The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-07-09

ssYes, and I left him with the others at
Delmonico's. I don't care for that sort
of thing, you know" lowering his voice,
and glancing furtively at Mrs. Tremaine.
"It makes one feel so confoundedly
wretched the next day"
Althea was a well schooled woman of
the world, and full and unfinchingly she
met his meaning glance.
I can't say just how the evening pass
ed. I only know T was intensely glad
when it was all over with, and We were
home again.
Mr.. and Mrs. Chester went at once to
their apartment, but fingered a moment
in the parlor with Althea, who seemed In
no hurry to go to her room, though 1t
was late and the house as still as death.
But as she did not appear inclined to
talk, I kissed her, said good night. and
went up to my chamber, leaving her
alone there, like another Ariadne, sad,
broken-hearted, 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 almost silent street arrested
my footsteps.
A sleigh dashed passed and stopped at
the door, as if driven by whirlwind.
The night was intensely cold, but the
| tired horses were smoking, and their
quivering fanks white with foam and
| frost.
Not caring to see more, dropped the
curtain and turned to look at Althea.
! She stood like a 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 frlnges
and swans down trimmings shimmering
| in the faint, uncertain freight like a
| silken cloud, for one dim gas Jet was
| burning in the deserted parlor when We
entered it, and even this Althea had turn
ed down SO low that it was no more than
| a glimpse of light.
Unsteady steps sounded on the stairs,
then came the sound of mufded fall,
and something like half-muttered oath,
mingled with the low cry of uncontrolla-
| BILE anguish that burst involuntarlly from
Althea's pale lips.
"I knew how it would be-" she moan
| ed. ssI knew how those unfeeling crea-
lures he calls his friends would bring
him home"
And swiftly and noiselessly as spirit,
unmindful of her elegant toilet, and the
strangely beautiful picture she made,
| Althea hurried to the assistance of her
| he1plessly intoxicated husband.
It was not the first time she had waited
his coming in pale agony of fear and
| dread, not the first time she had heard
that dull, soul -sickening fall, not the
first time she had glided down the great
| oaken staircase to find her husband
handsome Harry Tremaine-lying prone
on the floor, sight to stir the pity of
the boldest heart, and cause the very an
| gels in heaven to weep.
| / could have cried aloud in my unut-
terable surprise and grief, and on my
knees have begged him for Gods sake to
| desist from further breaking the heart of
the wife who loved him so dearly-aye,
SO dearly!
I saw her through rush of binding
tears help him somehow to regain his
feet, and even in his pitiable weakness
he looked like fallen god; the noble
| head, clear-cut features, the something
indescribable that stamped him man of
wealth and intellectual force, was still
apparent, though SO completely had the
man been gotten the better of by the de-
mon that turks in the wine-cup.
And she-Althea-the look in her eyes
I'll never forget to my dying day. She
did not say q word; kind of dumb de-
spair seemed to settle upon her counte-
tenance-a despair that paled her cheek
to the hue of ashes, and chilled the very
life blood in her veins.
had seen enough, heaven knows, OF
Althea's hidden sorrow, and stole away
to my room, wishing could believe the
| whole miserable scene but troubled
dream, that would vanish with the COM
| ing of the morrow's sun,
Howard did not make his appearance
at breakfast the next morning.
Althea explained, in tone of apology
that Mr.. Tremaine came in late, and
"was tired
Mrs. Chester did not guess that any
thing was wrong, and really thought
| that Howard was ill-taken cold the day
previous, perhaps-and advised Althea
to send for the family physician.
Althea, however, did not follow her
sisters advice, but sat all day beside the
sofa where her husband lay, suffering
| miserably from the com bined tortures of
headache and remorse.
Toward evening he began to 'sfeel
| BETTER" and good resolutions began to
shape themselves in his mind, as is often
the case when ones head and conscience
have been for some little time on the
rack.
"A1thea," he said, drawing her lovely
face down to his and kissing the sweet
mouth, that trembled beneath his lips in
way that betokened the near approach
of tears" Althea, saw q look in your
eyes last night that I cannot quite for
| get, and which 1 hope never to see
in them again; and promise you, here
| and now, that will never, SO long as
live, touch drop of wine again. It's
| the DEVILS own and never-falling we'll
| spring of sin and misery, and my wife
God bless her!-is not to have her happi-
| ness clouded and her heart broken by
the folly and madness that lie in bottle
of green seal. There! do you believe
| me, darling? or do you think me incapa-
pable of successfully resisting the spark
ling temptation that has proved the
ruin-the utter and absolute ruin-of
unnumbered millions. and blighted and
embittered the lives OF more women than
dare to think of.
81 believe you. Howard" she sobbed; !;
IT must believe you; for to do otherwise
would kill me. If there was to be no
end-nothing to look forward to but
this-how could endure to live? Oh,
if you will but keep your promise shall
be so happy-so happy. Howard.
She fell, sobbing, into his arms, and
through the fast-falling tears that filled
her eyes the glad smiles were coming
oo,no s,unohipa fhroy,n