Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-04-20
Gales aud Sketfhes.
For the Journal.
THE CHRISTENING ROD.
BY CONSTANCE STERLING.
Continued from Yesterday

Continued from yesterday
Then you have not been chastened
enough" replied her aunt.
81 have lost my father and my mother,
and my home, my dear old home. and all
my friends said the girl. "No other
sorrow can be in store for me-"
The aunt and her niece continued to
live in the same small cottage at Yarrow
| Tor another year. Cecil remained in the
same despondng state of mind, and her
good aunt wearied with trying to rouse
her into better state of mind.
But soon alter her seventeenth birth
day, change came over Cecil. She grew
gayer and more talkative, a new elastici-
" came into her step, her cheeks grew
blooming once again, her eyes bright with
\ new happiness. Love wrought this
transformation, for love had entered the
heart of Cecil Desmond. Louis Adair was
| tall, handsome, young man with mer-
~ smile, and an infectious laugh. Just
the man to win the heart of Cecil, who
had moped away two years of her life.
He had met Cecil at a "tea" given BY Mrs.
barrow, one of Cecirs few friends in the
town, and had been pleased with her fresh
young beauty, and the quiet reserve of
her manners.
Miss llitty was only too glad TO see
smiles once more on her necc's face, and
all inquiries into Louis Adair's character
resulted satisfactorily. His home was in
the town of Priestly, twelve miles distant,
and he was the only son of doting, indul-
gent parents, who had lavished on him
every luxury which wealth could bestow.
and every educational advantage which
| money could obtain. He was a lawyer by
profession and had already distin guished
himself at the bar, though only twenty
two years of ago.
How happy was Cecil now The days
were never too long to her. Each one
brought new pleasures, new delights. In
three months she was engaged with the
sanction of her aunt, to Louis Adair, and
his parents were as pleased at the match
as was Aunt Hitty. Cecil went to Priest
~ and spent three weeks with Mr.. and
Mrs. Adair. who were charmed with her
lovely face, aud free, unaffected manners.
The wedding was to be in November.
c. Gil was now busy preparing her SIM
pie outfit. She wished so ardently that
her parents were alive to see her happi-
ness aud bestow their blessing on her as
she entered on her new life. She had no.
thought of sorrow but woke every morn
ing with u thrill of gladne.s that she WAS
alive.
Immediately ON their marriage the
young couple went to Priestly to live with
the parents OF Louis. For three weeks
Cell was very happy. Then a clond
her dismay that Louis, her beloved hus-
band. was fond of liquor. Not that he
was ever intoxicated, but he never refused
the wine or brandy which was always on
his fathers table, and more than ence. he
had been little dull from the effects of it.
In vain Cecil tried to break him Of the
habit of taking liquor at his meals. He
replied that he Knew where to stop, and
he was too strong character ever to be
ovefthrown by the intoxicating cup. So
Cecil tried to drive the dim ferebodng of
evil from her young heart and be happy
in the present
Late in December Mrs. Adair died. She
caught heavy cold, which resulted in
pneumonia, and in ID weeks time she lay
y corpse. Cecil grieved sincerely, for she
had grown very fond of the gentle woman
who had been very kind to her. As for
Mr.. Adair, his grief for the partner of
thirty years was terrible. He pined away,
aud in the early spring, he too. slept the
sleep of the Just.
Cecil now sent for Aunt Hitty to come
and live with her, and the good spinster
responded at once to the call
But Cecil was no longer happy. Louis
grleved over the death of his parents and
tried to drown his sorrow in the wine cup,
and sought distraction in the gambling sa-
looms among dissipated and vile men, who
robbed him OF his money, and led him
every day deeper into the labyrinth OF
vice. Poor Cecil how brief was her
love dream how short her period of hap
pness In vain did she try to lead her
still beloved Louis into safer paths All
effort was useless, he could not be stayed
in his downward course.
"Aunt Hitty," Cecil said one day, why
am afflicted in this mannerP lose my
father, then my mother, our fortune is al
50 gone, and then my husbands parents
die, and my dear Louis leads a life of dis
sipation.'
''Do you feel yourself seeking comfor
in prayer?" asked Miss Hitty 30 my
dear Cecil, these Affections are to teach
you to bend meekly under the Christening
rod"
But poor Cecirs heart yet rebeled
against her aunl's stern doctrine. Even
the birth of lovely little boy in the early
Winter did not cause Louis to hesitate in
his course downward. He listened 10 Ce-
ellis beseching voice with sorrow ON his
face and regret on his heart But it was
too late. lie no longer had the power TO
leave the gaming tables or refuse the
wine cup.
Cecils heart became bound up in her
child. She would hold the little crea-
ture in her arms by day and night. talk
ing to ii, pet,ing and caressing 1t 10 -
hundred different ways. She never wea-
ried of attending to it, and it was well
that something absorbed her thoughts. and
prevented them from dwelling on Louis.
GRADUALLY their property decreased.
Everything was sacrificed to Louis wild
thirst for gambling. They removed from
the luxurious mansion Mr. Adair had left
them to Il small house in the suburbs OF
the town. Louis looked wretched but his
misery at seeing his wife reduced again