The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1896-04-24
miscellaneous.
A GIRLS CHOICE.
BY X. c.

| Mrs. Leslie sat on a low chair before
| the bright fire in her dressing room,
and Effie, her only child, on Il cushion
| at her feet. The mothers hand rested
lovingly on the bright young head
and her voice trembled as she said i'm
plOringly:
"Oh my precious child, do not de
eide too hastily. William Russell is
noble man one to whom l could give
you up with Il full assurance that your
happiness would be secure. Henry
Howard, though wealthy, is a man of
Indifferent education and diSSipated
habits. With him | feel you would
lead life of misery, and | could not
pronounce Il blessing on your union"
"Oh, mother! you are 100 severe :;
you are prejudiced ~ cried the young
girl, while bright color rose to her
very brow. Henry cannot be all you
represent him. He has warm, affec-
tionate heart handsome person, grace
full address. How could he, behind as
fair an exterior, carry so much of evil {?
True his education has been neglect
ed, but he is studying hard to repair
the misfortune. Love, you know,
works wonders
"Ah, my darling" said Mrs Leslie
| sadly, ~ see that the modest worth
of my favorite has been completely
| obscured by the destinations of this
| courtly Southerner. Yet" she ex-
| claimed after ii pause, Il thought once
that you loved William"
Il thought so, too, mother but it
could not have been genuine love, for
that which | feel for Henry is far
above it. l never knew the meaning
of the word BEFORE
Then, dear, have no more to say.
| You have made your choce. l thought,
as Williams wife, | would ever have
you near me. Oh, my darling how
can | give you up?
Fife wept, touched by her mothers
grief, but never &avereG in her pur-
pose, for her senses had been com
pletely enthralled by the graceful, ell
gaging, handsome youth who, though
but the acquaintance OF few weeks,
had made himself irresistible through
his devoted attentions and subtle flat
| teries
Alone in her own room, Effie's medi-
| tations were painful.
Have | any right she thought,
''to make my mother miserable? Can
| not sacrifice my own happiness for
| the sake of one whose whole life has
UtCl IL StiCIlllCS lOI luC ! COGiu MOI
marry William, for that would be sin
full when love another but should
! not DO happier if | gave up my own
| bright dreams to stay with her, and
make her life peaceful and glad -
Why did she not hearken to the voice
of her good angel thus whispering in
her heart?
Why" she said aloud, should |
be parted from my mother? Henry
surely will rejoice to have her in our
home. She breads his habits of dissi-
patton, but loving lie us he does,
can surely NOT doubt his complete re
| formation"
| Alas for the woman who builds her
hopes of happiness on such a sand
bank e? Alas for her who, with open
| eyes, throws herself into the arms of
| one with fixed habits of intemperance,
trusting to reform him by her love ,
Three months of preparation, three
months of bitter sorrow to the mother,
and Henry impatient to return home,
| claimed his young bride.
| On the evening previous to the cere
mony a large party was given by
| Effie's aunt, as a frolic for the brides
maids, who had come from all parts
of the country to fulfill the compact
made with Effie in their school days.
The evening passed merrily, and the
liberal supply of champagne at supper
enliVened to the highest pitch the al
ready gay party.
| With the closing dance, Ef1ie was
struck with peculiar and disagree
able change in Henry, a staggering
manner unusual to him, Il thick, slow
utterance, very different from his gen
orally rapid flow of language. Close
| " she watched him, and cold hand
seemed clutching at her heartstrings
as the truth broke upon her, that on
the eve of their bridal he had given
way to his old habits of intemperance.
That was a sleepless night to Effie.
/ Restlessly she tossed on her pillow,
groaning aloud, "Oh, my choice, my
choice is it indeed to be fatal one?'
Mrs Leslie, lying beside her child,
also sleepless, heard all her sobs, her
groans, her appeal, and tenderly en-
folding her in her arms, said softly.
Darling, it is not yet too late to re-
tract"
"Oh, it is mother it is l could not
bear the remarks it would cause, nor
could bear Henry's misery. / have
made my choice, and must abide by
it,
Pale, subdued, but very lovely the
young bride looked on the following
morning, as Henry, penitent, and
once more himself, led her proudly to
the altar and as Mrs. Leslie marked
his eye beaming with love, the tender
devotion of his manner, and his
chivalrous courtly bearing, she could
not wonder that her darling had been
captivated by one with so many out
ward attractions but she trembled
for her happiness, resting on founda
ton utterly insecure and worthless.
Weeks, months flew by, and the
dreams of happiness INDUCED in by
the young wife were fully realized
Mistress over a lovely home, and re
ceived most kindly and cordially by
her husbands relatives and friends
possessed of all the comforts wealth
could buy, and idolized by Henry
her days flew by in unbroken enjoy
ment. Her letters to her mother were
the very out-gushings of a guileless
girlish heart overflown with happi
ness Z; but ere a year had passed, there
was a change.
Henry for nearly 2 year had beer
true to his promises, never even touch
ing the cup but as the novelty of hi
i married life wore away, he once NOR,
sought his favorite haunts and hi
boon oomnapiopS