The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-12-02
Seletteo Storp.
The Rector of RiyingtOn.

lllS tnOu2nllully DdCh III HIS Ondll lllo
dark eyes fixed on the glowing Goals in
the CRATE, his countenance wore
troubled, anxious expression.
He was not alone; his daughter, a
girl of eighteen, was with him, and her
face, too, was clouded by sadness. AS
she tossed back her bright curls and
raised her eyes lovingly and trustingly
to her father, who had so tenderly sup
piled her mothers place, proving that
men, too, have deep fount of tender
ness in their natures, which at times
can even be maternal, the parents
heart smote him for the pain he was
inflicting.
But the rector of Rivington never
paused when he had duty to perform;
however painful that duty was, he
walked up unhinchingly to it, even as
the brave soldier walks up unfiinch-
ingly to the lannon's mouth. Turning
his sad eyes on his daughter, he said:
envy child, you know that your hap
piness is as dear, even dearer to me,
than my life, and 1 cannot willingly
consent to your throwing it away"
Yes, father" she said, while the
tears gathered in her eyes and fell
slowly down in great drops on her lap,
Z" know how tenderly you love me,
how you have been father, mother,
nurse and friend to me, throwing only
sunshine around my way and shielding
me from every sorrow, and"
eyes, yes, my child" interrupted
the rector, with emotion, " and will
continue to do so, if you will only per-
nit me. My child, my child, l cannot
stand quietly by and see you throw the
jewel happiness away and not put
forth my hands to stay you, my voice
to implore you"
His tones were full of emotion, while
his frame trembled with the intensity
of his feelings.
"My child" he continued, " if ever
a parents heart is stirred to its deepest
depths it is when he sees the daughter
he has tenderly nurtured link her fate
with that of a drunkard. | cannot
stand by and see this sacrifice without
crying out, My God, my God, give me
the strength to bar out from my home
this terrible evil; give me the power to
shield and to save my child from this
gigantic misery-a misery so deep that
no plummet can sound its depths-its
fearful Depths"
Alice Carington's face grew deadly
pale as her father spoke, and she cried
out in tones of agony:
go father, spare me all this; | have
not the strength to send from me the
only man / love save my father. 1t is
dreary thing, dear father, for
woman to tear out from her heart the
and to walk forevermore alone. How
can my lips ever say to the man love,
60, cannot marry YOU"
My child, you must"
GO 1 love him, father"
Tear your love out of your heart
before it rends your heart" he said,
bitterly
60, father" she moaned.
Better that, my child, than hug an
affection which can bring you only
sorrow-a grief whose talon claws will
rend apart your very body and soul.
Alice, Alice, you know not what it is
to be a drunkard's wife"
81 will reform him after we are
married." she said, eagerly.
/" Reform him first, and marry him
afterwards, my daughter; but woman
sadly overrates her strength when she
marries drunkard to reform him."
George Granville loves me, father:
and you know where there is love on
the husbands part there is influence
on that of the wife"
The rector shook his head sadly, and
replied
"My child, where the vices of men
are confirmed women can possess very
little influence over them / know
that your sensitive heart shrinks bach
affrighted at the idea of being drunk
ards wife; with your ignorance OF
men, you think that love can accomplish
miracles with them, and that the
drunken lover will prove sober hus
band. All! my child, many poor
foolish woman has wrecked her hopes
of happiness on just such fallacy as
this.'
The tears that had been slowly fall
ing from the girls eyes now came dOwr
in torrents. She laid her head on the
table beside her and sobbed passion
ately. Her father was prepared to see
her grieve, but he did not anticipate 81
wild storm of grief as this. He knew
that his child loved, with all the ardol
of her atfectionate nature, the man wht
had sought her in marriage. He wa
handsome, intelligent and amiable; bu
one terrible failing overshadowed thes,
qualities he was a drunkard. II
could plunge woman into misery, blu
he could add nothing to her happiness
And while the girl wept the recto
of Rivington sat with his sad eyes fXe,
upon her. He knew that he could Civ
her no comfort; he might even seem
in her eyes, like the cruel destroyer o
her peace; but with the bitter remem
brance of the past still gnawing at hi
heart, he felt that he had stern dut
to perform, and, with the help of hi
Heavenly Father, perform it he would
He waited until her passionate grie
had spent itself; then he approache
her, and, parting aside her curls, kisse
her lovingly on her wet cheek. II
drew her to a chair near him, and said
with deep emotion thrilling in hi
tones:
"My child, let me tell you the his
tory of a mans life and a woman
death, and then answer me, if do an
wrong in crying out from the yer
depths of my heart, My Father i
heaven, save my child, my preciou
child, from the doom of the drunkard
wife"
Alice Darlington looked with wonder
L. 80 4. L.