The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1867-03-01
Mlistellaneons Selertiolts.
The Bankrupt Husband.
BY vIRGIsIA F. TOWNSEND

"lt'll have to go, Mary: there's no
help for it"
She looked up-the lady to whom
these words were addressedAin q way
which showed that they had struck and
hurt her. She was scolloping child's
skirt, and the needle work had followed
her rapid fingers along the fanuel like
line OF snowy foam; but now the work
fell, unheeded to the floor
"Ab, John, has it come to that ."
asked Mary, the wife of John Malcom !;
and the soft bloom in her cheeks van
ished away, and the words were spoken
with a kind of gasp, as though just be
meath them lay a mighty swell and
rush of feelings that we'll nigh over
powered her voice.
"Yes, Mary, it must come. God
knows I've struggled as hard as man
could TO weather the storm, and | could
have done ittoo, if those Western houses
hadn't gone under. But they'll carry
us with it" aflHaf see s
ri can't realize it yet, John" she said
looking at him in a half-frightened way,
that was pitiful to see; the shock, for
the moment, had half stunned her.
10, Mary, it was the hardest for your
sake" and the words came in that sharp
groan which is terrible to hear from the
lips of strong man. The tones reused
her at once into full consciousness of
what had befallen them, and of the part
she must bear in it.
. "Don't John-don't take it SO hard"
her voice struggling up through sob
into note of brave cheerfulness, and
her lips fashioneda smile, which though
weak at first, you felt certain would
grow stronger all the time, just as you
feel the sweet promise Of the day when
the first faint sunbeam struggles weakly
out of the mornings mist.
81 could have borne up Mary, if it
hadn't been for you and the children ;
but that thought cuts the core-;t's
more than | can bear."
And for the first time the young wife
and mother heard a sob from the lips
of her husband, as he bowed down on
the arm Of his chair. The pride of his
manhood gave way at last, and John
Malcolm wept like little child. Theu
the woman's heart the woman's power
to cheer, anil comfort, and strengthen,
reused themselves; the waves went over
her but one moment, and then Mary
Malcolm forgot herself, and rose up to
the height of her true womanhood-to
the exaltation of self-sacrifce.
sJohn," said the soft, brave voice,
"don't ever say that again. Let every
thing else fail, the heart of your wife
never will"
And now she has come close to him,
and he felt her small arms about bis
neck, and her head lay on his shoulder,
as tender, as confiding as in their days
OF brightest prosperity. All through
the day he had been looking forward
to this hour, and shrinking away from
it and once or twice-God forgive him
he had glanced out of his office win
dow to the river, which rolled its dark,
sullen water in the distance, and fierce
temptation had rushed over him to drop
everything and hurry out there and
bury all his pain and anguish under
the dark, crumpled sheet of water. But,
John, in his secret distress, knew that
his temptation was the voice of the devil
entering into his soul; he was a man
who feared God and kept his command
ments-he put the temptation aside.
The young husband had not doubted
his wife's heart for a moment; but be
expected to see her almost stricken to
the earth, with the first tidings of the
ruin of the house in which he was the
heaviest partner. He knew that her
youth had been nurtured in all the grace
and luxury that wealth confers, and he
feared the thought of going outinto the
chill and darkness of poverty. He had
not looked for loud lamentations, or bit
ter reproaches, but he dreaded the 81
lent tears, the mute despair of the white
face. ..,.
So John Malcolm raised bis hot face
stained with the tears that were shed
for her sake, and looked into the eyes
of his wife; and she answered him with
smile that set even her face in new
sacredness and beauty to her husband
"a smile so sweet and tender TO him,
so brave and defiant for the worst the
world could do for them, and it said to
him at once all that her words would,
and could not.
'Ah, Mary, nv wife" said the ner-
chant Il thought when came into my
house, an hour ago, that | was ruined
man: I feel now as if | we're a very rich
one."
"Ruined, with me and the children,
John" and now there was some faint
reproach in her voice; but she chung
closer to him.
"But, Nary-poor child, You dom
know what it is to be poor, to give W
so much of grace and luxury, to which
you've been accustomed"
''You say that, John, before you've
tried me, aad see what springs of cour-
age and powers of self sacrifice ther'
are in nv nature" The noble words
had fitting emphasis in the sweet
smile-in the steadfast, dauntless tones