The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1868-10-21

hlthy back alley AMI there without
word, viii Weed suddenly felt hin
self seized and bound to spot, with
rope the rascal had hid in his bosom
J The shock partially s"bered him an
he struggled furi"usIy. but to no put
pase' and the feat accom plished, tn
w:efch. in his triump,. put his moutI
close to his ear and whispered:
| ,f Thank you, mister You've toll
me where the money was. and the sil
yer aud seein' L know year wife
alone, III STEP IN and get 'em Yel
may holler as much as yer plcase-n,
periies don't come here. Good bye
| mister. :.
And away he went, leaving Will
bnnnd to the post. and qui,e sober now
He understood what he had done. a
And that wretch vas going to hi
home -so,ng to sLotiyfs home-ant
she was all alone! He shrek ed i! h.
struggled, he raved-all in vainAn,
help came They were used to shrieli
in that quarter As helpless as child
fastened s" tightly that his strugslei
only set his bound wrists bleeding, be
WAS forced to remain inactive while
perhaps his wife was b ing murdered
The wrstoh would stnp at .noibisg
And oh, how he loved her now how
all the old trnderness returned how
he blamed himself! L try-his pref
" Lofty alone with that horrible +. ow
Again be vainly tore his flesh in his
wild struggles. Again he shouted for
Help = Some one staggering by the
head of the alley laughed-that wa, all
sa Eastrned there-and that man free
He could picture Lofty, as her gage fell
upon his bu'ks form He could hear
her screams! He would not be bound
he would be free ] n --
Alas. al in vain were his rffhrts
And AZ last humbled and woe-str,cken.
he turned mis- eyes to Heaven and
prayed a a NJ --. B, s'.''re 81.
Father help me, help me to save
Lofty - I-.... az
And stiIl there was NO seeming an.
swrr. Bu', as once more he lifted his
voice, there came along the alley a
faunting. miserab woman-a crea-
ture to shrink from in her filthy fnery
-one whose cheeks were rouged, and
whnse feet were slipshod. E- ls=
By the moonlight, Will. saw her,
and in agony. cried to her for help
She was had enough. Heaven knows!
But one trace of wonan's nature was
in her soul still.
At first she cursed him Then. as
he moanrd. Unbind me. for Gods
sake. my wife will be murdered !" she
came towards him. -..#
~ 6o lied y"u?" she asked with an
oath If il was Pete I'll pay for un-
doing yon. No mattcr-hrre gees -"
And with another oath, she took
penknife from her pocket, and cut the
cords.
&c d bless You !" cried Will.
And then the woman burst into tears
were so rar-ty giSsn her
And Will would have willingly repaid
her in some way. bur she was gone in
m instant rubbing away all traces OF
tears ard rouge tosrrher on her shawl
and he c"ul'l NOT linger. Even now,
it might be to late. ....
Aud horror Ier rings to Mr. Weeds
fer, and he sped away homeward.
At the corner he fund two police
men. and they accompanied him. and
,rriving at his own door, it stuod wide
,prn The fellow had been there
Will uttered a moan. but rhe palice
men urged silence, and they crept in
oeether Up the stairs a faint light
burnt, and it guid them to the nur
'ery. Within vas d strange sound of
,mo' herrd screaming They dashed
pen the donr. and beheld Lefty Weed
tr-rched upon the floor, while the ter
fled burglar, whom she had evidently
nrerrupted in his d'.preda'ions, soughf
o silence her screams by srufinr
cu-h habdkerch,ef into her mouth,
shrie IN the other he grasped o pistol
In an instant more, Will. had seixed
lis rhioat-and Lofty was saved
hou. h the bullet meant Tor her heart.
ndged itself in Wlll.'s arm.
Then followed some weeks, during
sh ch Will. lay i'll, and his wife nursed
lin. But r'cnvery cams at last, and
With it rhe turning of a new leaf Mr.
eed confessed the truth to his wife, 4
nd registered vow against til ping.
vbicE he did not forget The lesson
ad been terrible one. and he resolv
d never to lose his senses again, while
he Lord permitted him TO keep them
So, stunning the places where drink
ng was inevitable, he saw more Of his
I"m-, and loved it bptrer, ard Lofty
rov.ng the same charming girl that he |
ell in love with, now that she was hap
y. he settled down into the most do
nestle man entitled TO vote in the
United States, and SO continues.