The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-12-02

wish. But this one, this boy Clarence,
was wild, dissipated fellow, plunging
into shameful excuses and wasting
the precious hours of youth in the
haunts of folly and the homes of crime.
He gave his parents many an anxious
hour, as such boys always do; fortunate,
most fortunate was it for them that
they slept the quiet sleep of the grave
before this boy, dishonored and de-
graded, brought untold misery to the
hearts that loved him."
The rector's voice trembled with
emotion, but, recovering himself, he
continues
"This boy, tenderly beloved by his
parents, and who had been so carefully
reared, grew from bad to worse; and
when he reached mans estate he was
a confirmed drunkard.
There lived on the next place to
Midway Manor a lovely girl, named
Alice Richmond, whom Clarence Med
way loved She was young, younger
by year than you, my daughter, for
she was only seventeen. She was a
sweet, dove-like girl, gentle and loving,
the idol of her parents and friends, and
rich in every blessing that made life
desirable. There never had been a
sorrow on her heart, and no minor
note walled through the songs that she
sung. Oh, that so fair life should
have been so cruelty blasted-blasted,
too, by the man to whom she had given
the priceless gift of her young affec-
tons.
Clarence Midway sought her in
marriage. He hid from her his body
and soul-destroying vice; she knew not
that the man who breathed passionate
love.vows in her ears was an habitual
drunkard. She had heard him called
wild, and in her girlish fondness, her
girlish ignorance, she thought she
could tame him down and make him a
quiet, sober, domestic husband. Her
parents, however, knew that she was
about to peril her happiness, and ex-
pOstulated with her, my daughter, even
as have expostulated with you. But
she could not see the great, black,
frowning rock standing out in what
seemed smiling sea; she knew not
how, on that rock-the rock of ntem-
perance--her fairest hopes would suffer
a cruel shipwreck. While the parents
were eXpostulating the lover was urg-
ing, and, one stormy night, Alice Rich
mond, taking her destiny in her own
hands, stole forth from her happy
home and married Clarence Medway.''
The rector of Rivington arose from
his seat and hastily paced the floor. He
stopped in front of his daughter, who
was watching him with sad, anxious
gaze, and said
There are some memories which sit
like hideous nightmares upon the heart
and that we can only bear by Gods
help; such is the memory of what |
am now telling you"
Again he took his seat. 1t was evil
dent that nothing but an overmaster.
ing sense of duty made the father con
fide this story to his daughters keeping
Well, they were married, this happy
young girl and this drunken young
man. The fatal step was taken-takeI
by her with love and faith singing
sweet songs in her trusting heart. II
took her some time to discover what al
error she had made-how she hat
buried every joy, how she now stood
on the desolate shores of sad reality
far away from the peaceful pleasure,
of the old home that she had forsaken
What she suffered as the hideou
knowledge broke upon her none saw
herself could tell. Still she loved, anC
trusted, and hoped, and prayed; bu
the dark clouds grew more lowerin!
the more deeply her husband drank.
"One year passed by-a year of mis-
cry to the drunkard's young wife-ant
a sweet child came to gladden. he
heart. Then came, when this bah,
was only few months old, scene s,
terrible that | can scarcely tell it t,
you. For weeks Clarence Medwa,
had drank deeply until, reason leavin,
its throne, he grew mad--yes, mad a
any lunatic chained in Bedlam. Ravin.
and dangerous, his brain on fire witt
the accursed stuff he had been drink
ing, he was carried home from a low
den to the young wife whose life h
had made miserable. For days tina
devoted wife lowered over his bed
shocked at his situation, crushed to tn
very earth by grief, she yet chung t
the frantic maniac to whom she wa
chained by matrimony. He did nc
recognize her as she bent over him
he did not know who it was tina
looked into his wild eyes with pit
but not fear. For days and nights tina
loving woman watched and wept- wen
as she heard the madman's ravine
and saw his fingers point to imaginar
, spiders which his distempered fame
saw on the wall.
Gone night when the watchers-a
, save one, the loving wife-had with
, drawn for few moments into distar
room, Clarence Midway leaped frol
the bed, and, selling loaded gun
: which stood unobserved in a closet, lie,
| eled it at his wife and shot her dead
: dead. Oh! my God, she died-shot [
the heart by the monster she Gale
{ husbandl'
= Large drops of agony stood on tn
5 rector's brow and he covered his fac
' with his hands; when he raised theI
5 again, his daughter started back, for h
was ashen pale and his lips tremble
f with emotion. But he went on wit
| his story; he had nerved himself to til
/ task; there was too much at stake
2 cease now-even his daughters happ
ness.
, "This dreadful act, done in a fit
drunken madness, restored him to h
: senses. He threw himself on tt
S floor wildly and called upon IL
y name of the dead wife who had love
y him so tenderly and borne so patient
IL 4