Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1858-01-28
Richard Hoffman.
A TALE OF LOVE ASD RE1RBUTroS.

- s''aaN" NF"t - AbtAhtaht VAe oi W
iatlIer's clerks during the old mans Al
senes in India. be,on his return, di,lnheril
el her aud discharged Geerge. The lsl
ter being overwhelmed By di,appointrnen
took TO drinking, snI in few wears b.
came babitual 'lrunksrd; his wife sur
porting heis-!f and two ehitlren-Rclar
now fine boy in his thirteenth year, an,
Mary, = SWEET chilI of six--by selling
one afIer another. tie remnants Of he
once cnstIy wardrobe and jswe'ry.
On the list day Of December of tlls yea
N which our story opens, Rachel was with
cut food, light or fire. anI that very day
the r-n. must lie paid.
Little Mary was moaning for breaj, and
crying ~ith cod.
The drunken father was at tbe dram,
shop.
The agonize1 mother had but one more
article Of yains left-a loeket containing
. lock Of Ler fi'her's hair. She hAd ho.
pei TO I've ai,ls 10 save tbs the last me.
'nento of her onc- happy home. But
gnadgd by little Muy's cries fOr fpol shp
~eiz+! the locket. ..ru-IIel tn pa~nbr,ker s
obtained few shiiliugs,put ly TIE amount
OF the rent aud With the ret purchased =
little bread ani milk fpr her children. and
then set out, with them. 10 visit the old
confidential clerk Of her father. Peter
Mangles. who had ever been kind TO her
10 consult hin abo"t sending Richard
away from the contaminatlng Influences
with which he was surrounded.
On returning home late on New Years 5
eve from her fruit!ess visit, TOR the old clerk
was not al hume, Rachel discovered th at
her husband had teen home and stolen the
sun she hal put by for The from the place
where she bal Concealed it, AMI gone off
again to The CroEn anil Magpie" tavern
70 waste il in drunkennss. Little Mary,
chilled and hnngry, pegsn to cry for food.
aud the suffering mother, in hopes of re
ysining potion Of the money taken by
her husband, set out with her children to
the haunt VI vice whittier George Hof.
man had gone.
There was a great crowd at the bar Of
TIE C-own and Magpie.' The lanIlady
"a stour, ,ulgar-looking woman,with red
ribbons in her cap, a prOfusion Of false
curIs, a heavy gold chain round her neck.
and numerous rings On her Fat fingers
was busiiy engaged in pouring out gin for
Ter customers; the regular ones she was
Ire e,tiUg-for it must not be forgotten that
it WAS New Yeal's eve.
Such was the scene of vice and dis,ipa-
lion which met the eye and sickrned the
heart of R,chel when, with little Mary in
her arms, and protected by the presence
Of her son, she venture1 into the house.
rs Mf. Hoffman hereF she inquired
faintIy.
TIE question had to be repeated sever.
al times before she could get 40 answer.
'Can'tteli the names Of any of my Gus.
TONERS. replied the mist: ess Of The Crown
and Magple.' snappishly.
Perhaps you will obliged me BY ascer.
taining'
TOO busy, ma'am! Hot water Sally
Tree aud eight pence, sir. Halfsnd-haIf
1i-ectlyl
You can't 60 in thereE shouted the
The IandIadv, as Rachel was making her
way towards the parIor. Mine is respect
able house: l allow no female bey yond the
bar
But I am Mr.. Hoffmsn's wife,
$50 they all SAY, answered the woman.
with a sneer.
There was a cnarse, knocking laugh from
he crowd of half drunken wretches stsud- |
~ near. The eyes Of Richard flashed |
IugriIy: but Il e voice, and still more, the |
mploring look Of his mother restrained
lin.
Let us return home she said, in a des- |
,airirg tone. 4 feel faint and sick at
leart'
And leaning on The arm of her son, the
unhappy wife tUttered rather than walked
rom the place,
The keen, frosty air partially restored |
ler strength and Rachel proceeded with |
lei children ill she reached the thorough |
are leading through St. Margaret'u chuch
'ard towards the AImonry, when a faint
nnan from Mary, whom she still carried
n her arIbs, arrested her stels. She pls
ed her hand under the thin faded shaw
which covered her; the child was cold ss
ce, aud shivering, AS if seized with an ague
it
She is dyingP proanei the terror strick-
N parent-'dyiug for the want of food!
The heart of her hoy could endure no
rore-it WAS breaking. The cup of mis-.
,ry and endurenc4 has been fled TO over.
lowing. His brain was on fre-tears
'ould not quench it.
Take her home motber!' he cried-
take her home! never fear but l will bring
you food! Mary Shan't die! I'll beg
beg he added; anything to s,ve herr
Richard! Richard! do no leave me!I
,hrieked his agonized parent. Let me
not loss both my chilirenl if you love
your mother, return-for PHYS sake re.
turn! ...
The appeal came too late. Her son,
stung, maddeued beyond endurance by the
of those so dear to him, had
broken from her feeble grasp. dsrted
down the thoroughfare, and was already
beyond the reach Of her voice.
Rachel cluug to the railiLgs Of the
for support till second moan,
still fainter than the first, sent a paug
though her maternal breast.
She must not die in the Streetr mur.
INJURED Rachel. Home home il 1 have
slengthto reach IT,
oh GodI'she cried With a sudden burst