Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1868-08-06


len face of the oneto the pallid cheek Of
the other. Theirs were not the first clothes
that had been sold for rum nor till they'
BE the last. W r N Sa
4 Il the her'couaiofted them with the as
sfrance that they might in future keep
their new garmenta pt the school where
they gouldbe safer than AZ home and ln
due time they were again supplied with
suitable clothing.
One rainy night, when the two brothers
were hanging about a Broadway theatre,
vainly seeking for horse to hold, lady
and a gentleman passed from the building
10 carriage, the door of which was
scarcely shut when Christian discovered a
watch upon the pavement q iady's watch |
',Keep II. Christie. p,vhispered, dustaye. |
Chnsties dark eyes flashed back am mi
slant febuke, and away he bounded saiter
the follmg cSrriage. The pavement was
slippery, the driver impatient, the horses
dashed ON faster and. hster. In vain Chris
isishoufed n1 one listened TO his appeal.
Breethloas and exhausted he Reluctantly
tulned back, only to be jeered at by the
more covetous brother.
"Gustave, said Christian, as they walked
home, ''dont you teiEfather and mother
that found the watch; if you do they'll
sell it and then ] shon't dare to find the
owners.
II piH tell them, said Gustave. "Do
you suppose lam going to bed without sup
hper? As if you could ever learn who the
strangers were? don't believe 1t was their
watch, anyNay.Ni ~
You do suppose and bnoao it was their
watch, Gussie and you know it would be
nothing else but stealing for me to keep it.
1 never will lie nor beg again, nor will
steal
s'Then make up your mind for such
beating as You hain't had lately returned
Gustaye, sullenly. 'IBlow me N Tin going
to starye this wet night n
Christie walked on little; then asked
"Are you very hungry
"You better believe / am, " growled Gus
tave. Tl'L g..
''Then take this ROLL I was going to
give it to Sissy.
Gustave took the roll and ate it greedily,
so greedily, indeed, that Christie sighed
that he had nothing more to give. The
bread but sharpened the boys appetite,
and he grew more and more sullen. More
than once he fingered at the grocery doors
as if longing to pilfei' as he used to do; but
either the sharp eyes OF the police, or some
other motive, caused him to resist the temp
tation. AS they reached the alley he said
once more to his brother: H.
+Come let's sellthe watch, Christie, and
have treat. ..c,r Llr.
Il GHGussie," zaAswered Christian, "fHi'
istarve before l will do what know no,g is
mot right. Ididn't use to know; but we
know now that the Bible says, Thou shalt
not steal If you tell on me they will
whipme (here sudder passed over the
poor lads body, as if he knew what that
whipping would beg, but tell you once
for all. Gussie, that if they kill me, it will
not bring supper to you or them
eve shall see, shouted Gussie furiously
darting into the alley, which waB full of
drunken men and women, among whom
was his fathet
Christian knew that his fate was sealed,
but-quick as thought he dropped the watch
into little hiding nook known only to
himself, and went in.
rGive me theWatoh," cried the mother,
with eager coaxing ''We'll have meat and
whisky plenty now.
ut isn't my watch, mother. | shall
keep it until the owner advertises. There
will be a reward offered, and you shall have
it all, every cent ,..- f-r FL. -a 'i "
But there was a hunger in the miserable .
creatures stomach of which Christian
could not dream the insane craving for
liquid fire. What cared she for food when
that was so near which could make her
forget hunger, cold andth many horrors
of her life I Christian was dragged before
her. already brutal father and. the watch
again demanded. s.-f
Father" said Christian, Il haven't got
the watch. have hid it, and yon cannot
have it. 1t isn't mine nor yours We are
as well now as before | found it. Don't
make me thief father.
But the poor child might as well have
appealed to the stones The next moment
the leather strap, which had never failed, 4
fell upon his back, raising long purple
welts at every blow. At first Christian
tried to suppress his moans, but his
shrieks grew louder and louder, until the
traitor Gustave, alarmed at the terrible
scene, ran for assistance, and fortunately
found it in season to save his brothers life.
We will not dwell upon the suferings Of
Christian, nor the remorse of Gustave.
When the teacher went to inquire the cause
of the boys absence, he found Christian
mass of bruises and burning with fever
Careful nursing at the mission house saved
the boys life, and he had the satisfaction
of finding the owner Of the watch.
The trihipg reward which Christian re-
ceived from the lady was accepted for his
parents sake, and was spent, not for the
comfort of those who had so cruelty suffer
ed, but for whisky-dlrdyS l1hisLg.
One day. in the dead Of winter, Christian
was ordered out to steal wood. Where
can find wood, mother2" asked the lad.
81 iOont steal, if we all freeze together"
''Be off !" cried the brute, ''if you come
home without something to burn, I'll make
a fire Of you r
Christian stopped down and kissed his
little sister, handing her at the same time
a bit of food he had brought from the, mis-
sion house. She put her thin arms loving
ly about his neck, and laid her soft cheek
q moment upon his breast.
Christie laid the head tenderly aside,
kissed her again, took the rope with which
He DOuuu tue lhBBOtS IuH tue peg upon |
the wall, and-went ont without speaking
Gustaye followed him. for although he
was older than his brother, he was more
influenced by Christian than the latter had
ever been by him, ,.l ...,f., ,,.S I'D.
They had never been the same to each |
other since the night of the whipping; 80
now, as had often been the case of late, the
two walked silently Gustave invariably
walking behind -----s-~,--,rr 7i,..s.-...--
Christian turned one corner after anoth-
er until he reached the ruins Of a recent
FIRE, the lofty brick wallis of which were
still standing. Without appearing con-
scioris of the danger to himself, Christian
went directly into the midst of the ruins
and eommencedthrowing the charred wood |
toward his brother
f'Don't come any nearer, Gustave, the
walls may fall any minute. Gather up what
I throw to you and make it fast with the
rope"
Gustaye did as he was ordered, but pres
emily looked up to say
II don't know why you go SO close to
these walls, Christian, when you know it
,n,aa n,,It, laef xraak frvo oh;Idra,, ,,-ar,,