Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-02-23

singing yet more insoleDtly, he did
not approach them. So benumbed
had Ruth grown, so cold to the very
heart was she, that the power of mo-
ton had almost deserted her, when
at last, as the church clock far away
tolled the hour of four, the degraded
man staggered to his feet and reeled
homeward. She followed feebly; only
by clinging to the balustrade could
she monnt the wretched stairs. 1t
was bitter cold within as without, but
she was glad to find herself at last
under shelter. Her babe still slum-
bered and she did not waken it. Her
frozen bosom could only have chilled
the little creature There were a few
bits of broken wood in the corner,
and with these she made fire in the
old stove, and crouched over it, striv-
ing to gain some little warmth, while
her husband slumbered heavily upon
the bed in the corner, to which he had
staggered on his entrance.
Thus an hour passed by, and Ruth
also fell asleep. The silence, the pleas
ant warmth at her feet, the fancy that
all her trouble was over for the night,
lulled her to pleasant dreams. From
them she was awakened by the loud
ringing of the factory bell and by the
sound of cries and shouts in the street
below. She cast her eyes toward the
bed-her husband was n 0 t there
toward the cradle-it was empty.
She flew to the window-the street
was full of factory boys, with their
tin kettles. Some great jest amused
them greatly. They roared, the Y
danced, they tossed their ragged caps
on high, they shrieked in unmusical
laughter, and the object Of all this
mad mir:h was only too evident.
On the steps of the liquor store op.
pOsite stood Edward Holly, holding
his child in his arms, and exhibiting
for the delighted crowd all those an
tics of which an intoxicated man alone
is capable! He called on the grinning
master Of the gin cellar to give his
child some brandy anu turned the
screaming infant about in a manner
that left nc doubt that he would end
by dropping it upon the broken pave
ment.
Wild with terror, Ruth rushed out
into the street, and made her way
through the crowd to the spot where
her husband stood; but before she
reached aim, the scene had changed
Some boy, more brutal than the
rest, had thrown a handful of mud in
to Edward Holly's face; and he, reel
ing and laspheming, had dashed for
ward to revnnge the act
The child had been flung away a
the first step, but fortunately, haC
been caught by an old negreSs who
though q degraded creature herself
had enough Of the woman remaining
to save an infant from injury.
And now the whole horde of boy>
beset the drunken man, peIting hin
with sticks and stones and decayeC
vegetables from the kennel, and revel
ing in the brutal delight with which
such scene always seems to inspire
boys of the lower classes.
Ruth saw that her babe was SAFE
and that her husband was in danger
and, forgetful of all else, flew towarC
him. She cared nothing for the jeeri
of the mob; before them all, she fluns
her arms about him, and interposeC
her beautiful person between him anC
his assaiIants. The head that haC
carried itself little proudly in thC
presence of the highest of the land
that had seemed more queen-like thar
that of the empress herself, at thC
court of France-that had awakened
the envy Of titled English womel
!, when til young American woman
dwelt among them-dropped itself
low upon the bosom of the drunken
wretch who was the jeer and scorn OF
a low mob; and only in love am
} pity, not in anger, did she speak t.
him:
Come home, Edward they'll hur
you, my poor love! come home witt
: me
!, Mad as he was-flled with the de
) mons of drink, to the exclusion of th
; soul God had given him-the soft
sweet voice, the fond touch of tn
white fingers awakened some memor,
7 of the past in the mans breast.
"Go you home, girl r' he whispered
"I'll kill them! Don't fret. I'll xii
'em, and"
"Come home, darling" she whisr
cred again, and he stopped and CAV
her kiss. At that the boys yellet
I deriSiyely, and flung more mud an,
. stones at them. One threw a ston
: "a heavy stone, sharp pointed an
d jagged. Whether he even intende,
5 to strike the man is doubtful; bu
. the missile flew fercely through tn
t air and crashed against the golde
e head of the devoted wife. A strear
: of blood gushed from the white ten
!, pie and poured down upon the bosom
: where it dropped never to lift itsel1
t again--never, never more. Only wit
e a quivering shudder of pain she tel
s for the face of the man who had swor
/ to love and cherish her, and had broR
t ell that VOW so utterly while hers ha
! been SO truly kept.
9 "Good bye, Edward, i" she whisper
S ed. a can't see you now-kiss mt
: Oh, be good to baby! Be good to bs
/; by !! and no word more.
/, The crowd was hushed to silenc'
J. The culprits skunk away in terror.
: sobered man bent over the dead W.
e man, whose hands had dropped ava
:, from his breast, and the love an
s. truth and tenderness of her heal
!; were all manifest to him in that terr
8 BILE moment-manifest in vain, for r.
8 pentance could not restore her to lif
a not blot out the love which had crusl
h ed her heart throuph all those wear