The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1863-02-18

j Oe thompson, the wheelwrlght, paused.
and said to the blacksmith s wife, who was
fastening off with the rest:
sIt's a cruel thing to leave her SC"
sThen take her to the poor-heuse; she'll
have to go there answered the black
smiths wife, springing away and leaving
Foe behind
For little while the man stood with a
puzzled air; then he turned back and went
into the hovel again. Maggie, with a
painful effort, had raised herself to an up
right position, and was sitting on the bed,
straining her eyes upon the door out of
which all had just departed. A vague
terror had come into her thin white face.
"Oh, Mr.. Thompson she cried out.
catching her suspended breath. "don't
leave me here all alonel''
Though rough in exterior, Joe Thomp-
soH, the wheelwright, had heart, and it
was very tender in some places. He liked
children and was pleased to have them
come into his shop, where many sled and
wagon was made or mended for the village
lads without draft on their boarded six
pences.
"No, DEAR" he answered in kind voice,
/
the child, :"you shan't be left here alone. !"
Then he wrapped her, with the gentleness
almost of a woman, in the clean bed clothes
which some neighbor had brought; and
lifting her in his strong arms, bore her
out into the air and across the field that
lay between the hovel and his home.
Now Joe Thompson's wife, who hap
pened to be childless, was not q woman of
sanity temper, nor much given to self
denial for others good, and Joe had we'll
grounded doubts touching the manner
Of greeting he should receive on his ar
rival Mrs. Thompson saw him approach
ing from the window, and met him with
ruffied features He bore precious bur-
den, and he felt it to be so. A bond had
already corded itself around them both,
and love was springing into life.
| ".What have you there?' harshly ques-
toned Mrs. Thompson.
Joe. felt the child start and shrink
against him. He did not reply except by
la look that was pleading and cautionary,
that said, ''wait for explanations, and be
fgentle," and passing in, carried Maggie
1 to small chamber on the first floor, and
1laid on bed. Then stepping back he
shut the door and stood face to face with
his vinegar tempered wife in the passage
way outside.
g You haven't brought home that sick
i brat?" Anger and astonishment were ir
the tones of Mrs. Joe Thompson; he1
face was in fame
}, II think womcn's hearts are some
times very hard said Joe. Usually 10,
Thompson got out of his wife's way o.
kept silent and non-combative when sh,
fred up on any subject; it was with SOM
surprise, therefore, that she now encoun
tered firmly set eountenance and reso
lutte pair of eyes.
{ "Women's hearts are not half SO har,
as mems lasHsss5
Joe saw by alquick intuition that hi
! resolute bearing had impressed his wife
!, and he answered quickly and with rea
: indignation, "Be that as it may, ever
: woman at the funeral turned her eye
J steadily away from the sick childs face
and when the cart went off with her dea
: mother, hurried away and left her in tn
= old hut, with the hot sun not an hou
high in the sky"
,,l "Where were John and Kate9' ir
4 dlquired Mrs. Thompson.
"a Farmer Jones tossed John into b
i wagon and drove off. Kate went hon
r. with Mrs. Ellis; but nobody wanted th
!. poor sick one. ssSend her to the poo
- house!" was the cry 7sts ..ee
MI 'sWhy didn't you let her go, ther
,fI What did you bring her here for?''
M ashe can't walk to the poor house
ID isaid Joe, sssomebody's arms must carr
10 her, and mine are strong enough for tn
20 task" asd
s. "Then Why didn't you keep on? WI
ID did you stop here" demanded his wife.
"a because I am not apt to go on fool
J. errands. The Guardians must first
:; seen and permit obtained. -"
70 There was no gainsaying this.
!, "When will you see the guardians
was asked with irresistible impatience.
III "To-morrow."
q aWhy put it off until tomorrow? c
N at once for the permit and get the who
ID thing off your hands tonight. ~
= ). aJane," said the .wheelwright, with .
i. - impressiveness of tone that subdued b
= wife, II read in the Bible sometimes, al
u = find much said about little children-he
the, Saviour rebuked the disciples wi
would not receive them, how He tot
- them up in His arms and blessed the,
s and how He said that whatsoever ga
~ them cup of cold water should not
- unrewarded Now it is small thing /
z. fus to keep this poor mothcrless little O
for single night; to make her comfort
be Bile for q single night" sa 9f
a The voice Of the strong, rough m
and he turned his head away tf
BE- the moisture in his eyes mightnot Be see
id Mrs. Thompson did not answer, but s,
feeling crept into her heart. So aii s.
it "Look at her kindly, Jane; speak
ay her kindly" said joe "Think of /
A dead mother and the loneliness, the sorro
ell, the pain that must be on her coming Life
ire The softness of his heart gave unWont
ve. [eloquence to his lips. s'.'sag Rass
enl Mrs. Thompson did not reply, but tut
we ed toward the little chamber where l
rt.. husband had deposited Maggie, and pu.