Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-03-22
ONE W0MAN'S LOVE.

fall elections were close at hand and
the wave of prohibition had fairly in
undated the village Of H, the CONVEX.
sation naturally turned upon the evils
of intemperance. With that satisfac-
ton which many really good people
take in pointing out the rents in the
moral habiliments of their neighbors,
and philosophizing over the sorrows Of
others, they talked of the misery drink
had brought upon various families in
their vicinity, and of what they would do
were they the wives of certain well known
followers of Bacchus. Even pretty Mrs.
Piper, who's young husband was known
to be little FAST joined in this gen
eral criticism. TO be sure, "Chawleyn
was lawfully silly sometimes" when
some particularly good CD company
had led him to imbibe to freely. But
she would not stand if he got real
drunk. She would 90 straight to pas
That's what she would do. At last the
minister's wife, ut whose house the
society had met, asked her daughter
to read ''The Drunkard's Homer" and
tears flowed fast the pathetic descrip-
ton of the very woes they had been
witness of, without throb of sympathy
or the loyal hearts that still clung to
them.
Sitting apart, apparently engrossed
in her work was q woman on whose
fair features the angel of sorrow had
plainly been chiseling for many years.
She took no part IN the conversation,
and no one observed the set, pale face,
bent so persistently over her sewing.
IL l. &
"old Zeke Lewis child and wondered
how the mother could take on so,''
that the white lips seemed forced apart
with the appeal with which this story
opens.
She met the questioning glauces now
fixed upon her with look half defiant,
half apologetic, and said: Pardon
mel but there are sorrows too sacred
for words. You cannot sound with
pebbles those awful chasms of human
despair. Only those who go over the
dark sides, clinging desperately to the
Jagged rocks falling at last into the
depths, can tell the agony. Let the
dead bury their dead. P"
An awkward silence followed, I'M
I'll, to the relief of all. tea was announce
ed; after which the company dispersed.
Mrs. True, who SO abruptly terminal
ed this dow of gossip, was the wife of
the village physician. OF quiet, unob-
trusive demeanor, she had won the
esteem of all by her gentle ministra-
, tons at the bedside of her husbands
patients. Young, beloved, prosperous;
what could she know of heart breaking
sorrow?
And yet there was a look in the dark
eyes-an indescrlbable something about
the whole expression of the face-that
impressed one with the feeling that be-
meath that calm exterior the crucible
fires were steadily glowing.
While others are busy with surmises,
we will look in upon her as she sits in
her own room, in the glow of the short
autumnal twilight.
She was bordering on the events of
the afternoon, vexed lest she has be-
trayed the one weakness in the strong
cable of love that anchors all her
woman's hopes, and thinking with bit
terness of the christian charity of the
profeSsed followers of Him who said:
Neither do | condemn thee" Even
the minister, ut the funeral of the poor
drunkard' S child last Sabbath. took oc-
caslon to remind the father as he bent
over the coilined form of his child, that
unless he turned from the error of his
ways he was bidding an eternal farewell
to his baby. She can see it all now
the hard defiant look coming into the
face of the mantle stricken mother.
whose form sways helplessly rs she
stopped to press the last kiss upon the
little face that was her one ray of sun
shine, then totters back to her seat by
the side of him upon whose strong arm
she should have learned in such an hour |
And yet they say coldly, it was bless |
ing this one hope was taken from them.
II may be-nay, it must be, since He
willed it,
But what would they say if they
knew that the father of her own lost
darling was II drunkard? Aye, drunk
ard; not il is true, to be classed with
Zeke Lewis, for only TO the heart that
it would stab most cruelty was his
slavery to the cup revealed.
Five years ago Marian True came to
this little western town young
and trusting bride, her husband
being the first physician in the
place, soon found himself taxed to
the utmost of his endurance by his long
rides over new roads, and began to
take ''iu>t little to keep the cold out;''
and nj last--COuld she ever forget it?-
as she waited one cold, stormy night for
his return. she heard some one fumb-
ling at the door, and, though her heart
fairly stood still, she went bravely to
open it, AS the light fell upon her face
she recognized her husband; but oh so
changed! Who shall describe the look,
sadder than death, where mind has lost
its sway?
20 my God, Is this yon, my hus-
band?"
''Ye-es, ilh me-, with a silly side
long leer and a vain attempt to stand
uprightly.) Then, as he fell headlong
into their cosy sitting room where she
had set out tempting little lunch
against his return, she uttered groan
rs though her heart were breaking.
"What in thunder are YOU bellyach-
ing for now? Amt | here all right?
You act just us though you were sorry
l came. Guess you are expecting some
one4else tonight"
Before this burst of drunken frenzy
was fairly over he began 10 breathe
heavily and soon lay in british slum-
Der, n repulsive, breathing corpse.
Ills W sls AAiG niFl vi ludLN nights uuT-
ing which the faithful wife watched,
answering all calls, and turning away
the more imperative ones to seek other
help. rs her husband was sick and would
be unable to make his usual round.
These debaucheS were followed by
such remQrse, such promises for the
future, that the young wife felt sure
each fall would be the last; and though
any unusual delay in his coming would
send the blood curdling to her heart.
= she still looked hopefully to the future
Then came the joys, the care of mother
hood; and for "baby's" sake Herbert
True battled bravely against tempta-
ton, and the skeleton in their home
seemed laid forever. An unusually
prolonged season of sickness kept DR..
= True driving night and day, and again
came the temptation to keep up his
tagging strength with stimulants '.just
this once!' and again the old story is
repeated.
At last comes letter from the dear
old father and mother They would
see their darling in their new home.
and above all, grandma wishes 70 see
the little namesake, whose cunning say
ings and doings make up the bulk of
the l,,itprS homo Mrs Trina makas