Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-10-07
A Hearts Reward.

"'iilf ! dli uNl lhNi iHhlN W lllNH lilN
list, and shall not send il for an hour yet.
II You have anything 10 attend TO in the
meantime, you can do it,"
Mr.. Clifton had been reading in a distant
part Of the room. Hearing the door close,
after Johns departure, he said
You have not forgotten 10 send for those
wines spoke Of, my dear 2"
lie has not gone yet papa"
All, we'll, do not make it late. They
will be- very busy tonight" her father said,
turning to his paper.
Papa"
"Well 2"
\ boon, papa. Promise TO grant me,
thi, last day OF the year, my boon 70
What is it, my love 20
Promise 30 grant it first
Not IN ignorance, my child
Trust me, father"
She had an eager. earnest, noble look in
her eyes that her father did trust IN. and hc
promised her.
Well you shall have your way"
Father let Us abstain from using wine
tomorrow"
What no. no; cannot grant You that.
No wines Why child, have YOU gone
crazy For twenty-five years have offered
my friend. wine on New Years day, and
never have felt that I was doing anything
wrong. What has come over You 2"
Oh, father, have never felt just right
when offering men wine. and just now a.
was making out the order for John, ! chanced
10 raise my eyes Just as Edgar Livingston
was passing. II needed but a glance tu SEE
he was very much under the influence of
liquor Father, his mother is a widow; he
is her only child, and all her earthly hopes
center in him. Win they not be wrecked,
think you, if he indulges the wine cupf To
morrow he will make many calls. Beautiful
women will offer him wine. lie will not
have The courage, possibly, 10 wish 10 decline.
Tomorrow night, most likely, he will return
home 10 I'LL 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 il YOU had a son, would You not
talk differently Think how many young
men OF the brightest future have failed, nav,
worse, Won disgrace and early graves, from
love of wine. feel as il Edgar Livingston
stood upon the brink of a fearful precipice.
Father, stretch forth your strong arm 10
save him--if only step 10y 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
this young man. Am to conclude"
Nothing more than for his own and his
mothers sake. would endeavor to save him,
or any other Young man in his danger father
Here will be one Of his first calls. Possibly
| can detain him long enough to prevent him
from visiting many places where he would
be exposed to great temptation Oh, father,
please grant me this 2"
Really, dear, feel disposed to grant it,
but 50 many will be disappointed. Besides,
| have not the courage to make this great
change, aud set five hundred tongues 20
work, Specializing about the cause of it.
Some viii declare am about 10 fail, Others
that have grown penurious All what
is il John 2"
just then a servant entered and handed
him an envelope, saying;
\ telegram, sir.
Mr. Clifton tore it quickly OPEN read it,
and exclaimed
Really this is too bad, but must go,
John. Here"
And hastily writing a few words for re-
turn dispatch, he handed it to the servant,
and turning 10 Mabel, said
My old friend, IIarwell- is dying, and
begs that ! viii hasten to him. cannot
1 deny lin. SO you will have 10 entertain my
friends tomorrow and explain to them the
reason Of my failing TO see them this first
time for so many years.
And-well, dear you can do as you
! choose about the bill Of fare. As | shall not
| be at home. the people will not hold me re-
spmsible for what happened in my absence -
I Oh, thank you, papa, for permission to
! Ia | I.h | xxIl tul oil t1
| kind remarks any one feels ike making
/ But feel confident that all who have sons
! will give me their kindest wishes for with
holding temptation from their boys. And
4 TO the young men | shall try to make myself
/ agreeable, aud have our cook make the coffee
I so very fine that they viii 60 away quite rs
wen pleased, and With their brains a good
deal clearer, than il had entertained them
with wine"
An hour after, Mr. Clifton was on his way
to the side of his dying friend, and Mabel sat
down and wrote
DEoEMRER 80
DEAR FLoN '--Come help me receive our
! friends tomorrow. Papa has been called away.
/ and must have you with me, as am particularly
| anxious to have my reception a Success
Lovingly, MABEL.
Edgar likes Flory, | can see plainly, and
| think she is not wholly Indifferent to him.
Together think we can manage 10 have
him here tomorrow, and thus save his mother
great sorrow, most likely" said Mabel.
Mabel Clifton was one Of the loveliest
girls in p. Friends wondered that her
heart had not yielded to some of her many
suitors. They did not know that she had no
heart to yield to any of those who sought
it. The first season she appeared in the Sc
lect circle in which her fathers wealth and
/. H.. 4
lie was noble-looking man, talented, with
mind and heart alike filled with true resolve.
To Mabel he had been very attentive, and
she grew to love him, feeling sure the time
was not far distant when he would come to
tell her of his love. But months rolled by,
and he spoke not Gradually his visits grew
less frequent, until they ceased, What it
was that had come between his love and
hers she could never think but she felt
perfectly sure that he did love her, and so,
hoping that time would solve the mystery
and bring a balm TO her wounded spirit, She
watched and waited for the coming
New Years day came, beautiful and bright,
Mabel and her friend, Flory, never looked
lovelier. Mabel had explained her wishes
and fully infused her own spirit into her
friend. 1t was impossible for any indiffer-
ent person not 70 feel their powers OF
fascination. To Edgar Livingston, one of
their first guests, they were quite irresistible.
lie fingered on notwithstanding the snany
efforts of young friend, who accompanied
him, TO draw him, away.
" DO stay and help US" said Mabel, and
when Floy's beautiful eyes repeated the
wish, Edgar yielded
Few, il any, went away from the Clifton
mansion dissatisfied Everything heart
could desire or mind suggest, in the way Of
delicacies and luxuries Of the season, Mabel
offered her guests. But, as her father had
said, many tongues were busy specializing
about il, and in few hours II was widely
} known that Miss Clifton was giving a tenn
perance reception Eagerly Mabel's eyes
sought the door ON every new arrival OF
guests. She had hoped for the coming OF
one. But the hours passed, and when il
grow late in the day the hope faded, and
almost died out. She had seated herself