Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-07-24
A NEW YEARS STORY,
Lead Us not into Temptation
BY FRANCIS HENsHAw BADEN.

Mabel Clifton sat before one of
the windows of her fathers mag
nificent mansion. A servant stood
in waiting. She was making out
a list of articles for the next day.
Coming footsteps arrested her dt-
tention. She raised her eyes from
the paper and loo6ed out. Tue
crimson flush deepened on her
face as "Oh !" in a tone of deep re-
grat, escaped her lips.
She turned, after an instant Of
thought, said:
"John, / am not just ready to
finish this list, and shall not send
for an hour yet. If you have any
thing TO attend to in the mean
time you can do it."
Mr.. Clifton had been reading in
a distant Fart of the room. Hear
ing the door close after Johns de-
parture, he asked:
"You have not forgotten to send
for those wines l spoke OF, my
dear?n
"He has not gone yet, papa"
IA h. well; do not make t. late.
They will be very busy to night"
her father said, turning again to
his paper.
"Papa ~
"Well, my DEAR
"a boon papa. Promise to grant
me, this last day of the year, my.
BOOM
''What is it, love?n t8
"Promise to grant 1t first"
"Not in ignorance, my child"
"Trust me, father"
She had an earnest eager look
in her eyes that her father did
trust in, and he promised her. A,
"Well, well; you shall have
your way" Rait
Father, let US have no wines
tomorrow
"What! No, no; cannot grant
you that. No wines ? Why, child,
have you gone crazy? For TWEEN
ty-fine years past / have offered
nay friends wine on New YEARS.
Day. and never have felt that /
was doing anything wrong. What
has come over you ?o saE
"Oh father. / never have felt
just right when Offering young
men wines; and just now, when l
was making out the order for
John, / CHANGED to raise my eyes
Just as Edgar Livingston was
passing. 1t needed but glance to
see that he was very much under
the influence of wine. Father,
his mother is a widow; he her
only child. All her earthly hopes
are in him. Will they not be
wrecked. think you, If he INDUCES
in the wine cup: Tomorrow he
will make many calls. Beautiful
women Will offer him wine. He
will not have the courage, posi-
bly, the wish, to decline. To-mor-
row night, most likely, then, he
will return to his mothers heart
with sorrow. wish not to con-
tribute 'one drop to that bitter
cup"
my dear, whether we have
wines or not, with him it will be
all the same, as you say he will
MAKE many Calls. u
Father, If you had son you
would feel differently. Think how
many young men OF the brightest
promise have, failed, nay, worse,
won truly disgrace and early
graves from the love of wine."
az feel as if Edgar Livingston
stood on the brink of a fearful
precipice. Father, stretch your
strong arm to draw bin back-if
only one step, and for moment.
If we do not save him, it will be a
comfort to think we urged him
not forward on his fatal course"
"Mabel, you are very deeply in
terested in the young man. Am
i to Conclude aaal h8r aoYg III
Nothing more than for his own,
and his mothers sake. l would
endeavor to save him. or any 9TH
er young ulal in his danger, faith
err. Here will be one of his first
calls. Possibly l can detain him
long enough to prevent his visit
ing many places where he would
be exposed to great temptation.
Oh, father, please grant me this ?''
"Really, dear, l ieel disposed to
do as you wish, butsso many will
be very much disappointed. Be-
sides, / have not the courage to
make this great change, and set
five hundred tongues to work
specializing about the cause of it.
Some will declare I'm about to
fail; others, that that 1 have grown
penurious. All, what is it John?'
Just then the servant entered
and handed an envelope saying: (
~. "a telegram, SIR" - m
Mr.. Clifton tore'it quickly open,
read ii, and exclaimed:
GADnnlIxx Ahin hn.I L