Wilmington journal., 1874-01-16
HUSBAND OR CHILD.


ring as that welded by Thomas none
ed between the sky and its destined
rest.
His voice was the most cheerful and
his carol the ,aerriest that reverOerat-
ed in the beautiful woodland that ex-
tended through the Rhineland to the
borders Of Holland.
Wherever his hands were employed,
the work was accomplished in half tho
time. The merry Thomas" the
magnificent Thomas the 'indus-
trioCs Thomas" wers the lanes gzven
him by the people far and wide, and
when he married and became the
father of a son he wss iollier than
eveE
His vile seemed tn r3srtako Of his
spirit and his boy gave promise Of lse-
coming just such a happy soul. The
whole neighborhood were happy in
the harmonious life Of this joyous trio,
while eech derived a particular pleas
uro in Witnessing the felicity of the
other. But suddenly the lightning
fash of circumstances penetrated this
happy home.
One bright morning, axe u hand,
he stood beside Il fallen tree, while
wife and son stood near, ready to
gather tho fragments, and they were
no mean chips that fell beneath
Thomas stroke.
High over his head the slii.ering
steel was raised, aad, as his glance
noted the reflected ray of sunshine fol-
lowing it, he shouted merrily, "Wife,
see'st thou my meteor? Hui! is il not
verify like the flash sf one?" But the
shining metal and its active meteoric
light did not disappear within the
wood. Glancing lightly over the bark
it entered Thomas foot, and there was
no time for useless tears. The wife's
grieving heart did not vent itself in
idle lamentations, but questioned,
how was she % 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 oheerfuiness to encourage vile and
child in this trial. A spring near sup
piled 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 baud the shoulder
of his boy, and supported on the other
side by his wife, he ordered. March
quick! the house is not such a long
way of, then all will be we'll.
Taking the shortest route home OBJ
liged them to cross over railroad
track. Although this was forbidden
road for pedestrians, they considered
it the best III this emergency. But
here misfortune overwhelmed them in
terrible earnest.
At the first stcI, the sufferer caught
his wounded foot i'll the rail, stumbled,
fell. throwing bis little hoy into the
middle of the road. breaking the little
fellow leg.
Y helpless, living mass, they lay
there, and before both could be res
cuei FROM their perilous bed the
stsaulin@. roaring monster of the road
came tearing down upon tie:.,, leaving
their boy mangled, bleeding corpse
the next instant before them.
Such was the story told by Thomas
and his wife to the Mortified aud SYM
pathizing people.
But there must have been something
singular and mysterious connected
with this mournful event that remain
ed untold--a 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 shudder of hor-
ror followed at the remembrance.
/ left no pains untried to ingratiate
myself in their favor and obtain their
confidence. Not only curiosity was
excited, but I had real psychologist
u i,,k,,
knowledge Just the least suspicion OF
something foul: criminal secret, pos
sibly an accident, that required but
little light to lead these people back to
happiness.
1t is unnecessary to explain how I
brought it about suffice it to say
that one day, in presence Of her hus-
band, Frau Thomas unburdened her
sadly oppressed: h car: to mo in this
wise:
AFTER the birth Of our child | was
Il great deal happier. and loved Thomas
better than ever ~llcn he was at my
side, bat couId also enjoy his ab-
sonce, and not watch window aud door
constantly if he CHARGED tp relanin
away longer than usual. I used to
tease him frequently and say: Some
body is welcome to steal you, iluT I've
go. my baby. He would laugh at ME
theD, saying: Well. il you have 10
further use for HE. all right, and play
fully leave tho room as il IN dreadful
anger. and bang the door. But /
knew lie was only in fun, auu laughed
as il | did not csre. Nevertheless,
my heart grew sad aud was disturbed
until his fac: again appeared 1T the
do or, and be would laugh at me with
those great white teeth aud say: 'Hus-
band or olii'i. which !? Then ] quick
lY replied: 'Hurtansl. oh. :he hns.
band
But j; ta- ss. queer, for inst us
soon aa he W:,s witt Lac again, 1,y
spirit 'nt ie:3ain. tei,irut,l ana would
say:
I think II i tile child, alter ali
Then iio e.uuli take tile boy iron
my bregst and ,ls,n..c him iovfully up
and down. and say. You ara right.
Then h. uould give me- good
kiss, and thus ouc little Innocent tJars'
were neye. suarrela, and ended in per
feet Contentment
She gazed for a moment silently be
fore her. while Thomas sat nod4lipg
his head silently.
ssYou fee." She continued, "it is
necessary to ell you all this. Ii it
does seem foreign to the real subject,
it belongs to it. for it became O mat
ter of most heartrendering thoughts to
rs afterward. This quettion. asked
i'll a joke. became frightful fact"
The wmoan was 50 overcome she