The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-02-03
THE DAILY STAR
LOVE AND SORROW.

A pretty little thing was Venie Vane.
A sweet, childish face, with dark eyes,
classic features, and wealth of golden
hair, with just enough curl to give her
that light, airy appearance which we
sometimes sscfibe to angels of the fair
sex.
III "Not a bit suited to fill a woman's po-
asition in life" ....
So said her mother, who fondly hoped
to keep her many long year at her own
hearthside. ...
But Venie's time came, and sooner
than could have been expected OF one OF
her peculiar temperament.
A noble fellow was Paul Doremus-so
everybody said-except one thing, and
that was only champagne.
He never took any thing 90 common
as brandy and whisky.
Champagne, and then only at the
club.
And, if Venie said SO, why he would
never touch another drop.
And Venie did say so.
And 20 one evening Paul put his hand
on the large gilded-covered Bible, and
repeated after Venie's sweet, childish
voice, a solemn oath-never again to
touch or taste a drop of Intoxicating
liquors
"Now, Paul, I am yours; all yours,
dearest"
And PauPs arm stole lovingly around
the slight, girlish form, while he pressed
many loving kisses upon the rosy lips.
And so the long winter passed pleas
Antly and happily with the young lovers,
and just as the May blossoms were COM
ing forth, brilliant wedding was given,
and Mr.. Vare, though grieved to part
with his only treasure, placed with pride
her hand in that of Paul Doremus.
Paul was not rich, but he was a good
business man.
Though only in his twenty-fifth year,
he held the position of cashier in one OF
the largest banking houses in the city.
A month had been granted Paul for
his wedding tour, and on the evening OF
their return, Mr.. Vane and his wife met
them and escorted them to their own
house, which the father had purchased
during their absence, as wedding gift
to his daughter.
And SO the summer slipped away with
them. almost before it seemed to have
reached its zenith.
But now came the autumn, and with
IT the long evenings, and sometimes Paul
tired and said:
"Pll go just this once, Venie, darling
1 met to-day Harry Delmo, and he made
me promise to come round to the club to-
night. You see, darling, they laugh at
me, and say Pm tied to a woman's apron
string; and you know fellow don't like
to be made fun of by his old compan-
ions"
And Paul pressed loving kiss upon
the sweet lips, and said:
"Don't sit up for me, darling, but I'll
be home early. Au revoir." Dr..
Poor Venie dropped her head upon the
sable before her, and burst into a food
of passionate tears.
Paul had said the same thing half-a-
lozen times at least. "Pll 60 just this
once" and the last time Venie had
thought she had detected the fumes of
wine in his breath on his return, and had
bedewed her pillow with tears long after
her husband had fallen asleep.
And tonight, somehow, she felt that
something terrible was about to happen,
and she continued to weep until the
fountains were dry, and then fell into a
feverish and disturbed sleep, often muir
muring:
paul, Paul, now don't CO."
And so the hours sped on, and Paul
came not, neither did Venie awaken.
Twelve -one-two pealed forth from
.he towers upon the still night and yet
he came not.
But as three o'clock rang out the poor
wife was aroused from her unrefreshine
slnmbers by something falling heavily at
her feet, and with something between a
sob and a stifed shrek, she jumped
from her chair.
"Paul, PaulW she cried. "Ohl I've
been dreaming" she murmured, rub
bling her eyes. II wonder what time it isf
And taking step forward to look al
the little French clock which adorned
the mantelpiece, she stumbled over tht
PROSTATE form of her husband.
Surely she had been dreaming; sht
had dreamed of seeing Paul lying drunk
in the street with his clothes in tatters
and his face and hands besmeared with
dirt.
1t was hard enough to dream sucl
horrid things but here was reality
terrible reality.
"Paul, Paul." she cried, clinging tt
nis neck, and sobbing, trying to rouse
him from the drunken lethargy int
which he had fallen.
Her efforts to awaken him all proved
futile, and 80 poor Venie could do moth
ing but weep over him.
"Paul, Paul! my own Paul, you didn'
mean il, knowl' she murmured; ant
thus the early dawn appeared, and fount
her still at his side.
The fire in the crate had died out Ion,
hours before; but she took no heed Of tn
biting cold, nor Of the time.
But now the lethargy was wearing of