Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-07-24

A few moments AFTER MS nue.
voice was blending with hers in q
weiI-chosen duet.
Then Ernest told Mable OF the
love which had been hers since
he knew her /:
II came one night to lay my
heart before you. You had many
guests and offered snem " lne.
You noticed not that | placed my
glass untouched on the table. |
left early. | dared not to WOO the
heart of one who held such fear
full temptation before me; why,
you will know when / tell you the
terrible truth. My only brother.
went down To a drunkard's grave
the wolnan'he loved urging him
on.
"For a time mother aud | had
won him from his fatal passion.
He was doing well. He believed
he would fulfill the bright promise
of early youth. He grew TO love
a beautiful girl. She was wild
and thoughtless and one. night,a at
a party in her fathers house, she
urged him to drink.
zone glass. Every one but
yon takes wine she said.
"He resisted. She tainted him
about having to abstain entirely
because he had not theself-control
to use wine in moderation. He
yielded, accepted the fatal glass
from her hand, and drank first
moderately, then on and on in the
old fearful way, until the end
came-a ruined life anil mothers
broken heart. as
"Do you wonder that / fled from
you? Every hour since yearning
to return, yet daring not. s.
"To-day / heard what you were
doing. Earnestly thanking God.
that light had dawned upon you,
/ fastened here to lay my heart
before the only woman Lever low
ed. Will you be my wife, Mable ?"
y Her heart was too full OF joy
she could not tell him in words
how happy she was; but her little
hand lay still in his. She raised
her eyes a moment, and he saw
the love of years beaming there.
He needed no other answer. n
Judging from the low tone into
which the voices In the otherroom
had fallen,I think some other
hearts had found their mates. But
the pairs were separated, or rather
joined again, by the return OF Mr..
Clifton, who entered, calling out Il
"Mable my dear, to me the
room look rather dark. Let's have
the gas turned on, If you please
Certainly, papa 'apa3i
And when there was light |
enough for Mr.. Clifton to look
into his daughters eyes, he saw a |
brighter light shining there. An
other moment, when Flory came
to greet him, he said, with willy
smile: ~ ~ "a 7ssro9 4gtsfl
"Ah, see why you young folks
knew nothing of the surrounding
darkness-guided by the light
within. Well have you had a
pleasant day p
"a happy day, father; there are
no regrets to steal in and mar it,"
Mable said with a bright smile. /
AZ am glad of it-glad of your |
resolve, Mabel. How glad you
will know when / tell you that
this morning I closed the eyes Of a
father whose only son was away
in some drinking saloon. How |
my heart ached for that dying ia
Their! And what balm 1t was to |
think at that time my daughter
was not holding the fatal. glass to
any young man, = said Mr.. Clifton,
his voice trembling with emotion.
Before another New Years day
Mable and FIory each presided
over an establishment Of their |
own. The happy remembrance of |
their reception is never clouded by
the thought that they have added
one drop to the cup of bitterness
which so many wives, mothers,
and sisters have to drink--that
cup of sorrow which is so often
prepared for them by sister wo-
men.