The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1859-02-12
THE HIDDEN HAND.
By EMMA d. r. N. SOUTHWORTH,
AurHoR or "rHE BRIDE or An EVENING" "rHB
nssEarED WIFE" ETC, Erc., ETC.
fcoSTIsuEp.

u
nssSarED WIFE," ETC, ETC, ETC.
[cosrIsuEp.l
"Have you got through7' asked the man ct the
door, rApping impatisntiy.
"fNo, no, said I, as directed.
Gle resumed his tramping up and down, and
went back 70 my patient. She bsckoned me to
come close, and Whispered
"6avs my child! the living one mean! hide
her! oh, hide her from himl When he demands
cannot hurt that! And he viii not know there was
another. Oh! hide and save my child
master. WAS used 10 queer doings, but this
Was little the quserstt But II WAS to conceal
that second child IN order to save II, il was neees
sATy TO stop Its month, for 1t was sqnalling like
Wild cat. So took vial Of paragorio from my
pocket and give 1t drop, and it went Cd to sleep
like An angel. wrapped it up warm and lay It
along with my shawl and bonnet, in . dark corner.
Just then the man wrapped again.
'"Come in, master said I.
"fNo, bring me the BABE he said.
Il took mp the dead infant. Its mother kissed
its brow and dropped team upon i littls cold faee;
and carried IL to the man outside.
"fIs 1t aslesp?' the william asked me.
eyes, master said I, ~ pat II, we'll wrapped
up, in his arms. very sound asisep.'
$50 much the batter said the knAve, walking
Il bol.ed the door and ven, back to nv patient.
With her free hand she ssissd mine ANA pressed il
10 her lips, and then held mp her left hand point
I'd to the wedding ring upon her third 6nEer.
Draw 1t OF and keep it., she said conceal the
child under your shawl, and take her with you
when you go; save her and your fortune shall be
m ade.t
III declare, master, hadn't time 10 think, before
heard one Of them wrstebes rap at the door.
.Como! get ready 10 Co. he said.
"she also ssekonsd ne. ! hsstensd 70 hsr.-
prayed me to take her ring and save Asr child.
"sBut you,' said i--swho il to attend your
81 do not know nor care. save hss!,
"The rapping continued. / ran to the corner
made . sort Of sling around my neck Of tho silk
Handkerchief, opened the large part Of IL like .
hammock and laid the little sleeping babe there.
Then folded my big shawl around my breast and
nobody any the wiser. The rsPping was very I'm
q am coming ssjdI.
sksmemberp Whispered ths poor girl.
al will said /, and went and opened the door.
There stood t'other william with ha hsad covered
with black Grape. dreAmt of not hing hut black
head demons for Sin months afterward.
"tArs yon ready r says he.
"ties, your worship says +.
"sOome along, then
and bi.d.nF smother six Asaalsr.hisf ressA
"Instead u my mule carriage stood nsor ths
horse block.
sect in sayc he, boiling the pistil TO my ssn
BY way Of IN Argsmsnt.
and We drove like The wind. In another dissctisr
from which We come, in course, for there was no
carriage road there. The carriage whirled along
:. .ueh arAte II made me quite giddy. At lest Il
stopped again. The man in the mask got down
md opened the door.
There are ysu taking me r saysI.
"'be quiet says he. 'or - and 1T that he
put the pistol TO my eek, ordered me to get out
take NE handags from my eyes, and walk before
him. cid SO, and saw dimiy that No were in q
part Of the country that MAS mover Ct before. We
y ere m dark road through . thick forest. On
eAs left side Of the road in clearing, stood IN old
.Oass; dim light wAx burning in lower win
/" $50 on In there said the william, puttins the
pistn to the back Of my head. As the door stood
sjar went in to q narrow, dark passage, the man
al the while 81 my back. He opened door On the
LETT side, and made me 90 into dark room. Just
rcstessly began to vail Well might, poor starv-
ing thing.
Whats that" says the mi .creant, under his
breadth and stopping short.
at Amt nothing, sir says /, and 'hush-h-h' 70
the baby. But the poor little wretch raised .
squAll.
"'W hat lie the meaning Of ,hi. p says he. where
did that child come from7 Why the demon don I
you speak = and with that he seized me again BY
the scruf OF tie neck and shook me-
".Oh, Master, for the love OF heaven don't,' Gays
l. 'this II only poor, unfortunate infant - its
parients wanted TO get outen the way. and hired
me 70 take care on. And have had it wrapped
up under my shawl all the time 'ccpt when vas in
yonr honss, whom put il to sleep in the corner
.Humph and you had that child concealed
woods n
".In eos1ss, Master. saysI.
"Whnss i isF
"hAster. ny I, sit's-it,s : deal ssssss i Ter /
haddsut aa0thog " roody.
"Ae h<oke o1e Into fuds, ssornfal iansA, ana
scenes PEE ~ = ssl,svs Ne and yst nos . ssrs
down n ~ dark, aad went ct and tarns1 - Nv
on me. !wet nv - WITH the paragosis ard
put il @ tAe haAvb HI q quist 10 psins q hun-
ger. 1hsa heeEd vhispsring II - nsxtsesn.
no no; ~ sZssases nsyss 80 seoAs hss = aaks "
vas, and dea't think anysody sssla lar Chat
whispering but me. / saw : little Rlimner az
light through the chinks that showed me WHERE the
door wss, and so creeped mp to Il and put my ear
70 the key-holc. Still they whispered 20 low that
no ears could o. heard them but my sharp ones
Lhey was talking about selling some woman and
child. should have been uneasy Ii they hadn I
called tAs woman Kate. Ny villain offered 'em
Tor nity dollars, but tother villain wouldn't give
cent. he told my william, NJ be called Captain,
that hsd take 'em Of his hands ana no more. And
then they threatened each other, and went out o.
- Ard !: :ts ssS-a::4' ..sss sS- -....s;S;
cane ana took me and the child OF in shay and
drove down long way 70 tho beach. and hailed I
vessel on the river and took N aboard and cold
20 the captain right af0re my eyes, and then went
ashore, and We was carried OF out to sea, though
cried, and splAined, and spostulAted eli the time
NOW sir, come : strange providence, which
the very thonghts Of il might convert : heather
We had been 70 sea about i've days when dread.
fai storm ris. tall you. master, that locked liz.
the wrath Of God Rugged the baby to my
oreass-and went TO praying - hard = ever
could pray.
/ Presently I felt m awful shock, - If HEAVIER
and earth hsd COME together, and then every bod,
screaming, Shes strslk She's struck! i fell
the vessel trembling like live creetur, and th,
water pouring IN everywhere, Rugged the bah
ana scrambled up the companion way TO the deck
itwas pitch dark, and heard every man ruahinl
toward one side OF the vessel
"a Hash Of Lightning that made every thing .
bright - day again showed me that they were 81
taxing TO the best. 1 rushed after, calling 4
them TO save me and the baby. But no one SCENE,
nssr me; they were all 70 busy trying TO saw