines or
not, with him it will be all the same, as
you say he will make many calls"
Father, if you had son you would
talk differently
Think how many young men of the
brightest future have failed, nay. worse,
won truly disgrace and early graves
from the love of wine.
1 feel as if Edgar Livingston stood on
the brink of fearful precipice. Father
stretch forth your strong arm to draw
him-if only step by step, If we do
not save him, it will be a comfort to
think that we urged him not forward on
his fatal course"
"Mabel, you are very much interested
in the young man. Am l to conclude
"Nothing more than for his own and
his mothers sake, would endeavor to
save him, or any other young man in bis
danger, father.
"Here will be one of his first calls
Possibly can detain him long enough
to prevent him visiting many places
where he would be exposed to great
temptation. Oh, father, please grant me
this =
"Really, dear. feel disposed to grant
you this wish, bu: 20 many will be dis
appointed. Besides. I have not the cour-
age to make this great change, and set
five hundred tongues to work, specula-
ting about the cause of it. Some will
declare am about to fail. others, that l
have grown penurious. All !! what is it
John T.
Just then servant entered and hand
ed him an envelope, saying:
"a telegram, sir"
Mr.. Clifton tore it quickly open, read
it, and exclaimed
REALLY, this is too bad, but l must
uo- .Iohn. Here"