Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-04-23
NEW SERIES, VOL. !, NO IL

truze The suggestion in my b-ain.) "We,'
m-aning m. "c.'uli 90 TO Wall street, Il
III Ike money ii it blew the roof IF tn
hoa>e; and if charity is the road to heaven
its very safe, Mr. Quigg, to risk getting
your toes. or your fingers, or your nose frost
bitten trave ling it night or day, Mr.. Quigs.
ANYBODY who has a grain u common
sense, and understands 'h- duy and author
ity of husband, krows that FIVE minutes
after that Mrs. Quigg was travelling the
road to the bows mothers, and that ] Wal
following duiifulIy after, with a miraculous
basket full of heaven knows hat or wha
not on my arm
We came TO the place. IL was in -
street. An old stable, which had grown
very weak in the underpinDing. ana leaned
heavily sideways on a beam stuck against
il, like beggar leaning on crutch. 'front.'
ed the street. An alley was led up beside
it to dilipid.,ed frame house in the rear
Nobody was about. The cold had driven
the many poor Inmates like scared animal Is
to their holes. The boy led the way into
the cellar. 1t was SO dark that we could
see nothing within, and SO stopped on the
threshold. Little Edward then lighted one
OF his matches and then bit of a tallow
candle in a crazy tin candlestick. Its thin,
red fame struggling with the darkness ii
seemed rather 10 intensity than dissipate,
made the place and its grea, poverty and
cold sickening. A broken chair or two, an
iron pot, small pine top table, seemed to
be all that was in it But the boy, the in
slant he had lighted the candle ran to the
further corner, where the gloom lay yet so
heavy and stubborn that its rays had not
strength to penetrate it. and called out in
q joyous voice, "mother, sweet mother
we've plenty 10 eat now"
There was no answer. We followed him
Our first thought was that the woman, if
there was woman there-lying wrapped IN
a tattered coverlet on a chiid's trundle-bed
"a mere bundle of humaniy-hopeless-it
might be dead. He hastily brought the
candle to the bed side. and Julia taking hold
OF the poor creature, turned her face to the
light 1t was pale and still. There was
NO life in it. There was not even a trace
of suffering. Only terrible calm and sad
ness rested on it, like the shadow Of death.
The boy thought she was dead and sunk
down on the fl ,or sobbing and wringing his
hands. But Julia's hand was on her bosom
ON her heart.
After second she looked up and said
La. In ha in
time Open the basket and give me the
butlle" Of Course there was brandy in
that basket II Julia had told to open it,
and pull out the crack doctor Of the town.
should have opened it anc pulled him out.
Th"re was a spoon there too. Ard julia
furced up the wOman's mouth as gently
a sh Gould. dnd drop Dy drop put he BRAN
dy mic it. IL had is efleci--s!uwly, but by
Cots biz, ,sing surely. That strange shadow
"en :itir BY little off the face, rs the
oi Il cloud moyes over the ground.--I
Lte came struggling back painfully. The
breast heaved, and she crew her breath once
mere with low moan. Julia raised her
head, and poured halt cup full of The liquor
down her throat-ahch she swa! Lowed
still swallowed. Directly
alter her eyes Op.n ned, and she stared wildly
at Us, like one awaking from a strange
dream. They were just such u wohderiul
pair vi sapphres as her little boys. When
hey opened Julia looked up TO me and Hiur-
mereo, "thsnk God that we came here" II
never saw julia luok So handsome as she
ia Uk f,,lI
of belief in Providence, with a running
of W, mans love in it, SO that
her face really glowed with beauty, which
had touch OF heaven in it. Life came
back, and the mother with il. The poor
woman tried 10 utter her boys name. With
he was nestled by her, clasping her in his
arms, and sobbing smother. dear mother,
we've got plenty to eat-you'il never starve
any more. There is such coed lady here. !"
Julia who had turned away to wipe an
importunate drop of moisture from her eye,
looked around at this, and the
woman turned around at the same time
Their eyes met. The woman struggled to
say some words of thanks, but before they
were half said, stopped, gazed earnestly, al.
most iercely at my wife, and pronounced
her nam.
"You know me-" said Julia, quickly, and
gong up closely to her, said, "who are
you'll"
The woman looked doubtingly at her for
a moment, as if she half resented the ques-
ton. and then replied, Il was Mary Whit
field"
"Mr. Quigg," said Julia, in her peculiarly
impressive way, "go and fetch a carriage"
put down the candle, and went. | was
quite satisfied that Julia knew what she was
at, and that whatever plan she had resolved
on, was the best plan for everybody con-
cerned. Luckily for my personal comfort ]
caught an empty hack few squares Off
When l returned, | found the woman sit
ting up in bed, wrapped in Mrs. Quigg's
cloak Mrs. @. however. gave me little
look which prevented my making any re-
mark about the danger of her getting cold.
She next desired me. audibly, to take Mary
up, and carry her to the carriage-which !
did in equal silence, ann with the same
cklidlike c"nfid.nce in the pruprleiy Of any
act directly authorized by that pr actcal wo-
man.
That night the poor :hing and her little
by slept warmly, at aLy rate, and Julia
sam- into my study at very re mote hour.
), had neen watching Nth her.
M. Q"gg,' said Julia, when she came
IN 81 xaui yttu to mt uown yuur men, thai
everlasting pen, aud talk to me.''
"Cs srtainly," said ,"my dear, let US talk. :"
"Vell, why don't you talk, Mr.. Quigg?
You are really very provoking. Why don't
you ask me all about liz"
"About what" said |, naively.
"About what!" exclaimed Julia. "You
are the must Perverse man. | hav'nt a
doubt but you have been writing some stupid
verses, or some horribly improbable story,
and forgot there was such things as real men
and women in the world. About Mary, to
| he suren