The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1874-12-17
THE MIDNIGHT TRAIN.
BY AMY RANDOLPH,

"But, Uncle Royal, l am certain he
will reform" said Hero Lewis, she has
promised me-"
Uncle Lewis looked down with a sort
of mild, sublime pity from the hight of
his six foot two, upon his pretty niece, as
he stroked her silky hair softly.
"My poor Hero" said he, what is the
word of drunkard WORTH
'Oh, uncle, don't use that cruel word.
Don't call him drunkard, cried the girl,
shrinking back as from blow.
81 hardly know what other word is ap-
plicable to him, Hero No, he will nev-
er 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 wistful stars.
''Uncle, ought | not to give him another
chance?"
He shook his head
"My common sense, Hero, says, No"
II hate common sense" flashed out
Hero.
people always talk about common
sense when they mean to be cold and
hard and cruel l love Harry Rivers, and
| mean to marry him, in spite of the carp
ing, sneering world"
And Hero went away through the gol
den waving ears of the ripening rye, hel
| blue ribbons Huttering in the breeze
Uncle Royal looked after her with ;
spirit of misgiving.
Like all other girls" he said, "she il
determined to have hel own way Wei
if she will wreck herself, can't help it.
"Do you expect Harry to-night?"
| Miss Erminia Lewis was what tht
world irreverently terms an old maid, but
she was quite young enough at heart tt
sympathize in the love affairs of the sis
ter fifteen years her junior, to whom sht
had always stood in the place of a moth
er, and she too had soft spot in hel
heart for handsome, dissipated Harry
Rivers She spoke from the window
while Hero was leaning over the gate, :
light scarlet shawl threwn across he
shoulders
''He said he would come" was the hal
hesitating answer.
at is getting cold and late said Ermi
MIA Better come in to the fire. Yo,
know as well as | DO that your throat i
not strong"
! 'lll come in a minute" said Hero
"They were telling me down at the Cor
ners this afternoon" said Erminia, "tha
the Railroad Company are going to dis
charge him from their employ"
Hero turned sharply around. ''To dis
charge him? What for?"
"For habitual intoxication. They sa,
it is not safe thing to employ maj
who-who is not always himself"
ut is a slander," cried out Hero, hotly
'It is the wolk of some base villain whC
wants the place himself"
Every probably" said Erminia, sadly
"Only, Hero-dont be vexed with me
darling-but they say Harry has faller
in with that set of men from the mines
and is getting into worse habits thar
ever!"
Hero turned her face away.
"Have you only evil tidings to tell mt
Erminia?"
II would that they were good, for YOU
sake, sister But the air is growing chill
we shall have rain Had you not bettel
come imp"
"By and by. Don't tease me, Ermi
MA"
And Erminia comprehending that a
times solitude is the best medicine for ;
mind diseased, said nothing more, anc
closing the easement, sat down to he
needlework
At eleven o'clock, she went to bed, af
ter having ascertained, by peep through
the window, that Hero was still leaning OF
the gate. all alone in the autumn dark
ness, with red leaves raining down around
her, and the melancholy cry of an owl il
the distant woods lending an additiona
tinge of mournfulness to the night anc
the stiffness.
"Shell come in when she is ready,
thought Erminia. don't like to asser
any authority over her when she is in on,
Of these moods"
No sooner did Hero perceive, by the
disappearance of the light from her sis
ter's window, that Erminia had sought hel
pillow, than softly gliding through the
gate, she hurried down the road with the
scarlet shawl drawn tightly over her head
81 will not be deceived and put off,
she murmured to herself. 81 will FIND
out whether he is to be trusted or not"
The Miners Arms, at the corner of the
three roads, was all alight as she approach
ed it, and from the wide open easements
she could hear the uproarious chorus of q
drinking song, the clink of glasses, and
that harsh sound of besotted laughter
And lifting trail of scarlet-leafed wood
bines which formed natural curtain to
one of the windows, Hero Lewis peep
ed in.
With sinking heart and chilly SEN
sation of despair she saw Harry Rivers
rise, staggering to his feet with brim.
ming glass in his hand, and propose some
hiccoughal toast which was received with
noisy applause by the noisy assemblage
Hero did not wait to hear more. Drop
ping the woodbines once more, she hur
ried away with white set face.
''God help mel God be merciful te
me" she murmered. "For the lido
whom / worshiped has fallen to the
ground"
Just at that moment the far off whistle
OF train smote through the silence OF
the night-a sudden ghastly possibility
took possession of Hero's heart.
"The midnight express?" she muttered
to herself. Sand he dead drunk in that
bar-room!"
Hurrying down steep ravine, heed
less of scratching briars and cruelty pierc
/ ~ ~