The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1856-11-11
PUBLISHED TUESDAY, H. RowLsoN $780, YEA


| the shrinH ofthc household idols' that once
| were mine, now no more"
The old man seemed looking AWAY through
fancy nron some bright vision; his lips apart,
and his fingers extended. / involuntary
turned in the direction whore il was pointed,
drcading to sec some shadow invoked by its
nngic movements.
II O, CO had mother. With her old
heart crushed with ,orrows, she went down
to the grave. once had wife, fair, angel
hearted creature as ever smiled in an earthly
home. Her eyea "a mild as summers ky,
and heart ns faithful and true as ever guar
ded husbands love. Her blue eyes grew
dim as the foods of sorrow washed away It's
brightness, and the living heart wrung un-
Ill every fibre was broken. | once had a no.
bic, brave and beautiful boy; but he was
driven ont from the ruins of his homn, an d
my old heart ycarns to know if he yet lives.
I once nj a babe n sweet tender blossom;
with one who loveth children.
"Do not be startled, friends. am not
murderer, in the common exceptation Of the
term. Yet there is light in my evening sky.
A spirit mother rcjoices over the return of
her prodigal son. The wife smiles upon him
who again turns back to virtue and honor
The angel, child visits me at nightfal and
feel the following touch Of a tiny palm upon
my feverish cheek. My brave hoy if he yet
lives, would forgive the sorrowing old man
for treatment which drove him into the world
and the blow that MANNED him for life. God
forgive me for the ruin l have brought upon
me and nine."
He again wiped tear from his eye.
NV father watched him with a strange in
tensity, and countcnancc unusually pale
and excited ty some strange emotion.
II was once fanatic, and madly followed
the malign light that led me to ruin. was
a fanatic whcn sacrificed my wife, children,
happiness and homo to the accursed demon
Of the bowl. once adored the gentle being
whom I injured SO deeply.
II was drunkard. From responsibility
and affluencc plunged into degradation and
poverty. dragged my family down with
me. for years saw her check pale, and
her step grow weary. left her alone amid
her home idols, and riotcd at the tavern.
She never complained, vet she and the child
ren went hungry for bread.
ION New Years night returned late to
the hut where charity had given us roof
She was yet up, and shivering over the Goals.
] demanded cd, but she burst into tears,
and told me there vas none. l fercely or
dered her to pet some. She turned her eyes
sadly upon me, and tears fell over her checks. |
At this moment the child in the cradle n
woke, and set up furnishing wall, startling
the despairing mother like serpant's sting.
ave have no food, James--have had none
for several days. | have nothing for the
babe. My on o kind husband, must we
starveF
"That sad pleading face and streaming
eyes, and the feeble wall Of tho child, mad
dcncd me, and YES struck her fierce
hearth. The furies of hell boiled in my bo-
som, and with deeper intensity as felt /
had committed wrong. had never struck
Mary before, but now some terrible impulse
bore me on, and stopped down as well MS /
could in my drunken state, and / clenched
both my hands in her hair.
"'God Of mercy, James," exclaimed my
wife, as she looked up in my ieudish coun-
tcnauce, you will kill us--you will not harm
Willic,' as she sprang to the cradle and gras-
ped him in her embrace. caught her again
by the hair and dragged her to tho door, and
RS lifted the latch, the wind burst in with
, cloud of snow. With yell like ficnd,
dragged her on. and hurried her ort into tlac
darkness and storm. With n wild ha 4! ha
,loscd the door and turned the button, her
pleading moans mingling with tho wall Of
hc blast and the sharp cry of the babe. But
NY work was not yet complete.
81 turned to the little bed whore lay my
,llcr son, and snatched him from his slum-
oers and against his half awakened struggles,
opened tho door and thrust him out. In the
lgony of fear, he called me by name ] was
10 longer fit 10 bear, and locked his fingers
n my side pocket. could not wrench that
renzicd grasp away, and with the coolncss
If devil us was, shut the door upon the
,rn, and with my knife severed it at the
wrist"
The speaker erased moment, and buried
,is face in his hands. as If to shut some fear
ul dream, and his chest heavcd like a storm
wept sea. My father had risen from his
cat, and was leaning forward, his countc-
lance bloolless, and the largo drops stand
ng ont upon his brow. Chils crept back to
ny young heart, and wished was Mt home.
The old man looked up, and | never since
,chcld such mortal agony pictured upon hu-
nan face as there was upon his.
at was morning W en- / awokc, and the
torn had ceased. first secured drink Of
water, and then looked in tho accustomed
,lacc for Mary. AS I missed her, for the
irst time n shadowy scene Of some horrible
nightmare began to draw upon my wander
ng mind. thought ] had ;ad fearful
lrcam, but invonnlarily opened the outer
loor with shuddcring dread. As the outer
loor opened the snow burst in, followed by
he fall Of something across the threshold.
catering the snow, and striking tho floor
With sharp, hard sound. My blood shot
hrough my veins, and rubbed my eyes to
hut out the sight. 1t was-O God! how
lorrblc lit was my own injured Mary and
Ter babe, frozen to ice! The ever true moth.
" had bowed herself over her child, and