The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1882-10-25

him on to ruin. He came to the door
with Charley, / saw him waiting
outside, thinking perhaps to hear
my reproaches and my grief. Like
the Indian at the stake however, l
suppressed ALL"
"You have acted wisely, dear Ada"
| replied soothingly; "but don't des-
pair yet. He has only just entered
upon the downward path, and you
can save him if any earthly power
can"
81 wish I could think so," she re-
turned. "Bpt if you had only known
my anguish when he entered the
room an hour ago. He has never
tempered with intoxicating liquors,
and little has sufficed to overthrow
him completely"
"For long time she murmured
thus; then she recollected her deter
mination of the day, and arose in
firm hope. Poor Ada! l could appre-
ciate her agony"
"Not one word of reproach to her
husband came from Ada's lips the
next day. With smiling face and
cheerful words she greeted him on
every occasion, and would have seem.
ed the most sunny hearted creature
in the world to casual observer. 1t
was not a business day with him and
therefore he had no occasion to leave
home. l arose from the tea-table
first and as passed up the stairs,
glanced into Ada's sitting room. Ev-
erything was arranged as only Ada's
hand could have arranged it, neatly
and gracefully. 1 understood the
tender care she had employed, and
hoped the loving wife would receive
her reward.
"They came up together a few mo.
ments later, and since my door was
ajar | could hear every word. Ada
opened her elegant melodeon and
proposed music. Charley hesitated
and, at length told her that he had
promised him-lhe man of whom
have spoken--to meet him down town
on very important business. There
was ashort pause. "Charley,"-Ada'
voice was trembling-"I know well
what he wants. Twice now has he
led you into temptation. Will you
blindly follow him again?"
"You are unjust to him." said
Charley loftily.
mo, Charley, l am not unjust
But would my love for you be love,
indeed if | were silent when you are
on the road to ruin2"
at was a hard struggle" Ada
pleaded with all the earnestness of a
true woman's love, and prevailed at
length for | heard him say:
"Ada, my noble wife, with heav.
ems help and yours l will never go
astray again"
There were sleepless eyes and hap.
py hearts in Ada's home that night.
Months passed away, and Charley,
awakened to a full sense of his dan.
ger, succeeded in Withdrawing him.
self wholly from the subtle web that
the tempter was weaving around
him. One evening in December we
three gathered in the sitting room
| sat in the lamp light sewing, Char.
ley in the luxurious armchair read.
ing the dailies, and Ada stood by the
window, absently gazing down into
the street. Suddenly an exclama.
ton of surprise and establishment
burst from her lips. Both ofus arose
and joined her. Passing. or rather
staggering along the street, under
the full blaze of the gas-light, was
Charley Melbourne's tempter, deep.
ly intoxicated.
Charley looked Down at him with
pale face until he had passed from
view, then he placed his hand on
Ada's head, and exclaimed with emo.
ton:
"Ada, my noble wife, I owe my re.
covery from that threatened ruin to
you"
"And that man, Aunt Sophie
asked Georgia, with interest, "whc
was he, and is he still living?"
THAT man, my dear nieco, is Louis
Howep
"Oh, Aunt sophie!" The blue eyes
had n look of sudden fright; then her
! face nushnd houohtiIv an 10