Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1901-04-17

SERPENTS OF SALVATION.
The Ordeal of Night in Texas Cabin
BY GwENDoLEN ovEEToN.

| duuGSdIlOu WHICH, pl loLupISo Nle'ShAeoSA
to constitute himself the saviour Of
Barclay; but it was also partly hope OF
winning the hundred which the rest OF
the mess put up and which would
enable him to pay, by several months
sooner than he would otherwise nave
done, for the carved ivory crop, the
silver spurs, and the Co.d cross-sabres,
and other trifes of the sort that he
had bestowed upon Miss Cunningham
in happier days. Thus is the pure
metal of our finest actions ever COM
bined in the coming with base alloy.
Macintosh had been in love with
Miss Cunningham for some time, and
was so still, though now he had moth
ing to hope. He had had reason to
believe at one period of the negotia-
| tons that he found favor in her sight.
Then Barclay had come upon the
scene, with pull, prospects, and ex-
ceeding good looks. and from the
moment that he presented himself as
a rival for the notice Of Miss Cunning
ham, Macintosh began to lose heart,
realizing that, besides being far less
blessed in personal appearance than
the other, he had nothing to expect in
the future beyond promotion and TO-
gies, in the natural course of death
and years.
He put his faith to the test how
ever, and when it proved definitely ad-
verse, he did not go into the world
embittered and scowling at Barclay,
and making a spectacle of himself
generally. He even continued to put
the horses of his troop at Miss Cum
ningham's disposal. though now she
rode no more with him. Yet, for all
that, he himself would have been more
than human had he not experienced
certain secret satisfaction at seeing
one placed there-and that by Bar
clay himself. This thing came to pass
surprisingly soon, and in the following
manner.
= Barclay and his lady had quarrel
one day, and, whether it was relapse
to habits of his past life (for Barclay
was a civil appointmerD or whether
it was mer' to drown despair, certain
it was that the lieutenant hired him.
self down to the officers room and
drank more than was good for him
considerably more. This was, OF
course, in the old days, as many as 25
years ago, before the service
down to the last. least commissioned
officer, had reformed. Then. finding
perhaps, that though naughty, whiskey
even S.sutlers whiskey-was nice,
Barclay cook to drink regularly ant all
at once; ;gand for period OF several
months, except when he was on duty,
never drew a sober breath His brother,
officers shook their heads in decent
sorrow and said that the poor fellow
was going the way of many better
man-since it is always the brightest
who have gone before us. and the
dullest who are left behind.
Now there is one thing which every
one has probably observed regarding
the man who is in his cups the best
part of the time, which is, that besides
being the special care of Providence,
the war department looks after him
tenderly, and his wife is generally his
adoring slave.
Miss Cunningham was not Barclays
wife as yet, to be sure, but she would
have liked to be, so it came to pretty
much the same thing, and in propor-
tion as his vice took stronger hold
upon him, he took stronger hold upon
her heart. Then her parents inter-
fered, and what with their opposition
and menaces, and Barclays entreaties
and promises of amendment after each
new fall, the poor girl had very bad
time. Every one was sorry for her,
The older officers got at Barclay and
pointed to hideous examples of what
his end would be. and to the graves of
youths and of old men, who had done
as he was doing, which dotted the
face of Texas and of the territories in
general. Barclay was sorry, sincerely
sorry. He pledged himself to reform
and straightway sinned again.
And there. where all others had
failed, Macintosh stepped in and
achieved success. He had been off on
a hunting leave. and had got back to
the post just in time to report and
dress and go over to the mess. Bar
clay belonged to the mess, but he was
not there. and Macintosh. looking
around, asked where he might be.
"Sick," said the adjutant laconi-
cally.
Meaning"
Exactly So"
Macintosh opined that it was a con-
founded shame. and worse. and some
one else suggested that it would not
matter so much if the absent one were
only killing himself. but that he was
killing Miss Cunningham as well.
az don't know" objected Macintosh;
"Barcay's a pretty decent sort him
] self"
(which" interrupted the adjutant,
'is both magnanimous and true"
"And"-continued Macintosh, un-
needing there are fellows who
could be lot better spared. AS far
as I've observed this is his only fault"
The adjutant was of the opinion that
he made up for a good many lesser
ones with it, and that it was one, more
over, which might not be cured.
"Oh!" said Macintosh. more by way
of offering opposition than from con-
viction, 81 don't know about that"
The others asked if he had ever
/ heard Of a bona de case of reform
where there had not been back-slide.
"Of course" they argued, fellows
have been known to go on the water
wagon, and to turn over a new leaf,
and all that when there was a girl in
view. Any man. nearly, will swear off
when he's in love. but when he's in
love and can't swear off, he is in very
bad way" And they went on to point
ont at length how the subject of dis