The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1886-05-07

Is 10 love. It is better to find it out nov
than after marriage, I suppose, hut the
lesson is a bitter one.
''You will sign it - She pleaded.
Never he answered fercely. as he
strobe towards the door. ''Good-by, and
when you hear that I am drmkard.
Dora Ellsworth, cherish the knowledge
that you made me one
Alas anger and wounded pride had con-
quered love and manhood The door
closed violently, and Dora knew that her
venture had lost her lover without saving
him.
1T is better, even as it is, than it would
have been If had not done it. she said
to her father with brave. little smile
Better to love him than to be a drunkard' S
wife. He is warned Of his danger now,
and he will reform"
But even her steadfast faith was sadly
shaken up in the days that followed
ffaught with painful anguish to those who
loved Norman Fitz James the best His
profession was neglected, and days Of
drunken sleep followed nights of carousal
His face was flushed, and his clear eyes
were bloodshot. Each day he turned from
the mirror with instructive loathing ours
ing the power that held him thus, while
powerless to break the chains that bound
him. lie would have accepted Dora Els
worth 5 aid now, but shame kept him from
her, and he drank the more to drown the
memory of what might have been. Even
his home was stunned and he always
turned aside TO avoid meeting the two
women he loved best upon earth, who were
now untiring workers i'll tie temperance
eause-his sister and Dora Ellsworth. His
mother had not lived to see his disgrace.
At last, he awoke, one day. from
drunken sleep, to find himself on board an
outward bound vessel, out Of sight of land
Here you land iu5ber, get up and re-
port, shouted a strange voice, and he
stumbling followed him on deck There
he learned that he had come on board the
night before, rather the worse for liquor,
and enlisted as a common sailor for three
years voyage There was no help for it,
the once elegant Norman Fitz James was
sailor before the mast
Ocean life is not one Of the pleasantest
to one accustomed to land, but, in after
years, he always looked back to that voy-
age as the brightest spot in his life-the
years when he learned to loathe the past
and hope for brighter future The cap
tain was humane man. and no liquor was
allowed on board the vessel.
While he was mourned by the few who
cared for his fate as filling a suicides
grave, he was slowly casting aside the
chains of his bondage, and. with renewed
health of mind and body, was making
plans to redeem the past in useful future
We will now pass over an interval of five
years. It was bright spring day like
that upon which my story opens Dora
Ellsworth sat in the music room singing
the self-same song that had angcred her
lover
Her face wears sweeter more chast-
cncd look than WHEN last we saw her the
impress of sorrow rightly accepted and
borne Her voice filled tile room with
such wistful, sorrowfu cadence that
Annie Fitg James paused as She softly
closed the door
Are you ready, Dora - She asked as the
song was finished "You know we were
to visit Widow Green and Mike Me
Carthy's family to day
Not quite ready, Annie, but will be in
moment, and she turned partly around,
her fingers still lightly resting on the keys.
q am SO happy this morning. Annie,
though cannot tell why. The words of
the pastors text last Sunday are contin-
ually ringing in my ears. TO Tie faith
rul all things are possible. Oh, if Norman
could only be alive and-Annie, Annie,
what is it? You have heard something.
Do not keep me IN suspense"
4 have heard-this, and with a look OF
solemn JOY she laid letter in her hand
u thought TO be very calm and prepare
you, but | cannot
Norman is alive, he is coming home,
and he is man once more. He wrote to
me because-because he did nor know as
you would care to hear
Foolish boy, laughed Dora gleefnlly,
as she read The letter that told her that her
lover was coming home to her, free from
the tempter's tolls, and Annie smiled glad
ly as She unconsciously hummcd the last
line of the song she had been singing.
4 must tell papa, said Dora, at last.
And then we will make oar visits, but
fear we Shall make them shorter than
usual. Norman may como at any time
now You know.
With light hearts they performed their
errands ofmercy, and were returning when,
just as Dora stepped forward to cross the
street, careless in her great JOY, pair OF
spirited horses dashed along as she turned
to Aanic with laughing remark Another
moment and She would have been trampled
beneath the iron-shod boots, but firm,
strong arm eneircled her waist and she was
snatched from death to look into the face of
her loyor, Older and graver, but with firm.
tender lines about the mouth, and an
earnest purpose in his clear eyes Ii was
Joyful party that gathered in Mr.. ELS
,varfbss M rlar That nitrl.t and pnnn f..lf