Little Falls transcript., 1883-10-12

fevasively; and then, to change the sub
ject Of conversation, she added: Have
syoA noticed this beautiful bouquet Walter
left for you2" taking splendid bouquet
afrom the dressing g-table, and holding il
towards Emily. .I
;s YES" replied Emily, "but wish to
know about my mother. You all seem
to avoid talking about her, whenever I.
ask q question concerning her; there
has something terrible Happened, which
you desire to conceal from me, / know;
but I am strong enough to bear il.
Come, Elsie, tell me all" =l ,.:.f :. #
: Feeling that further coucealment was
impossible, Elsie replied: @ -. +.
; Your mother watched beside your
sick bed until, overcome by fatigue and
anxiety. she was obliged TO seek heI
couch. A long and dangerous illness
followed until She
!. Elsie paused, she could not finish
the sentence. Emily gazed into he1
face earnestly for a moment, then ex-
claimed: @.<
"And is nay mother dead? Oh, can ii
be?"
''Yes,"' family murmured Elsie, *'she
is dead; we buried her week ago." T..
=" Emily's head sank upon her hands,
and the hot tears fell through her open
fingers, her frame quivering with
emotion. i.
Emily had entirely recovered her
strength, and in compliance with the ex.
pressed wish of Walter they were to be
married. 1t was to be quiet, private
bridal, and they were to Immediately
sail for Europe. Elsie was to accompanY
them.
1t was the day of tho wedding. Emily
sat In her easy chain, and Else was ar
ranging her hair. On the dressing table
stood small, cut~glass bottle allied with
brandy, and beside it glass; every few
moments Emily would pour from the
bottle into the glass two or three swal.
lows and drink it-void of aduter.
alton.
''Oh, Emily, Emily, you know not
what you are doing; only think, but q
few months since, you could drink but a
few drops OF brandy in glass half full
OF water, and now you drink half q glass
full raw. You will 60 on in this, until
you blight ali your prospects of happi-
ness, and bring sorrow and disappo,nt-
ment to the home your husband will
provide for you. You know he is Bit
terly opposed to taking stimulents, and
doubtless would feel very unpleasant If
he koew you were under the influence
OF liquor when taking upon yourself the
marriage vows"
"Oh, Elsie, dear, do wish you would
not forever be harping upon this one
string, it simply ridiculous; you know
have been so very weak since NV illness
that it is positively necessary for me to
take something stimulating"
1T may be so, Emily, but if you had
not accustomed yourself to taking such
things when i'll perfect health, you would
not have required one-harf the amount
you how take, really it is fearful; and
speaking candidly. firmly believe that
If Walter knew Of this terrible habit.
this secet sin you have contracted, not
Withstanding the ardent love he feels
his wife"
"Oh, dear cousin, you treat such a.
trivial thing In to serious manner:
after l become Mrs. Gray, will leave
Oft this habit, which seems to cause
you SO much anxiety"
They were married-and immediately
sailed for Europe-two years they spent
in travel, then returned to their native
land, leaving Elsie behind them, as the
bride of a gallant French officer, noble
and worthy man; bnt two weeks after
their return Mr.. Leslie died. After his
death Emily INDUCED more freely than
ever in taking stim llents. Walter was
sor ly grieved when he discovered this
secret sin his beloved had contracted,
and endeavored by kind treatment and
persuasive words to break her of so
loathsome habit-but it was ofno avail:
Is day after day passed over her head
she grew more and more firmly addicted
10 this sin; until society was given up,
LII visitors sent away-and Emily-once
The beautiful and accomplished ball room
oelle. was a habitual drunkard, confined
to her room, but her husband would not
allow her to leaye her chamber, lest the
disgrace should become known; but such
things cannot be kept quiet and soon
Mrs. Gray's sin was the common topic cf
conversation in Ie circles in which she
had moved.
At length Walter determined to place
her in an asylum, and leave her. Oh,
how changed, how bitterly changed
were both! his beautiful hair was mixed
with silver threads. his brow marked by
deep care~lines, his once erect and gal
liant figure bent, and the smile that used
to play around his lips had fled.
He found an asylum for Emily, and
left her in charge of nurses and physi-
cians-and again sailed for Europe to
seek change of scene. He sought home
in the family of Elsie, and her husband;
here he remained two years and re-
turned to America, accompanied by El-
diately went to the asylum to inquire
about his wife. having had no comlnuni-' I
cation with the person in charge during
his Absences: but, alas, they could tell
him nothing concerning her-she had
escaped from them soon after his de-
parture and gone, no one knew WHITTIER
With sad heart he returned to his
home. and communicated the disagree
able intelligence to Elsie.
One afternoon, not long after their
arrival, as he and Elsie were riding
through Broadway, they passed cart
upon which lay the body of woman
covered with tattered garments, appar-
emily lifeless-but in reality beastly in
toxicated. One glance at the bloated
features convinced them that it was
Emily. The carriage was stopped, and
the woman removed from the cart to the
luxuriant coach, and they were hastily
driven homeward. -.
w. No pen can describe the feelings of
those two persons as they rode over the
rough pavements with her who had once
been so dear to them. beside them in
such state. Walter bowed his head
upon his hands and wept. >s' r. a a
! Elsie tried to weep, but the tears re-
fused to flow, and her head and heart.
seemed bursting with agony and pain
For two days Emily remained in state
of lethargy, and then breathed her last.
II Alas! what q fearful account had she
to settle with her Maker. Walter, bro
ken-hearted, soon sank to rest in the
arms of death. &.. sEs 5>>sass>~
Elsie still lives, and whenever she
sees an Intoxicated person a falntness
steals over her, for she cannot forget,
her once beautiful cousin as she looked