Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1881-09-22


Marveling much at this odd whim,
we sought our friends home at the
hour designated. After the last ar
rival had been greeted, and comforta-
bly, denuded of her exterior chrysalides,
alias clOaks. Marcia startled us by say
ing:
"Girls. you all know me and love me;
you have faithfully kept your pledges
of delay. though perhaps impatiently.
for which / should not blame you. 1
have'waited in this temperance matter,
hoping and praying that some of those
who have stood so coldly aloof, would
Telent ana set us a noble example.
Some Of our brothers and friends"
and the tears glistened in her soft
black eyes, "are still indifferent. To
night we will do what we can for their
redemption, and If they are not made
Of stone we will brake down their
adamantine hauteuT. There are those
who, In the pride of youthful indepen-
dence. scorn frail bit of paper as
oar 10 drunkard's grave; but, God
willing, we will do what we can to
win them from their dangerous leth-
argy."
Then she unfolded plan in which,
suffice To say, we acquiesced. The
evening came apace. At an early hour
we sought the hall, ranged ourselves
side by side in a number of rear seats,
and awaited developments. A throng
gathered by degrees. Then ensued
solemn prayer, thrilling music and
stirring appeals, till the familiar invi-
tation was at length given to those
who wished to join the great temper
ance army Of the nation. With deft
fingers we loosened our cloaks, doffed
our plumed hats, and, two by two,
treaded the long and partially filed
aisle and ascended the elevated plat
form. There was a sudden rustic, a
buzz, and then the hush of expectancy
fell upon the vast audience. For one
moment Marcia's arm trembled upon
mine, and 1 felt the thrill Of the blood
in her veins, and then, as camly as a
moving statue, she clasped her fair
hands one over the other, and her
clear, musical voice vibrated to the
farthest recess of the room:
Gentlemen" she said, eve are here
tonight, band of twenty, With the
bloom Of girlhoOd upon our cheeks,
with brows yet smooth in the joyous
ness of youth, with tresses untouched
by times iron hand, with hearts that
beat with hope and love. Gentlemen.
we are here to enlist under the banner
OF temperance. We this night solemn
ly pledge ourselves, God helping US
here the beautiful head was reverently
bowed-"to abstain from the wine
when it Is red within the cup! Never
shall the bright lips of these pure
maidens be polluted by that which
drags men from the pinnacle of noble
manhood. Gentlemen" she continued,
as she clasped the graceful waists of
two Of her companions, and drew
them more prominently forward, "if
the veil of years could drop, and you
should see adOwn the futures vista
these bright eyes dimmed and faded
the fair cheeks haggard and scanned
these smooth brOws SCARED with the
woe of the drunkard's wife, these snow
white robes exchanged for rags, fam
inc and despair stamped upon the in
nOcent girlish faces. would it be a
pleasant picture? / think not. You
would shrink back, appalled, at the
vision. And yet, gentlemen, as limo
cent in life's young morning has beer
how many n wretched creature, whose
years are embittered by the demon oi
drink, whose form, attenuated and fee
bic. and clad in poverty's worn ant
tattered garb, shrinks from the crue
blows of her drunken masterl Die
the young maiden dream when he whis
pered loves sweet tale in her ear that hi
voice would one day be raised to curs
herY Did the bride, in her white array
: think the warm, clasping hand of tn
bridegroom would some day be liftet
in infuriated frenzy, TO bruise her ten
der flesh? No, gentlemen, no! Ant
yet you know, and we know, ard oh
sad heart. she knows, that the heavel
! Of the happiest home is ruthlessl,
! destroyed by the mad fiend, alcohol
All. there are too many broken heart
, already! Too many crushed lives t
! be traced back to the blood hued an,
! blood-stained cup of death and degre
/ dation. But, gentlemen, the name o
the 'drunkard's wife shall never b
! ours to wear, for here, i'm the presenc
of earth and angles, we solemnly voN
/, that never shall one who imbibeS tn
5 intoxicating draught, be it ever s
{ delicately, win our favor. We II
: nounce the society of tipplers now an
Q forever
J. A glance of fire shot from her eye
r rs she ceased speaking, and stood lik
y a marble goddess, sceptered an
y crowned.
e There was one long-drawn breatl
d like a sigh through the congregate
+ hundreds, and then that stunned al
r dience was further stunned by ii
a sight of a tall, distinguished perso
L rising in their midst and pressir
y resolutely and swiftly forward.
5 He leaped upon the platform.
d was Roger Earle, and, uttered in clario
II tones, these words which thrilled I
through and through:
: "This noble girl, friends, is to be m
T dear and precious wife. In my prit
g and vanity have nightly been in yoU
: midst and withheld my name from II
a list of liberty; the liberty to-be purI
: the liberty to be holy; the liberty to |
1 a little lower than the angels and on
little, If / walk in the true rectituC
s of manhood; liberty TO be the tende
1 est husband to the dearest woman Go
{ ever made, for, Marcia" and he beI
{ towards her bowed and hidden fac
( Marcia, you will not turn from n
8 now, as in the past, when record th
vow: Please God, my wife shall new,
Q be a drunkard's wife!'
!, "Amen," said the weeping, whit
L haired minister, who from her chill
y hood had known the sobbing girl
70 closely pressed to Rogers heart.
5. Amen" said the judge, "GOd BILE
n n = -.