Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-04-02
TEMPERANCE COLUMN
Why SHE NEVER DRANK WINE.
Christian at Work.

SO7e ttttHh uON SndDDy IL
would look I"
The remark vas made by a besa-
tifui girl as she danced out of the
conservatory with a spray of pink
blossoms in her hand.
ut is my first party, aud | want
everything splendid. And auntie,"
turning to a sweet-faced woman,
with large, love-gleaning eyes, and
almost alabaster purity Of complex
ion, you must YEA that r0se-col-
ored brOcade. 1t is Just the rag
now, ard your hair will trim beau
eifully. ] ann so glad we are TO
have plenty OF flowers"
Helen BraytOn vas Just from
school, where she had been since
she was ten years old. OF course,
she knew little of life; but her
father was a wealthy man, and her
dream Of. everything splendid
was about to be realized. Aunt
Agatha was her mothers sister, a
scholarly woman, of whom she
knew little, save that she was a
trif1e eccentric, giving away nearly
all her income, and never SO much
as touching wine.
Mrs. Brayton leaned back in her
luxurious chair, and rested her eyes
with "A mother's delight on Helen's
face.
IF we have wine, Aunt Agatha
cannot come" was said slowly.
Cannot Why so 2" with a
shrug OF her pretty shoulders. "She
will not be obliged to taste it,"
Mrs. Brayton beat her satin-slip-
pered foot against the Persian car
pet. it was a question she could
not decide. Mr.. BraytOn had given
her carte blanche. He had not
time TO attend To il, he said. In
calling i'm Agatha she had not
thought of wine. With exquisite
taste and wonderful tact in arrange
ment, her services would be inval-
liable. All the morning she had
been trying to persuade the really
elegant woman to consider this as
an exceptional case. Not that she
herself cared for it T; neither did Mr..
Brayton /; but what would people
say? Mrs. Brayton was not one
with the moral courage to oppose
Madame Grundy. She could not
endure to be called shabby, especi-
ally when the money in hand
would enable her to be profuse.
All the while Helen stood at the
back of Aunt Agatha's chair, talk
ing of the pink and silver brOcade.
Nobody will know it was ever
worm. l am sure it would never
show a seam"
a servant entered bearing a silver
waiter, and on it a small card.
Helen cOlOred, and Mrs. BraytOn
excused herself, and went down to
the parlOr.
ado say that you will not mind
this time, auntie ?" pleaded Helen.
"And thus break my prOmise?''
"Did you promise, auntie, never
SO much as to drink a Drop"
81 promised never sc much as to
drink a drop, neither would l stand
by and see another drink"
''That is going a little too far l
think, auntie. If another drinks il
will not hurt us"
"T am not so sure" returned
Aunt Agatha. Whose card was
that Dick brought in ?"
Henry Fargo's," answered
lACACllg Mllll q WIN OlAoAls
"If Henry Fargo should drink
wine to excess, would it not hurt
you?"
80, auntie, he never could ~
with a face from which all color
had fed.
"If l have been rightly Informed,
one of his brothers died a drunk
ard" persisted Agatha Fleming.
THAT was Will. He was always
a little wild. Went to San Francis
co, spent a good deal, and drank to
drown his trouble" was Helen's
answer.
The FargOs lived in the same
square. In the vacations Helen
had seen a good deal of Henry, and
learned through him of WHIPS
wanderings but she did not con
meet il with wine; the latter vas a
mere accident. He drank to drown
his trouble.
The expression of Agatha Elem
ing's face grew tender /; tears filled
her eyes. 1t was a favorable mo-
ment to say to Helen all that was
in her heart to say-whys she should
not touch wine.
"You have heard your mother
speak of Herbert Wyeburn ," turn
ing her gaze full upon the young
girl.
"Your old friend, or flame, !
don't know which ?' returned
Helen, with all her usual vivacity.
Eyes"
my friend, as Henry Fargo is
vOurs. He lived i'm the SameSquare,
and we loved each other with a
love that grew stronger as we grew
older, Herbert went to college. He
was grandly gifted. But he learned
to take wine; il made him brilliant.
The head of his class, he was like
wise the master of OratOry. But he
could not speak without his glass
then il required mOre-one, two,
three at a time. His manner was
no longer the same-at one time
wild and capriciOus, at another
time gloomy and mOrOse. L expos
tulated. He was angry, and up
braided me. The next hour he was
ready to beg my pardon, AMI for.
rave him. OF course, he would
never again give way. Thus II
went on until he was ready to es.
tablish himself in business, and
was looking forward to becoming q
happy bride. One night there was
a quarrel, in which Herbert struck
Il brother-lawyer, and himself re
ceived a fatal stab in return. They
had been drinking to excess /; but
when | reached Herbert he was
rational. Never shall / forget his
face as he said: THE doctor says
must die. If / had never tasted
wine, Agatha, this would not have
been.'
"They had not told me that the
wound was fatal. l buried my
face in the pillow and sObbed out.
right. In that moment / would
gladly have given my own life
could l by that means save Her
bert. My agony made him worse,
they took me away from him, and
only permitted me to return when
| promised to command myself.
When | entered the room Herbert
was lying with his eyes shut. As !
approached / saw that his lips
moved. Was he praying? / tried
to think so, for l had been brought
up to think it was a dreadful thing
to die without an interest in Christ.
As | kneeled by his bedside he put
,,,t IL hanI