The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-03-08


Trusting heart; Ind given that heart
ilnresery edlgs INTO MS keepins tors bet bet:
ter or for WORSE: "a X ;sis
sMadge was one Of those clingtng,
trusting reatures VINO love but once !, E
and make an Idol 3of the object ifher
affections, the sort Of women u: y
should bring ont all that Is best and a 9
most noble in any mans nature. B Il
AS fol. Billy he was one OF those
Eool-looking, captivating, young tel.
lows, wac make z hosts o. friends
among the young folks Of both sexes.
but! like the majority Of such popular
young fellows, he was weak willed
and easily led. He had been quite q
heavy drlnker for a long time, On fact
for four or tlveis years past he had
gained and deserved the name OF
drunkard; but since getting acquaint.
ed with NIadge, her parents having
moved into the town from another
State about year previous, Billy had
suddenly acquired a fresh interest in
life, had quit his Wild carousals, set.
tied down TO steady work. signed the
pledge: and the past winter. had con-
nected himself with the church. Add.
ed to this the little city had voted out
the saloons at the spring municipal
elections, and Billy was no longer sur
rounded with the old Temptations. and
his friends and family began to enter.
tain high hopes for his future. it 81
Madge's parents, however, were
still in doubt about the ability Of the
young fellow to Withstand temptation,
and, tried to dlssuade Madge from mar.
rying him, br':: without avail. and In
September Billy and Madge were
united in the bonds Of holy wedlock,
amid the rejoiclngs and congratula.
lions Of their many friends.
Time passed rapidly for the happy
young couple. Billy came Of good
family, was naturally CT an Industrious
disposition, and with the new lncen.
tive to lead d square life seemed on
the high road to fulfill all the expec.
tatlons Of his family and friends,
He had steady Job at good pay in
the railroad Offices, and had purchas-
ed snug little cottage in the suburbs
and every evening when he stepped
from the car In front Of his home he
saw pair Of loving brown eyes
watching for him from the doorway
and entering the house n pair OF soft
arms would 80 around his neck, he
would be drawn to the cradle where
reposed velvet checked darling that
bound togA.her their: loving hearts
more firmly than ever, II possible. and
M;adge would pour into his willing
ears a story OF the many cute things
baby had done that day, and tnen they
would both feel that their cup Of hap.
dness was full to Overlooking.
OF course Billy had been assalled,
at times. with the temptations Of the
old life. but thinking Of his loving
wife and darling babe had nerved him
to put It from him. and besides the
,"lct that there was no open saloon,
with Its alluring temptations. to draw
him from his resolves. made It all the
more ensy.
At the city elections, the spring fol-
lowing their marriage. the people had
again expressed their allegiance to
the principles Of prohibition by an In
creased majority, and the hosts OF
King Alcohol seemed utterly routed.
True, persons occasionally, began
the snle Of the stuff on the sly, but
this seldom lasted long, till some Gus
toner. too full Of the illicit goods to
know discretion, gave 1t away, and
as the city administration was heart
and soul with the dry movement, the
runners CT "speakeasIes" were soon
made to feel the heavy hand Of the
law. 51t
Ever since the town had "gone dry"
certain individuals who imagined they
must have the poisonous stuff, made
regular pilgrlmnges to the nelghbor-
Ing city, some thirty miles away,
where the open saloon flourished in
oil Its glory. Billy, however, reject
ed all suggestions that he should join
some Of these excursions. Is
AS winter waned, and the time be.
gan to draw near for another city
election. 1t began to dawn on some Of
The leaders of temperance reform that
Il was going to be a hard matter to
prevent license 'the following year.