Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-02-26

anu ohiNcicu tne UlTTOrS.
lie caught sight of inc, and, il possible,
he blanched shade paler. His hands were
| raised entreatingly
:" Let me alone" he said. "Cover me in
lades ten fathoms deep, but give me one
more chance. must see my little Belle"
"Come out here, friend, and we will talk
it over" said.
"Who says friend haven't friend in
the world 2"
"Yes, you have; come out here and sit
down"
lie came out dragging the counterpane
after him. and saying, in dazed sort Of
a way:
Friend ? friend p where have 1 a
friend ?"
had him in a quiet sleep an hour after,
breathing like child. He had been two
weeks on spree, and his bill was still un-
settled. 1t was not until | went security
myself that got him fixed as a man in his
situation should be. | was with him that
night, and studied his face closely, for /
could not get out of my mind the impress
sion that had seen him before.
When he opened his eyes and fixed them
on me in questioning way, | started. o,
those beautiful blue eyes, with their heavy
black lashes those eyes capable Of so much
love, those eyes the girls raved over and the
boys envied. | knew them well their be-
witching gaze | had not forgotten; they
won what lost. There he lay prone on the
bed, my rival, the man who had taken the
best part of my life All that was left of
his proud beauty were the matchless eyes,
and they burned like lights in a deserted
city. | uttered one word, Horace" He
knew me, and whispered, Albert"
Yes, it was our valedictorian, the pride OF
our class. You will pardon me, knowing as
YOU all do the story of my disappointed
love, that my first thought was of his wife.
"Where is she ?" | asked.
He mournfully shook his head
"Dead 7" questioned still.
"No. Would to God she were dead and
still mine," he said, passionately.
"Albert, you loved her." he continued
81 wish you had married her. broke her
heart loved her, but | loved cursed drink
better. o, those kerosene cans They helped
me on to this smuggled it into my room
and drank the stuff that laid the foundation
Of what | am to-day. thought it clever
then to elude the professors watchfu eye.
| thought liquor stimulated my brain. /
thought it great joke"
al curse the trick now. wish | had
DttH CHdlueu-NcSi WISH udu Deeu S0Ot,
before brought myself to this. You asked
has divorce. | am," he whispered hoarsely,
"an habitual drunkardl p
He was still few moments, then starting
forward, he said, fiercely:
81 have something they can't divorce.
have child-not here she's there point
ing upward She did her best to save me,
and she died for me-"
Tears dimmed the blue eyes, and sobs
shook his frame.
an tell you all about it, Albert. You
always had big heart. You will blame
me, but know you will pity, too.
" She came the year after we were married.
We always called her our gift, for she came
Christmas eve. When she was big enough
to speak she would lisp: l am the Christ
child's gift to you, papa
"By-and-by she learned what was amiss
in our home, knew was wrong, and throw
ing her arms about my neck, would say,
Don't, papa
g used to think | wouldn't, but did. l
tried to stop at one glass, but the thirst
naddened me. Belle was six years old. |
had grown worse and worse, and nobody but
this child had any faith in me. She led me
home many time and said, Promise truly,
papa know you can keep sober | would
promise and we would seal the promise with
kiss, and OH the morrow would break
my word.
"There came time when she went after
me here he broke out into sobs
"Don't say any more" said, wait until
you are calm"
81 shall tell it now, or never"
1T was Christmas eve. They had planned
to keep me at home, the child and her
mother, but | stole away, and little Belle
crept out of bed when they thought she had
cried herself to Sleep put on little woolen
wrapper she used to wear when she was sick,
and with nothing on her head, and only slip
pers on her feet, she stole after me- Ii was
showing hard, and every one but drunk
ard felt the storm bitter one. Filled with
an inner fire, knew nothing of the storm
that was chilling my darling. She must
have sought me up and down the streets
many remembered seeing child, but no
one took her out of the storm until the Lord
of mercy folded her in his sheltering arms.
She died for me; died alone on that bitter
night. They found her frozen quite stiff,
her face pressed against the window of
groggery. No doubt she thought | was
there. She sank down into the drift, and
i was there.
al shall never see her again. | know
where she is cannot come, but her memory
that is mine, and it cannot be taken away.
You think | might have kept sober after
that ? So do |, looking upon myself as
another man would. When / drank | for
got, and kept drinking to keep forgetting,
and to quench my maddening thirst
"You know what l might have been. /
never took any honors after the college ones.
A curse on rum II robbed me of my wife,
murdered my child 1t was not lit was
rum. If you live, Dostor, be its enemy.
Empty out every can of it; break every
bottle dash the glass from every lip If
you ever see any of the old boys tell them
my story. Tell them | meant to reform,
but drink mastered me. 1t has robbed me
of friends, fortune, wife and child"
He was exhausted. bade him rest. He
assented, and slept soon after. His beau
teous features, sharpened by want and dis
sipation, seemed softened. His hair fell
over his forehead in curls. thought of him
as the noble fellow we all loved and admired,
not as the dissipated sot who, as it were,
flung himself to the winds.
He opened his eyes as the day was ending
and said family:
is there any hope 7"
"Of what 2" | asked.
lhat may meet my little belle Is
God merciful 7"
"Yes," | answered, and taking his hand
and pressing it, Z" God is merciful he made
you, he forgives you"
"Will he give me back my little Belle,
my Christmas gift can't be parted from
her. She loved me. Somehow feel he
pities me and that he will forgive, but will
he give me back my little Belle ?"
He had other answer than mine, for lift
ing his eyes, his beaming eyes, he exclaimed
! rapturously:
"Belle, my precious Belle, Gods gift to
papa | will come with you; | will go
wrong no more"
There was convulsive tremor, the radi-
ant expression faded away-then / was
alone; Horace had gone to his little Belle.
"Poor Horace" said the professor, who
had listened to the story with tears rolling
down his cheeks, " intimate as we were in
college, never knew what became of him.
A brilliant life cut short by rum. He sent
word to us to hate it. We will. Boys, let
us forswear it."
at is nearly two years since he died."
continued the doctor. Tomorrow j invite
you to my wedding; the wife once his be.
comes mine | have waited for her long-I
shall love her forever. Nee York Ledger.