The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1910-08-18
A HATEFUL NEW YEAR.

A FATEFUL NEW YEAR.
Four beautiful girls were chatting
eagerly over their dessert in Judge
Carrolrs elegant dining-room. Sure
iy, Edith, you would not serve wine.
real wine," exclaimed one of them,
q lovely blonde, whose color, like the
delicate tinting of she'll, came and
went in her fair face with every
shade of feeling.
Don't be fussy, Grace" quickly
replied another, a perfect contrast in
looks and manner, and evidently
Grace's sister, from the freedom with
which she chided her whenever their
opinions differed. For my part l
should like to see real New Years
reception, wine and all, such as we do
not have the opportunity to see in
our little village"
"Of course, Betty, and that is why
we planned to receive this year. The
custom is going out so that we had
concluded to omit it, until we knew
that you were coming" This from a
graceful girl Of twenty, Judge Car
rolls special pet, Winnie, whose
brown eyes were full Of fun and frol-
ic. cit would be a shame to de-
prive the young men of the privilege
of meeting our lovely guests,
wouldn't it, mamma?"
"Quite shameful" agreed Mrs.
Carroll languidly, "but don't branch
out too heavily in the matter of
wines. Public opinion is changing
so, and really the affair gets vulgar
toward the end. don't you think so?"
Pretty Edith shrugged her shout
ders expressively.
you are thinking of Tom Carl
toms behavior last year. Yes. de-
cidedly vulgar, I must say, but he
will not come this year, am sure of
that. Win and 1 have cut him dead
since then" And vindictive little
spark in her eye indicated sincere
pleasure in the operation.
The details of the menu were Gag
erly entered into, and Grace listened
with an interest which was only
abated when the wines were men
toned; but as a guest, she made nc
further protest. The two guests were
daughters of widowed sister OF
Mrs. Carrolls. Elizabeth, commonly
called Bettey, was the more wilful
decided character of the two, but
Grace, though she said little, had q
quiet force Of character which was
little suspected from her less demon
ckr in, hn
cret heart there was a firm determi
nation not to touch wine herself OF
to offer it to any young man at tbs
coming function.
The temperance teaching of tbs
schools had sunk deep into her heart
and, too, she had seen the evil effects
of wine drinking in the lives of 9th
ers about her, and she hated it. Bet
ty, however, was wilfu1ly blind, ant
of nature to be so intoxicated will
society that she would bow to any o
its behests, a willing slave, Will,
Winnie and Edith would tolerate an,
whim or excess of fashion so lon,
as it did not merge into the vulgar
the one fatal word in their vocabu
larry. Drunken men were vulgar, blu
polite drinking quite the thing-an,
their temperance education had gon
no farther.
The guests began to arrive, an
the scene was one of brilliant hospi
tality for the rest of the afternoon
and conversation, for the most part
purely conventional. There were ez
ceptions. however, and several youn
men fingered beyond the bounds G
formal call. Among these was
young physician whose dark eye
rested on Grace with an admiratio
which he took no pains to conceal, a
they went out to the refreshmen
room together.
She had met him before, sine
coming to the city, and had forme
most favorable opinion of hin
which was heightened by observin
that he took no wine. One of hi
companions Che had come with
party of young mem was not so al
stemious, however, and drank sever
al glasses of champagne with a re
ish which revealed much.
81 see you do not join In the cor
vfvial features of the day." said D
Watson, as Grace nibbled at slic