The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1874-12-15
Selfrt Sturv.
COUSIN JEN NNIE'S STORY.
BY MARY d COLBY.

"Cousin Jennie, 60 with us to the con-
cert tonight, please. We can't 60 alone
and we want to hear Madame - sing,
so much," said pretty Minnie Norton, a
world of entreaty in her voice.
Tomorrow night, girls, if all is well
You know this is Wednesday hight, my
dears."
"Oh! I forgot. That stupid temper,
ance association meets to night But
why can't you miss it just for once p
pleaded Minnie, the least perceptib!e
pout on her rosy lips.
81 don't see what you find in those
coarse men and women so very attract
i've, Cousin Jennie" added Carrie. 81
don't believe anything short of lorna
do or an earthquake would keep her
away, Min"
Mrs. Morton looked up, smiling, from
the little sock she was knitting in the
fair faces of her'twin cousins, younger
than herself by ten years, and said:
eff you knew how much l have to
thank tiios 80 esr1et wunnrr,, for,
as yon call them, you wonld not wonder
that l find their company attractive.-
Dear brothers and sisters they are, and
always have been to me, and as such
regard them"
'Why, what have they done so won.
derful for you, Cousin Jennie? Tell us
some of your experience to compensate
for the concert we shall lose through you
tonight" said Carrie, taking up the
mate to the blue and white sock Mrs
Mlnturn held, and seating herself at her
cousins feet, Minnie, being already perch,
ed upon the wide window sill, the shad-
ow not yet entirely gone from her fair
face"
Causin Jennie paused moment, 6
shade of sadness crossing her face, as il
the history she was about to relate was
a painful one. and then said
~ will tell you, girls, what they have
done for me, although in telling you
shall have to speak of things which
pray Heaven you may never experience
The story is sad one, but it may dc
you good.
81 was twenty years old when l mar
ried Howard Minturn. l had been en-
gagged to him two years ,and no girl evel
went to the altar with more faith in the
man by her side than l did, that beauti
full June day ten years ago. My young
friends made a marriage bell of beauti
ful white flowers and hung it in the dool
way, and the little church was perfect
bower of evergreens and blossoms.
"Father gave me this cottage for hi.
gift, but old Aunt Maria furnished il
throughout, and here, after a weeks trip
We settled, quiet and happy.
"We had been married eighteer
months when our Lily was born. neet
not tell you how proud we were of our
baby, for you know how young couples
invariably act over their FIRST child, anG
we were no exception to the general rule
Lily had her fathers eyes and hair, and
was 'winsome, bonnie lassie,' and the
first words that passed her lips was pa
pa
81 was rocking her to sleep one nigh
when 1 heard Howard's step on the grav
ell walk, and in O moment he was in thu
room. I motioned him to be silent, an(
he stole on tiptoe to my side and ben
down to kiss the little face on my arm
In doing so, his face was close to mine
and / smelled his breath. Hehad bee,
Misunderstanding liquor, too, and try
ing to conceal it from me, for with tn,
scent of the brandy was also that of car
damon seeds have hated them eve
since Il.
eHe went quietly down stairs, and
sat there as if in dream. 1t had neve
occurred to me that Howard could drink
What my noble, handsome husband
drunkardf The very thought was ter
rible. What would the reality be2
knew what often followed the first socia
glass (for l was sure it was his first) ant
/ must try to save him. / laid Lily il
her crib. knelt down and prayed for Di
vine help, and then went down to tn
parlor
81 need not tell you what passed
there 1t was the old story Of meetin!
an old friend and drinking with him. H
promised that it should be his last glass
and he had never broken a promise tt
me in his life; and yet went to my res
that night with heavy heart and darl
forebodings of the future.
at was not his last glass. Night afte
night he came home with that sickenins
scent of liquor about him, sometimes 1
little stupid, but always cheerful ant
kind:
"One night he came home as he had
never come beforehand when Lily ran uE
L. L.. I.r LII hr Inl l,o,