The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1877-01-30
up the occasional glass Of good fellow
uhfn and sociahilifvr

al knew him well. / have pleaded
with him as I plead with you'-and
here. TO my horror, she knelt at my
TO entreat him To leave untouched
and untastsd the fatal glass that loads
to crime. Oh, Cyrus, do not read this
story with careless heart, do not turn
from my prayers and tears.
'T raised her mp. and held her ten
derly In my arms.
"You take my state last night too
nnch to heart, 1 said. Il never shall
become drunkard, aud really, grand
ma, il is not very fattering 10 suppose
I shall become n murderer and die by
hanging and I laughed aloud IN my
pride OF strength.
II must tell him ! i must toll hint
my grandmother moaned. Il have
kept IL from him all these years, but |
must tell him now. Cyrus, she added,
rising TO her height aud looking down
upon me- where sat, you say you are
in no danger of this mans fate. You
are O gentleman! He was from one oil
the best families in the country, u
scholar and man OF wealth and refine
ment. You are young He was not
thirty. say 10 you. stop nowl Make
n vow and keep il, that you will never
touch liquor, for 1 tell you this man,
who gave up his life TO expiate his
crime, was Ny SON, AND YOUR PArHERf'
"My father !" gasped. feeling as II
the hangman's rope was already around
my throat.
Frederick Carroll was your father.
You must have learned your name to-
day, but the lawyer mercifully promis-
ed me to tell You no more. i tell you,
because ] see You lowering on the verge
OF the precipice over which yonr father
was hurled by the demon OF drink. i
tell you, Frederick Carroll, that il with
your fathers name and wealth you in
herit his careless disregard OF the dan.
gers OF the path on which You have
taken your first step, so also will you
inherit this fate that gave him q muir
derer's grave, that killed his young wife,
drove his widowed mother and only
child 10 seek home in distant city.
and hide their shame under false
name"
Cyrus paused long timo after he
quoted his grandmother's passionate
appeal, and lay very quiet, inwardly
r solving that the painful sacrifice he
was making for my sake should not be
made in vain.
After time he spoke again:
81 took up my burden. Will, from
that bour, th curse that I will carry TO
my grave, that no deed of mine can
ever efface. / am the son OF murder
er, who was hanged on the gallows for
his crime. can never tell what / have
suffered, carrying this secret ever hid
in my heart.
"The sharpest pang of all was when
I saw Grace Dyer. You remember her
Willp"
/ nodded assent Only too we'll /
remembered that episode OF my friends
life. Grace Dyer, one OF those gentle,
beautiful girls who seem too pure aud
good for the struggles of this life, had
been one OF party OF young girls from
n popular seminary, who sat for fan
cy picture Of fthe"Muses, ITO commemo-
rate their graduation. had noted
from the first sitting how Cyrus would
liuger longer over this fair face than he
did over any Of the other lovely ones
surrounding IL. She had been chosen
TO represent Euterpe; and Cyrus. l
think unconsciously made her the most
prominent figure OF the group, as she
was certainly the most beautiful. In
the white dress, the classic arrange
ment OF her rich hair, the oval,
contour of the face, tho large mp
lifted eyes, the verv spirit OF music
seemed TO breathe.
But, alas as Cyrus painted, he re-
produced upon his own heart this
glowing picture in unfading colors. l
knew this love. / read it in every look
he gave the beautiful girl. saw it in
the unwearied toll To make the lovely
face perfect upon the canvass, linger-
ing over il, retouching and perfecting
il after the Others Of the group were
completed.
And I fancied, too, that the gentle
girl would be no unwilling listener to
the suit of the handsome and wealthy
young artist. / have seen her soft
eyes droop when Cyrus spoke, and a
brighter flush spring to her pure round
check. / had noted how her whole
face irradiated when Cyrus talked 10
them all on the subjects he hoped
would draw expression to the faces, apt
to be set and stiff, during his task.
In those days / wondered why Cyrus
starved his own heart, kept aloof from
the companionship was sure was pre-
cious to him; why he refused Mr.. Dy-
er's gracious invitation to visit him, Of
ter Grace left school. why, hardest
task Of all, he refused to duplicate the
picture for the father. or even TO re-
produce the figure Of Euterpe alone.
/ understand why Cyrus paused at
ter he spoke that dear name, aud wait
ed silently until he spoke again.
IL loved her, Will. how deeply car
never tell you, and because loved hen
/ let her go from me, when my hear
told me might have kept her by LAY
side. would ask no woman, TO beal
INV burden. I would give no woman
the pang cf knowing her children
could never bear their fathers name
withou. sharing the heritage OF shame
that c!ung 20 il. Still less would { de
ceiye any woman who trusted in me.
lei her 90 out OF nv life forever.
"Will, dear friend" and Cyrus took
INV hand in his own, "do you know
why I tell you all this? Because 1 low
you'll You are dear 10 me as brother
and / would not have you tread tn
path that might blight your younl
life. az nv father was blighted, curs'
your son as am cursedl"
"Axd you have not told 1t vain.
cried.
"God bless you for these words" Ia
said. "it will be some comfort in m,
weary life il can thi0k have snatch
ed you from the perilous path wher'
30 many young feet stray Ia crime.
will add one msrc secret 10 my story
Will. NV physician tells me that u,
earthly pilgrimage is nearly over
When tile coffin lid closes over me
Will. when no heart can be torn b,
tho story have told you, will you us
my confidence TO try to win others as
have won you. from the demon O
driuk?"
promised compliance with his wis
and in this sketch. praycrfully ant
tearfully recorded, keep the pledge
and tell the story Of Cyrus Greyson
FIRST GLASS.