Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1879-09-11

BOHEMIAN, MONTANA, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER H. 1879

lb- night you live again the scenes enacted
re long ago.
d. iou remember thinking it strange t
II your friends should weep at the sight
he tiis partiiig their hopes were not big
IT, ed; the sunshine of their lives was
z, dimn,ed. and your own aching eyes refu!
the consolation OF tears.
re The days passed or dreamily; v
re could not interest yourself in anythin
I'd you had no hope or object in lite. Il
s. after the lapse of few months, he WI,
ID you again. saying:
''My darling. | cannot give you up;
:. l can but hope that you love me; ar
s; when love you more than life, it is wro
It to allow Il slight reason to separate us.
you are influenced by anything in my pa
r conduct. assure YOU that will be VIII;
s ever you wish. have not drank drt
+ OF wine. or anything STRONGER, since k
|. you. for your sake; SO. you see your fe;l
n in that respect are groundcss. Oh, n
! darling. promise me that you will be II
wife, and you shall never, never regr
] it,
D He wrote your father also, and, after
e time, obtained his consent to your ina
: riage. Oh, the golden days that followed
for your trust in him was perfect. An
= wien at length he returned. and claspin
| you in his arms, repeated what he hl
, written. My beautiful. you shall never II
gret this" your cup of happiness W;
overlooking.
And did You never regret it? Did 20
. never, tor one bitter moment. while pas.
ing through deep WATERS" while silen,l
enduring suffering for his sake whe
your dearest friends died. and others tol
sock you, did there never creep into yoll
heart one regret for the step you had tax
en-?
Before God. no!
Sitting as you do tonight, in lonclines
and weariness. if. even with your presen
knowledge. you were to decide whether O.
not you were to pass through it all again
you would place your hand in his and say
without faltering: "'God do so to me
and more also, it aught but death shah
part thee ;thd me"'
Your parents objected to your immedi
ate marriage. ~ III were both toe
young" they urged. YOU knew. in ycul
heart, that they still secretly objected to
the match, that they doubted if Albert
would continue to live temperately. |,
was with many fears that you yielded to
their request to wait; for he was bcset on
every side with temptations. lis you well
knew. lie was impatient at the delay
but when he found you were .irn in re-
specting your fathers wishes. he said:
Never mind, Lily-bud. you will be all
the dearer because am obliged to serve
all these weary years for you.''
His father, Il man of middle age. was a
man Of talent and ability. though it was
well known that lie urark to excess. His
wife had been dead for years, and lie WAS
accustomed to the daily use of wine and
stronger stimulants at the table, and ut all
times. in fact. He had placed it . Albcrts
lips when child; it was introduced in
many OF the viands used upon the table.
and it was Very difficult for Albert to
avoid tasting it. But, as the months
passed, and he still stood firm. feeling of
security settled around you, and you were.
oh, so proud of him, and of his love fJr
you-it was strong enough to resist the
iiercest temptations for your sake.
But, after a time. you observed that he
had again commenced drinking. slightly
at first. but enough to arouse your fears
And when you begged him to desist, lie
only smiled and said:
''llave no fears tor my sake. darling; it
has not the slightest power over me. for
can leave it OFT at any time; you ought to
know that; bat cannot shun society en-
irely, and at home or abroad the tenpta-
ion is always before me. My father makes
light vt my resolution to refrain from
and the boys really do not think
much of fellow who will not take glass |
when he is invited. But when we are once
l shall have done with it for
,ver.''
You saw less OF him affef this, but you
NOW he was slowly, though surely, pur-
uing the downward course. You were
n a state of fearful suspense; the days
ragged slowly by. and the wakeful nights
eemed interminable.
At hst Il malignant type Of typhoid fe-
er broke ont in the village; your parents
1ere both seized with it, and after days of
elirious suffering on their part, and anx-
ous. weary watching on yours-watching
nd care that were all in vain-you closed
,eir sightless eyes in their k.sr sklmber.
H., the bitter tears you shed over them.
'r 1t was part OF your nature to trust and
an upon some one. and now. though
our brother was very kind, you missed ,
our mothers counsel; and the dear COM ,
'rt of Albert's love and presence, Which {
ould have shed balm over your sorf6w- ,
7, heart, was o loi ger youls.
But on the first night after the funeral
2 sought you. He was pale from the (
lgering effect Of his past cxeesses, but ,
S eye was clear and his purpose firm.
Forgive ne. oh my darling!' he cried, I
md trust me once more. l can offer 10
,cuse for my conduct; cannot. myself,
,derstand the power the demon has over s
e. l cannot forgive myself for leaving Il
III for the sparkless and bitter wine cup +
III who, believe me. are dearer than my i,
Nh life; who have always seemed like Y
y own flesh and blood ever since the g
orning when your dear eyes FIRST booked i,
TO mine; while that accursed thing, Ii
hich, although it appears so bright and c
arkling, is the very gsllf of earth. 1t is h
'eet to the lips, but oh. mere bitter than :.
ath to the soul. cannot think should :,
We been so base as to have done it if you :,
d been my wife. But cannot Judge OF
Y own power. Be my wife. now, dear /
e, and with Gods help and yours, g
all be able 10 resist the combined forces ),
fell."
Poor boy he Was so humble, so earnest O..
his entreafy. that You forgaye him all. ', !"
tore his words were half spoken. And y
len. with unsteady lips. he asked you, VI
fill You trust me?'' you placed both :" v
ntls in his. and your answer came froir o
ur heart. without hesitation, sDear Al u =:
4, willp' IT.