Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-02-01

''l4et Ad--A-ittOAS II pftAt " tiAto SUI
came to my knowledge through my Owl
observation, and part he told me himself
Arthur came of an old, well-defn
and respectable stock, with just enougl
aristocratic pride, inherited from hi
proeenitors. to give him refinement an,
selfreliance. At an early age he wa
left an orphan, and received most of hi
education under the care Of an uncle
When he was one and twenty he wa
admitted to the employ of a banke
named N-anderlain and very soon tool
a position Of trust and responsibility il
the house. A year later he took Fam,
Summerton for his wife one of tn
famest and sweetest of earthly treasures
He had loved her long and truly. an,
her love il return had been single an,
devoted. Thus was life opening 70
Arthur Graveiy with bright and happ,
promise. He had friends whichever wa,
he turned his business prospects were
of the very best, aud his home was al
earthly paradise.
One enemy, and only one enemy, a
this time, stood in Arthur's path. Hi.
wife did not see it then. She loved hin
so fondly and trustingly that she coull
not see a fault.
A few Of Arthur's friends feared
danger and one of them, more bolt
than the rest, spoke to him warningly
but kindly but he turned away from
the warning with a sueer of derision.
The months and years went on-fron
twenty-five to wenty-eight.
Six years Of married life-s;x years O
blessing SO far as the outer things oflift
can do blessing. In the bank Arthur
had assumed position very near the
head and his salary was muniticent.
From early youth Arthur GraveIy had
found the wine cup among tlle symbols
Of life's social phase. He had kept
wine in his own house he had nsed ii
upon his sideboard and upon his table
ana lie had partaken freely abroad. In
the earlier years it was wine. and only
wine Of the best and the pweSt. Later,
stronger liquors were required to KEEP
up the tone. At the age Of eight and
twenty there had come an undue flush
upon Arthur's cheek and there We're
blotches in the eye which ought not to
have been there. Hen took brandy
before breakfast, and through the day
he was forced to supply fuel to fire
which else might have consumed all
bodily comfort. As yet he had never
been helplessly intoxicated. He was con-
fdent in his own strength.
Alas! for the man thus trihing! He
knows not that his powers Of endu.
rance are dying ont as the body
pelishes.
At length MI. Nanderlain called
Arthur into his private Office. and tol6
him that he was going to suspend busi.
ness,
y have money enough" said Mr.
Vanderlain, land I know that my close
application to business is wearing upon
me-I am growing in years and neet
rest I think of going to Europe"
And Of closing up your business"
Yes"
But, sir. there is no need Of that. L
you will trust your bank under the guild
ance Of some responsible agent wifi
your name at its head, it might g
prosperously on, and you could 90 away
on your trip at will.
A cloud came upon the bankers face
and he shook his head.
IT is toe late" he said. "lsonlt
time / will tell you more"
shortly after this. in process Of ciosin.
mp his business. Mr.. Vanderlain sen
Arthur to a distant city to make some
important settlements. Arriving at hi
destination, the young man called upo,
the correspondent Of the bank, ans
having made preliminary arrangements
he found himself with a few days upo,
his hands which he might pass il
pleasure. On the very evening of hi
arrival, he had fallen in with JOIN
Hatton and William Roberts. tw,
classmates Of earlier years. He wa
startled when he saw them. The
were evidently going down hiIl-wer
drinking TO excess. Yet they wer
gentlemen, and Arthur joined them
lie spent a first and a second night, an
for the first time IN his life. Arthn
GraYely drank to a state Of helples
stupetaction. He awoke on the mex
day feeling sad and Inundated. Whe
he met his companions in a priyat
parlor connected with their sleepin
apartments, he found them with bow
of hot brandy between them. A spiri
Of true fiendliness came upon hii
when ne saw the marks of the destroye
so deeply fixed upon the companions {
his boyhood.
Boys" said he. that WON'T dc
You are going down."
They regarded him curieusiy. an
asked him what lie meant.
You forget, old boy said Hattor
that you are in the same boat. IF W
/ took passage before you, il is no les
sure that our route now is the same
Don't preach. Arthur. Try bit Of he
brandy
There are moments b lifetime