Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1876-04-06
THE MIDNIGHT TRAIN.

Hero Lewis said: "But, Uncle
ROYAL, 1 am certain he will reform.
He has promised me-"
Uncle Lewis looked down with 6
sort of mild, sublime pity from the
height of six feet two upon his pretty
neice, as he stroked her silky hair
softly.
"Mv poor Hero, what is the word
of q drunkard worth?' he said.
"Oh, Uncle, don't use that cruel
word. Don't call him drunkard!'
cried the girl, shrinking back as from
a blow.
81 hardly know what other word is
applicable to him, Hero. No, he
will never reform. And, child, I'd
rather see you in your grave than
married to a man who drinks"
"He has promised" pleaded the
girl, her eyes shining like blue, visit
full stars.
"Uncle, ought 1 not to give him
another chance%
He shook his head.
'My common sense, Hero, says
no."
Il have common sense" flashed
Hero. "People always talk about
common sense when they mean to be
cold and hard and cruel. 1 love
Harry Rivers, and mean to marry
him in spite of the carping, sneering
world 20,
And Hero went away tlirou h the
golden, waving ears of ripening rye,
her blue ribbons futtering like pen
mons in the breeze.
Uncle Royal looked after her
with countenance of misgiving.
"Like all other girls" he said,
"she wants her own way. Well, if
she will wreck herself, / can't help
it,"
"Do you expect Harry to-nightY'
Miss Erminia Lewis was what the
world irreverently terms an old maid,
hut she was quite young enough at
heart to sympathize in the love af-
fairs of her sister, fifteen years her
Junior, to whom she had always stood
in the place of a mother, and she,
too, had a spot in her heart for
handsome, dissipated Harry Rivers.
She spoke from the window, while
Hero was leaning over the gate, a
light scarlet shawl thrown over her
shoulders.
"He said he would come" was the
half hesitating answer.
ait is getting late and cold" said
Erminia. "Better come in to the
fire. You know as well as 1 do that
your throat isn't strong"
"I'll come in a minute" said Hero.
"They were telling me down at the
Corners this afternoon" said En-
minia, speaking with an effort. "that
the railroad company are going to
discharge him from their employ"
Hero turned sharply around. "To
discharge him! what for?'
'For habitual intoxication. They
say it is not safe thing to employ a
man who-who is not always him
self"
at is a SANDER" cried out Hero
hotly. at is the work of some base
villain who wants the post himself" {"
"Very probably" said Erlninia
sadly.
"Only, Hero-don't be vexed with
me, darling-but they say Harry has
fallen in with that set of men from
the mines, and is getting into worse
habits than ever"
Hero turned her face away.
"Have you only evil things to tell
me, ErminiaT"
81 would that they were good, for
your sake, sister. But the air is
growing chill; we shall have rain.
Had you not better come inr'
"By and by. Do not tease me, En-
minia."
And Erminia, comprehending that
at times solitude is the best medicine
for a mind diseased, said nothing
more, and, closing the easement, sst
down to her needle-work, by the light
of the lamp. II
At eleven o'clock, punctually, she
went to bed, after having ascertained
by peep through the window that
Hero was still leaning on the gate.
all alone in the darkness, with red
leaves raining down around her, and
the melancholy cry of an owl in the
distant woods lending an additional
tinge of mournfulness to the night
and the stiffness.
"She will come in when she is
ready" thought Erminia. 81 do moi
like to assert my authority over hel
when she is in one of these moods"
No sooner did Hero perceive by
the disappearance of the light from
her sisters window that Erminia had
sought her pillow than, softly gliding
through the gate, she hurried dowr
the road with the scarlet shaw
i drawn tightly over her head.
81 will not be deceived and pul
| off, she said to herself 81 will f1nc