The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1872-09-26

scanty supper with longing eyes. HIS
mother noticed the little fellow, and pro-
ceeded at once to put it on the table
| She made them eat, and then coaxed
them to bed Then she sat down to her
| work and her anxious vigil.
/ Slowly and YEARLY the hours went on,
and with every moment the storm seem
ed to increase. At last she heard the
village bells strike fer midnight
At the same moment a feeble
| little moan from the crib, made her start
| to her feet.
The baby was growing worse, and It's
| breath came now in sharp gasps, and Its
| little face began to wear strange, pur-
plish palor. The poor mother caught 1t
tlp with a stihed cry Then she ran to
the bed where Tommy lay, fast asleep,
| and dreaming, no doubt, of what the
loue-hoped for tomorrow would bring
| him.
Tom, Tom," she cried, shaking him
| gently. s'get up, dear-you must run for
! your father. T. IN afraid baby is dying.
The sturdy little fellow was on bis feet
in an instant.
"The tauern, mother?" he said, sig
nificantly, with a strange look OF sorrow
full humiliation Ia his young eyes as ne
drew on his warm jacket
Eyes, Tom And be sure you bring
| him, and if there's any money left, run
! by the apothecary S, and get the medi-
cine-but it too late, row Be quick,
Tom How dark it isl I'll wake An
ME- to &C with you. if you're afraid?'
INC, mother, she shant go out IN this
storn-I'm not afraid'' and away the
manly little fellow went out into the wild
stormy midnight.
The mother sat down and held her dy-
ing babe close to her bosom. And this
was the night for which she had worked,
and horded, and hoped so long. -
An hour passed, and little Tom re-
turned drenched and shivering.
Hes there, mother" he half sobbed,
"but he won't come, and the mony' S all
gone he says. [ came by the apotheca-
rvs, but he wouldn't let me have the
medicine 0, mother, what shall we
do ?'' :,
Heaven knows, my boy" responded
his mother, as the breathing on her bos-
ON became more convulslve, put on
another faggot, and wake Annie; then
you had better run back. the child Is
dying,-tell your father SO
Tom obeyed Another hour went by.
and above the din of the storm, above
the sobs of little Annie, the waiting wife
caught the sound of that heavy, unsteady
footstep. He was coming. but it was too
late The babe, which she held SO
closely to her poor. aching heart, was
past all earthly suffering She arose,
and laid it 10 its crib, and crossed the
little waxen bands on the pulseless bos-
om Then she turned to meet her hus-
band.
He staggered in, pale and abashed,
and half desperate. She pointed In 81
lence to the little, marble face On the
cradle pillow
Your work. she said hoarsly.
"You We killed my baby. The medicine
might have saved herl "Where's my
money, that I worked so hard for p
The shock half sobered him, but he
answered defantly:
L went to the tavern and gambled it
away. You might have known L would
do it"
This poor wife had spirit and temper
enough beneath her meekness and pa
thence, aud it blazed up now. She
turned to push him from her in anger
and disgust, but the sight of his face ar
rested her A bloated, brutal, drunken
face, but the face of her own husband
the face that had won her years before,
in her happy girlheod the face that was
So noble and manly. when the village
bells rang in honor of their wedding day.
a sudden gush of tenderness melted heI
heart She put out her arms and clasped
him close.
"Oh, Charlie" she sobbed, "how can
you break my heart. and | love you SOP
His face whitend to the hue of death
and his breast heaved convulsively.
Don't! - he said hoarsely, as he tore
himself from her casping arms, and the
next instant he was gone out into the
storm and darkness.
The mother dressed her little one with
her own hands in its daintiest robes, with
knots of ribbon at the dimpled shoulders,
and fall of misty lace at the tiny white
throat. Then she draped the cradle al
in white, and laid it down, and she and
Tom and Annie sat down to watch be-
side it. A sorrowful vigil to welcome
Christmas morni
1t dawned upon them royally-a glori
Gus draybreak, born of the storm ant
darkness The east was one glow 0
, splendor, and from every steeple, fo
, miles around, rang out the glorious JUDI
,, lante, Peace on earth, and good will
toward men,"
The drunkard' S wife and children sa
in silence and desoatiou watching tkei
dead. A step broke upon the mourfu
silence.
The poor, anxious wife raised he
bowed head, and met her husband ;.
, steadfast, sober eyes.
: Mary" he said solomnly, as he en-
tered the room, and knelt down beside
her, We brought you something" anc
: he laid folded paper in her lap. I've
signed the pledge, and intend to begir
my life anew If God will forgive me
can you Mary ?'
She glanced at the paper, and then she
caught his poor, repentant face to bel
! bosom, and covered it with kisses.
! "Oh, Charley sobbed she, II DE-
forgive you. and love you so.
IT'S your love that will save me-" hi
! answered solemny-''my wife forgivins
: love-.
Tom and Annie crep. silently from the
room, and stood hand in hand in the
Christmas dawnlight.
1--WE shall have a sad Christmas,
Tom, sobbed Annie, ''as much as we We
thought of it,
"No we shan't," responded Tom, his
blue eyes flashing with triumph; ''we
shall always call this the happiest Christ.
mas in our lives, Annie. for father
signed the pledgeP'
And little Tom was right!