The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1874-11-12


me, too. and except In SO many words we
were engaged. Matters were just at this
crisis when Charley came home to spend q
vacation. don't know just how II all hap
pened so, but soon saw that he too loved
Susie and she-rell, it was no wonder. He
was so much more In every sense than was
that he carried sway her heart by storm.
drew back ana left the field to him. I
told myself that could, bear 1t better than
he could, and / was accustomed to making
sacrifices for his sake. When he went back
1t was with her picture near his heart, her
kiss on h's lips. and was left alone again.
J dared not see Susie. for had a new lesson
to learn-to forget her. They were 70 be
married as soon as he had completed his
studies. He came home, sometimes quite
often, aud gradually the fact forced Itself
upon me that a new element had found It's
way into his character. It was so lard to
believe that suppose 1t had existed some
time before we Of home realized it. He was
then only slightly given to drink but to our
idosized boy 40 intoxicated. talked to
him and he promised me faithfully TO leave
vt alone; but alas for lis promises. Susie
said, He will stop after we are married !;
1t Is his companions, and when he has q
home and wife to keep him away from
them he will do better So they were mar
ried.
For awhile susIe's prophecy proved true,
but by and by, the old charm won him from
her side. Little by little down be went.
They lived In the city whore his business
called him, and in comparatively short
time my talented, educated, darling brother
was nothing bus common drunkard. 1
was In trouble, too, at home. Father and
mother beth diea about that time, the end
FASTENED by the knowledge of their sons
downfall. After had laid them away In
the village churchyard, sought out Charley
and Susie. They had been obliged to move
away from their first home and found them,
after long search, in miserable lodgings
nearly penniless. and Susie sick, with baby
only few weeks old. Charley seemed at
times utterly lost to every feeling of honor or
love. and again al times was filled with the
keenest remorse.
II took them away into better quarters.
and obtained nurse for Susie. I kept q
close watch over Charley and tried every
means to loose him from the accursed
power OF drink, but all to no purpose. Poor
Susie died, and had to lock the door dur
ing the last hours of her life to keep him In.
that he might be there and sober at the
last.
80. Charley - she prayed, ''do try again !;
do be good to my little baby !"
"He was frantic with grief, and promised.
vowed, swore he would live and be o man
for the chid's sake. stayed there with
him. watched him and took him home.
when the old ways were getting hold of him
again. aud he fought and struggled so that it
seemed to me he must be victorious ct last.
But the taste was too strong. He began
again, and there was nothing could do would
keep him long away.
zone day in drunken brawl he was hurt.
and after he had been taken home he drank
moe, for he had concealed a flask where
had not dreamed OF searching for it. His
baby was then little growing. creeping
thing. She went to him while was cut
for doctor, and maddened by drink and
pain, he murdered her in his frenzy. When
returned he was sleeping the heavy sleep
of exhaustion and inebriation, and dear little
Minnie was dead.
Mortified, | felt as If Heaven Itself were
against me and mine. knew not what to
do. took her up and laid her in her crib
and sat down to walt for the doctor and to
try to think. Dazed, bewildered, 1 sat there
till Charley woke. Getting up he walked
across the floor when he saw the dead child
lying there.
"'What is this ? he fairly screamed
"'You may well ask said. I found
her SO when I came in
81 have killed her-my bonnie little
baby ! Oh, wretch that am
"He rayed like mailman, and breaking
from me rushed from the place. We found
him next day-in the river.
Sand this was the end of my unhappy
brother. He who started out in life with the
brightest prospects, endowed by nature with
uncommon gifts, beloved, cherished, the
hope of US at He had dared to tamper
with The cup whose fascination has lured
80 many out to destruction. Wife and child
both fell victims to his sin, and all our hearts
were broken. was glad his old father and
mother were spared the scene of his awful
end, but l was left to take up my life with
8 bitter burden on my heart.
II found myself With an almost empty
purse /; everything had gone In my efforts to
reform and to re-establish Charley. Bat
there came the news one day that wealth