The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-11-14
HUSBAND, OR CHILD?

/
forest with such a clear and decided
ring as that welded by Thomas none
other SO sure of its aim, while raised
between sky and its destined rest.
His voice was the most cheerful and
his carol the merriest that reverberated
in the beautiful woodland that extended
through the Rhineland to the borders OF
Holland.
the work was accomplished in half the
time. "The merry Thomas" the
magnificent Thomas" the "'indus-
trious Thomas" were the names given
him by people far and wide, and when
he married and became the father Of a
son he was iollier than ever.
His wife seemed to partake of his
spirit, and his boy gave promise of be-
coming just such a happy soul. The
whole nelghborhood were happy in the
harmonious life of this joyous trio,
while each derived particular pleasure
in witnessing the felicity of the other
But suddenly, the lightning flash of cir
cumstances penetrated this happy home.
One bright morning, ak in hand, he
stood beside fallen tree, while wife
| and son stood near, ready to gather the
|
that fell beneath Thomas stroke.
| High over his head the gIittering
steel was raised, and, as his glance
noted tie reflected ray of sunshine fol-
lowing it, he shouted merrily, Wife,
sees't thou my meteor? Hui! is it not
verify like the flash of p" But the
shining metal and its attractive mete-
oric light did not disappear in the wood.
Glancing lightly over the bark, it en-
tered Thomas foot and there was no
time for useless tears. The wifes griev-
ing heart did not vent itself in idle
lamentations, but questioned, how was
she to get her husband home2
The other laborers had not arrived.
Thomas was always the first at work, as
now he was also the first to regain his
cheerfulness to encourage wife and child
in this trial. A spring near supplied
water to wash the wound that proved to
be severe, and the manly Anton divested
himself of his little shirt to bind it up
with.
This carefully done, Thomas set his
big white teeth firmly together, rose,
grasping with one hand the shoulder of
side by his wife, he ordered, "March
off, then all will be WE'LL
| Taking the shortest route home
obliged them to cross over railroad
track. Although this was forbidden
road for pedestrians, they considered it
| the best in this emergency. But here
misfortune overwhelmed them in terri
BILE earnest.
| At the first step, the sufferer caught
his wounded foot in the rail, stumbled,
| fell, throwing his boy into the middle of
the road, breaking the little fellows leg.
A helpless living mass they lay there,
and before both could be rescued from
their perilous bed the steaming, roar
ing monster of the road came tearing
down upon them, leaving their boy
a mangled, bleeding corpse the next in
slant before them.
Such was the story told by Thomas
and his wife to the Mortified and sympa-
thizing people.
But there must have been something
singular and mysterious connected with
this mournful event that remained I'M
told, a secret within their own heart,
for, spite of the repeated efforts to have
the story told again, they would always
answer, "You have heard it once"
while a shudder of horror would follow
at the remembrance.
Thus years passed without mitigating
the strange melancholy and deep deiec-
tion that had settled on this once merry
Thomas and his equally cheerful Ger
trude.
The wounded foot had long since re-
covered, and Thomas handled his ak
with his former strength, while his wife
was ever at his side. Want and care
were strangers in their home, and they
retained the love and respect of all, and
appeared to love each other as formerly.
No word of complaint ever passed their
lips, and still this perpetual sorrow that
had banished every smile from the face
of this once joyous couple.
Could tbs be the result of the tragic
death of their child? Naturally en-
dowed with a sound mind and body, q
disposition cheerful and ready to see
the bright side of all troubles that had
heretofore overtaken them, is was scarce
ly probable that such natures should
give themselves up entirely to this cease
less grief. There must be some secret
cause.
I left no pains untried to ingratiate
myself in their favor and obtain their
confidence. Not only curiosity was ex-
cited, but had a real psychological in
terest in the matter, and, / acknowledge,
Just the least suspicion of something
foul criminal secret, possibly an ac-
cident, that required but little light to
lead these people back to happiness.
It is not necessary to explain hOaO I
brought it about suffice it to say that |
one day in the presence of her husband, |
Frau Thomas unburdened her sadly op-
pressed heart to me in this WISE
CATER the birth of our child I was |
great deal happier and loved Thomas
better than ever when he was at my
side, but I could also enjoy his absence,
and not watch the window and door CON
stantly if he chanced to remain away |
longer than usual used to tease him |
frequently, and say, Somebody is well |
come to steal you, now 1 have got my |
baby He would laugh at me and then |
say, We'll, if you have no further use
for me, all right, and playfully leave |
the room as if in great anger, and bang |
the door. But I knew he was only in |
fun, and laughed, as if did not care. |
Nevertheless, my heart grew sad and |
was disturbed until his face again ap- |
peared at the door, and he would laugh |
at me with those great white teeth and |
say, husband or child, which? Then l |
quickly replied, Husband, OH the
husbandp
But it was so queer, for just as soon
as he was with me again, my spirit for |
teasing returned, and would say:
"I think it is the child after all
''Then he would take the boy from |
my breast and dance him ioyfully up
and down and say, You are rightI
''Then he would give me good kiss,
and thus our little innocent Jars were
never quarrels, and ended in perfect
content"
She gazed for moment silently be-
fore her, while Thomas sat nodding his |
head sadly.
"You see," she continued, sit is nee
essary to tell you all this. If it does
seem foreign to the real subject, it be-
longs to it, for it became a matter of |
most heartronding thoughts to us after
ward. This question asked in a joke
hecame q friphtful fact "