The Portland daily press., 1892-10-05

ence of liquor. 1 perceived your I'M
happy condition, as soon as you entered
the room
"I-I never drink-never drink. l love
Eunice.'
't'T have no niece, sir. You are
drunk
."'I don't mean-don't mean your niece,
l mean-mean-I mean Eunice.'
"'Oh, you mean my daughter. Eunice.
There was time, sir, when l would
have been proud to have you as SON
in-law, but that was before you became
victim of drinking. Let me never see
you here again. You are drunk
II soon found myself out in the street.
At first was stunned. and could hardly
think. That L, who had never tasted
liquor, should be denounced as drunk
ard was too much. I felt desperate. l
was in mood to do almost anything.
went to the nearest saloon and called
for brandy, and swallowed glass of
the fiery stuff. made up for lost time.
That night painted the quiet townin
vermillion hues 1t required four men
to remove me to the jail.
''The war had broken out, and tired OF
life, joined an infantry regiment, and
q week later was in Virginia. During
the first two years of the war l was in
twenty pitched battles and innumer-
able smaller fights. l exposed myself
to every danger, but death seemed to
shun me. Ny comrades were torn to
pieces by shell and shot, moved down
by rifle bullets within a few feet of me,
but escaped unhurt.
= ssThe day after the battle of Gettys-
burg soldier came to my tent and told
me that there was wounded man at
the hospital who wanted to see me. I
went. The wounded man was none
other than Tom Bowers, my old room
mate at Yale college. He was mortally
wounded, and had but a short time to
live. I tried to cheer him up, but in
vain. He said he had secret that
weighed on his mind; that he had done
me great injury. I could not imagine
what injury my old friend Tom Bowers
had ever done me. l leaned over the
dying man, and in whioper he told me
the story of his crime. He said: You
didn't know it, but I, too, was in love
with Eunice. When you said you were
roing to call on her father, I deter
mined to prejudice him against you.
Knowing his adherence of whisky and
that the smell of it was very repulsive
to him, when / brushed off your coat
saturated the clothes brush with
whisky. AS you could not smell you
did not know that you smelled like the
Stops the barkeeper throws out in the
morning into the street. When you
opened the door the smell Of whisky al
most knocked Parson Snider down. You
were somewhat confused, SO he was
sure you were drunk, and he ordered
YOU out of the house. You know the
rest. Forgive me-
seThese were the last words Of Tom
Bowers. The conduct of Parson Snider
was now explained. had not heard
word from Eunice since that dreadful
day. 1 still loved her. l no longer
wanted to die. longed to see her. l
applied for furlough and got it and
returned to New Haven, expecting that
her father would sanction our union"
Here my acquaintance paused and
seemed to be absorbed in deep thought.
We had almost reached Manhattan
Beach. I felt considerable curiosity to
know the end of the romance and the
fate of EuI1ice.
ssWhat became of your lady love?" I
asked.
My recently-acquired acquaintance
| shook his head in sad and responding
manner.
Had she forgotten you?" I asked
him.
eyes, for she was married. But that
was not the worst Of it"
''Did she marry below her station?''
ssWell, I should say SO! If she had
married man in some respectable,
legitimate business l would not have
minded it so much"
81 suppose she married some tramp
or some burglar"
Worse than that. She so far forgot
herself as to marry one of these would
be funny men, who writes on news
paper. Bah!'
"Manhattan Beach," called out the
brakeman
/ handed my new friend my card
ALEX Sweetl' he exclaimed.
eyes, sir; one of the alleged news
paper humorists. / am much obliged to
you, for your story will make nice
sketch"
He drifted off into the crowd and
aa.u bin, no mare ArEy. r SWEET
Place for the Children.
The lady managers of the Worlds fair
are determined that members of their
sex who visit shall be comfortable, and
their latest project is hall or resort
exclusively for children. 1t is to have
playroom, with booths attached for
the sale of toys; fountain or basin
where The children may sail boats; a
reading room; an assembly hall, where
lectures on the care and education OF
children will be given to mothers, a
kindergarten and accommodations for
children left with nurses while their
mothers are absent at the exposition.
Their plan includes building two
stories high; with roof, properly guard
ed. for playground. The cost is put
at sec, GOO, and as there is no appropria'
ton they will raise it by subscriptions,
! 4 ,iciy, tO