The Van Buren press., 1869-11-09

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fanly looking fellow saunterctl past them
on the wharf; but though No auntC eohtt
an.insoIent word, and yetmore S1solsnt
laugh, and went away singing yet more
insolently, he did not nppt0 - enl:
So benumped hadARuth grown, SO cold
to the very heart wss.shcs tiidt thBpowax
of locomotion had almost deserted her,
when at last, as the church clock sifVt far
away tolied the hour of four, the asgrnd-
ed man staggered to his feet and rCeI6o
homeward. She followed fechfy only
by clinging to the balustradu could she
mount the wrctchcd stairs. It was bitter
cold within as without, but she was glad
to find herself at last under shelter. Her
babe still slumbered, and she did dsnet
waken It. Her frozen bosom could only
have chilled the little creature. There
were few bits Of broken wood in coz
ner; and with these she made fire and
couched over it. striving to gain some
little Warmth, while her husband shim'
bered heavily upon tho bed in the corner
to which he had staggered on his enter
ance f. 6 sssl,
Thus an hour passed by. and Ruth also
fell asleep. The silence, the pleasant
warmth at her feet, the thought that all
her trouble was over for the night, lulled
her to pleasant dreams. From them she
was awakened by the loud ringing Of o
neghboring bell, and by the sound Of
cries and shouts in the street below. She
cast her eyes toward the bcd--her hus-
band was not there! toward the cradle
it was empty She flew to the window
--the street below was full of boys. Some
great jest amused them nightly. They
roared, they danced, they tossed their
ragged caps on high, they shrieked in
unmusical laughter, and the subject of all
this mad mirth was only too evident.
On the steps of the public house oppo-
site stood Edward Holly, holding, bis
child in his arms, and exhibiting for the
benefit of the delighted crowd all those
antics for which an intoxicated man
alone is capable. He called on the grin
ming landlord ofthe gin-shop to give
this child some brandy and turned the
screaming infant about in manner that
left no doubt that he would end by drop
ping it upon The pavement. hssi lqdl
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 him the
scene had changed. Some hoy, more
british than therest, had thrown hand
full ofmud into Edward Holly's face, snd
he, recing and disappearing, had dashetl
forward to revenge che act.sfa 20 pnsle
The child had been flung away at the
irst step, but, fortunately, had been
caught by an unfortunate" who, Though
degraded creature herself, had enSHgh
of the woman remaining to save aninfant
from injury. q .ie sai2"gal
And now the whole horde Of boys be-
set the drunken man. pelting him with
sticks and stones and decayed vegetables
from the kennel, and reveling in the brli-
tai delight with such scene always seems
to inspire. nbr N9 sl't
Ruth saw that her babe was safe, and
that her husband was in danger; and,
forgetlul Of all else, flew toward him.
She cared nothing for the jeers Of the
mob, before them all, she flung her arms
about him, and interpesed her beautiful
person between him and his assallants,
The head that had carried itself a little
proudly in the presence Of the highest Of
the land, now dropped itself low upon
the bosom of the drunken wretch who
was the jecr and scorn Of a low mob and
only in love and pity, not in anger, did
she speak to him. uni i''fl .ftsi
Come home, Edward They'll hurt
you. .siny poor love! Come home with
me-" 9HH ai
Mad as he was--flled with the demon
of drink, to the exclusion Of the soul
God had given him---thc soft, sweet voice,
the fond touch Of the white fingers,
awakened some memory Of the past in
the mans breast. e'HA
$50 you home, grill" he whispered
"Tll kill chem! Don't fret! I'll kill 'em,
and -" fi t
"Comc homo, darling!" shc whispered
again, and he stopped and gave her kiss.
At this the boys yelled dcrisrely, and
flung more mud and stones at them.
One threw stone--a heavy stone, sharp.
pointed and jagged. Whether he evcn
intended to strike the man is doubtful |;
but the missile few fiercely through the
air, aud crashed against the golden head
of the devoted wife, A stream of blood
gushed from the white temple and pour.
ed down upon her bosom. Only with 3
quivering shudder of pain she felt for the
face Of the man who had sworn to love
and cherish her, and had broken that vow
80 utterly while hers had been So truly
kept s's ~ ao
Good-by, Edward" she whispered !;
al can't see you now--kiss me!P Oh,
be good to baby! BE good to lbaby!'
and no word more'
The crowd was hushcd to silence The
culprits skunk away in terror. A sobered
man bent over the dead woman, whose
hands had dropped away from his breast ;
and the love, and truth, and tenderness
of her heart were all manifest to him in
that terrible moment---manifest in vain.
| for repentance could not restore her 70
life, nor blot out the love which had
crushed her heart through all those weary
iavs OF her sad and married life.
"What is the matter here I" cried q
voice, as a portly man forced his way
through the crowd" a woman hurt 2"
A woman killed." sail a policeman,
n and that brute is tho Cause of all "