Richland beacon., 1873-11-15
HUSBAND, OR CHILD?


No other Ak resounded through the
forest with such clear and decided
ring rs 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.
Wherever his hands were employed,
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 jollier 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 neighborAoOd were happy in the
harmonious life of this joyous trio,
while each derived particular pleasure
in witnessing tae 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 a fallen tree, while wife
and son std near, ready to gather the
fragments ID they were no mean chips
that fell beneath Thomas stroke.
High over his head the glittering
steel was raised, and, as his glance
noted the 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 one?" 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 wife's griev-
ing heart did not vent itself in idle
lamentations, but questioned, how was
she to get her husband home?
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
his boy, and, supported on the other
side by his wife, he ordered, "March
quick the house is not such long way
of, then all will be WE'LL"
Taking the shortest route home
obliged them to cross over railroad
track. Although this was a 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 rond, 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 un~
told, 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, 3"
while shudder of horror would follow
It the remembrance.
thus years passed without mitigating
g trange melancholy and deep dejec-
at had settled on this once merry
sand his equally cheerful Ger
ounded foot had long since re-
md Thomas handled his Ak
former strength. while his wife
icn' .! at his side. Want and care
rangers in their home, and they
d the love and respect of all, and
Il to love each other as formerly.
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 this be the result of the tragic
death OF their child? Naturally en-
dowed with o sound mind and body, a
disposition cheerful and ready to see
>&he bright side of all troubles that had
! sheretofOre overtaken them, is was scarce
Nobas.e that such natures should
amselves up entirely tothis cease
There must be some secret
.s,f lS1 n ss-Sr i-,ntried to ingratiate
:sSdence. Not oniFed OBTAIN tnear
Ssress Is ] had ress 1850 ssssac;",I % n ;n