The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-10-30
THE MIDNIGHT TRAIN.

But, Uncle Royal, / am certain he |
viii REFORM said Hero Lewis. "He |
has promised me"
Uncle Royal looked down with a sort
. of mild, sublime pity from the height
of his six feet two, upon his pretty
niece, as he stroked her silky hair
softly.
"My poor Hero said he, ''what is
the word of a drunkard worth %
''Oh, uncle, don't use that cruel
word. Don't call him a drunkard p
cried the girl, shrinking back as if from
blow.
81 hardly know what other word is
applicable to him, Hero. No, he will
never reform. And, child, I'd rather
see you In your grave than married to
man who drinks.
He has promised" pleaded the girl,
her eyes shining like blue, wistfu1 stars.
s' uncle ought not to give him another
chance ?'
He shook his head.
My common sense, Hero, says No. "
g I hate common sense q flashed out
Hero. 90 People always talk about COM
mon sense when they mean to be cold
ers, and mean to marry him, in spite
of the carping, sneering world
And Hero went away through the
golden waving of the ears of ripening
rye, her blue ribbon futtering like pen
mons in the breeze
Urcle Royal looked after her with r
countenance of misgiving.
Like all other girls he said, "she
IS determined to have her own way
Well, If she aOiA wreck herself, can't
help it"
''Do you expect Harry tonight ?''
Miss E,rJaIDia Lewis DboE bn
world irreverently terms an old maid,
but she was quite young enough at
heart to sympathize in the love affairs
of the sister fifteen years her Junior, to
whom she had always stood in the place
of mother, and she too had a soft spot
In her heart for handsome, dissipated
Harry Rivers. She spoke from the
the gate, a light scarlet shawl thr OWL
across her shoulders.
He said he would come" was the
Misunderstanding answer.
''It is getting late and cold" said
Erminia. Better come in to the fire
You know as well as do that you1
throat isn't strong"
'sI'll come in a minute" said Hero
ssThey were telling me down at the
Corners this afternoon" +" said Erminia
speaking with an effort, " that the rail
road company are going to discharge
him from their employment"
Hero turned sharply around. "Tc
discharge him? ? What for ?''
For habitual intoxication. The,
sax it is not safe thing to employ
man who-who Is not always himself.
1T is a SANDER" cried Hero, hotly
SIT is the work of some base villain
who wants the post himself. /"
'f Very probably" said Erminia, sad
ly. stOnly, Hero-don't be vexed witt
me. darling-but they say Harry ha
fallen in with that set of men from tn
mines, and is getting into worse habit
than ever T.
Hero turned her face away.
'' Have you only evil things to tel
me, Erminia. .
J. would that they were good, foJ
YOUR sake, sister But the air is grow
ing chill we shall have rain. Had yo1
not better come In ?"
"By and by. Don't tease me, Ell
minia -
And Erninia comprehending that a
times solitude is the best medicine fo
a mind diseased, said nothing more, an
closing the easement, sat down to he
needlework, by the light of lamp.
At eleven o'clock, punctually, sh
went to bed, after having ascertained
nv a peep through the window, tha
Hero was still leaning on the gate, al
alone in the autumn darkness, with rec
leaves raining down around her, an
the melancholy cry of an owl in th
distant woods lending an additions
tinQe of mournfulness to the night an
the stiffness.
"Shell come in when she is ready,
thought Erminia. g don't like to as
sert any authority over her when she
in one of these moods.
No sooner did Hero perceive, by th
disappearance of the light from her siG
ter's window, that Erminia had sougl
her Pillow, than, softly gliding throug
the gate, she hurried down the roadwit
the scarlet shawl drawn tightly over be
head.
81 will not be so deceived and pr
off, she murmured to herself. IS wi