The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-12-02
Warned in Time.

-l4 uOE selIer.
Warned in Time.
"What you say must be true, Aunt
Hannah, but by experience l do not
know anything about it. never had
brothers to be tempted, and my father
never tasted wine. AS walk the streets
| see no end of grogshops and saloons,
but to me they seem such low places
that | think of them only as traps set
for the wretchedly ignorant and poor" ]"
There are just as many traps for the
refined and gentlemanly," sighed Laura
Towards aunt, glancing at the beautiful
young girl who was the Joy of her other
wise lonely life.
Laura herself began to be depressed
by what had been her aunt's earnest
talk on the temperance question" :"
Usually they chatted about home mat
ters, or discussed some new book She
started when the old lady said dregretfully: !:
81 am so sorry to hear that young
Livingstone goes great deal with set
of drinking young men, and is often
intoxicated. He was very steady when
he first came to town. l hear his father
is judge in Chester, and be himself is
very agreeable person."
The color fled from Laura's face; then
her cheeks became very pink as she
replied:
"Who told you of this7''
"Mary White. Her brother took him
to his hotel one night when he was not
able to get there alone. Mary never
gossips. She says he has signed the
pledge several times, and as often broken
it. Everything has been done to help
him, but he lacks self-control"
''Oh, Aunt Hannah 7 exclaimed Laura,
suddenly bursting into tears, 81 am
dreadfully perpexedP
Tell me how. DEAR" returned the old
lady, with quick sympathy.
Laura, who was dressed for party,
now forgot everything but her trouble,
and opened her heart to her aunt:
"I-I am almest engaged to Harry
Livingstone. He is very honorable; he
has kept back none of his failings. He
has none but this one habit, and he does
struggle all the time against it. He
says that with me to encourage and
1elp him, he is sure he could overcome.
He has indeed the loveliest mother and
the best father any young man could
nave. He showed me beautiful letter
they wrote him in answer to one of his
telling them-about me. They seemed
very happy in the hope that his love for
ne might make great change in him.
He says, Aunt Hannah, that if | refuse
| to give him my helping hand, he knows
hat he will sink under disappointment.
| lie is very sensitive end delicate in his
feelings. He thought something | said
was very bitter-almost cruel. l did
| not mean to reproach him. Oh, don t
want to marry a drunkardl | don't
want to hurt the life of man l love
70 fail him if he trusts mep
"What was this you said to him
LauraT" asked the old lady, gently.
Il said, without thinking, that if he
| :ould not reform out of love to his
| gray-haired father and mother, | was
| tfraid he never would do so from love
to young girl he had kno'sn only six
months. He had beea telling me his
mother was an angel"
| "You were not cruel, dear: you were
simply wise, in that intuition There
| is no human love so strong that it will
| overpower for any length of time such
a mans love of self-indulgence. This
is not sentiment, but it is fact, and you
epnnot believe it too soon Is he Christ
ian, Laura?''
| "No but he says he would like to be
me; and he pleads that if / am Christ
like l will do my utmost to save his
| soul
| "And so you will"
"Wnatl Marry him?'
"Oh, no; you would not really increase
Il s,,A -.
that way. When even the grace of Goo
cannot save him unless he wholly yield.
himself, soul and body, to it-and ht
does not so yield himself what can .
woman do for him while he has any vii
Of his own left? You could not infiuenc.
him; you would never want to control {
man. The only drunkard's wife eve
knew who controlled her husbands desir,
for liquor was not happy woman, fol
she did not obtain that power until b,
became an imbecile."
At that moment a servant came to sa,
that Mr.. Livingstone was in the parlo
waiting to accompany Miss Howard t,
the party.
81 shall not go out tonight" sal,
Laura, as the servant left the room
"We must decide this matter at once.
The old lady soon heard the parlor
hell ring, and learned that the man ha,
been summonded to send away the cal
rage. She was very sorry for Laura
vet she could hope fer but one end t
the affair.
4 The next day Laura was alternativel
, cheerful and sad. She had refused t
marry the young man, but he ha
declared that be would prove to her hi
strength of character, and would We
| win her for his wife,
"You will never be sorry for wha
YOU have DONE" said Aunt Hannat
As faithful friend you have warne
and entreated him; you could not d
. more. How can two walk togethe
unless. they are agreed? He Cannot b
/ | word of mouth agree to go with yot
/ FOR in his heart he has not learned l,ov
r You may want to talk Italian to pleas
; | somebody, but you cannot rationale
+ agree to talk it until you try learnin
the language" Seeing Lanra's eve
, filled with tears, she added: 81 am nc
: hard hearted, but, Laura, I have see
? that it is as vain for a woman to MARI
, 4 drunkard expecting to save him as
would be for child to plunge into
: whirlpool to rescue luna,ic All yo
can do is to pray that Harry will hin
self come to prove that God can work i
r and for him."
Harry Livingstone loved Laura siI
Icerely, but he felt no need for Laura
e Saviour; he could make a man of hin
8 self" He tried to do 40 in the month
3 that followed-for a time with som
success; then he went from bad /!
> svnrSo His dehfs muIfinIsad. bo hare