The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1873-07-31

80 q AFOAIdd anu ffsAlU "
he had broken his part OF the infr.
riage contract, why should she be
bound by hers? So she reasoned,
Still, as evening drew on, either from
force of habit or from some Other
cause that lay so deep amoug the hid
den springs of action that she herself
could not discover it, she set about
preparing her husbands supper. He
did not come at the usual time, and
after waiting an hour or two, she
cleared it away again. The tall clock
INF the corner struck ten-eleVen-
twelve. @
#zz's Well, may as well fasten up and
go to bed like as not he won't come
till morning" said Hannah. But
scarcely had she drawn the bolt and
put up the heavy bar that secured the
outside door. when she heard foot
step and a hand was laid upon the
latch. $50 you've come at last!" cried
she angrily, undoing the fastenings
and opening the door with a jerk but
the walls of wrath which she had been
storing up through the wearisOme
hours, were destined to remain un-
corked, for it was not her husband
but Abram Wicks, who stood upon
the step. ~L
I've got bad news for you Mrs.
Bray said he, there's been an aeci-
dent"
I" AN accidentp
H'Twas out on the Tobego turnpike,
there was a great crowd there--there
always is Fair-day you knoW--and
Christie was right in the midst of it."
" I'll warrant oit-just like him" in
teriected Hannah.
"And some youngsters, good deal
the worse for liquor, came tearing
along with a tandem team and ran
smack into him." 3e
"And the new wagon was all
smashed to pieces; / knew how it
would be; l told him so,' said Han
nah, Wrathful but triumphant; Mark
my Words says L" @
But there's something worse than
that" said Abram> sat
"Worse!" repeated Hannah, who
had thought of nothing bnt that her
husband had feared to face her with
the news of the broken wagon, and
had sent his emissary to break it to
her gently.
.tChristie was thrown out and the
wheels passed over him."
"But where is he-Why don't he
come?p
s'They're bringing him, said Abram
pointing to the gate.
: There was something in the express
sion ssThey're bringing him." that
an awful chill to Hannah's
heart, and caused her to grasp the
door-post for support.
Slowly and steadily, like those who
bear the dead, came the four men
with their solemn burden. Without
a word Hannah. led the way to the
bedroom and they laid him on the
bed.
By and by he opened his eyes and
fixed them on his Wife's face. Smiling
family he murmured: "You won't
need the divorce, Hannah"
s'Oh, Christie /" was all her answer.
The surgeon came; he bent over his
patient. then, glancing at Hannah's
pale face, said, You'd better leave
the room.f
z shall stay by my husband,1 said
she.
he surgeon did not urge the point,
but eeeded to Bndness and exam
inc tae patient. a broken. limb,
bruised body, suspicion of internal
was the verdict. 1t
was Hannah who held the sponge to
her husbands lips through the long
md terrible process which followed
md when all was done, and the sur
geon asked, s'Who will stay with him
.o-night ?" she answered, 81 SHALL
Half a dozen men and as many wo-
men who had been assisting in the
operation or waiting in the kitchen
o hear the result, immediately offered
heir services but Hannah rejected |
hem all with thanks, only consenting
hat A BRAN Wicks should sleep up
stairs. So at last Hannah sat by the
bedside alone, listening to the tick of
he clock, and watching the fickering !
amp of life which might at any mo- |
nent be extinguished. Presently |
Jhristie's white lips moved :he seemed |
o be repeating something over and |
,ver. She bent her head to4isten and
aught the words: "TilI death US do |
,art-till death us do part" a
Once in the night going to the shed |
or wood, she saw her husbands ak I
wing by the block where he had care /
essly thrown it. How often she had +
hided him for that very thing. 1t |
vas only that morning he had used /
t. 1t was only that morning he had
zone from her. strong and full of
lealth, and now he was lying stretch
d on that bed, weak, helpless, and
perhaps dying, She sat down on the
dock, covered her face with her
prom and wept aloud. Hannah Bray
vas not a praying woman-Was igno-
ant of the most conventional forms
If prayer-but now from her heart
purst forth one earnest, agonized cry:
% God, spare my husband J"
When she returned to the bedroom
Christie was sleeping quietly, and as
he sat watching him through the long
iient hours she held a solemn reckon
ng with her soul. All her married
ife passed in review before her. |
There was a time when she had tried
o please him in little things as well
,leased, poor fellowl She well re-
the first occasion on which
he had spoken to him impatiently;
t was in the early DAYS of their mar
iage. He had brought home two
slip of English ivy. "They will
lldk6 lIlo EOOuA lOOA AhOAOi SACOAAuA AZ
Winter" he said.
But she was iretted about her house
YORK, and answered sharply, 81 hope
,ou'll take care of them then, for I've
10 time to waste about such things"
He looked at her in a surprised way
hen turned and went out without a
vord. The plants died of neglect
ong before Winter was over.
She remembered, also, that in those
lays he had liked to see her becoming
y dressed, and that he particularly
dmired her hair, which, as it curled
" nature, she had merely gathered
nto band and allowed to flow loose
t the back of her head. But by.and-
'ye, when her pretty wedding outfit
lad become worn, she replaced it by
of coarse material and awk-
ward fashion sand when he remarked
he change she said: For goodness
axe, whoAwants flouDces and furbe-
ows to switch around among pots
nd kettles with ?"
!, A fter MANY struggles she had con-