Year: 1873

VI course ne VIII.


"By all means. Only see how he
acted when his wife lived with him
Now that she has left him, and all re-
straint is removed, he'll 60 the rest of
the downward way in no time"


"Ill give him just one year to be
buried"


"Pshaw! Half that time will hnish
him."


"Well, | pity him, too, but | pity her
more. He brought the misery on both. "


Such was the talk of half dozen
villagers, who stood in front of one of
the principal stores one summer evening,
while the subject of their remarks went
staggering along on the opposite side.


1t was evident that he was trying to
walk straight, but such endeavors al
ways seem to make drunken man walk
more crooked However, it proved he
was not lost to all sense cf shame, and
still retained an aversion to being ridi-
culed and despised.


But Harry Rogers had carried on at
fearful rate for year or two past.
He had Just one vice-drink; but that
was enough. He had married worthy
farmers daughter, Nettie Ray, only a
few years previous, but such had been
his conduct during more than year
past that she had been obliged to cut
him loose to pursue his profigate course
alone, and legal separation had just
been effected.


Harry's home was on little farm, a
mile from town. He owned it, but then
it was heavily mortgaged, and in another
year foreclosure was certain. 1t was
not likely his creditors would spare him
when he made no effort to meet his OBJ
legations.


A week passed after that summer
evening on which all had agreed in pre-
dieting his early ruin-two weeks-a
month or two. What mystery is here ?
To the utter bewiIderment of the proph-
esying sages, Harry discontinued visit
ing the taverns, and was rarely seen in
the village. When he did come to the
store he speedily transacted his business
and then went home-sober.


Wonders never cease when they get
start. He was next reported as ac-
tually at work on his farm. Had but
one man told this in the village, he
would have been marked as lacking ver-
acity but as several ladies vouched for
the fact, it was worthy of credence.


The little farm began to look healthier
as the summer wore on. The fences
straightened up, the weeds disappeared ;
the animals looked fatter and happier,
and the little cottage looked neater.
Time wore on, and the great change
was more remarkable every day. Harry s
charitable creditors called and told him
ne might have his own time to pay off
the mortgage.


The fall came and the farm yielded an
abundance of crops, and Harry found
himself beginning to drift along with
the tide of prosperity.


And Nettie had begun to live her
young girlhood over again, as it were,
under her fathers roof; but somehow
it was not like the happy, joyous girl.
hood of memory. 1t was sober and
quiet now, and she fell into the train Of
musing and every now and then there
passed through her mind certain
| thought-she was neither maid nor wife


She avoided the vicinity of her late
home, nor had she once seen Harry
since the separation; but she had heard
of him occasionally-knew that he wa;
chanfied man. Still this knowledge
brought Lut melancholy satisfaction
The reform had come too late. There
was wide gulf between them now.


But, one evening in the golden Octo
ber, Nettie felt herself obliged TO pass
Harry's farm. 1t lay between hel
fathers house and the village. On th'
evening in question, however, she haC
been detained in the village until it wa
nearly dark, and she determined t.
hazard the nearest road home 1t woulC
be fully dark when she would pass hi
house, and the chances were that b,
would not see her She wouldn't hav'
him see her for the world.


When she arrived opposite the hous'
she perceived light in the sitting room
her first impulse was to hurry by; bu
some powerful impulse prompted her Il
stop. She did so, and stood timidly a
the further side of the road gazinl
longiDgly at the house that had ono
been the home to her-frst of happiness
then of misery. By and-by she felt al
irresistible yearning to look at the inte
. - onoa moro He was evidentlv with