Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1876-12-29

| ana 1eellng, is not only beyond descrlp-
ton but beyond comprehension. We
lived away the hours OF love, and life
seemed to have concentrated all of its
happiness and melted it into our court
ship. But a shade of sorrow fell over our
Joy. was summoned to the bedside Of
my dying mother. | will not describe
the grief that hovers around such scene
where the rude hand of death tears apart
mother and son, | will simply say that
there with my cheek pillowed upon hers
while the lamp of life was growing dim
mer and DINNER las the spirit was fitting
from its tenement, her last words fell
upon my ears as she gaspingly articulot
ed
"As you have kept your promise since
our first parting, so keep it to the end
and meet me in Heaven
Her lips closed, then parted into a
smile as the angel-spirit passed through
them to its Paradise.
4 X
A year has passed. and in two moro
short months am to stand before the
altar with my bride. She stands now ut
my side amid a throng of happy partici-
pants in that social gayety which laughs
away the passage of time with the music
of the dance. A few minutes Of rest
are allowed the industrious dancers to
partake of refreshments. The waiter is
handed. and find upon it cake and wine.
take IL peice of the cake, and the wal
ter starts on as the voice of her whom
love falls upon my ear in a swect-toned
exclamation Of
"What, no wine p
With some pride in my accents feel
ing that she would be pround of my abb
stinencc, said L:
"No, have never tasted wine in my
life
ooh, then l'she laughingly exclaimed,
you must taste it at once, for | really
pity one who has lived so long and de-
priyed himself of so much enjoyment as
dwells in the depths of the wine-cup."
NAY, | beg Of you. do not press me
to taste it, for have promised that |
never will "
And pray, what are promises Of that
kind" she asked, "but little bits Of
fun that are easily laug hcd away %
But this one cannot be laughed away,
for it is shrouded in the solemnity of the
tomb where my mother sleeps "
The sadness of my tones seemed to
Cypress her with silence for moment,
and then throwing soft tenderness in
her voice said 4:
''lt makes me so sad to hear you talk
ing and see You looking so sorrowfully.
Do not let such gloomy thoughts throw
u melancholy over our happiness" and
smiling over the rim of the glass with
that fascinating smile which never failed
to charm me, she said: "Chasc them
away with sip Of wine, Frank"
A moment more, the glass was to my
lips and | had swallowed its contents.
Oh, Heavens, what food Of horrible
thoughts overwhelmed my mind That
promise made with the first parting from
my mother, and re-inspircd with new
life breathed into it with the last breath
that passed through her lips. which had
held as sacred above all else in life now
melted by woman's smile, and washed
away by the contents of that cup she
had solemnly warned me against Scarce
ly knowing what did, | snatched an
other glass from the waiter as it passed
me and drained it. to the bottom. A
moment more and | was upon the street
hurrying to my home All through that
night Of torture | paced the floor until
morning; and just as the rays of the
sun began to steal through the window
the last portion of my mothers dying
words struck upon my mind-''Meet me
in Heaven"
"Meet her in Heavcnw The Thought
fell upon my mind with more agony than
the stroke of death would have created
Meet her again-nevcr, it would be be-
yond endurance. The prospect of hell
seemed to be happiness at that moment.
From that hour began to bury cares
and sorrows beneath the forgetfuness Of
intemperance. married, but still chung
to the cup. A daughter came but she
tore me not away from it. Deeper down
| by degrees descended until drunk
ards howell became my home, and drunk
ards poverty walled in the cries Of my
child as she pteonsly begged for bread
and fire. In vain did tears and entrea-
ties from my wife implore me to forsake
the cup aud be man again. The bet
ter impulses of my nature were grasped
in the unrclenting grip of vitiated APP
petite and had fallen to the level Of a
dog, disgracing the form Of humanity.
At last my wife was chained to her
bed by sickness, and one day as sat in
my home cursing fate which bad supplied
me with no money 70 buy whisky. she
called me to her bedside aud holding out
her thin and withered band said
Frank, | forgive you for it all F"
Forgive me for what p / angrily
replied. ''Do you forgive me for drink
ing, woman, remember twas thou that
urged me to break the promise made to
my dying mother; twas thou that press
ed the cup to my lips, made a demon of
man and fitted him for perdition. Bet
ter should'st thou ask forgiveness Of
me-"
Her voice choked with sobs penetrated
my heart as she cried
''Oh. Frank. for Gods sake speak not
to- me thus, | feel that my indiscretion is
the cause Of it all and, oh. had known
that this would be the bitter fruit Of