The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-06-26
HELEN'S LOVE.
BY Edward N. Wood.

and disclosed the love he bore her. and offered
his fortune and hand in exchange for the white,
tender fingers that lay trembling in his own.
She accepted, and in the dawn of this new
life found such happiness as only comes when
pure love Is given and reciprocated.
Darnel was an only son of o very rich and
aristocratic planter, whose broad domain lay
about the village of l.. He was now twenty
two, and not over that period of life when the
"wild-oat sowing is said to be in full blast.
He was what nine out of every ten young
men are-one of those rapid youths, whose
past life makes some hold up their hands in
holy horror. but whose path gradually narrows
into steady, easy going way by the time the
age of thirty is reached, when they become the
backbone ofsa community and brains of the
land
do not propose defense for this wild, reck-
less mode of living in the boys, but do say that
If most of our old men will glance back, they
will see acts of their early days repeated in the
rising generation-no better and no worse.
Albert Darnel was the soul of honor, gener-
Gus to a fault, and with disposition easily in
f1uenced either by good or bad advice his chief
fault lay in an intense passion for drink, and
for this cannot say he was to blame, for
science tells us that such a complaint Is dis
ease, and hereditary to a certain extent-thiS
being the case, could he be cenSured for q
fault bestowed by his birth?
Can man be blamed for deformty, the
making of which he had nothing to do with?
Whether he should be condemned for it or
not, however, does not concern this narrative,
which is but true facts, slightly altered
Helen knew of his weakness, and on the day
she promised to be his, she made the condition
that he should never taste another drop of alcO-
holic beverage.
''For." she said, "if you do, will not wed
you-even if we are at the altar, and discover
you have been drinking since this promise, L
will withdraw"
OF course, Albert swore to be o sober man
forever afterward, and he meant it, too, but
alas temptations too strong for his weak re-
solve soon surrounded and devoured him.
A few days later, together with several
friends, Albert paid visit to the city.of A.,
some fifty miles from his home, determined to
keep his promise and refuse all invitations to
drink.
The purpose, mainly, of this visit was to
purchase an engagement ring for his love,
which was his first act arriving at his desti
nation. After this he strolled about the streets
with his companions, refusing several times to
indulge, until at last Joe Bascom, one OF his
friends, said:
"Al, I'll be blamed if I'd leta woman tie RE
up tnat way, and before marriage, too. II this
is the condition now, what won't she demand
afterwards ?"
At this shot Albert WINGED and began asking
himself whether it would be any harm.
lone drink won't hurt" he muttered, "and
she'll never know it,"
linus ne argued, ana nnally look the 1atal
drink, adding:
"You boys must not tell on me when we get
home"
OF course they all vowed eternal silence
But, alas for poor, weak humanity, one
drink instead of satisfying Albert only called
for more; and the way now open, and blood
boiling with excitement, he poured down the
fluid and entirely forgot the loving eyes at
home, whose face was now alight with joy,
anticipating the cause of Alberts visit to the
city and awaiting his return with the little
jewel that was to bind her to him.
Albert kept imbibing brandy and whisky,
until he felt a weakness seize his entire body,
and he sank to the floor stupefied unconscious
"a noble, handsome man nov below the level
of beasts. When he regained his conscious
ness he was alone, and, raising himself up, he
was Mortified to find himself in a cell, locked
Sn like felon.
This blow was terrible, and in an agonized
state OF mind no approached the door and
xattled it wildly.
The iailer came and released him, saying:
SThere is no charge against YOU nv Young
man, we found you dead drunk, and brought
you here for safe keeping"
Blinded by remorse, and conscience stricken,
the poor fellow rushed out of the place, but
the jailer called him back: "Here are your
valuables, sir,' handing him his watch, purse,
and the little golden band he had bought for
her who was now lost to him forever.
There was no hope in his breast for he was
satisfied that the news had preceded him,
turned to his native village.
The next day he started toward Helen's
house, wild, tumultuous throbbing filling
him.
"Surely she will forgive me-" he muttered
to himself. 81 did not mean to do it.
He found her seated in the flower yard that
frcnted her home, reclining in an agonzed at
titude on rustic scat, beneath the branches
OF huge oak, where, only few days ago, he
told her he loved her and promised to fight
temptation for her sake.
A short interview followed, in which she
told him that all was known, even his arrest,
and that from thence they must never meet
again.
"Who told.you this ?" he demanded, for to
his honorable soul he felt that his companions
had deserted him purposely.
Mr. Bascom, who was with you when"
here she stopped, feeling that she had said too
much. And she had for, with o cry of rage
Albert left her and hurried toward the viii
1age.
An hour later Helen heard that Albert
Darnel had shot and instantly killed Joe Bas-
com, and escaped.
This blow was too much for the poor girl,
and she sank into delirious fever that held
her in its grasp for many days.
Five years passed, and we find Helen and
her parents in western town, where they
were stopping for a short WHILE on a travelling
tour, yainly endeavoring to turn the girls
mind from the horror she had passed through.
On bright afternoon they were seated on
the broad verapda surrounding the house
they were stopping at, when group Of men
were seen approaching slowly, carrying an OBJ
Sect between them on a roughly devised litter
Helen felt a thrill of terror as they neared
them, and feeling of undefnable dread pass
ed over her.
When within short distance they stopped
and one OF the men advanced, and spoke
Stranger, we have man out here dying
he's brave one, too, for he has lost his life in
saving another-and il you know anything
about medicine, or if there's a doctor here, we
would like to have him come at once"
Mr.. Tracy was not professional physician,
but had studied that science, and went out at
once.
He found pale, emaciatel young man, lay
ing on the litter, apparently suffering agony,
but uttering no sound.
His eyes looked up piteously as Mr.. Tracy
came up and a startled look crept over his
face but the kind old gentleman paid no heed
10 his expression, and sinking on his knees b
gan examining his wounds.
"A tree fell on him" explained the sPokes-