The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1858-11-24

Of the corners Of Mercer street there is
low drinking house. All around the bar
room there are arranged small tables, on
which, of an evening, some Of the fire.
quenters are resting their glasses, but
more are shutting halfworn cards. There
is no name over the door, nor any number
upon it; it seems to be no part Of the
keepers plan to attract transient patron
age, but rather to depend on "a regular
line O. customers" dozen of whom were
assembled sometime after | one night
last week, where they might have realized
as much fun as Swedenborg $ evil spirits
in the delights of their odure but for
most abrupt interruption just as our re-
porter CHANGED to be crossing into Broad
way.
II want Andrew O'Neilw The men
at the bar and the sitters by the table
looked towards the door, where stood q
young woman, poorly but not shabbily
dressed, in whose unspoiled face hope aud
desire were struggling with despair. Il
want Andrew O'Neal" !" There was an
energy behind the almost calm voice of
the womon. and at this second summons,
a middle aged man with a pock.marked
face, and in whose mixed blood the Scotch
seemed to predominate, got up and heavily
moved toward the door.
What are you here for, and away
from home again, Mrs ?"
For you, for you, O'neal you're not
to be here spending your money, and me
washing the long day."
go about your business-you might
be ashamed here among the Mercer street
women. I'm not going with you, so start
of, and the sooner the better"
"Will you say that to me2 Come here
now."
And saying this, the women caught at
her husbands cap with one hand, and
pulled him by the arm with the other,
when the brute pushed her in the face,
and sought to excite his fellows against
her by vile epithets but the first jeer he
raised made the woman frantic, and snatch
ing for an oyster knife, she rushed upon
him with such wild fury, that he was res.
cued with difficulty by the keeper of the
house and one or two bystanders.
us this the way you talk to me, you
white-faced villain ?-is this what you
promised when I left my good home
Look me in the face, you skulk, and speak,
if you saw ever, or heard ever aught
against me as maid or wifef I've not in
the house what's comfortable, and you
here drinking and playing away the money
should have for the boys. How dare
you look at me ?"
The crazed woman shrieked this rather
than spoke it, and the landlord, annoyed
by the crowd gathering at his door, inter-
fered to get her off he told her to go
about her business; that if she was de.
cent woman she wouldn't be disturbing
the town, and intimated where the door
was, out Of which she must CO.
do you tell me to 60 do you know
anything of me that's not decent I'm
O'Neal's lawful wife. I'm the mother of
his two boys stepping close to him and
drawing herself urconsciously up to an at
titude of graceful power) do you dare to
strike me or say wrong of me9 You steal
away my joy; you steal away honest peo-
ple's earnings, you serpent Yes, hold
on to that post /; you can't look an honest
woman like Mary O'Neal in the face; no
more can any man here, nor this pitiful
husband ofmine, drinking with harlOts and
skulking here, look at me-"
This burst Of invective subdued all
about her. Her comely face was radiant
with indignant passion. She stood on that
miserable floor revelation of unconscious
eloquence and original power, before which
covered the inferior people around her.
There was revelling in the St. Nicholas,
near by. The gilded bar-room of that
caravansera was crowded, its drawing
rooms and late supper tables thronged
with fair women in costly silks but was
there in any one of all that brilliant as
semblage so much of that native power.
force Of character, and capacity for self
assertion, that mark where the gsld-veir
are in the quartz Of human formation
was there anywhere more of this Il .ar
cleaned frem the features of Mary on cal
with her heart breaking there in the low