The free citizen. (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-03-06
u: a. WEBSTER. Editor and Proprietor
. 9a oRANGEBURG. SOUTH CAROLINA SATURDAY, MARCH s.
- tits your master now, since twice it
has n made you break "a solemn pledge to

tbs your,master now, since twice it
has n made you break "a solemn pledge to
me" s'fs - .fsiHS !e9i .iY1isAl : sF'.E
tBut, Hettie, can'tyou understand 2
A man may take occasionally q little
more perhaps than his head can bear,
and yet never fall into the pitiable state
you have described. Heavens, Hettie,! r.
he cried. impatiently, his temper paling
under the steady resolution ofithe face
that could bsiso, gentle and sweet, nyou
pay, me a poor compliment when you
want me to bind myself by written
pledge not to make aibeast of myself"
81 did not come here to- exchange
compliments, said Hettie, CadlY, "but
to tell you that will never take up the
urden that rushed. my mother into
her grave, voluntarily. Never with my
eyes open will link my life with that
of a man who ever touches one drop of
liquor. 1T is useless to repeat the old
arguments, Robert. Moderate drinkers,
occasionally intoxicated, may live for
years only moderate drinkers, but Twill
mover be. the wife of any, man who has
not bound himself by pledge never to
touch. liquor in any form. sIh l2:ag,
"A total abstinence fool r., speered
Robert, now thoroughly angry.
"a total abstinence man." she said
firmly y a{ g 'r Z.
81 hope you. will be able to find the
soft fool who will put his manhood un.
der your thumb. For myself, I will
never bind myself to temperance
pledged"
"What ]" he argued, /" shall I, the
richest man in NJ - -, who could marry
almost any girl in my own set, bind my
self to absolute slavery for nursery
governess, q girl vino has not one penny
beyond the salary Mrs. Reed pays her,
dfrunkard's child, by her own confes-
sion Never p ''sN e
He was very angry, and like most an
cry men, very unreasonable. He forgot
to thinkaof the long courtehip by which
Hettie was won, of the gentle maidenly
reticencs that had been oneof her great,
est charms, of her own, modest estimate
of the merits that had won him. He
forgot the times without number when
he had compared her in his heart with
all the maidens he knew. finding her
even prettier,s sweeter, more winsome
than any. He forgot how, he loved her
in his anger at her resolution.
Aud Hetty, walking slowly home
ward. real alized tEat with her own hand
she had ttrast sssi PIE brig htness ont of.
hard life. SheG loved Robert. Not be-
.canse he was Iich, could give her a
aeoP.c thpz J,,z.. .5ifa az
wen th, hadts5e +bved him, but for his
tender chiyalrS for her, his noble INTEL
l,ct, his loving eyes that had sought
her, nwn with such constant devotion.
She had believed him all noble true
and manly when she had pntther little
hand in his stroilg one and promised to
be his wife. ,.. 81,
& Six Blg months of betrothal had
passed }before the summer evening
when (sha turned from him. ns she
thought, forever. And My in the last
few weeks had she known of that fear
full, uosdly foe to her hope of happi-
ness who was fastening his fatal hold
upon her lover. The first tine she
heard of Robert Grey Intoxicated,
deadly despair grasped her heart. She
thought of lifelong mariyrdom from
which she had escaped 80 Titled time
before, and she wrote to. her lover
sterDly forbidding him TO see her again,
and than spent night after night weep
ing for her lost love.
But Robert Grey, would not accept
his dismissal, and pleaded 80 penitently
that love conquered fear, and Hett:e
believed that never again would he
yield to the temptation. Again the
etnry eame2to her, and half maddened,
uiEwil ling tDsbelieve the solemn pledge
brSEan she d begged him TO come to
erge.nd explain away the lie. But the,
third time lshe had 8 en- him !ts Too we'll
she knew what the red, wild eyes, the
thick ntterance, the reelinR step betok-
ened. Only IN answer to the most earn
est petition had she nerved herself to
grant one more interview, and it had
ended in Roberts anger and the failure
of her own last hope.
She knew Robert Grey had o sense of
honor as keen as her own. That he
had failed in his promise to her was
because be looked upon tas pledge
mcrely given to answer n girls foolish
}whim. Once bound before men by
written pledge she felt sure he would
keep it ut whatever cost to himself. So
she hoped to win him to sign such n
pledge. There was n strong temper
ance revival in Mat that very time,
and on this che built hope not know
ing it was her weakest bold.
For Robert Grey, young, wealthy
and popular, looked upon MI this tenn
pefafcs preaching SIS directed against.
theslower class, rtlls 'sots who rolled in
guiers, the frequenters of village tay.
ems. That he, gentleman, should
place his name 10 such pledge as these
wre.fhes we.o persIadod to ,sign,i
Resmt d to him in measnTe 10 place
himself upon their level. Their, as lie
told he ttle, iSwas a confession of was k.
ness @ against which all of his manhood
resolted. s..-z. &
The summer days wore. away, and
these two, loving each other fondly,
met y, but seldom, only to exchonge con-