West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-10-17


"The ten years that changed Dorothy
from a pretty tomboy 10 beautiful
young woman, were ten years OF quiet
happiness and innocent pleasures, and ut
twenty Dorothy was as unconscious OF
the nature of my love for her as she had
been at ten, and 1, like a weak fool.
hesltated TO trouble our peaceful life by
declaring il.
II deserved to lose my prize, and I
had my deserts. We had a neiphbor. =
Mr.. brereton, the owner Of a large plan
tation, and one of the proudest men |
ever saw. He would have considered il
the widest nonsense il anyone had fore
snadowed marriage between his son and
Holiday. IL he had lived all the misery
might have been prevented, but he died
two years before his son came of AGE. and
left him in sole possession of his estate.
paul Brcreton was the handsomest
man ever saw, after a rollicking. dare
devil fashion. Young as he was, there
were stories about him worthy an older
reprobate, and report said he already
showed signs Of following in his fathers
footsteps, and becoming confirmed
drunkard.
1T was TO this man that my little
Dorothy gave her heart. How IL came
about don't quite know; few meet
ings at neighbors' houses, an occasional
dance, or boating party, and one morn
ing young Brereton demanded Dorthv's
hand OF my father. Ny expostulations
were utterly in vain, and only served 10
estrange Dorothy from me. NV father.
Immensely fiattered by Brereton's prefer
ence, consented at once, and in a month
they were married.
'FoT awhile all went well: Dorothy
was very happy, apparently, and / was
glad, yes, sir, repeated the Corporal
fiercely, '1 was glad"
MY heart was broken, but was
never brute enough to envy her happi-
ness, and when her little son was born
went to see her for the first time since
her marriage. She seemed very glad TO
have me come, and after that / went
frequently. Gradually noticed a
change in her bright face, she grew nery-
Gus and troubled during her husbands
frequent absences, and seemed almost
afraid OF him when he returned. Paul
Brereton had gone back to his old ahab-
its, and what with drink and gambling
and worse, he was going to the bad at a
hand gallop.
''He had never liked me very well
which was natural enough when YOU re-
member how opposed his marriage. but
he never qnarreled with me as he did
with some of the others, and from first
10 last had some sort of influence with
him.
'FOr Dorothy's sake, | was patent.
and did my best to keep him out of
trouble. / have follomed him about
night after night Sometimes / could
persuade him To- go home. but oftener /
would be obliged to wait until he was
too drunk TO walk, and take him home
with me to let him sleep off his stupor
and make him decent before I took him
back to Dorothy. But sometimes I
couldn't do even that, and would have
to stand by and see him 20 home in the
violent stage Of drunkenness, cursinp at
every one who came near him. Those
nights were the worst. used to stay
around the house and watch until IL was
quiet, for fear he would do his wife some
harm, and more than once he struck her.
Think Of it, sir, he struck that little
delicate creature rushed in once.
got between and knocked him down. but
Dorothy begged me so never TO come like
that again, for fear of making n talk
among the servants, that had to bear
1t as well as / could after that. only I
made her promise 10 lock herself in
whenever she heard him come home in
toxicated.
"Things went on from bad to worse.
Paul used to go to Savannah and stay
weeks at time, gambling, until his
place was mortgaged up to the hilt. and
his slaves were all sold. Dorothy had
scarcely the necessaries Of life, and then
her baby died suddenly one afternoon
with some childish disease. got there
just before it died, and wanted 70 90 for
a doctor, but she just said, quietly:
I" No, John, IL is too late now.
asked his father to 90 this morning, but
he was in hurry to go 20 Savannah, and
told me IL was oil nonsense; that the boy
was well enough
''The child died a few minutes after
saw il first, and all / could do was TO
send Dorothy's 'mammy, whom / had
bought when Paul sold her, 10 her young
mistress, and then / put my fastest horse
into light wagon and drove rs quickly
as possible TO the station was de-
termined that Paul should not annoy his
wife thai night at least.
81 arrived as the train pulled into the
station, and giving my reins to lad 60
hold, jumped out and went to look for
BreretOn. Hc was not in any Of the
passenger cars, and I was just making up
my mind TO go TO Savannah in search Of
him, when / saw two Of the brakemen
carrying a man out Of the freight car.
Zone glance showed me Paul Brere-
ton. lie was talking, raving and swear
ing At ono moment the next whispering
TO himself and staring about with fright
ened eyes, bis hands moving incessanny
the while. ] did not need q doctor To
tell what was the matter with him. and
my heart sank when ] thought of Do
rothy watching by her dead boy.
"The men handed Paul over 10 me as
matter Of course people had come 70
consider me sort Of keeper for bin.
took the precaution Of tying his hands
and feet, and put him into the wagon on
81 Ie.N f. H.