Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1879-06-17
MIS- CEIIAhEo EoUS.
SAVED BY A LOCK.

y ru"m of =. The Wanderers Rest" cigar
between his lips, aud glass of ale in his
hand. a bright e was burning in the
stove, round which agroup OF men were sit
ting Each had his glass, and nearly everv
one had his pipe or his cigar. Curls of smnke
mounted lu2ily to the ceiling and the air was
beginning 10 take fuInt blue tint lr was
early in the evening. aud the men in the
barroOm had not yet drunk so much as to
lose their senses or their temper The night
was dark and cold, and the brilliant lights
and gaudy ornaments of Tho Wanderers
Rest" looked cheerful aud attractive to the
shiveriDg oEes without
Horace Manning had la'ely fallen into the
habit of going into the harronm a. he wsn,
home from his work. and of stlndiny there
long enough to drink glass of ale and sm ke
cigar. lie was tired with bring behind a
desk all dav; and he thought it rested him
to look at the c"nteuted faces. and listen tn
the conversation aud laughter in 1.-The Wan
derer's ffegt: 49, True. rife tinslr mn snfnn NJ
the faces was to" deep to be the Au<h of
health, and tho laughter wss sometimes
hoarse; but Horace did NOT think nf thar
He was in no danger. he thnnght nf ever
caring to spend his evenings by that fire. or
ofexchangin:, his pure com plexinn for such
one a. some of his companions had.
To night he was unusually tired 4 mis-
take made some days sgD by the assistant
bonk keeper had heen discovered, and il had
been discovered. and it had taken Horace
some hours to look over the books and cor.
rect it.
fle had not intended to enter "The Wan.
derer's Rest" for he had promised to take
pretty MiIly White TO a lecture that evening
and he knew that she dislked TIE ndor Of
tobacco He would MT have been quite
easy had he known that Milly' soft ewes had
seen him enter The Wanderer's Rest. :" and
that even now she was standing at the corner
Of the street watching anxiOus!y to sec him
resppear.
At the tea-'sbIe. Horace noticed that
Milly looked sad. Siuce her childhood she
had lived with his mother. and he knew
every shade OF feeling that fitted over the
gentle face. He could not imagine wha,
had made her sad, and felt puzzled aud
almost irritated a, her silence during rheir
walk To the town hall. and her apparen. in
difference to the lecture. He was very much
interested, and when the speaker grew more
eloquent over the poetry of a happy house>
hold. he turned in glow Of admiration tn
Miliy, and smiled The look that answered
him was nor such as he wns acrUs-"ned to
receive from her; its sadness chilled him.
During their walk home, neither Of them
spoke After their return. Mrs. Manning
said: ''uow did you like the lecture, Mil
y"
VERY we'll. said the girl. bu. ssid no
more. Horace, to put an end to his uncnm-
Portable feelings, began description of the
lecture. lie grew almost as el"queDt as the
lecturer. until. stealing u glance at MiIIy as
she sat opposite. he saw a tear foil upon her
hand. He could not understand il, and
rising abruptly. said "GoUd night" aud left
the rom.
The next evening MilIv had an GRAND tn
do in the street through which she had passed
the previous night, The house To which -he
was going was nearly opposite The Wander
er's Rest" and as she stood on the step
again enter the drinking sslorn
Two men standing on the sidewalk saw
him and began to comment on him.
"A pity" said one.
Yes" said the other. ''he's 6ne yonng
man. I'm sorry to see him take the frst
step"
at isn't the first step" was the reply.
"lve seen him go there good many times
lately I'm sfraid the habit is fully formed"
"His mothers widow. isn't she!"
Eyes; and he's her only son Z"
The door was opened. 1t was all that
Milly could do to ask intelIigibly for the
person she wished to see. and nfterward to
control herself sufficiently to say what she
had come to say. During her stay. she sat
! by window whence she could see the place
into which Horace had gone. He did not
come ont while she sat there; nor while un-
! der the pretext of gathering mp her dress.
| she stood on the step and waited Slowly
she walked 10 the corner. hoping every in
slant to hear his quick step behind her. but
| hoping IN vain
what conld she d.? The words she Rad
heard rune in her ears. She saw him ruined
! fnr life. and With him her own aud bis own