The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-03-21

WITHOUT ITlcuuS, DOIHt VI hlHNltu uI'oi 'oi W
and look with longing eyes to the rest of thu
night of death Without friends, kindred, OF
home Ii was not so once"
No one could withstand the touching pa
thos of the old man. | noticed a tear rcm
bling on the lid of my fathers eye, and was
no more ashamed ofmy own.
"No, my friends; ii was not so once. Away
over the dark waves which have wrecked my
own hopes, there is a blessed light of happi
ness and home; l reach again convulslvely
for the dlrines of the household idols that
once were, now mine no more"
The old man seemed looking through fan
cy upon some bright vision his lips apart
and his fingers extended. / invoiuntarily
turned in the direction it was pointed, dread.
ing to see some shadow invoke by its move.
ments.
81 once had mother With her heart
crushed with sorrow, she went down TO the
grave. | once had Il wif1--a fair angel crca
ture as ever smiled in an earthly home Her
eyes as mild AS summers sky and her
heart as faithful and true as ever guarded and
cherished husbands love. Her blue eyes
grew dim as the floods Of sorrow washed
away their brightness, and the living heart
was wrung until every fibre was broken |
once had Il noble, a brave and beautiful boy,
but he was driven out from the ruins of his
IlOllC, OIt IINdil NtdliIS W NIlON u IiC
yet lives. | once had Il babe-a sweet ten
der blossom, but my hand destroyed it, and
it lveth with one who loves chIldcn.
"Do not be startled, friends | am not a
murderer in the common aCCcptatOn Of the
! term.
"Yct there is a light in my evening sky a
spirit mother rejoiCes over the return Of her
prodigal SON The wife smiles upon him who
again turns back to virtue and honor. The
child angel visits me at night fall, and feel
the hallowing touch Of Il tiny palm upon my
fcvcrsh check. My brave boy if lie yet
lives, would forgive the sorrowing old man
for the treatment which drove him into the
world and the blow which manned him for
life. God forgive me for the ruin | have
brought upon me and mincm
He again wiped tear from his eye Ny
father watched him with strange interest,
and countenancc unusually pale and cXcit
ed by some strange emotion.
81 was once fanatic, and mady followed
the malign light which led me to rum. | |
was Il fanatic when | sacrificed my wife, |
children, happiness and home, to the occurs !
ed demon of the bowl. once adOred the
gentle being whom | injured so much,
81 ,oas 0nce drunLurd From respccta
bility and ailluence | plunged INTO degreda-
ton and poverty. | dragged my family down
with me. For years saw her check pale,
and her step grow weary | LETT her alone
amid the wreck of her home idols, and rioted
ut the tavern. She never complained, yet
she and the children went hungry for bread
zone new years night | returned late to
the hut where charity had given us roof She
was still up and shIvcrng over the Goals
demanded food she burst into tears, and told
me there was none | fiercely ordered her to
get some. She turned her eyes sadly upon
me, the tears falling fast over her pale face
cheek. Al this moment the child in the era.
die aWokc, and set up furnishing wall,
startling the dcspairing mother like a ser
pcnts sting. We have no food, James. | i
have had none for two days | have nothing
for the babe. My kind husband must we
starvc" That sad, pleading face, and those
streaming eyes, and the feeble wall of the
child maddcncd me, and Yes, struck |
her hcrcc blow in tie face, and she fell for
ward upon the hearth. The powers Of hell |
burned in my bosom, and with deeper intcn-
sty rs felt | had committed wrong |
had never struck Mary before, but now some
terrible impulse bore me on, and | stopped
as well as | could in my drunken state, and
elenched both hands in her hair God of
mercy, James" exclaimed my wife, as she
looked up in my tiendish countenance, you
VIII not XIII us; you will not harm Willie
and she sprang to the cradle, ana graSped il
him in her embrace | caught her again by
the hair, dragged her to the door, and us | |,
lifted the latch, the wind blrs, in with a
cloud OF snow. With the yell of hcnd, l.
still dragged her on, and hurried her out in
to the storm. With wild ha ha! | closed
The door and turned the button, her pleading
means mingling with the wall OF Tie blast
and the sharp cry Of her babe. But my work
Tnulplnt. I tDrpnl o., Il, l,,l
where lay my eldest son, and SnatChcd him
from his slumbcrS; and against his haliawak.
'ncd struggles, opened the door and thrust
him ont Ia the agony of fear hc called to
IN" 10y name was ne longer II: to bear
Ind locked ms fingers into my side pocket. |
Gould not wrench that trcnzcd grasp away, /
md with the GOODNESS Of Il devil, rs was,
hut the door upon his arm, and with my
initc severed it at the wrist"
The speaker ceased a moment, and buried
lis face in his hands, as if to shut out some
eartul dream, and his deep chest hcaved like
sormswcpt sea. My father had arisen from
lis seat and was leaning forward, his Coun.
enancc bloodlcss, and the large drops stand.
ne out upon his brow Chills crcpt back
o my young heart, and | wished | was at
lomc. The old man looked up, and never
ave since behcld such mortal agony pictur-
Ipon human face rs there was on his
at was morning when | awoke, and the /
torn had ceased, but the cold was intense
first secured drink of water, anl then
ookcd in the accustomed place for Mary
~ | missed her for the first time, shadowy ,
snse Of some horrible nightmare began to /
lawn upon my wandering mind. thought !
had fearful dream, but | involuntarily
'pcncd the outside door with q shuddering
Tread. As the door opened, the snow burst
n, followed by something across the thrcsh-
Id, scattering the snow and striking the floor
With sharp, bad sound My blood shot
ike rcdhut arrows through my veins, and |,
ubbed my eyes TO keep out the sight Twas !
% God how horriblc!-my own injured
Nary aud her babe, frozen stiff. The ever
rue mother had bowed herself over the child
o shield ii, her own person stark and bare
o the storm. She had placed her hair over
lie face Of the child, and the slcct had frozen
il to the white cheek The frost was white
in its naifoprncd eyes and upon its tiny fin