The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1885-05-06

looked Tor MIN In the parlors, Mr.. Mar
tindale answered.
81 will call him for you," / said, COM
ing forward.
"oh do, if you please my friend re-
piled. There was husky tremor in her
voice.
l went to the supper room. All the
ladies had retired, and the door was shut.
What scene for gentleman's house
presented itself Cigars had been lighted,
and the air was thick with smoke. AS
pushed open the door, my ear was fairly
stunned by the confusion of sounds.
There was hush of voices, and l saw
bottles from many hands set quickly upon
the table, and glasses removed from lips
already too deeply stained with wine.
With three or four exceptions, all of this
company were young men and boys. Near
the door was the person l sought.
"Alfred y called and the young
man came forward. His face was darkly
flushed, aud his eyes red aud glittering.
ALFRED, your mother is going" said.
"Give her my compliments" he an
swered, with air of mock courtesy, "and
tell her that she has my gracious permits
sion."
"Come !" I urged; "she is waiting for
you"
He shook his head resolutely. "I'm
not going for an hour, Mrs. Carleton.
Tell mother not to trouble herself. I'll
be home in good time"
l urged him, but in vain.
"Tell him that he mast come - Mrs.
Martindale turned on her husband an APP
pealing look of distress when gave her
Alfred's reply.
But the father did not care to assert an
authority which might not be needed,
and answered, "Let him enjoy himself
with the rest. Young blood beats quicker
than DID,
The flush Of excited feeling went out of
Mrs. Martindale's face. l saw it but for
an instant after this reply from her hus-
band but, like painting, its whole
expression was transferred to a leaf of
memory, where it is as painfully vivid now
as on that o-be-forgotten evening.
1t was pale and convulsed, and the eyes full
of despair. A dark presentiment of some
thing terrible had fallen upon her-the
shadow of an approaching woe that wa
to burden all her life.
My friend passed out from my door,
and left me SO wretched that l could with
difficulty rally my feelings to give other
parting guests q pleasant word. Mrs.
Gordon had to leave in her carriage with
out her sons, who gave no heed to the re-
peated messages she sent to them.
At last all the ladies were gone but
there still remained dozen young men
in the supper-room, from whence came to
my ears sickening sonnd of carousal.
sought my chamber, and, partly disrob-
ing, threw myself upon bed. Here re-
NAMED in state of wretchedness impos-
sible to describe for over an hour, when
my husband came in.
"Are they all gone?n asked, rising.
"All, thank God p he answered, with a
sigh of relief. Then, after moments
pause, he said: "If l live thousand
years, Agnes, the scene of tonight shall
never be repeated in my house. feel
not only a sense of disgrace, but worse-a
sense of guilt. What have we been doing
Giving our influence and our money to
help in the work of elevating and refining
society, or in the work of corrupting and
debasing itP Are the young men who left
our house little while ago as strong for
good as when they came in /? Alas alas
that we must answer No What if Alfred
Martindale were our son ?'
This last sentence pierced me as if it
had been knife.
HE went out just now," continued Mr..
Carleton, $50 much intoxicated that he
walked straight only with an effort"
"Why did you let him go ?" asked,
fear laying suddenly its cold hand on my
heart. "What if harm should come to
him ?"
"The worst harm will be a night in the
station-h house, should he happen to get
into drunken blawl on his way home"
my husband replied.
l shivered as l murmured, ellis poor
mother I"
81 thought of her." replied Mr.. Garlic
ton, Gas l saw him depart just now, and
said TO myself bitterly, TO think of send
ing home from my house to his mother a
son in that condition 7 And he was not
the only son."