The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1879-07-02
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principle store, one SUMNER evening,
while the subject Of their remarks
went staggering along the opposite
side Of the street. 83
Itwas evident.that be vas trying
to walk straight, and not to appear
intoxicateds but SUCH sendeavors al
ways seem to makelsuehsa drunken
man walk more crooked. Well,sit
proved one thing; that he was not
yet lost to all sense Of slame-that
he still retainedSa little pride, andpa
lingering aversion to being ridiculed
and despisedl !;
But Harry. Rogers had carried on
at a fearful rate for a year or two
past. He had just one vice drink
but that was enough, He had be-
come an actual drunkard bydegrees,
and was every day growing more
abandoned. He had marrieda a wor-
thy farmers daughter, Nettie Ray,
only a few years previously, and
such had been. his conduct during
more.than a year past that she, see
ing no hope of his reform, had been
obliged to cast him loose, 10 pursue
his proaigate course alone; and a le-
gal separation had just been affected.
1t was sad, indeed, but no other
course seemed to be left herr
Harry's home was little farm
about mile from: town. He owned
it, butthenlit was heavily mortgaged,
and in another year foreclosure was
certain. 1t was not likely his credi-
tors would spare him, when he made
no effort TO meet his obligations, and
spent his time in riotous and dis
graeeful conduct: y 3.
Z A week passed aft9r that summer
evening on which an had agreed in
predicting his early ruin-two weeks
three weeks-a month or two
What strange mystery is here? To
the utter bewilderment ofth proph-
esying sages, Harry discontinued
visiting the tavern, and was rarely
ever seen in the village. When he
did come to the store, he speedily
transacted bis business and went
home-sober.
But wonders never cease when
they get a start. He was next re-
ported as actually at work on his
farm. Had but one man seen this
and told it in the village he would
have been marked as a man lacking
veracity; but number Of neighbors
saw it and told it, and their combi-
ned testimony was worthy ofall ere
dence.
The little farm began to look heal
thier, as the summer wore on: Fhe
fences Strengthened up; the weeds
disappeared; the corn grew marvel
ouslyj the briars and elders were
rooted up from the fields and fence
rows; the animals looked fatter and
sleeker the little cottage looked
neater.
Time wore on, and the great change
was the moro strongly marked each
day. Harry's creditors called and
told him they would not be hard on
him, seeing that he was doing his
best, and he might have his own
time about paying his debts and
clearing his farm Of the mortgage.
The fall came, and the farm yield
cd an abundance Of golden corn and
fruit; such crops, indeed, as it had
never produced before, and Harry
found himself beginning to drift
along with the tide Of prosperity.
And Nettie Ray had begun toalive
her young girlhood over again,as it
were, under her fathers roof; but
somehow, it was not like the happy
joyous girlhood of memory, Ft was
sober and quiet now, and Nettie fell
into trains Of rnusing, and every nov
and then passed a certain sad thought
through her mind -she was neither
maid nor wife.
She avoided the vicinity Of her
late home, nor had she onde seen
Harry since the separationYbnt she
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