The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-07-08
ture again." and her tears fell faster

ture again." and her tears fell faster
than ever.-
Miss Marbrook," said the younc
man, suddenly coming forward. and
taking her hands, .yon have done that
much. Your noble. effort. even though
uncrowned with success. your tears,
have done more for. me than the coun-
sci OF dear father. or the advice of
friends. | pledge you my word that
Will never again touch drop of liquor. -
DO you really mean itP'' cried So,
phronla' starting to her feet, her eyes
sparkling with joE %, then nv failure
was not for nothing. can bear the
modification of. it if 1 feel that I have
saved you from ruin. May Heasenshelp
you to keep your pledger' ia
shall keep it" he answered firmly.
|" And l shall never forget you;" and
dropping her hands, he hurriedly left
the room.
do you know the name of that
young man who has just left usP,' asked
Mrs. Marbrook of the hotel clerk who
entered the room a moment later.
Yes; he's no stranger in Newbury,"
was the answer. .sHe is Colonel
Dwight's son, Theodore; but no credit to
the old man. who can't keep him from
drinking, try -as he may. He'll end in
the gutter yet, in spite of his fathers
money and position ~ s *7ol7isl y
I = 6fsSsE* 4F es
1t was June, and Sophronia sat in the
pretty rose-covered arbor in her moth
iersneat, old-fashioned garden. singing
to herself as she sewed busily on a dress
she was altering for that good woman.
who had no cause to complain of her
daughter now. It was fifteen months
since that affair Of the lecture at New
bury, and Sophronia had entirely out
grown the advanced ideas which had
been SO ridiculed by the people of Ben
Inings. She was as firm an advocate of
temperance as ever, but she. felt no
" CALI to lecture. What work she did
Tor the cause was done so quietly, that
no one knew of her efforts except those
she helped to purer life, among whom
was old Joe Boone, who had become a
credit to the town, SO sober and in
dustrious had he been for the past year.
Sophronia had undertaken the dis
trict school, much to her mothers ioy.
and had proved herself q success as q
teacher. SO ga4a gtsfir
The memorable lecture was never
mentioned between the mother and
daughter, though Sophronia often won
dered if Theodore Dwight had kept his
pledge. But sheshad no meanSof find
ing out, and could only hope for the
best. She was thinking of him this
bright Jufe saftern o6I, and Wishing she
could see him, when shadow fell across
her work, and looking up, she saw the
object of her thoughts standing in the
doorway. But how greatly was he
changed! The flush of dissipation, the
haggard look about the eyes, were gone,
and the Theodore Dwight who now
stood before her in all the glory of young
manhood was son of whom any father
might well have been proud.
At have come at last, Miss Mar
brook z he said, g and i am glad that /
can tell you in all truth that l have
never broken my promise to you and
that now am never tempted to do so.
| have drought vow my father love and
thanks, Tor though he has never seen
you! be cannot bnt love you for what
you have done for me.n
Happy SophrohiaEher young enfhusi.
asties heart bounded with delight and
she had not a regret in this supreme
for her failure in the town-hau.
Had it not been for that, this young
man would not now be standing before
her, freed from the terrible vice which
had almost broken his fathers proud
heart. 81 EFT =. =,
Theodore Dwight spent the entire
evening at the cottage, and his first
call was not by any means his last. All
through the summer and fall he came
often to Bennings and with the new
year claimed for his the hand of the
brave little woman whose platform at
tempt he had reason to bless and who |
never had cause to regret taking for
husband the young man she had saved |
from ruin BY her failure as lecturer
Il. Birneysg il 1sa.,sa !. So .Iasi,
4