The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-10-05

old Madeira without feeling it ina his brain
very quickly. Sebastian waited not to be
asked asecond time to take the Sherry. He
drank OF half a tumbler full, and then en-
tered into spirited conversation. Mercy
how his tongue had loosened; and how
liberal he felt OF course he would have
a gallon of the Sherry.
is old Sol. Marshall going to be at youy
sedding?"
'Certainly."
Got any brandy at home ?''
"No."
''By glory you ought to have quart
say bottle of it-just Sor Old Sol. He'll
appreciate it. And then you'll want it in
the house, you know. I've got about the
best article of pale Martel that ever crossed
the water. There--just put a drop of
water IL that--uot too nuch--don't drown
itv
Sebastian poured very little water into
about gill of pure cid brandy, and having
held Il up to the light, and marked the oily
waving of the bright, topaz tinted liquid,
he poured it down his throat. 1t was good
capital. He would have bottle of it.
Yes ''put me up two bottles of it, while
you're about it. Thunder a fellow isn't
married only once"
That's the idea, sebastian"
"Ah Tom Charley! Harry !-how are
you, old fellows?''
Jerusalem: Sebastian, ic it youS Say,
old chap, is it coming off tomorrow ?''
Yes
"Then yop ought to do the handsome"
'Of course I wia. Come up-what'll you
have? ?''
The three young men who had just en-
tered the store had been old crouies of Sc
bastian's in his days of fun and .trolic, and
they we're glad ,enaugL 10 find him in
social ulsod for during the past two years
they had enjoyed very little Of his ccmpan-
icnship. But he was pleased to meet them
now. With the fire in his blood that set
him on the road to frolic, they were the
three of all others he would have chosen
for .cOmpaniOnship at that time.
There is no need of enlarging here.
When Sebastian commenced to drink with
his old .croaies he was gone. He had jolly
good time, no doubt; but he was to carry
little remembrance Of it home with him.
About two o'clock on Christmas morning
slary, who had been watching all night,
saw old Dobbin turn into the yard, with
the sleigh behind him, bat she could see no
Sebastian. Calling Polly, she ran down to
the door. She did not stop for lantern,
for the moon was up aud gaze light eHesgh.
IL tie sleigh, flanked with demiiohus, bot
ties, bundles, and the goose, lay Sebastian.
AT first Mary grew weak with great fear,
but she soon ,diyined the truth. Was she
she spoke it aloud 'Its all my fault, Pol
ly, and act his. He didn't want to buy the
wine, but l coaxed him. Poor dear Sc
bastian! Oh, God send that this is the
worstr'
They got Sebastian up, and got him into
the house, he the while declaring:
mo. no boys-(hic)-no' euor'r drop! 1
-(hie1-cusse6 fool .-(hic)-Oh, Molly
-<hic}-wha' ford ye-(hic) want
me to gi. the deru'd laasty stuff for? Oh
git me home ~
Toward the gaiddle of the forenoon Sc
bastain awoke, and Mary was soon with
him. He had said enough in his wander
ings, while she and Polly had been getting
him to bed, to give her an understanding
of the whole affair, and instead of blaming
hin, her first words were-af love and kind
ness. She acknowledged that it was all
her own fault, and that she had bees suf-
ficiently punished for persuadiug her lover
TO do that which he Galt he ought not to do.
$50 let us think no more about it, DEAR"
cried Mary, with kiss.
But Sc bastian was not willing to let his
Mary bear the burden of the blame. He
claimed it for bis own to bear, and &C
knowledged his sin, and promised that he
would no. do so again. He looked into his
pocket book aud found his money all gone
every dollar; but that wasn't worth talk
ing about. To be sure, there had been
something over a hundred dollars but he
could make that up in time; and he pro-
fessed to hope that the lesson might be
worth that to him. He saw wha. he sup
posed to be an all impQrtan, paper just
where he put it, and that was All right.
The day passed on a. cup Of good strong
Coffee aud little exercise in the open air,
very 5000 brought Sebastian up to some
thing like himself. The pies and the cake
aud the pudding were made, and the royal
goose was in process Of smuslsilng, and
everythiug seemed to he in readiness for
the grand event.
''Come, Sebastian, dear-they are wait
ing for us.''
''In a .IainEte, love. Let me put the
money in the"
He meant to have said certificate, as lie
supposed lie had taken that paper from his
pocket book but upon opening it, he read
not ''Know all Men by these Presents"
but "Augustus S. Walpole, to b. F. Grant
ly, DIR. To one gal. Madeira wine" etc.
''Heavens and earth 90
Mary rushed into the room. and foand
her lover pale and trembling. He had lost
his marriage certificate! They hunted
through every bit of clothing Sebastian bad
touched since the night before, aud then
they went out ana looked through the
sleigh but the paper could not be found.
They looked again and again, and looked
once more--looked into possible and into
impossible places. TIE old t,inister was
Summoned and the loss was exp,Sined tG
him. Iie knew they had tee;i reg-siarly
published, and as soon rs Mr.. Harvey came
back frog, Taftsbury be you'd get new
certificate dated bact, to agree with the old
one. o. couldn't he-wouldn,t he, fer
1ercy's sake marry them2
Parson Bebee was q kind hearted, whole
souled man, but hs gas unswervingly con-
scientiaas. Not for worlds would Ae vio-
la tie statutes of his State. Aud, more
over, he explained that such q ceiemory
would be no marriage in law. Children
born of such a marriage would be illegiti-
mate. No. He coulo not
One more last long search, and the GER
tificate was given up. The minister had