Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-03-07

niksd IS one brOnton, Tue landlord OF the I
viilAge inn, GA her knoes before him with |
her uncovered head exposed TO the storm,
was the woman who pleaded 90 passion.
ately.
IDEAS do Il, sir," she vas saying, "for
Gods sake doR'tl His father will be home
to-morrow, and he'll make !, oil right,
Don't take my Dor 10 prison"
She pa, up her slender hand 10 clasp the
tavern keepers arm, but he shook her oil,
with an oath.
IL won't Wait, tell you, he cried "'he
young rascal stole nv money, and want 1t
back Give me I've dollars, snd veil play
quits"
III hA'n'I i've dollars 10 the world ste
sobbod, "bu' Il yOu'l only wait, can raise
~ Tomorrow
"No / woa't wait Aaothsr sscond-msreh
on, ficers; tho younr thief shall sleep in
al this very night"
"I'm no thief, sir, cried the lad, his 6ne
face blazing. II dilu't steal your money,
and you knouit.'
Silence ~ shunlerod the landlord. "Do
you mean TO call mo = liar2 Ohcsrs, will
you 90 on 2'
had thought mr. own trouble incompar
able. But here was something infinitely
worse. Impelled by an impulse Of uncon-
'roliSble pity, stepped to the poor moth
er's side
"What 10 IT, my good womsn2' asked
She turned hor poor, Ggo0izsd glance
upon me, with . Asah ofeSger hope.
'Oh! they accuse my boy Of stealing,
madam she cried. sud his father, Who's
been over seas for two years, will DO home
tomorrow, aud his son 10 iAil, like com.
mon thioE IL viii kill him, aud break my
heart
Ny band went inltiqc,vsly % nv pocket,
where the Eve dollar bill rested. She
watched the action with piso lus look 10
her poor eyes. ! thought OF nv own boz
a, home, brave little lad so like mia father
What i this poor mothers case were my
own7
drew the bill from ny pocket, and pm
1t in her hand. With cry Of Joy she
dArtsl after toe Oh ,ers, nd only waiting to
soc that her boy was released, hurried
away.
Charlie grew worse that nj sht, and had
TO summon the doctor sArly on the MORO ".
the doctor ordered fresh supplies OF medi-
cine, good nursing, and the best Of nolrish-
msut. Alas had not cent IN tNe house.
Over and over sgAin,as | looked At Charlie =
pale face, the old saying, "Charity begins a,
home, required TO me.
] worked every spare moment, ~ some
embroidery ! had procurred;And when had
finished one piocs | seemed 10 be goiuq
blind Bot took i. up TO MIRA. Dsnhsn, " hc
had employed me, for / needed money.
She examined Il critically and expressed
herself only tolsrHbIy pleased, aud then, Sc,
ting back amid her warn cushions, she
remarked that she would pay when hsC
finished all.
l vsntured remonstrAucs, but she cut
me shor, ~ once.
Il have no change" she said" aud more
over, IL isS rule Of niue never TO pay lol
part Of a OBJ"
hurried back TO Charlie with an aching
heart and found him moaning with pain, the
hour for bis medicine long past, Hnc the pre-
scription in my pocket In deaps ration
rushed 20 tla bureau, aud drew out my
quSlnt lit,ls level case. /. contained som,
trdiug Nrticles-A brooch that belonged Il
my mother, and few other trinks,s. I Sc
lsclsd Two aud buried ou, again, down N,
snowy street, 20 the ons jsWslry establish
msnt OF which the little sea side vilAs,
boosted. Il was bard task to prevail upor
the dealer TO purchase my tnnkets; abc
when ~ last he consented, he offered me
few psl;ry shiIlings, which | was forced t.
accept.
Charles medicine was purchased, bat To-
few dimes left were hardly sufficient 4
ob,aiu small modicum Of GOA Tor ih
morrow and where was the chicken 70
Charles broth to come from?
paused in the suoHy strsst, with n
glittering winter stars above my head, en-
the brilliant show windows hanung on csc
side. just then merry chime Of bell
olaahsd upon the frosty air. aud for the frs
time, rsmem betsd tina; j. was New Year
Eve.
A pain ~ sharp As deG:h, pierced M
heart, ~ stood there, thinking Of my far
away lrionds, and wondering what / should
do. A grocer's shop, brilliantly lighted, stood
Just across the street Dew over the slip
perry lag stones. aud entered. The groce
hurried forward, all smiles and bows.
Would he lst ms have chicken, and
bottle Of wine ] Askod with my heart II
my mouth. Ny poor boy was IN; and
And-would be be good enough 10 trust m
Kill next week?
His oouutsnAncs fell on the instant II
hesita,ed aud stammered
He was sxtrsmslY sorry" he said, "ou
it was q rule Of bis never to credit sirau
gers."
"Johu, John, that's her spoke won III
voice At my elbow At that instant.
] turned but the speaker hal Adverte
her face, aud only saw great stalWai
mau, With . bronzsd face, and sho kindlisl
brown eyes had ever bshsld.
Blinded by the tsaTI, | hurried ava
home to poor Charlie and the babies.
gave Charlie his medicine, and hushed tn
little hungry mouths with scant enoug
morael Of milk aud bread, aud then tucke
the children away ia Iheir bed. Charlie 70
into dose, aud / aat down before tn
amouidering embers, TO lBdulge in the sol
comfort that smNined to mo, "a hearty crJ
But had hardly begun, when | hear
the crunch of footsteps in the snow, an
directly after, a rap at the door. opene
IT wish bounding heart, hoping that som
good nsighbor had come with help. Tn
tall man with the bronzsd face and kind
eyss-I knew him ON the instaut-stOod o
the steps with huge hamper on his Drawn
shoulders. lie set It down at my feet, an
extended bIS hand.
We've been hunting you the last tw
Nhyat WauAmt ne OtRaui Abruptly, Ills kee
eyes flashing with happiness; land gla
enough We are 10 find you. You did me
good turn when you kept my boy out @
prison and the lad was Innocent Of tn
charge too, I'm proud to tell you thai
Bronton's found out who stole the money
and my wife couldn't rest, and we couldn
find you nohoW, till We CHANGED upon 20
a, the grocer's tonight, Add-well, "
thought
Aud he broke down slAmme ing and ca
barrassed, and stepping back gave place
his wife, Who stood behind him.
We thought, she said, rs she raised Il
cover from the hamper, we'd bring you son
little thing for New Years. You won't I
fuse to take EN-. kuow-Aud may the go
God forever bless you tor what you've do
for me oh madam and she threw b
arms about my neck, while the tsars rain
down her face. III should have gone mad
they had taken my boy from me that nigl
bat you saved him and me while your oV