Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-05-21
Gales aud Sketthes.
HERO'S LOVER.

HEkO'S LOvEk.
but, Uncle Royal, am certain he will
REFORM" said Hero Lewis. "He has
promised me.''
Uncle Royal looked down with sort OF
mild, sublime pity from the height OF his
six-feet-two, upon his pretty neice, as he
stroked her silky hair softly.
NV poor Hero" said he. ''what is the
word OF drunkard WORTH"
..Oh, uncle, don't use that cruel word.
Don't call him a drunkardr" cried the girl
shrinking as if from blow. fought not
to give him another chance?"
..My common sense, Hero, says no."
II hate common sense!" flashed out
Hero. People always talk about COM
mon sense when they mean to be cold,
and hard and cruel. | love Harry Rivers
and mean to marry him."
do you expect Harry tonight?''
Miss Erminia was an old maid, but she
was young enough at heart to sympathize
in the love affairs of the sister fifteen
years her JUNIOR, and she, too, had sof,
spot in her heart for handsome, dissipated
Harry Rivers.
HE said he would come" was the hal
hesitating answer.
They were telling me down at the
Corners. this afternoon said Erminia,
'that the railroad company are going tC
discharge him from their EMPLOY
ITO discharge him? what for?"
For habitual intoxication. They say
it is not safe thing to employ man
who is not always himself"
at is a SANDER" cried Hero holly. Il!
is the work of some base william Who wants
the post himself"
Very probably" said Erminia, sadly
"Only Hero-don't be vexed with me,
darling-but they say Harry has fallen i'll
with that set of men from the mines, aud
is getting into worse habits than ever"
And Erminia said nothing more. but
sat down to her needle-work by the light
of the lamp.
At II O'Clock she went to bed, after hav-
ing ascertained, by peep through the
window, that Hero was still leaning On
the gate ,all alone in the autumn darkness,
with red leaves raining around her, and
the melancholy cry of an owl in the
distant woods lending an additional tinge
of mournfulness to the night and the still
ness.
: No sooner did Hero perceive, by the
of the light from her sis
ter's window, that Erminia h III sought
her pillow than, softly gliding though
the gate, she hurried down the road, with
the scarlet shawl drawn tightly over her
head.
Il will not be so deceived and put of, ~
she murmured to herself. will find out
for myself whether he is to be trusted or
not"
The Miners Arms, at the corner OF
three roads, was all alight as she ap.
preached it, and from the open easements
she could hear the uproarious chorus of a
drinking song, and that harsh sound of
besotted laughter. And lifting trail of
scarlet .leaved wood Dimes which formed a
natural curtain to one of the windows,
Hero Lewis peeped in.
With a chill sensation of dispair she saw
Harry Rivers arise, staggering to his feet
with trimming glass in his hand and
propose some toast, which was received
with noisy applause. Hero did not wait
to hear more. Dropping the woodbine
once more she hurried awav with white
face.
God help me p she murmured. For
the idol whom worshipped has fallen to
the ground !"
Just at that momert the far-off whistle
of train smote through the silence of
the night-a sudden, CHASTITY possibility
took possession of Hero's heart.
1.-The midnight express !" she muttered
to herself. "And he dead drunk in that
bar-roOm"
Suddenly CLEAN of hope shot athwart
key was kept-she remembered hav-
ing seen Harry slip it under pro-
.jecting rock upon sort of natural shelf
just beyond where she stood. What if
she should attempt to save the lives OF
the doomed passengers every instant COM
ing nearer to their fate Snatching the
key from its resting place, she stopped in
the faint starlight now beginning to glim-
mer through the breaking clouds, and
strove with every force OF her weak
woman's strength to move the iron rails
God be thanked! They stirred-they
grated in their sockets-and, even at the
moment in which the fiery-red eye of tn {
approaching express train blazed in the
foggy distance, Hero dragged the switch
into its proper place.
Yet even then she could scarcely be
lIeve that it was right, as she leaned pant
ing against the rocks until, with shrek
the train swept by, and darkness and 81
lence again settled down over all.
Hurrying down a steep ravine. heed
less of cruelty piercing thorns that rem
her dress and drew blood from her tender
skin, she sprang like a wild deer dowr
the declivity, scarcely even pausing fol-
breath until she had reached the iror
track in the valley below. where a side
rail marked the intersecting course of
little freight road that led away TOWARD
the north. At every morning and even
ing the freight train passed over the road
bed. and it was among Harry Rivers mos
important duties to turn the switch tha
connected this branch road with the mair
track after the freight had gone by.
Had he remembered to so do tonight
Or was the express from the West now
sweeping onward 10 certain death and
destruction?
Hero knelt to feel of the track. The
switch had not been altered since the
freight train came up at o'clock.
A chill dew beaded her forehead, q
sinking sensation struck to her heart
Were she gifted with the flvipg footstep:
of Murcury's self she could not get tc
the Miners Arms in time to avert the i'm
pending catastrophe. And even suppos
ing that she could, was Harry Rivers in 8
condition n copo ,x-lo. 1900,