The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-02-28

EpUsDsthu UT khiNus
No other axe resounded through the for
est with such clear and decided ring as
that welded by Thomas; no other so sure
of its aim, while raised between sky and
its destined rest.
His voice was the most cheerful and his
carol the merrest 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 industrious Thomas were
the names given him by the people far and
wide, and when he married and became the
father Of son he was jollier than ever.
His wife seemed to partake of his spirit
and his boy gave promise of becoming Just
such happy soul. The whole neighbor-
hood were happy in the harmonious life of
this joyous trio; each derived a particular
pleasure in Witnessing the facility of the
other. But suddenly, the lightning flash,
of circumstances penetrated this happy
home
One bright morning, axe in hand, he
stood beside fallen tree, while wife and
son stood near, ready to gather the frag-
ucHts. anu tucN WtTt ITO Illtun CHIPS Illt.I
fell beneath Thomas stroke.
High over his head the glttering steel
was raised, and, as his glance noted the re-
Elected ray of sunshine following it, he
shouted merily, wife, sees't thou my me-
teor? Hui Is it not verify like the flash OF
oneT But the shining metal and its attrac-
tive meteoric light did not disappear within
the wood. CHANGING lightly over the bark,
it entered Thomas foot and there was no
time for useless tears. The wife's greving
heart did not vent itself in idle lamenta-
tons, 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 Invested 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 10y his wife, he
ordered, March, quick The house is not
such long way off then all will be well.
Taking the shortest route home obliged
them to cross over a railroad track. Al
though this was forbidden road for pedcs-
TRANS, they considered it the best in this
emergency. Bnt here misfortune over
whelmed them in terrible earnest
At the first step the sufferer caught hi,
wounded foot in the rail, stumbled, fell
throwing his boy into the middle of TIL
road, breaking the little fellows leg.
helpless, living mass they lay there
and before both could be rescued from thei,
perilous bed, the steaming, roaring mon
ster of the road came tearing down upon
them, leaving the boy a mangled bleeding
corpse the next instant before them.
Such was the history told by Thomas
and his wife to the Mortified and sympa-
thizing people.
But there must have been something sin
gular and mysterious connected with this
mournful event that had remained untold
secret within their own hearts, for, spite
of repeated endeavors to have the story
told again, they would always answer,
You have heard it once while shuddeI
of horror followed at the remembrance.
Thus years passed without mitigating the
deep melancholy and detection that had
settled on the once merry Thomas and his
equally cheerful Gertrude.
The wounded foot had long since recov-
cred and Thomas handled his axe with his
former strength, while his wife was ever at
his side. Want and care were strangers at
their home, and they retained the love and
respect of all, and appeared to love each
other as fondly. No word of complaint even
passed their lips, and still this perpetual
sorrow had banished every smile from the
faces of this once joyous couple.
Could this be the result of the tragic
death of their child? Naturally endowed
with sound miEd and body, disposition
cheerful, and ready to see the bright side
of all troubles that had heretofore over
taken them, it was scarcely probable that
such natures should give themselves M
entirely to this ceaseless grief. There must
be some secret cause.
/ left no pains untried to ingratiate my.
self in their favor and obtain their conf
dence. For not only was curiosity excited
hut | had real psychological interest in
the matter, and acknowledged just the least
suspicion Of something foul criminal Sc.
cret, possibly an accident, that required but
little light to lead these people back to hap.
piness.
1t is not necessary to explain how
brought it about; suffice it to say that ono
day, in presence of her husband. Frau
Thomas unburlened her sadly oppressed
heart to me in this wise.
AFTER the Dlfth OF our child l was great
deal happier and loved Thomas better than
ever when he was at my side, but could
also enjoy his absence, and not watch win
dow and door constantly if he CHANGED ia
remain away longer than usual. used to
tease him frequently, and say, Somebody
is welcome to steal you now I've got my
baby He would laugh at me then, say
ing, 'Well if you have no further use for
me, all right and playfully leave the room
as If in dreadful anger, and bang the door.
But knew he was only in fun, and laugh
ed, as If did not care. Nevertheless, my
heart grew sad, and was disturbed until his
face appeared again at tho door, and he
would laugh at me with those great, white
teeth, and say, Husband or child, which ?
Then quickly replied, Husband, oh ! the
Husband
But it was so queer, for just as soon as
he was with me again, my spirit for teas
ing returned, and would say:
Il think it is the child, after ALL
Then he would take the boy from my
breast and dance him joyiully up and down
and say, you are right
Then he would give me kiss, and thus
our little innocent, Jars were never quar-
rels, and ended in perfect content
She gazed for a moment silently before
her, while Thomas sa. nodding his head
sadly.