Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1874-04-09


= of mercy don't tell any one what yo
have seen.'
r The man made no promises as be de
% parted, and shut the door.
J? Mrs. NJ. am even sorry you ar
It here. | would hide this from all tn
: world. Would that l could hide
from heaven. But know | can trus
l. you. What shall l do with him?'
d This horrid, unexpected scene at tn
e door had found US both too bewilderet
e to act, and for moment longer VI
e looked helplesSly at each other.
r Then her husband muttered, What
b the use standing here? and he stagger
!: ed into the parlor.
t Near the door stood a dainty little
table with Mrs. Elliott'S bridal wreath
t and bouquet upon it, encased in glas;
: cover. He stumbled against this anO
, fell with it crashing to the floor. The
|; warmth of the room with the excess Of
( liquor that he had drank now produced
Nausea, and, Sickening to behold, the
flowers that had crowned his brides
, brow were now fOuled literally, even
=. as his action had stained her fair, pure
name.
1t was awful-it was horrible, even
to me, beyond the power of words to
eXpreSs-to see that proud, refined
gentleman grovelling helplessly, like
a vile beast in his own filth, in that
sweet little parlor, that dainty casket OF
his priceless jewel. But what must it
have been to his wife?
She did moi faint, as / feared, or be-
come hyst, rical, but the anguish of her
look would melt Il fiinty heart. With
clasped hands she stood above her hus-
band till he became somewhat quiet,
as plying angel might. Oh, the con-
t,ast she made to hin! Oh, the mighty
triumph OF love, that she did not turn
away in disgust!
As soon as she could, she took his
head in her lap, and said in low, firm
voice:
'Vinton, how did it happen? Tell
me ALL
Nothing much's happened he hic-
coughed. Met some friends at Harry
HilPs-took little too much-that'sall.
Harry Hills, Harry Hill's,' she NUT
! tered, as if some new light was dawning
upon her.
L have dwelt too long upon these
painful scenes, but they seem burnt
upon my memory, and my mind will
revert to them, even though TO think
of them is torture. He was not vio-
lent, though somewhat obstinate and
profane. Al last she got him to bed,
and he fell into heavy stuIOr. AS she
returned to me in the dining-room,
where there was a fire, / said:
Il will not leave you tonight
She thanked me by silent pressure
of my hand, and we sat down to watch
together as before, but with the awful
certainty of evil instead of expectation.
In the depths of my soul l trembled |
for her. She might stand one or two !
such shocks, but the moment she lost |
faith in her husbands will or power 10 |
refrain from the cause of his present |
condition she would die. Her hold |
upon life was too fragile as it was.
She stepped to her husbands side !
from time to time, and then came and |
sat down. Her brows were contracted, |
as if in deep thought or the formation |
of a purpose. Her eyes had a fixed, |
solemn look that contrasted strangely |
with her fair young face. AT last she |
asked suddenly: s-a-. -.l-z....-.
where is this Harry Hill's?'
/ told her.
Morning came, after seeming age. |
We had claansed and righted the par
lor as we'll as we could. The cook got |
breakfast as usual, and was told that
her master was sick. l tried to autici-
pate Mrs. Elliott in obtaining the
morning paper from the newsbOy, but |
she was too quick for me. With dila-
ting eyes she scanned the columns,
then, with a cry of anguish, dropped
the paper.
fh's all here,' she groaned, and she
writhed and wrung her hands as if in
intense bodily anguish.
1t was, true enough, and with an ed
itOrial paragraph ofcomment upon it.
A reporter Of the paper was in the hab-
it OF feeling some of the night guardi-
ans of the city for any item of Interest
that came to their knowledg, The po-
liceman knew that this scandal of VIM
ton Elliott would be well paid for, and
he was not tine man to lose several dol
lars on any sentimental grounds. Even
the night editors sensibilities seemed
shocked over the affair, for he had
written:
Thugs have come to a sad pass
when such men as Elliott get down in /
the streets. If the praying and sing
ing women can do US any good, they |
had better come at once. Harry Iiili's
establishment, with all its style, is one
of the most mischievons places in
town. etc.
After few moments she again seiz-
ed the paper.
'Oh leave il alonen l cried. You've
had more than you can endure now.
Il am not chiidi' she answered, al
most fiercely. L intend to know and
face the worst of this matter and with
a white, stern face she read every
word, and then sat for Il few moments
with the old thoughtful contraction of
brow. Suddenly she started up with a
look of fixed purpose, and asked:
How long do you think he will
sleep?'
Several hours
fThen come with me-
'Where?'
TO Mrs. Judge Ashman's.'
The judges family was just sitting
down to breakfast when we arrived.
why, Mrs. Elliott, and Mrs. NJ,
tool. exclaimed that good lBdy, in un-
feigned surprise. what is the matter?
Surely this is not a social CALL
No. said Mrs. Elliott, impetuously,
it is not. Mrs. Ashmau, take back
all L said about ladies going to liquor
saloons, in order to break them up if
they can. am, going to Harry Hills
to-day, if l go alone. He about the
same as murdered my husband last
night and she briefly told her story.
L am going there this very morning.
she continued. He must resist wife's
prayers and wife's curses if he sells
my husband one drop more. Will you
60 with me?
Mrs. Ashman's features We're work.
ing with deep emotion, but the stately
judge now joined us from the dining
room, and demonstrated:
Really, Mrs. Elliott, greatly SYM
af ~. .