The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1893-09-21

! stS Fehemence used her lips over and
Ileysr again.
n cannot help it--they are the last, "
he muttered apologetically as he reluc-
family released her, but 1t Is cruel
downright cruel-that we ha' TO partl
And all for the sake Of drunken good
for nothing that might have broken his
neck half dozen times this winter II
that mistaken providence that watches
over such like wastrels hadn't prevented
II. Hang himi wish he was deadr'
Don't. Ralphl | cannot bide to hear
your
"What good Is his life7 Itdoesn't ben
eft one living creature--not even him
self You ought to wish II, too, Nelly,
instead of Gliding me. Aye, and you
would II you cared half as much about
me as do about you."
Nellie drew herself slowly away and
looked him straight in the face.
"You don't mean q word of what
you're sayin, or would give you bit
Of my mind for bein heartlessi Poor
old dad! He's never said q cross word to
me IA my life-not even when he was
the worst for drink He's nobody's en-
envy but his own. there's that to be said
for him. anyway. II you won't marry
me because l mean to stick to my auld
feyther. wey aa1l ha' to bide 1t as best
IA may. But as for me wantin him deid
ma poor, good hearted dad-that1 II new
er, never be, and 50 I 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 a
ieisurely and detected manner toward
the farm. Where the two roads Joined
they parted, sullen, miserable, without
their customary kiss or even friendly
handshake.
Again the little dene appeared desert.
ed and resumed its normal aspect of ex-
pectation, the spell having been broken
momentarily by the young and eager
presences.
But the solitude and silence did not
have long to reign. Up one bank Of the
stream struggled thicket of ragged
shrubs, alders and hawthorns, and from
thence there emerged few minutes
afterward the figure Of a man. He
crawled up to the level ground upon his
hands and knees, like some prowling
beast that had been in hiding.
When he reached the road, he 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 in bewildered fashion in the
direction taken by the pair of lovers.
MA canny Nelly! Ma bonny lassr
he muttered in tremulous. husky voice,
the voice Of whisky drinker, '.just To
think she ha' stuck by me like yon!''
He stood silent for q moment after
this. as though endeavoring to master
the situation; then he gave himself a
shake like as dog does on emerging
from the water.
you booty, dram drinkin old soak.
er, dinna ye feel ashamed o. yersel?
he burst out at last. Whats wrong
wi ye? Lemme think"
But 1t was of no use for him to try
and consider. The earth reeled around
and met tho sky, and the road rose up
and hit him In the face. His brain was
on fire, and he could not 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 to gulp down great drafts Of
the same, making, it must be confessed
a wry face at the latter part Of the pro-
gramme.
Then he sat down on heap of stones,
and resting his face In his hands made
another effort.
He was the miserable wreck Of fine,
stalwart man. Although little past the
prime of life. drink had done Its work,
and he looked broken down old topper
on the brink Of the grave. He had the
bleared. unsteady eyes Of drunkard, q
drunkard's loose, slobbery mouth, but
his features were of an originally good
and pleasing type, and 1t was not diff
cult to trace in his face likeness to
pretty Nelly.
He was reet-the confoonded young
fool was reet--and my canny BARN was
wrong. There is no use In life like
mine-none whateveri An IL was deid
he marry her and she be happy-she'd
be happy"
1t was not pleasant retrospect that
life of his, look at it how he might. Lost
opportunities. hopes that had died un.
natural deaths, ambitions that had been
drowned under that thirsty sea that had
engulfed his manhood and made OF him
the sot he was.
God forgive hiinl The face of hewife
whose heart he had broken rose before
him now In his maudlin repentance to
add to his misery. He remembered the
look in her eyes as she feebly took his
hand In her own dying ones and laid It
upon the head Of her baby girl.
"Be good--to Nelly-and--and dinna
make her ife-ike mine has been
through that-cursed drink
He had promised. with the tears Of
maudlin grief in his eyes, and he had
honestly meant to keep that promise.
And now her hfe--the life Of that child
was to be wrecked through his.
at would be all rect IL / wero only
deid," he said again despairingiy.
As he stumbled homeward he noticed
with some anxiety the signs of the
weather.
The red winter sun had sunk some
time before, and the great masses Of blue
black cloud pressed heavily down upon
the earth, promising either a thunder.