Year: 1877

magic in my fingers, for everything they
touched was turned into thing of beau
ty. He wondered if anybody was SO
happy as he.


II never realized what a home could
be when presided over by an angel" he
said.


81 am no angel" l disclaimed.


"Well, you come near enough being
one to make home a small paradise


"Dear mother, could my story end
here. it would be happy ending. But
this was not to be"


CHAPTER TX.


RALPH's FALL.


When nearly a year of our married
life had passed away. Ralph, who had
all this time kept his pledge, was sent
to buy goods for Mr.. Page. l dreaded
to have him go and he saw it.


"Don't feel bad, Nellie, there is no
place 80 attractive as home to me, and
will hurry back. It is Monday now,
Thursday l will surely be back again. /"


l busted myself while he was absent
working rug to lay in front of the
door. As Thursday passed away 1 was
filled with anxiety. Friday came and
went, and / was filled with an awful
foreboding. | tried to shake it off but
could not succeed. Saturday came and
went likewise and my suspense was ter
rible. began to feel must hear from
him or die. Another day, and on Mon
day l heard wheels coming. 1 hurried
to the door, and saw Ralph. My heart
was filled with thanksgiving that he had
returned to me alive. But instead of my
sober Ralph, l saw him staggering to
meet me. saw him fall helpless at my
feet, overcome by the power of strong
drink. In that terrible moment | knew
he had broken his faith, sacrificed his
love on the altar of his unsubdued appe-
tite. My heart sank dead and cold with
in me, and for space l could not move
or speak. The beautiful angels of Hope
and Peace had fed our bright home,
which was no longer bright Only
shame and fear l felt. I did not want
my neighbors to see Ralph in this con-
dition. and l succeeded at length in
dragging him into the house and shut
and bolted the door. l watched him all
that night, and neither tears nor sleep
came to my eyes. He opened his eyes
bus4berness at last, and | tried to speak,
he began to realize the situation.


"Speak to me, Nellie. My God have
1 killed you! Oh she is dead and I've
killed her."


l was conscious of what he said, but
l could not move or speak. In his des-
perate state of mind he drew a pistol
from his pocket, and the click of the
lock reused me out of my lethargy. |
sprang to my feet and snatched it from
his hand and hurled it through the win
dow.


''Ralph !" l screamed. 1t was the
first audible sound 1 had been able to
give since his return. Oh the scene
that followed! /! How he pleaded and
promised. But why dwell upon It?
knew that the death blow to our future
happiness had been struck.


CHAPTER K.


THE BIRTH OF BLANCHE.


A week after the sad event, our chile
was born. And now, my dear mothe
you know why my poor little Blanch'
was always so peculiar, and why ever,
time her plaintive mamma struck m.
ear pang went through my heart.


could not lift my soul out of tn
hopelessness into which it had fallen
and it was long before recovere'
health and strength. / did not ye
know my child's terrible misfortune
/ only knew that she was beautiful.
had mothers pride in her as othe
mothers had in theirs. AS Blanch
grew, we saw she was different fror
other children, and Ralph was file
with remorse and grief when he wa
himself. But after an interval, he agai
violated his pledge, and then his dowr
ward career was rapid. Though I di
everything l could to make home pleas
ant for him, l could not save him.
feared his evil habit would cause Nj
Page to turn him out of employment
but when Ralph was himself he W;
just the man he wanted, and so he BOZ
with him and kept him.


! CHAPTER XI.


FRANK MARsEEN MARRIED.


During all my girlhood 1 had OF
special friend. as girls generally hav
Edith Warren by name. She was de-
to me as a sister, and she was the con
dant of my joys and sorrows. We we
very unlike in mind. but the contra
only seemed another bond of attracti'
between us. l had always felt su
she had regard for Mr.. Marsden pas
ing the regard of a friend, though s.
tried carefully to conceal it, as long
there was a prospect that | might sol
day be mistress of his pleasant hon
| A l-L -,