Arkansas weekly mansion., 1884-02-23
PLEDGED WITH WINE.

| VINE cfieu lilt young anu tnotiSnticS-
Harry Wool .:rl",!@e with wnc, -
ran thro Oh the brilliant crowd.
The beautiful bride grew ralc-thc
| decisive hour had come She pressed
her white hands together. and the
leaves of her bridal wreath tremb!Gd
| on her pNre brow: her breath came
quicker. her heart beat wilder. From
her childhood she had been most solemn
ly opposed to the use of all wines and
liquors.
"lcs, Marion. lay aside yorlr scrup'es
for this once, "a Il the judy. in Il low
tone, gong towards his daughter, ..thc
company cEpcct it, do not SO seriously
Infringe upcn tie rules o. etiquette -
in your own house act rs You please; but
in mine, for this on 4 please me
f. cry eye was turned towards the
bridal pair. Mar:on's principles were
well known. H"nrv EaI been Il con
viz Niali>t. hut o. late his friends not. .ccd
the change in his manners. the differ
enc in his habitS-anu to nimht they
Watc':c him to see, Is they Snccringiy
said. if he was tied down to Il woman $
oI III on 50 soon.
pourin: out 4 trimming bnakcr. they
he III it with tempting smiles toward
Mar on. She wa> very pale, though
III are composed, and her hand shook
not "a. smiling back. She gratefully ac-
crptrd the crystal t"mptcr and raj ed ii
to her lips. Bat scarcely haI she done
80 when every hand was arrested bv her
piercing exclamation Of ''Oh. how ter
rihlc.' '.Wkat is Il? cried one and
ali, :iironging together, for size had
slowly carried thc GLASS at arm : length
and was tiNcdly regarding i rs though
II We're som" hiicoHS o"l"ct. ''Nai:.
she answered, while an inspired light
shOnc from hcr dark eyes; wat. and
viii tell You. l see, she added, slowly
pointing one icwc.cd finger at the
spar ling ruby liquid. -, sight tha:
brg-arS ali description; and Vet listen:
| WI! paint ii for YOU if can. 1t is
lonely spot, tall mpunta rs. crowned
with vcrdure. rise in awful subimitv
around; Il river runs through and br olt
flowers grow to the waters chmc. There
is Il th;c'l warm mist that the sun seeks
vainly To p;rrc'; trees. lofty ana hraI.-
tiful. way" to the airy motion of the
birds; but there. a group of Indians
gather; they fit to and fro with some
thing like sorrow upon their dark brow;
and in their midst lies It manly form,
but his cheek how d"athlv; his eye wild
with the titful fire of fever. One friend
stands beside him, nay. | should sa.,
head upon n''Sz' >r,ss. ,!iowing that poor
''Grnius in ruins Oh.-,hc high, holy
looking hrow Why SHOULD death
marx it, AM he 50 Young? Look how
he throws aside his damp curlS. see
him clasp his hands. hear his thrilling
shri"Es for lie, mark how he clutches
at the form of his companion, implor-
n@ to lee saved. Oh. hear him call
ritcuuS,v his fathers name. see him
twnr his fingers to~ctl Ter rs he Shricks
for his s:stcr-his only sister the twin
of his soul l--wcep:ng for him in his dis
tant native land.
.Snc' she exclaimed while the
bridal PARTY Shrank back. the untaStcd
VINE trcmn,ing in their faltcring grasp,
and tn" Judge fell, ovcrpowcred. upon
his seat; .-see. his arms are lifted to
Heaven; he prays, how wildly, for
mercy: hot fever now rushcS through
his veins. The friend beside HIM is
weeping; awc-Sirickcn. the dark men
move si.rn ~ and leave the living and
diving tor thrr.'
Th-re was Il hush in that princ"ly
pallor. broken only by what seemed Il
>mothcrcl sob. from some manly
bosom. Th bride stood vet upright,
with puivering lip, and tears stealing to
the outward edge of her la>h">. Her
b"autiful arm had lost its tension. and
/
waves, came slowly towards the range
of her vision. She spoke again; every
lip was mute. Her voice was low.
faint. vet awfully di>tinrt; she still
fixed her sorrow.ul glan,e upon the
win" cup.
1T is evening now: the great white
moon Is coming up. and her beams lay
gently upon his forehead. He moves
! not his eyes are set IN their 50 kctS;
dim are their pierre NC glanccS: in vain
his friend whispers the name OF father
and s!stcr-dcath is there. Death. and
no soft hand, no gentle voice to bless
ani soothe him. His head sinks back!
enc convul>ive shudder. he is dead
\ "roan ran through the assembly.
so vivid was her dcscr ption, so unearth-
ly her look. so inspired her manner,
! that what she described seemed actual
! II to have taken place then and there.
| They noticed also that the bridegroom
! hid his face in his hands and was weep
| inw.
'.Dcad!' she repeated again. her
| lips quivcring faster and faster. and her
voice more and more broken: land
| there they scoop him a grave: and there.
without Il shroud. they lay him down
| in the damp, rccking earth. The only
| son of a proud father. the only idol. ed
! to day in that distant country. with no
! stone to mark the spot. There he lies
! - my fathers SONNY own twin broth
| cr. wet III to this deadly poison.
| Fathcr.' she exclaimed. turning sud
! denly. while the tears raincd down her
| Icauiiful checks, father, shall / drink
! il row
The form cf the old judge was con-
vu!>cl with agony. !!r raised his head,
! but n Smothcrcd voice he faltcrri:
'No no, my clild, in Gods name,
! no.
She lifted the @lttcring goblet, and
| letting il suddenly fall to the floor it
was dashed into a thousand pieces.
| Many a fearful eve WATCHED her move
mcnts. and inStautancotisiv eVe.v W inc
! glass was transferred to the marble
table on which it had been prepared.
| Then a. she looked at the fragments OF
CRYSTAL. she turned TO the company.
saving: '.I.ct no friend, hereafter. who
! loves me. tempt me to peril my SOU
for wine. Not tirmer the everlasting
hills than my resolve, God helping me,
poison And he to whom 1 have given
| my hand: who watched over my
! brothers diving form in that last sol
emn hour. and buried the dear wander.
er there by the river in that land OF
| gold will. l trust, sustain me in thai
resolve. Will you not, my husband?''
| His glistening eyes, his sad, sweet
smile was her answer
The Judge let the room. and when
al hour later he returned. and with 8