The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1877-03-01
THE FiRsT GLASS.

! avoided liquor. The merriest occ'
sion, the hottest day, or the colde'
evening found him strictly temporal
/, "a cold water man of the most rigi
type. Yet he made no strong profe:
.. sions of temperance, and in his III
. there was every temptation to tn
seeking of pleasure. He was wealthy
an artist OF no mean standing, a favor
ito in society, and would have beei
eminently handsome except for an ex
preston of sadness that never left hi
dark eyes, reserve that hung owe
his speech on all occasions. But tina
he loved me, that we had become lik'
brothers In five years OF close friend
ship. | should never have learnt thu
cause of his strict practical temper
ance habits.
remember well the morning when
he came into my studio quite early, te
find me lying on lounge, nursing q
splitting headache instead of finishing
the picture on my easel.
Ii Vas but seldom that allowed
good company or great occasions to
| lead me into drinking, but my head
ache that day was most certainly to
be attributed to a free flow of cham
paign on the previous evening, and
| Cyrus knew il. He made no COM
ment, passed about the room a little,
and then sitting near me, be said, in
a voice that 10 me proved that he had
nervcd himself To some great effort,
xviii, old fellow, I'm going to make
you my father confe.sor-to tell you
the story of my life.
His face was 50 deathly pale, and
his whole appearance 30 shocked me
that cried: Not lift troubles you to
tell it, Cy."
Never mind that. want to tell
it. You will respect my secret, VIII,
/ know.
II was q boy of five years old,
think, when my father suddenly dis
appeared from our home. | cannot
tell you what business his had been, !
never knew; but we had always lived
in comfort, and my vague memory of
father recalls only kindness and love
for my mother and myself, their only
child.
After he left us my mother sank
into most despairing sorrow, weep
ing conyulsively at all times, often
praying fervently, wasting away to
mere shadow of herself She was alb
sent from home a great deal, and my
grandmother came 10 take care OF me.
They would be gone for hours AT
time on alternate days, always coming
home weeping and Frustrated by sor-
row.
"a cannot tell you how long this
lasted, but one day they went out to-
gether, and were gone till late at
night, leaving me with the servant.
When they came home. mother was
carried into the house insensible. and
grandmother seemed hardly more con-
scious. All night, from my little crib,
| could hear them sohhing and pray
ing, in what, even my childish COM
prehension told me, was the extreme
agony Of despair and grief. The next
day my father was brought home
dead, in his coffin. and kissed him
for the last time.
II remember long illness of my
mothers and her death Then We
travelled grandmother and 7. long
distance 10 new city.
Here was sent 10 school, and for
the first time heard myself called by
the name now bear, Cyrus Greyson.
questioned my grandmother about
this, remembering my mother had al
ways called me her darling Freddy,
but she told me sadly must try to
forget my old name. and something |
in her hushed voice and white face
compelled my awed submission.
These are my childish impressions
of sorrow, soon forgotten in my happy
life. For, in spite of the unalterabe
sadness Of my grandmother face,
was very happy. My home was very
pleasant, with every comfort that
wealth could give, and | Was allowed
all the childlike indulgences, while
all my restraints were only judicious
and kindly ones. went to good
schools, and when | wished to be an
artist every advantage of study and
travel was given to me, till at twenty
one | was legally put in possession of
my fathers share OF grandfathcrs
property, and learned"
Here Cyrus paused, great beads OF
PRECIPITATION standing OH his face, but
after momentary struggle he went
on with his tale:
The night before | came of age.
Will, some of my friends We're in my
studio, and We sent for champagne to
celebrate my birthday. | had years
before promised my grandmother |
would never touch liquor, but, carried
away 10y my companions urging and
example, | took that night my first
glass. Before the party broke up
WAS intoxicated, for the only time in
my life. ] have dim recollection OF
my grandmother's cry of horror as
reeled up stairs after my friends left
me, and my own pang of shame as
heard it, but slept very heavily, ant
woke late the next day.
II expected reproof aud lectur,
when went to grandmother's room
but she did not speak one word abou
my condition the previous night.
Cyrus she said sadly, 'befor,
you go to the lawyers wish you I,
read some papers l have here
"Old newspapers they were, date,
sixteen years before, and the columns
intended for my reading were heavil,
marked in pencil. My grandmothe
then left me alone, and | read all sh
had marked. 1t was history of
murder committed in the heat of pas
sion, and while the murderer was un
der the Influence of strong drink. Fl
was described as handsome man les
than thirty years of age, of promis
and talent, and not addicted to liquor
At some festive gathering he had bee
led into intoxication, and while era,
ed with drink had become involve,