Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1893-01-21
ORIGINAL STORY.
"FOr Better or WOrse.'
BY VIRGINIA WARREN.

bower OF beauty. Banks OF lilies
and roses shed their fragrance from
altar and pulpit, while .feathcry ferns
and vines trail from pillars and walls.
Linda is Il favorte with all, and to-
night she is to be married.
Al length the hour arrives and the
church is filled by an eager throng.
An air of expectancy broodS over
all. Presently some one exclaims-
"Hush-hcrc they come" and the
next instant the notes of the wedding
march peal forth and the bridal party
passes down the aisle.
AS usual, the greater part of atten-
tion is centred upon the bride Tall
and slender, how beautiful she looks
i'll her trailing white robes. her fair
cheeks just tinted with excitement and
her eyes aglow with Il happy light as
she glances up at the tall. handsome
man upon whose arm she leans.
They are met at the chancel-rail bv
the old minister and ina few moments
are pronounced "man and wife for
better or worse until death do them
part
Better or worse :" The words ring
in Linda 5 ears as she passes out of the
church.
Robert Horton, to whom she has
Just pighted her troth, is prosperous
young business man of the city not far
distant. He had met and fallen in
loyc with fair Linda, and, as the reader
has already seen. success has crowned
his efforts to win her for his wife. He
had pretty home prepared for his
bride and surely all things looked
auspicious for the prosperity and hap
plnesS of the young couple.
But Robert had one fauIt-not so
great, either, one might say He was
rather too fond of Il glass of wine. He
never became intoxicatcd vet that
zone glass caused Linda's friends
iIi'l''N a iillSS ~ llIS
But Linda was firm in her belief tina,
the influence inspired by her love would
prove strong enough 70 keep him from
yielding to temptation.
SO in the little church, amid the
perfume of the lilies and roses. he
placed the wedding upon her finger
for better or worse"
He took her to their pre- ty home,
and for two Years how happy they
were. "How foolish were the fears
of our friends. - thought Linda. \
sweet little golden haired girl had come
to gladden. their home and surely their
cup OF happiness seemed full.
But at the end of the two years IL
small cloud rose which threatened,
though slowly. yet surely, to mar their
sunshine.
Robert began totakc bis "one glass"
too frequently, and at last, to Linda 5
distress, one night he rceicd home in II
beastly state Of intoXication
Then Linda s troubles began. Night
after night she sat alone in her cheer
less home, while Robert spent his time
and money in saloons and gambling
dens, only rceling home when day
was beginning to break.
Time went ON, and after four years
we find Linda not the fresh, pretty
Linda we saw on her wedding-day. but
pale and worn, with lines Of care and
sorrow around the sweet mouth and
the bright eyes shadowed with traces
OF weary nights Of weeping.
The cloud that seemed SO small at
first has assumed greater proportions
and the sunlight is almost obscurcd.
Linda's friends have written many
times for her to return home. She
alone knows how great the tcmptation
TO, her to do so sometimes is-to
change from her life of sorrow and
neglect to the happy home Of her
childhood and the tender love and care
of her father and mother.
But she looks at the plain band upon
her finger and the words of the old
minister sound in her ears-''for better
or worse until death do YOU pant"
Robert is her husband: her duty is
plain and she will not forslke him.
Her chief JOY is in her child -beauti-
full. sunny-haircd, blue-eyed Oracle,
and Linda lavishes upon her love
almost bordering upon dolatry. Oracle
is her one ray Of sunshine in her dark,
cheerless life.
"Gwacie's froat is sore" said the
little one to her one day.
Linda took her on her lap with
nameleSs terror at her heart as she
looked at the little flushed face and
unnaturally bright eyes, for she had
heard of several cases of scarlet fever
in the neighborhood.
She hurriedly sent for II doctor and
he confirmed her worst rears-Gracic
had scarlet fever
For seven weary days and nights
I,in1a wotcbn1 boc;Jo Lnr lo,,I;