The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1881-07-01
ONLY ONE FAULT.

You may see 1t in Greenwood ceme-
terry. A splendid tombstone with a
woman's name upon it. Not Ruth Holly
though that is the name under which
you shall know her-but prouder
name, and one you may have heard.
Flowers grow about her tomb, and the
turf lies softly over it. You would
scarcely guess her life and its sad end
as you stood there. Rather would you
fancy that love and tenderness sur
rounded one over whom such piles of
sculptured marble rears itself from her
birth unto her death.
1t is a story such as seldom write
this life of hers-one that can not be
ended by happy reunions and the sweet
sound of marriage bells; but there are
too many such stories in the world to
be quietly passed over, haply there be
any warning in them. The lives of others
are, if we read them rightly, the best
sermons ever preached, and this of Ruth
HolIy's is only too true. Yet it began
very sweetly, like some old pastoral
poem. She loved and was beloved again,
and the man she loved had only one
fault. He was young, he was brave, he
was witty, he was handsome, he was
generous; his love was devotion, his
friendship no lukewarm thing OF words;
he had great talent and great power.
His eloquence had thrilled many an au-
dience worth the thrilling. What he
wrote touched thesoul tothe very quick.
He was an amateur painter and musician
and everywhere was loved and honored
and admired. He had only one fault In
the world--he drank too much wine al
times. When he did SO he turned, SC
said convivial friends, into very demi-
god. 1t was wrong, but not SO bad a.
might have been, and he would SOW his
wild oats some day, they said, loving
him as his friends all loved him; and $
Ruth thought. Sweet, loving, beautiful
, Ruth, to whom he had plighted his troll
and wooed in verse and song and witt
his most eloquent eyes long before h
put his passion into words; but so dl'
} not think Ruth Holly's father. Thi
one fault Of Edward Holly's over
shadowed his virtue in his eyes, an,
he refused him his daughters hand
giving him the reason why plainly an
: not kindly.
you'll be a drunkard yet, Ne
: Holly." said the old man, shaking hi
! head, earnestly. Give seen men {
4 genius 20 the same road before. Iy
:. often said I'd rather have no talent /
: INV family, since it seems to lead
y surely to dissipation. My sons are not to
. brilliant be sober men, thank heayei
7 and as for my daughter, only sopt
man shall have her for a wife; you
break her heart, Ned Holly"
Sc So the dashing man Of letters te
l. himself insulted and retorted hotly, an
il the two were enemies.
Ruth suffered bitterly. She loved h
70 father, and she loved Edward. To disob'
P ber parent. or to break her lovers heal
seemed the only choice offered her. u
MS had other lovers, she had seen mu,
80 society, and had been introduced to 9
highest circles in France as well as
'St England, but amongst all the men s.
had known none pleased her as Edwa
We Holly did. Not what one styles an
ay telleetual woman herself, she reverenc
ce intellect. and her affections were
,re tense. The struggle in her heart v
i'd She met with her lover by steal
lp- against her fathers viii, but for lc
all while she resented his entreatiee,s
II marry him in defiance OF her iatn'
los refusal. At last, angered by her I
'rn sistence in obedience, Edward accu
her Of fearing to share the fortunes
one comparatively poor-one VINO u
nus carve his own way up life's steep
les without assistance. The unmerlted
,er- p,roach sunk deeply into her warm ne ne
We and in sudden impulse OF tender
~ and sympathy she gave him the prOl
life he had so long sought in vain, !
Il were married that evening, and be
the morning were upon their way to a
we off city, where Edward, sanguine
Iuit conscious of power, believed that
81, should make for himself name
- position of which any woman might
lose proud. To her father Ruth wro'
long letter, imploring his forglyel