Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-11-23

Nelly sighed.
"But lnen can go away and forget all
about their disappointment. They HI
lots TO think about. But We women folk
we Just ha' TO bide it and say nothin,
though our hearts be ever so eorcl Oh.
Ralph. lad, | wish we'd mover seen one
another"
Ralph, moved by sudden impulse,
drew the girl TO him and with passion
ate vehcmence kissed her lips over and
over again.
II cannot help it-they ar, TIE last,
he muttcrcd apologetically as he r"luc-
family released her. "but it is cruel
downright crucl-that we ha' to part!
And all for the sake of drunken good
for nothing that might have broken his
noel; half Il dozen times this winter if
that mistaken providence that watches
over such like wastrcls hadn't prevented
it. Hang him! wish he was dead
Don't, Ralph! | cannot bidc to hear
you!"
"What good is hi, life? Ttdocsn't ben
eft one living creatur"-uot even him
self! You ought TO wish it. too. Nelly,
;
would if you cared half rs much about
me as do about YOU
Nellie drew herself slowly away and
looked him straight III the face.
You don't mean word cf what
you're sayin, or | would give you Il bit
Of my mind for bcin heartlcss. Poor
old Gad. II, : never said a cross word to
me i'll my lite--nOt even when he was
the worst for drink! Hos nobody's en-
envy but his own. there's that 80 be said
far him, anyway. If you won't marry
mo because ! mean to stick to my aud
feyther, wcy aa'll ha' to bide it as best
ga may. But as for me Wantin him deid
ma poor good hearted dad--that II nCv-
CT, never be. and so | tell ye plainly,
Ralph
AT this conclusion the young fellow
hung his head. feeling rather ashamed Of
his i'll nature, and the pair walked in 4
leiSurclv and detected manner toward
the farm. Where the two roads joined
they parted sullen. miserable. without
their customary kiss or even friendly
handshak".
Again the little dene appeared desert
ed and resumed its normal aspect Of cx-
Iectation. the spell having been broken
momentarily b. the young and eager
prcsences.
But the solitude and silence did not
nave long 20 reign. Up one bank Of the
stream struggled thickct of ragged
shrubs. alders and hawthorns. and from
thence there emerged few minutes
aherward the figure Of man, He
crawled MP to the level ground upon his
hands and knees. like some prowling
beast that had been i'll hiding.
When he reached the road. ne rose to
his feet and stood upright, or at least
made as near an approach to that posi-
! ton as his own condition would allow.
for he was evidently greatly under the
influence of alcohol.
| He rubbed his hand across his eyes
and gazed III bcwildcred fashion in the
direction taken by the pair Of lovers.
Ma canny Nelly, Ma bonny lass
| he muttered ia a trenulous, husky voice,
the voice of I. whisky drinlcr. Just te
think She ha stuck by me like yon."
He stood silent for moment after
this, as though endoayoring to master
the situation: then be gave himself a
shake like ats a dog does on emerging
from the water.
You boozy. dram drinlin old soak
er. dinna We feel ashamed O yersel':'
he burst out at last. whats wrong
wi ye: Lemme think
But il was OF no u5e for him to try
and consider. The earth reelcd around
and net the sky. and the road rose up
and hit him IL the face His brain was
on fire, and he could lot think.
He stumbled down to the edge of the
stream again. and at the imminent risk
of meeting death by drowning managed
! to lave his face and head in the icy cold
water and 10 gulp down great drafts OF
the same, making, it must be confessed
| a WY face Ut the latter part OF the pro
gramme.
Then he sat down on a heap Of stones
and resting his face in his hands made
another effort
He was the miserable wreck of a fine.
stalwart man. Although little past the
prime of life. drink had done it's work
and he looked 4 broken down old topper
on the brink of the grave. lie had the
bleared unsteady eyes of drunkard, Il
drnnkard's loose, slobbcry mouth, but
his features We're of an originally good
and pleasing type, and it was not diff
cult to trace i'll his face likeness t.
pretty Nelly.
He was rect-lhe confoonded voung
fool was rcet-and my canny BARN was
wrong. There is no use in a life Ike
mine-nOne whatever. An if | was deid
he marry her and size be happy shed
be happy"
!, was not pleasant retrospect that
life OF his, look at it how he might. Lost
opportunities, hopes that had died IN.
natural deaths, ambitions that had been
drowned under that thirsty sea that had
eugulfed lis manhood and made of hin
the sol he was
God forgive him! The face Of the wifi,
whose heart h. had broken rose before
him now in his maudlin repentance t.
odd to -itA H., 1 Il