The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1874-01-24
Husband or Child7

so sure Of its aim, while raised between
the aky and its destined rest
His voice was the most cheerful and
his carol the merriest that reverbcrated
in the beautiful wood land that extended
through the Rhiuclaud to the borders
Of Holland.
Wherever his hands were employed,
the work was accomplished in half the
time. 'The merry Thomas the 'magu,
ficent Tho mas the industrious Thomas
were the names given him by TIE people
Tar and wide, ana when he married and
became tho father Of son he was jolier
than ever. .
His wife seemed to partake Of his
spirit and his boy gave promise of be
coming just such happy soul. The
whole neishborhood 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 fash of circum
stances penetrated this happy home.
One bright morning, axe in in hand
he stood beside a fallen tree, while wife
and son stood near, ready to gather TIE
fragments, and they were no mean chips
that fell beneath Thomas strtke
High over his head the glittering
| steel was raised, and, as his elance noted
the reflected ray OF sunshine following
it, he shouted mcrrily, 'Wife, see'st
thou my meteor q? Hui is it not verify
like the fash of one 2 But the shining
metal and its active mcteoric light did
not disappear within tho wood Glauciny
lightly ever the bark, it entered Thomas
foot and there was no time for useless
tears. fhc wife's gricving heart dill
not ve0t s'seaf in idle lamentations, but
quest iencd, how was she to get her hus
bnR& a,osae
The other laborcrs had not arrived.
Thomas was always the first ut work, as
uow he was also the first to regain his
cheerfulness to encour &c wife aud child
in this trial. A spring near supplied
| water to wash the wound that proved to
| be severe, and the manly Anton devested
himself of his little shrt t. bind it up
with.
This carefully done, Thomas set his
big white teeth frmly 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 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 tlfis enc, gcncy. But here
misfortune overwhelmed them in ter
rible earnest.
At the first step the sufferer eau sht
his wounded foot in the rail stumbled ;,
fell, throwing his little 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 peri!ous bed the st steaming, roaring
monster Of the road came tearing down
upon them, leaving their boy manglcd :,
bleeding corpse the next instant before
them.
Such was the story told by Thomas
and his wife to tho Mortified and sym
pathizing people.
But there must have been something
singular and mysterious connected with
this mournful event that remained un
told-a secret with their own hearts for,
spite of repeated endcavors to have the
story told again, they would always
answer, You have heard it once while
a shudder of horror followed at the
remembrance.
left no pains uutricd to ingratiate
myself in their favor aud obtain their
confidence. Not only curiosity was ex
oited, but | had real psychological in
terest In the matter, and acknowledge
just the least suspicion of something
foul; criminal secret, possibly an ac
cidcnt, that required but little light to
lead these people back to happiness.
1t is not necessary to explain how
brought it about suffice it is to say that
one day, in presence Of her husband,
Frau Thomas unburdencd her sadly
oppressed heart to mo in this wise:
"After the birth of our child was