Year: 1872

"Of course he will"


''By all means. Only see how he acted
when his wife lived with him Now. that
she's left him, and all restraint is removed,
he'll go the rest of the downward way in no
time. Poor Ncttie 1 wonder she stood it
SO long! J"


II will give him just year to be buried -


"Pshaw! Half that time will finish hin, -


"Wcll, I pity him too; but l pity hor
more. 1t was him that brought misery on
both"


Such was tho gossip of half dozen VIII
layers, who stood in front of tho principal
store, one summer evening, while the subject
OF their remarks went staggering along on the
opposite side of tho street.


1t was evident that he was irving to walk
straight, and not appear intoxicated, but such
endeavors always seem to make q drunken
man walk moro crooked Well. it proved
one thing; that he was not yet lost to all
sense of shamo-that he still retained little
pride and q lingering aversion to being ridi-
culed and despised


But Harry Rogers had carried on at a fear
full rate for a year or two past. He had Just
one vice drink-but that was enough. Ho
had become an actual drunkard by degrees,
and was every day growing more abandoned
He had married Nettio Ray, only few years
previously, and such had been his conduct
during more than year past, that shc, seeing
no hope OF reform, had been obliged to cast
him loose, to pursue his proaigate course
alone and legal separation had lust been
effected. 1t was sad, indeed, but no other
course was left her


liarry's homo was on little farm, a mile
from town. Hc owned it, but then it was
heavily mortgagcd, and in another year FORE
closure was certain. 1t was not likely his
creditors would spare him, as ho made no effort
TO meet hs obligations, and spent his time in
riotous and disgraceful conduct


y week passed after that summer evening
on which all had agreed in predicting his early
ruin-two weeks, three weeks, month or
two. What strange mystery is here? To
the utter bewilderment of tho prophcsying
sages Harry discontinued visiting the tavern,
and was rarely ever seen in town When he
did come to the store, he speedily transacted
his business and went home sober.


But wonders never cease when they get
start. tic was next reported as actually at
work on the farm. Had but ono man seen
this, and reported it in the village, he would
have been marked as q man lacking veracity;
but number OF neighbors saw it, and their
combined testimony was worthy of credonce


Tho little farm looked healthier as the sum-
mer wore on. The fences Strengthened up ::
the weeds disappeared tho corn grew mar
velously the hriars and elders were rooted
up from the fields and fence rows tho AMI
mails looked fatter, slceker and happier; tho
cottage looked neater


Time wore on, and the great change was
the more strong y marked each day. .Harr7's
creditors called and told him they would not
be hard on him, seeing that hewas doing his
best, and might have his own time about paw
ing his debts and in clearing his house and
farm of the mortgage.


The fall came, and the farm yielded an
abundance of, golden corn and fruit such
crops. indeed, as it had never produced before.
and Harry found himself beginning to drift
smoothly along with tide of prosperity.


Aud Nettie Ray bad begun to live her
young girlhood over again, as it were. under
her fathers roof but, somehow. it was not
like the happy, joyous girlhood of memory
1t was sober and quiet now, and Nette fre-
quently fell into trains of musing, and every
now and then there would pass through her
mind a certain sorrowful thought-she was
neither maid nor wife


She avoided the vicinity of her late home.
nor had she seen Harry since the separation :;
but she had heard of him occasionally, knew
that he was a changed man. Still, this
knowledge brought her but melan holy sat-
isfaction The reform had come too late -
There was wide gulf between them now.


But, one evening in the golden. October,
Nettie found herself rather obliged to pass
liarry's farm. It lay between her fathers
house and the village, but she had heretofore
taken round about road in going to and re-
turning from the village. On the evening in
question, however, she had been detained in
the village, unconsciously, till it was nearly
dark, and she determined to hazard the near
est road home. 1t would be fully dark when
she would pass his house, and the chances
were that she would not see him. She would
not have him to see her for the world


When she arrived opposite the house, she
perceived that there was light in the little
sitting>room. Her first impulse was to hurry
by, but some more powerful influence prompt.
ed her to stop. She did SO, and stood timidly
at the house that had been home for her
first of happiness, then of misery. By and
by she felt an Irresistible yearning to look at
the room once more. He was evidently with>
in, and there was no danger that he would
see her So she walked hurridly across the
road, opened the gate softly. and stepped into
the lawn. Another moment, and she was at
the window looking in. What singular be-
haviour! But she could not help it.


The little room was as neat as when she
herself had watched over it.


A cheerful fire was burning in the CRATE,
although it was not very cold, and a lighted
lamp stood on tho table. It was there that