The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-01-09
THE HERALD AND NEWS.

NllSS. tlli'l <tiSA''' ''i'>
IGNORANCE and incNperlclCe OF life.
Until later Bessie heard nothing
OF the habit fast growing upon him.
The second New Year after their
betrothal they went to ball. such
as the one now going on next door.
To her grief and modification, at
ter supper he came to her stagger-
ing, and but for the intervention OF
a friend of both, would have caused
a scene. That night she could never
forget; had the stars fallen from
heaven. she could not have been
more utterly taken by surprise.
Her faith in all things was gone.
He had held, perhaps, too high a
place in her heart. Soon after she
was i'll. The engagement was bro
ken, Of course, and in spite OF ur-
gent, even pitiful requests, she hal
refused to see him again. ears
went by, her parents took her tray
ellin". She was beautiful and re-
ceived much admiration. but her
cold reserve kept Would-bc SuitorS
at a distance. She had. however,
begun to cultivate her talents with
some interest. when the news of her
old lovers complete reformation
and marriage, after two years trial
of himself reached her. His wife,
She knew, to be a most lovely and
charming woman The facts were
told her bv stranger. in this wise:
II was at q dinner in Richmond
last autumn, he said. when a thing
happened 7 can never forget. The
party was composed O; ! brai2v set
Of men. None there was more gift
ed than NTf: WISE. Sjvcial 'tinlS
he was urged to take wine in vain.
On its being repeated q fourth time.
he said in a clear. manly voice :
.:Gentlc1nen. forgive me for intro
ducine personalities at such time,
but without doing so YOU will not.
perhaps, understand an apparent
rudeness. With your permission !
will portray a portion Of my own
life. As youth. I was, [ believe
my. mothers Joy, my fathers pride
even with all my faults. I lived tc
see the day, when they would glad
" have seen me safely in my grave
all through the uncontrolled taste
for liquor-r1ot the liquor, for thai
is a gift from God; only dangerous
when the control is weak, the will
not properly exerted a disease
Years went by. I thought, with my
friends. that I had become a hope
less dru1kard, when. thanks be tc
Almighty God, there came a change
suffice it to say, I was given the
influence that enabled me to exert
NV enfeebled will, which although
dormant or dead-for good. For
more than two years, no drop has
passed my lips. and should it. trag-
edv must ensue. Now. gentlemen
that you know the cause OF my re-
f1sa1, YOU will, I am sure: excuse
me from joining vou- For some
moments YOU could have heard a
pin DROP" said the stranger. i an
glad to say, in Difference to Mr.
Wise. not a man present lifted hi:
glass again throughout that dinner
A month later we attended his we'd
ding in body and, I believe, truly
that that man is sober for life"
Not a tren1or had betrayed he1
feelings during the recital, but i
: was observed that the tongue o.
Miss Bessie Darno became more
and more bitter. She knew it. /
was hard that another had riskec
and won what she had given years
of her life to have had. Yet, sht
had acted as she believed right a
the time. For none lives alone, tht
wife of a (runkard is not the onl,
one to sutherland a woman mus
think not of herself alone-sle l1a(
thought.
This New Years ball ha(
brought the whole sad story back