The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1890-08-28
TEMPERANCE NOTES.
JAMES LEES SPREE.

4 |AAA AAAAANNL .NOx IOs
JAMES LEES SPREE.
u Taught Him . Wholesome Ie.so.
Which He Never Forgot.
Pretty Mary Owens! How sweet she
looked that balmy May evening. Fair,
modest. innocent, yet as proud and self
reliant in her bearing as q young
queen.
This evening in question she seemed
troubled and perplexed. ''Marry me
now, Mary;" said the handsome young
man 1T her side. Time is precious, and
I may lose you, you know. True. the
marriage must be kept secret for awhile
for reasons l can not explain. As we
love one another, what matters it,
thought"
Il have never told you 1 loved you,
sir" said Mary, coloring to the roots of
her hair, and flashing an angry glance
from her tender blue eyes! Yet the
trembling lips told too plainly that the
heart was interested.
mo, dear, not in so many words, 1
know; but women are very transparent,
and men of the world keen-sighted, and
ell that. Don't get angry. You know
you love me, little Mary, and 1 simply
adore you. One kiss, now, before we
part"
'You are insolent, James Lee! Some
thing is the matter with you. per-
ceived it the moment you opened your
mouth tonight. You have been drink
tng!'
Not enough liquor has gone into my
mouth, little one, to drown a mouse.
Only small bottle of wine to cele-
brate the birthday of friend; but
tell you. Mary Owens. your cruelty will
drive me to drink two more on my way
home. Your conscience ought to
trouble you at the thought of that. "
And James Lee smiled sarcastically,
showing his handsome white teeth,
whose beauty was lost on Mary, SMELL
ing, as she did, the fumes of his wine-
laden breath.
1T would kill your mother, James, if
she knew it. You know what you
promised her when you left home to
come here"
''How you can harrow fellow when
you have mind to. you little mite of
humanity! Why bring my mother in
at this time? Blessed old soul! Never
mind! Goodbye, petite-yor'll feel in
better humor, hope, when call to-
morrow evening" And James Lee
turned on his heel and strobe down the
path, but not before he heard the tear
full yet determined voice of Mary say:
Il shall not be at home to you, James
Lee, until you prove yourself a man Of
your word! As mean never to be the
wife of drinking man, your coming
would only be wasted time for us BOTH"
James Lee strobe on with unsteady
steps and hot pain throbbing at his
temples, until he reached the saloon
where he had left his friend.
what is the matter with you, jim?
you look shaken up" said the latter.
Don't ask me! Yet might as we'll
tell you. nm fool; yes, worse than
fool l have lost the sweetest girl
that ever drew the breath of life, and
all for that accursed stuff over there.
She saw me in liquor, and she won't
have me-"
''Cheer up, old fellow" said Sam
Howe, who with friends had been cele-
brating his twenty-frst birthday
Good radiance, say l. Think of marry
ing her and losing your blessed lib
erty."
Another bottle of wine for liberty,
sweet liberty" and the revel went on.
Meanwhile Mary, uneasy and heart.
sick. crept early to her little cham Der,
excusing herself to her anxious mother
and two sisters. She read chapter in
the Bible and prepared to retire, and it
was not until she knelt down BY the
side of her little white bed that the
foodgates of her sorrow opened; and
then she wept as if her heart would
break.
lord bless and save him I love-
was the import of her fervent PRAYER,
before she slept the sleep of innocence.
The faint streaks of the golden dawn
dyed the f1eecy clouds ere the jewellers
started for home, after borrowing a tin
horn and two old flags from the land
lord.
''1'm twenty-one! I'm twenty-onei
Hurrah for liberty" screamed out
Samuel Howe, staggering along. Lets
60 past Widow Owens cottage, Jim;
We'll let 'em know what liberty is"
'No, Sam. l won't do that" said
James, who still had some shame left:
''but Well 60 down through the field back
of the house and cut across lots"
Widow Owens, who was an early riser,
was dressing, when she was startled by
fearful din at the back of the house,
as also was 'Ben," the old bull, who
had been turned out early by the hired
man to get his breakfast in the field.
Mrs. Owens pitied the young jewellers
(not recognizing them), but Ben did
more than that. He was mortally Of
tended at their encroachment on his
domain. The flags were bad enough,
but the footing of the tin horn as an &C.
compartment to: 1--WE won't 90 home
till morning." made him mad with rage,
as with head down and hoofs paving
the ground, he made for the intruders.
There was maudlin cry. then shrek,
then one man was seen running for
dear life, having stumbled over the
fence, while the other lay white and
still on the ground, his life-b blood stain
ing the green grass below!
Mrs. Owens saw it all from her cham
Der window. which was in the back of
the house; and going down softly. with
out waking Mary, babe John, the hired
man. after securing the bull, to bring
the sufferer into the house.
1T is James Lee, marin. He's pretty
badly hurted. but he knowed me, and
begged me not to bring him in here"
Never mind, John; bring him in,
with the help of the stable boys; lay
him in the spare chamber, and then 90
for the DOCTOR
James Lee, being badly 9ored by the
mad bull, fingered long while in ag-
ony, but he did not die.
Mary did not see him until he was
out of danger, the doctor fearing the
consequences; but one day in the early
autumn he asked her the all-important