The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1883-08-30
PoSthunous.
BY MARION HARLAND.

did not know that | overheard what yOu
said about me tonight as you walked Oh
the piazza with your friend, Mrs Clay
chanced to pause that instant at The
open window behind you. "What al
unfailing flow Of spirits Mrs Muir has
was Mrs. Clay's remark. at is astonish-
ing when one remembers her past life"
And you answered, "Sorrow does not
crush her, as it would You or me, my
dear Lucy. Her temperament is mercu-
rial"
knew that other people acquaint-
ances like Mrs. Clay for example were
astonished at my apparent cheertulness
My pastor told my sister once that my
"leyty" was phenominal.' But
thought You understood Yet, how could
you be wiser than they, unless by intui-
ton | nave told you nothing. If you
We're sitting in that chair opposite mine,
now, could not talk of what | am trying
to write. Such imperfect outline as this
letter may sketch will not be read by
your dear, loving eyes until mine are
sealed in the slumber Of ages. =.
moved away quickly, when you had
spoken, lest more should reach my ears.
could not leave the play party to which
was playing hostess 1t was my neice' s
birth day ,tctc, and must not be marred.
When the troic was over ! had to see
that the plain and shy were provided
with escorts, to hearken snilngly to
| thanks and eXclamations on the "delight-
tul EVENING" the happy throng had spent
under my care. The last "g0od night"
said and Elsie's grateful hug and kiss re-
/ ccived, the silver put away and the house
locked up, got of to my room, and fell,
| exhausted and desperate, on my knees.
| ! am but too familiar with the horrors of
| this reactionary season. The commonest
! symptom is the injection of some passage
of Scripture into my mind something
that ought to strengthen, but poisons me
| instead. Tonight it was oddly enough
you may thinlI) this. ind |, if I he Uted
W. II :'"'" ne '"'" III" "'"" =" me" "''''
'Where is the use, cried out, look
! ing up to the wide heal ems and the pitt
j less stars, ''if He cannot hold them when
lie has drawn them r He said, too,-
"NetheI shall any man pluck them out
OF My hand" But the devil is stronger
| than man. Sometimes he seems TO be
stronger than the loving Christ.
| cling to the thought that Paul Muir
| did once believe in what he protessed to
hold as faith and hope. There is il tough
and comforting doctrine in the creed of
our church known as the perseverance
Of the saints Unless that anchor drags
/ apostasy should be an impossihilty
That gleam at evening-time Ntdy have
/ been a ray from the windows Of his Faith
ers house. The prOdigal sons falling
away was deep and for long
! had known Paul five years before our
marriage My father said on my bridal
morning: You are doing safe thing,
my daughter Paul Muir is a man Of
steadfast principles and pety. ! give
| You into his keeping without a dread"
/ Our new home was in Cleveland, Ohio
| Paul had removed thither, from Alba
! ny, New York, where my father then
! lived. our pretty cottage was fully fur
nished under the supervision of the fut-
ure master before my installation We
reached home on a rainy night, and
! shall never forget the brightness and
/ warmth that met us on the threshold as
the door was opened by the faithful ser
want in charge nor how, when supper
was over, we sat, hand hand before
the fire in the back parlor, and told one
another how happy we We're. At ten
O'Clock Paul got up and took key from
bis pocket.
"My throat is as dry us a dust-bin." he
said "eXcuse me for a minute" | heard
him run down the cellar stairs, and he
was back shortly with a bottle of cham
pagnc in his hand.
1--WE must drink to our health and
continued happiness" he said, gaily.
| was aghast. "lou are not in ear
nest. You, the president of a temper
ance society,""
"ln Albany. This is Cleveland"
lie poured out a glass of wine for me-
The amber liquid ''moved itself Alright"
kissing and leaping and glistenng
'Wine that maketh glad the heart of
man." laughed Paul.
''When he las taken a solemn pledge
not to drink it z" asked l.
''My father says you are almost radi-
cal on that subject. Is your pledge
meaningless ~
''lou don't understand the world,
Wdrop." He tossed off the glass |
would not touch, with that he had filed
for himself; tinkled the crystal rims to-
gether as he talked. "What | do and
say in public affects my fellow men. My
| inner, my home life is my own. There
is no sin, per SC, in my glass of wine. If
an incorporate man were to see me drink
it the example would harm him. There
fore quat1' it in secret. When St. Paul
wrote, 'Ifmcat make my brother to offend
l will eat no flesh while the world stand
eth,' he made mental exception in favor
| OF clandeStlne steaks and SteWS. Did
| you ever know a divine who practiced all
he preached | could tell you some
things about the private lives of public
retormers that would make you stare
The facts in the case are so well estab-
! llShed that | never hear a temperance
address or sermon without suspectng
that the orator will take a stiff horn
when the days work is over. The more
violent the philippe the stouter the re-
storatlve There is our favorite DR.. b.,
whose strongest tracts and editorials are
| launched at the accursed traffic in mems
souls and the social drinking habits of
Christian communities Many is the
night cap of hot toddy | have mixed in
the sacred seclusiOn of his bed chamber
for that gOdly man; none the less gody
for being able to see both sides of ques-
ton"
" Is nobody honest?" said /, bitterly.
9 Are words nothing but words even
when linked with GOds name p
"Dont lay things to heart, dear child !!
Take them as they are, recognizing the
truth that what are stigmatized as
tricks, are legitimate part of trade
Some people-take Dr. c. as an in
stance-are foolish enough to attempt
consistency, even on the temperance
question. They advocate common sense,
practical enforcement of existing liquor
laws, urging that prevention is better
than cure, etc. They call themselves
conservative, and, to do them justice
are generally the most really temperate
men among us. We reformers brand
them as tshy on the question. That
Is moi the way to reach and move he
masses. These must have excitement
and OF course quality, in place of com
mon whisky we take from them. Total
abstinence IS draught compounded with
especial reference to the lower classes
ID /