The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-04-24
MARGARET'S LOVER.
BY MRS. MARY E. cuErIs.

i viii not be untrue, she said, ant
her dark eyes flashed. love you, but
shall not marry you"
"And your reasons?" he asked, in 1
voice that trembled, despite his stron.
efforts to control it.
She looked at him quietly, pityiDgly
and her answer rang through his very
soul.
Because you would make my life one
long regret. Because, far in the years tC
come, / foresee such utter degradation
! for you as would make the life of any
woman mad enough to give her happi
ness-her fate-to your keeping life Of
such misery that the grave would be 8
welcome refuge"
You love me, and you can say this
to me?"
could not have loved you had
dreamed of this before. As | say, will
not be untrue. l believed in you wholly
thought you the only one had ever
known who had touched my heart, who
could awaken in me the love a woman
gives but once in her life. yielded my
self gladly TO the knowledge of this feel
ing, for could not mistake your man
ner, your feelings to me. ] saw my in
fiuence over you with none of the tri-
umph Of eoquette, you well know, but
with the quiet happiness of woman
who loves truly, entirely herself But
for the late knowledge that the fatal cup,
which has ruined thousands, and tens
of thousands, is not strange to your lips,
my heart would be wholly yours.
But Margaret, your influence has
such power over me; under it, what can
not conquer? Blessed with your love
what might not become?"
The beautiful lips lost their firmness
of expression, and quivered with strong
ly expressed feeling.
Il have no faith in my power" she
said, sadly. "God only knows how in
;ensely pity You, but should go mad
if were forced to pity my husband.
must esteem, respect, as well as love the
man TO whom / give control of all my
future"
Is there no hope for me?" be pas
sionately exclaimed. Are Won so cold,
so hard, that yoa deny me all trial-that
you refuse to believe for you could con-
quer, would conquer, all that stood be-
tween me and my dearest hopes of earth
ly happiness? Margaret Margaret no
human creature but yourself can save
me. If you refuse TO listen-to believe
Il care not what gulf bears me to obliv-
ION"
81 dare not listen to you;" and great
tears rolled down her cheeks; Il dare
not take upon myself such vows as bind
our earthly fates, and feel in my heart
how entirely we shall yet be separated
in all true union. must say TO you /
have no faith in the. influence of any
woman as opposed to the deadly infatu-
alton of one who INDUCES in the appetite
for strong drink"
"You condemn me, then to ruin ?"
al condemn you to ruin God forbid
Harry Norton, it all remains with your
self. cannot conceal from you that |
think you have hard battle before you
in life. To conquer that appetite-to de-
termine that you win not yield, and to
abstain from all that tends to tempt-to
awaken desires for stimulants, no matter
how weary, how worn you are with the
truggle-demands the strongest will
the greatest self-sacrifce-the prayerful
spirit-the Christian life. Are you capa-
be of all this? If you doubt yourself at
all, in mercy never tempt a woman to
share drunkard's life-to behold her
self the mother of children who never
know the beauty, the holiness, the pro-
lection OF home. You think | exagger-
ate your faults. You do not know all
that is burned as with the stamp of fire
upon my memory. The years roll back,
and seea young, trusting, credulous girl,
who knew neither herself nor her needs
in life, welded to man whose earthly
prospects seemed fairer than those of
most men. But this girl, so innocent,
lovely, and trusting, learned soon-ah :
too soon-thst her whole life was sacri-
feed to one whose taste for the accursed
stimulus Of liquor far exceeded his love
for the woman he professed to adore
Year after year passed on, adding to this
fatal taste additional strength. Nocares-
ses Of sweet-voiced, lovely little children
no delights of home were half so dear
to this man as the one infatuation of his
life. This girl, always mature in mind,
and far his superior in nature, left no
means untried 70 save him. She was
very attractive in manner, conversation
and person, and all her attractions were
put in force TO save him. She concealed
his habit of intemperance for years. She
kept bis faults TO herself. She never
breathed aught against him. She up
held him, strengthened him, counseled
him. Was unvaryingly kind and wom-