Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1882-03-02
cerning her only increased that inter

est.
Mr.. Grey and his worthy wife lived
all alone in a stately, childless home.
They were noted for their benevolent
eccentricities, and as such their step
was set down to be by their friends,
when they asked Eunice to make her
homo with them.
AS may be surmised, the lonely girl
accepted the cordial invitation extend
ed to her with breast swelling with
gratitude.
She had been with her kind friends
about year when, one evening, Mr..
Grey said, as he rose from the dinner
table:
"Wife, l would like you and Miss
Ray to be ready in couple Of hours to
accompany me to a lecture. l am
acquainted with the lecturer, and in
him the demon of intemperance has
one Of his strongest adversaries.
took tickets, knowing your sympathy
with the cause, and that you could not
fail to be interested"
They went. The room was throng.
ed.
At the time appointed the lecturer
made his appearance.
Eunice had expected to see gen.
tleman somewhat advanced in years
but instead tall, slight, youthful fig
ure stood upon the platform. With
an uncomfortable start the girl recog.
nizcd in the lucturer, whose rich, elo-
quent tones were already enchanting
the attention of that large, cultivated
audience, the lover who had gone
from her in anger four years ago.
A film came before her eyes, and she
trembled in every limb; then stilling,
with great effort, the tremulous
throbbing of her heart, she sat quietly
until the lecture was over, and she
mingled with the outgoing throng. But
their seats had been far in the front,
and some time elapsed before the door
of exit was reached.
Then Eunice found that though she
had not met his glance Claude had
seen and recognized her.
After cordial hand.shake from Mr..
Grey and his wife, Claude turned
to their young companion, exclaim-
ing:
"This is truly most delightfEl sur.
prise! did not expect to meet an old
friend here tonight. Miss Ray, if you
will permit me | would like to accom-
pdny you home. There is no enjoy
ment 50 great as talking over bygol .
days"
That evening Mr. Greys pallor wit
messed a scene of happy reunion as,
unrebuked, Claude clasped his recov-
cred treasure to his heart.
"Eunicp," he said after Il while, "the
anger with which | left your presence
was short lived. When it calmed, |
thought over your words, 'and though
they wounded my pride, 1 could not
help but see that they were only just
and right. l determined then to do as
you had asked me, to pledge myself in
my own heart to abstain myself from
any further indulgence of the wine
cup; but that until time had proved
the reality of my reformation | would
not return toyou. The year that fol-
lowed in distant city I devoted my
time and my means to seeking out and
striving to redeem cases of intempcr-
ence. AS the days went on my love
for my self-imposed work grew upon
me, and with a feeling of abhOr-
renee towards the habit which hith-
ertO | had looked so leniently
upon. When l returned to your
home to plead for my old position
in your love and esteem, ] found you
gone-where, l could not learn. But,
my darling, we will think of the past
no longer, but of the bright future in
which, thanks to the kind Providence
which has reunited us, we may live
and work together"
He paused.
Eunice did not reply in words, but
her little hand sought and found its
refuge in his clasp.
Thus we will leave them-the man,
strong against temptation, devoting all
his noble talents to the fight against
the powers of evil, and the gentle girl
who had saved him from himself.