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


NO. could not and retain my
self respect" replied Grace, lifting
her eyes 10 his
Yet Il Is quite the style among
ladies, and II makes IL doubly hard
for us poor mortal men 10 refuse
such charming hospitality" he re-
piled.
"T should never forgive myself II
I offered IL to you or to any other
young man who afterward came to
HARM"
Then you consider yourself your
brothers keeper?"
Yes. IL you choose to call IL that.
certainly could not place STUN
bling block in his way and hold my
self innocent II he fell"
81 wish that more young women
felt as you do" he replied earnestly,
as he glanced at another group
where wine was being served lavish
". Betty, with shining eyes, was the
center, and her gay laugh Jared on
her sisters ear, for one of the party
was evidently refusing the glass
which she was urging upon him.
"a sad experience opened my eyes
to the evils of even the most moder-
ate drinking" continued DR.. Watson.
a look of pain coming over his ex-
pressive face, "and I have been to-
tai abstainer since. | should not have
been making New Years call to-day
but for the hope of keeping Tom
Grey from excess, but what can do
when lovely girls urge the wine upon
him? To tell the truth this is the
first home we have entered where
the wine has been SO lavishly, so
beautifully, and so temptingly serv-
ed"
"They do not think, DR.. Watson
they have never seen the dark side Of
the question. Do not blame them.
too much" Grace said earnestly,
then flushed deeply, remembering
that she was speaking Of her own
sister and cousins.
Grace was glad when 1t was all
over and the guests were gone, leav-
ing them to talk over the events of
me day in the early evening.
"Oh, you sly puss," cried Edith,
when we have been angling in the
deep waters of DR.. Watson's heart
for the last year, to come here and
land our fish with a pinhook and at
the first throw"
. Grace blushed deeply, then a spark
81
think I see a diamond on Winnie's
hand that was not there when the
gentlemen came in" she replied de-
murely, and it was Winnie's turn to
blush.
Charlie Markham evidently means
to begin the new year right" said
Edith laughingly. 81 noticed that he
refused even one glass of wine, and
it is more than likely that he has his
list of resolutions pinned UP over his
bed like a good little boy"
well, hope he will keep them"
retorted Winnie in response to the
| laugh at her lovers expense. cit is
certainly no disgrace to refrain from
those things, while it may easily be-
come one to yield to them. A girl
surely feels more secure with a man
who does not drink"
They were still talking merri1y
when Judge Carroll came in, and
they could see at the first glance that
he was 1aboring under strong excite
n ent. He glanced at the still gleam-
ing tables and other evidences of fes-
tivity, then beckoned his wife into
the next room.
Tell me, is Winnie greatly inter.
ested in young Markham" he asked
earnestly.
"She wears his ring and does moi
deny her engagement. Quite likely
he will call upon you Tomorrow"
mo he won't, poor fellow. How
can we tell her, Martha? There has
teen terrible accident, and Ton
Grey was instantly killed. YOUNG
Markham is just alive, and all more
or less hurt. 1t was Grey's autt
they we're in and he insisted on driv
ing, and they collided with a stree
car
ooh! Why, that was DR.. Watson
party!" Mrs. Carrolrs eyes were full
Of horror, and vision arose be:o~.
her: Tom Grey in her house, taking
from Edith's and Betty's fair hand
the wine which hal clouded his brai,
aad carried him to his death.
What is it, father: What i
Srong?" Winnie's white face ap
: peared in the doorway, heavy with
smothered cry of Mortified surprise
> Winnie, my poor child Thel
her fathers arms were around he
while he broke the sad tidings a
gently as he could. For a few min
utes all was confusion, for Winni
had tainted and the other girls wer
so shocked and helpless that the
were Of no use whatever.
ITO think that I poured that las
glass for Tom Grey myself" sobbe
. Edith. ''His poor mother, and Janet