Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-06-18


ed time for the wedding, Rosa gave a
large party. Great were the prepar-
ations made, many the invitations is
sued; and on that fatal night the bril-
liantly Illuminated house was filed
to overhowing with guests. All
Rosa's young friends were there, and
among them, of course, Charley Gray,
her betrothed.
"At supper time, Rosa, who was
sitting opposite Charley, suddenly
called out:
"'Why, Charlie, you have no wine.
Here Sam,' to waiter, take Mr..
Gray some wine
"'No, no; l do not wish for any,
thank you, Rosa replied Charley.
"'Not wish for any wine! nonsense!
Why, Charley, did not think you
were as prosy as that. Come now,
she added playfully, as the waiter set
the wine beside him; I'm not going
to let you be stubborn. Just drink a
little and to enforce her words she
left her place at the table and came
around to where Charley was stand
ing.
"'Rosa, Rosa he answered in q
low tone, do not tempt me. 1would
do anything for you but this
"'And you won't even drink to my
health?' urged the temptress. 4
thought you loved me, Charles, and
you will not do even this trifling act
for my sake
"'For your sake be it then, Rosa,
and raising the glass to his lips he
drained its contents.
When he sat down the crimson
blood was rushing iii torrents to his
head, eyes were wild and eager.
"'Not such bad dose after all, was
it Charley?' laughed Rosa, as she
tripped away at the call of one Of her
young friends.
"1e did not reply, but gazed after
her with sad, almost vacant stare.
"That night, Kate, Charley Gray
was taken to his lodgings intoricated,
although the fact was at the time
known to only a few of his gentle
men friends.
DWELL, time passed, and that house
was again the scene of merriment,
for Rosa's wedding day was at hand.
It dawned bright and beautiful, and
all day long the house echoed to fly
ing feet hurrying hither and thither,
putting the finishing touches to the
preparations which were made to eel
ebrate the great occasion. Charles
and Rose were married at O'Clock,
and at 9 started on their br idal tour,
which lasted two weeks, and then
they came home to settle i'll pretty
house about a mile distant from
Rosie's old home.
"For three short weeks they were
as happy as mortals ever were, but at
the end of that time dark cloud be-
gan to dim the brightness of that
pleasant little home.
zone dark, stormy night Rose was
waiting for her husbands return
home from the club of which he was
member. 1t was the first time he
had attended it since his marriage;
and now, as Rose sat musing before
the cheerful fire, she wondered if it
always kept him so late, tor it was
past eleven o'clock. Twelve came,
and still no Charley. One-and at
half past, just as she was almost cry.
ing with fear that something had
happened to him, she heard the outer
door open. She started with a cry
of jov, and ran out into the hail.
Yes it was Charley, but his gait was
unsteady and his face pale and hag-
gard.
"sWhat is the matter, Charles?
Are you sick?' his wife anxiously in
quired.
"Well, I don't feel very well,' an
swcred Charles, as Rose helped him
off with his overcoat.
"'Come into the parlor, then, and
lie down on the sofa by the fire.
"He obeyed her mechanically, and
as she bent over hun to adjust the pill.
lows, his breath famed her check
how hot it was!-and she shrank
back with shudder as the horrible
truth flash upon her-he had been
drinking. But as she looked at him,
and saw how pale and tired he ap.
peared, she was filed with pity, and
thought she would not reproach him
this time-perhaps it might never
happen again.
"Ah! but it did occur again, and
again, until Rose heart was well-nigh
broken. In vain were her appeals to
him, her prayers that he would check
himself in his downward. course to
ruin. He would either preserve a
moody silence, or abruptly leave the
room when she broached the subject.
"At last, one night, about six
months after their marriage, he came
home almost unable to stand.
"sCharlie! Charlie!' cried Rose,
when she saw him in this state, 'how
can you be so cruel to me, and your
self, too? This will kill me!'
"He had reached the point where
his passions were quickly brought
into life.
"Kill you? Woman, would never
have been in this state, had I never
seen you! Leave my sight, or l shall
curse the day l ever saw YOU
"Rose shrank back in horror from
the dreadful words hurled at her.
"sGood Heavens! Charley, what
do you mean?'
az mean just this,' he replied, bit
terly, when / was at college, was
disgraced, with some of the other
boys, by drinking too much, and was
expelled. My good old father helped
me ont of my trouble, and made me
promise never to drink again, and l
kept my pledge until that fatal night
at your party, when you urged me to
drink. l did it for your sake. Behold
your work. The horrible fires were
rekindled in me, and they will never
60 out"
ooh, Katie! Katie! he spoke the
truth. They were never quenched.
Every word of bitter recrimination
seemed pointed with a sharp arrow
~. r l.