, 1873-10-19
HUSBAND, OR CHlLD7

I eR"p w 1aHatg &&. dNHHNETs
No other Ak resouudod through the fores
With such clear and decided ring as that WELD
cd by Thomas none other so suro OF It's aim
I "hi]o raised botwoon sky and ita destined rest.
Ills Yoico Was tho moat cheorfu1 and Ills caro-
the morricst that royerbcratod in tho beautiful
| woodland that extended through tho Rhinoland
| to tho borders Of Holland.
Wheroyor his hands wcro employed, tho work
Was accomplished in half tho time. "The mer-
~ Thomas" tho 'smagnincont Thomas" tho
industrious Thomas" we're tho names giyon
him by people far and ,Eido, and when he mar
rioa and bocano the father Of son Lo was
1ollier than evor.
Els wifo seemed to pnrtako Of his spirit, and
bis boy gavo promise Of becoming Just such
happy soul. The whole noighborhood wore hap
~ in tho harmonious life of this joyous trio,
whtlo each dcrivod particular pleasure in wit.
Messing tho felicity Of tho other. But suddenly,
tho lightning flash Of circumstances penetrated
this happy home.
Ono bright morning, * in hand, he stood be-
side fallen troo, wlllo wlfe aud son stood uoar,
ready to gather the Fragments, aud they were no
mean chiEs that fell beneath Thomas stroke.
High over bis head tho glitterng steel was
ralsod, and, as his glance noted the reflected ray
OF sunshino following it, ho shouted mcrritY.
"Wife, acest thou my meteor7 Hui is it not
vorily like tie Hash Of ono3" But the shining
motal and its attractive mesoorio light did not
disappear within the wood. 1laucng lightly
over the bark, it ontercd ThomnR' foot and thero
vas no time for useless toars Tho slfc's griev-
Ing heart did not won't itself iu idle lanaonta-
tlons. but questioned, how was she to get hor
husband h0me7
The other laborers had not arrived Thomas
was always tho first at work, na now he was
nlRo the first to regain his chcerfulness to on
courage wife and child in this trial, A anrine
N1lr,131fRd 1SntAr n ft.a ~.
proved to bo severe, aud tho manly Anton d.
vested himself Of his little shirt to bind 1t up
with.
This carefully done, Thomas SGT his big white
toot6 firmly together, roHo, grasping With one
hand tho shoulder Of Lis boy, and, supported on
the other Blde by his wife, ho ordered, "AIasol,
quick the house is not such . long way of,
then all will bo we'll"
to cross oyera railroad track. Although this
whs forbidden road Tor pedestrians, they cor
sldered it tho best in thiH emergency. But hero
misfortune overwhelmed them in terrible ear
nest.
At the first atop, tho sufferer caught his
wounded foot in the rail, stumbled, fell, throw
ing hH boy into the middle of the road break
ing the iitto fellows log.
A. helpless, LYING mass thoy lay there, and be-
lore both could be rescued from tdeir porilous
bed tho sseaining, roaring monster Of the road
camo tearing down upon them, leaving their boy
= man,slea, bleeding corpse tile next instant be-
10fe them.
Such WAS tho story told By Thomas and his
wife to the horritied aud bynpathiziug people,
But tloro must have been something singular
nnd mysterious connected with this mournful
event TINT remained untold, secret within their
own own heart, m for' spite Ct repeated endeayors to
awor, You have heard it once, while shudder
Of horror followed at tho remembrance,
Thus years passed without mitigating tho
strange melancholy and deep detection that had
n /.
equally ohoorful Gertrude.
The wounded foot had long since recovered,
and Thomas handled his Ak with his former
strength, while his wife WAS over at his aido.
want aud care were strangers in their homo, and
they retained tho love aud respect OF ali. and
appeared to lovo each othor az formerly. No
word OF complaint eyor passed their lirp. aud
still this perpetual SORROW that Ind bauishel
couple
Could this bo tile result of tho tragic death Of
their child7 Naturally endowed with a Bound
mind and body, a disposition cheerful, and ready
to SEQ tho bright side OF all troubles that bud
heretofore oYortakon them, it WAS scarcely prob
ablo TINT such natures should give thonlselyTca T up
entirely to thia ceaaolcss grief. There must be
eome secret cause.
left no pains untr1ed to ingratiato myself in
their favor and obtain their confidence. Not only
curiosity WAS cxcltod, but had roal psycholog-
Ical interest fn the matter, md, acknowledge,
just tho loa8t suspicion Of something foul q |
criminal secret, possibly an accident, that re-
qu!rod but little light to lead these people back
to happinesa
It is not necessary to explain ho.o brought ii |
about suffice it TO say that ono day, III presence
Df hor husband. frau Thomas unburlened her |
sadly oppressed heart to nsc in this wiso:
Aftor tho birth of our child was = great |
loal Happier and loved Thomas bottor thnn
nver whom he was at my side, but could also
on1oy Lis absence, and not watch window aud |
loor constantly if he chancel to 1oman away