The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-06-24

Delmonico's. don't care for that sort of
thing, you know" lowering his voice, and
glancing fnrtively at Mrs. Tremaine. at
makes one feel so confoundedly wrstched
the next day."
Althea was q well-schooled woman of the
world, and full and unAinchingly she met
his meaning glance.
She was very pale, and the hand that held
her bouquet trembled slightly, but other
wise she was her own calm, proud, lovely
self, and neither Mr.. Richland nor any one
else could see beneath the mask.
can't tell just how the evening passed.
I only know I was intensely glad when it
was all over with, and we were at home
again.
their apartments, but fingered moment
in the parlor with Althea, who seemed in no
hurry to 60 to her room, though it was late
and the whole house as still as death.
But as she did not appear inclined to talk,
kissed her, said goodnight, and went up
like another Ariadne, sad and heart-broken,
in the midst of princely splendor and untold
wealth.
I had barely left the room before the
jingle of bells and the clatter of flying hoofs
in the now almost silent street arrested my
footsteps.
A sleigh dashed past, and stopped at the
door, as if driven by a whirlwind.
The night was intensely cold, but the
tired horses were smoking, and their quiv-
ering Aanks white with frost and foam.
Not caring to SEQ more, dropped the
curtain, and turned TO look at Althea. She
stood like q statue in the middle of the
room, one hand pressed hard against her
breast, and the other holding close about
her the rich white opera-cloak she still
wore, with its soft, snowy fringes and swans-
down trimmings, shimmering in the faint,
uncertain freight like q silken cloud, for
only one dim gas-iet was burning in the de-
serted parlor when We entered it, and even
this Althea had turned down so low that it
was now no more than glimpse of light.
Unsteady steps sounded on the stairs,
then came the sound of muffied fall, and
like a half-uttered oath, mingled
with the low cry of unutterable anguish
that burst involuntarily from Althea's pale
lips.
81 knew how it would be! /" she moaned;
Z" I knew how these unfeeling creatures he
calls his friends would bring him home"
And swiftly and noiselessly as spirit, un-
mindful of her elegant toilet, and the
strangely beautiful picture she made, Althea
hurried to the assistance of her helplessly- |
husband.
his coming in o pale agony of fear and |
dread, not the first time she had heard that |
dull, soul-Gckening fall, not the first time |
she had glided down the great oaken stair |
Ease to find her husband-handsome How
md Tremaine- prone upon the floor,
/ sight to stir the pity of the coolest heart,
md cause the very angels in heaven to
weep.
I could have cried aloud in my unutter- |
Ible surprise and grief, and on my knees |
nave begged him for Gods sake to desist |
rom further breaking the heart of the wife |
Who loved him SO dearly-aye, SO dearly!
1 saw her through rush of binding tears |
,elp him somehow to regain his feet, and |
wen in his pitiable weakness he looked like !
fallen god; the noble head, the clear-cut |
eatures the something understandable that |
tamped him q man of wealth and intellec- |
ua force, was still apparent, though 90
completely had the man been gotten the |
,etter Of by the demon that Turks in the
vine-cup.
And she-Althea-the look in her eyes /
II never forget to my dying day. She did
lot say word; a kind of dumb despair
eemed to settle upon her countenance-s
lespair that paled her cheek to the hue Of
shes, and chilled the very hfe-blood in her
eins.
I bad seen enough, heaven knows, Of
Althea's hidden sorrbw, and stole away to
ny room, wishing could believe the whole
miserable scene but troubled dream, that
you'd vanish with the coming Of the NOR
oW's sun.
reakfast the next morning.
Althea explained, in q tone of apology,
hat Mr.. Tremaine came in late, and" was
ired."
Mrs. Chester did not guess that anything
gas wrong, and really thought Howard III,
nd advised Althea to send for the family |
MUSICIAN.
Althea, however, did not follow her Sis
er's advice, but sat all day beside the sofa
vhere her husband lay, suffering miserably |
rom the combined tortures of headache and
emorse.
Toward evening, he began to "feel bet
er," and good resolutions commenced to
lip themselves into his mind, as is often
he case when ones head and conscience |
,ave been for some little time ON the rack.
"Althea," he said, drawing her lovely |
lace down to his, and kissing the sweet |
mouth, that trembled beneath his lips in .
xay that be.okened the near approach Of |
ears" Althea, I saw a look in your eyes,
asst night, which 1 cannot quite forget, and |
which hope never to see in them again; |
md promise you, here and now, that |
viii never, so long as live, touch a drop Of |
wine again, It's the DEVILS own and never |
falling wel-spring of sin and misery, and
my wife-God bless her lis not to have |
her happiness clouded and her heart broken |
by the folly and madness that Lie in bottle |
Of green seal. There! do you believe me, |
1arling or do you think me incapable OF |
successfully resisting the sparkling tempta-
ion that has proved the ruin, the utter and
ruin, of unnumbered millions, and |
blighted and embittered the lives of more |
women than dare to think Off"
I believe you, Howard" she sobbed;
'' 1 must believe you; for, to do otherwise,
would kill me. If there was to be no end