The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-10-03
CRUSADER.

A snowy March day. Outside, the
clouds pouring out their white, biting
little tormentors into the raging wind,
which hurls them maliciously against the
faces of little group of women, who
walk quickly along through the furious
storm. Inside, warmth and comfort in
the houses of the rich; the sparkle of
ruddy coal fires in the CRATE; soft-cush-
Toned chairs, brilliant with glowing silk
and wooden tides; footstools of dainty
handiwork; indolent women in warm
coy corners deep in the latest novel, and
indolent men. cards in hand, with
bottle between them, which grows
lighter and emptier as the moments
fly.
All this indoors and still, out in the
chill cutting winds, the snow, ankle
deep in the sIush of the city's thorough
fares, the little band of women, brave
and noble, pass on their way, intent
on holy crusade against vice and evil.
Inside, the card playing goes on. The
bottle is empty at last, and by the flushed,
heated face opposite him, Roy Denzil
knows that it is not alone the loss by
gambling that is drawing the purple
veins into strong relief upon his compan-
ions forehead; that it is not the msera-
BILE run of luck that cinches the fists un-
til the cords throb under the feverish
skin; knows this, yet smiles under his
silky, blonde mustache as he pronounces
the bottle empty.
"No emptier than that" says the
young man opposite, holding aloft
Melted purse, the work of fair, loving
fingers, finished but month ago AS he
says it, he looks at the shining, silken
mesh, and his fevered thoughts rove
back to a third story lodgings in the
heart of distant city, where live his
sister and mother, who are even now
dreaming dreams of a bright future this
painfully earned money-the savings of
three hard years of labor-shall bring to
them; this same money that is emptied
upon the little card-table in the club
house, and which is quietly swept into
Roy Denzil's pocket after he has lit a
costly Havana.
Good help -" means the lad, who
has lost his first money upon cards.
80 bad as that" asks Roy, indo-
lently.
"'Bad as that Can anything be
worse9n comes in hoarse echo from the
youth of twenty years.
Surely" says Roy, looking at him
with tinge of surprise in his fine gray
eyes; d" surely you will not miss these
few hundreds; you, with your Eastern es-
tates2 You told me, did you not, that
you were worth ten thousand year,"
81 told you lie!'' and he dashes his
fist upon the little green leather-covered
table in savage emphasis. Il told you a
shameful lie! The money was my
mothers and sisters, and l. miserable
fool, was intrused with their hard got
ten earnings to find them a little place
out in the West. "Oh, heaven, help
me, help me, help mel"
"AIy lad" and Roy's voice lowered
itself insensibly, 'listen to me. There
is your money! return it to you on two
conditions, and they are-promise me
that you will never taste spirits again,
and that you will never stake penny on
anything"
"God bless you, | promise! l swearr'
holding out a nervous. throbbing hand
to Roy. But Roy pretends not to see it,
and busies himself with reflling the
purse. "Mr. Denzil, if | may be so bold,
tell me why gamble and drink
as you have done tonight !"
For pastime, dear fellow; simply
that"
"And you can find amusement IN it
you whose soul is far above"
bah! what twaddle have you been
learning 2"
"You have my promise to stop all this
may not, looking eagerly into Denzil's
meditative eyes, ''may not ask you to
quit, too 2"
GLOW am | so indebted to you that
you presume to ask me that y he asks
nonchalantly knocking the ash from
his cigar You're too enthusiastic,
my dear boy " Then, with a little
laugh, even the ladies can't move me-
bless them,n
"Then how can it interest you whether
or no drink z"
"You2 Well, you are young; you car
turn aside as you viii, | was once a,
you are, and | would keep you away
from the path in which lost my reckon
ing and stumbled so far into its deptl
that cannot now turn about They sal
there is better path than this. l can
not tell, have not tried, but | would
set your feet that way before they know
the DEVILS highroad-that is all"
There is an unusual stir among tn
well-bred club members. A cold al
blows in upon and scatters the fumes o
the Turkish tobacco in little hazy clouds
and through this Indian summer-lik
mist there comes eight chosen ones-th
mortal angels of the present century.
Some OF the men shrink perceptibly
Others brave it out under the eight pair