Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1862-07-08
4flisteIIallp.
The Bankrupt Husband

ll " nave W ~ uaty mere Is no nell
for It,
She looked up-the lady to whom thes,
words were addressod-in way which showeC
that they had struck and hurt her. Sh,
vas scA.oping child's skirt, and tn,
needIe.work followed her rapid fingers along
ihe tAnno like line OF snowy toam buI
pow the work fell, UNDECIDED to the floor.
All, John, has il come 10 that ask cd
Mary, the wife OF John Malcolm and the
soft bloom in her cneeks vanished away, aud
the words were spoken with kind OF gasp
as though just beneath them lay mighty
swell aud rush Of feeling that well-nlgh over.
powered her voice
Yes, Mary, it must come God knows
I've struggled as hard as could to wealth
er the storm, aud could nave done It too, il
those Western houses had not gone under
Bur they vii carry US with IT,
cant realize 1t yet, John she said,
.0oklns at him in haIbewidered, nalf
frightened way thai was pliuI to see the
shock, tor the moment, had half stunned her
. Mary. it was hardest Tor your sake
aul the words came in that sharp groan which
is terrible to hear from the lips Of strouA
man lhc zones reused her at once mo a
tuII cOnsclousue,s Of what had betallen them,
aud Of The part She must bear 10 it,
Don't John-don take /: 50 harl, her
voice struggling up through ob into note
d. brave cuee.iutuess anu her lips fashion.
ing a smile, which tboug weak al first, you
r.. certain would grow stronger and brighter
all the time, Just as you feel the sweet prom
Ae Of the day Sheu the first faint suubsalns
struggle weakly out OF the mornings INST
could have borue up, Mary, il 1t hadn {
been Tor you aud tAc children bit hat
thought cuts TO the coro-1ts more than |
can bear
And for the first time the young vile and
mother heard long sob from the lips OF her
husband, as he towed down on the arm OF her
chair. fhe pride OF ais manhood gave way
atlsst, and JOhn Malcolm wept ike little
child.
Then the womAns powers TO cheer, and
comfort, and strengthen, reused themselves ;
the waves went over her but one moment
aud then Mary Malcolm forgot herself and
rose up to the heigbl OF true womanhood-to
the exatallon VI se-sscridce.
John said the SOFT brave voice, don't
ever say that again Let everything else
tan, the heart OF your wife never will
And now she had come close TO him, aud
he lett her small arms about bis neck, aud
her mead lay ON his shoulder as tender aud
conhdlng as IA their dOys Of brightest pros
perlty.
And through the day he had been looking
forward to this hour aad shrinking away
from 1t aud once or twice God forgive him
he had glanced out oil his office window at
the river, Shlch rolled It's dark, sulleu waters
IN the distance, aud fierce temptation had
rushed over him to drop everything aud
hurry out there aud bury ali his pain aud
anguish under the dark crumped sheet OF
water
But John, in his secret distress kuew that
THIS temptation vas the voice OF the devil
entering INTO MS SOU, but he vas man VINO
feared God and kept MS commandments
pgt the temptation aside.
The young husband had not doubted his
wllc's heart for moment but he expected
to see her stricken almost to the earth with
the first udlags OF the ruin OF the mouse in
which he was the heaviest partner. He knew
that her youth had been uur;mel III all the
grace ANA luxury that wealth conlers, and he
feared the thought OF going out into the chill
and darkness OF poverty.
lie had nor looked Tor loud lamentations,
or bitter reproaches, but he dreaded the 81.
lent tears the mute despair OF the white face.
so John Malcolm raised his wet face, stain.
ed with the tears that were shed Tor her ske,
and looked into the eyes oil his wife, aud she
answered him with smo that set svcn her
face in a new sacredness aud beauty to her
husbands eye-a smile SO sweet and tender
tor him, SO brave and defiant Tor the worst
the world could do to them, that 1t ,ad to
him at once all that her words would aud
could not.
Al, Mary, my wife said the merchant
thought when | came into my house, an
Aour ago, that was a ruined man | fee
now as though was a very rich one
Ruined with me aud the children John 2
and now there was some faint reproacb in her
voice but She elung closer to him.
But, Mary, poor child, you don't konw
what tits to be poor TO give up so much Of
ease aud uxury, to which you've been a1.
customed
You say tdat John, before you ye tried
me, aud ,g1n what springs oi courage and