The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1874-03-20

the finerv that was purcha~-l with EIv
own money spCrted ON the person Of
another oh YES. ! viii put on these
fine thing. and see how they Will com
pare with my present home. with those
emaciajed limbs. and the garments that
scarcely hide them Shall ] Lot look
ike queen Saying this Side turned
away with hollow laugh. leaving lne
with the third. who, with re>olute arm,
seated me on the steps of building
beside which stood. and speedily taking
of my best gaiterS. and lambs wool
stockings. put them on her almost naked
feet, muttering TO herself, Il have need
ed them sOrely. sorely. How cruel in
the heartleSs thief TO keep them from
IiIe,'
once more was left alone If could
have sunk into the earth, gladly would
| have done 81. But no. there | SAT
dressed only in under garments. and
looking more like d ghost than a living
creature. But had not Vet reached the
climax of horror. Another female ap-
pcared in the distance; she approached.
and ! felt Il death-like sickness ~ She
stood before me. | tried 10 close my
eyes against the spectre, but could not.
Size was tie perfect picture Of despair;
and. besides. there was something in her
look that overawed, that made me quail
like criminal. Laying her hand on the
full white skirt that flowed at my feet,
and examining its texture, she said iii a
low. thrilling voice, Yes, this will do;
it is beautiful, very beautiful indeed.
and should it not but purchase with the
money that was tOiled for by these poor
hands, while my darling angel lay moan
ing in his hard cradle, and | could not
take him up-could not hush him on my
bosom! woman, she said, looking me
in the face with gaze | shall never for
get. Il will take this linen now, for it is
needed. and | have no money 10 buy
more" ] did not answer her; had lost
all power of utterance. There was a
calm. despairing expression i'll her eyes
that froze me. She fastened them on
ire a moment, and pereeiving my shud-
der of horror at the idea of being utterly
deprived of clothing, and left as a gazing
stock in the public street, she drew back,
saving, No, sinful, condemned woman
no. | cannot take away thy covering.
o my child, my cherub, my cherub, my
blessed angel of heaven, thou art inno-
Ctlll. Dul sit II EulllH W. AilelNAt1lAl Il
had thought to take it for shrOud, to
lay out my dead baby, my murdered
child-murdered by the cruelty Of a
drunken father, There he lies, in liis
pillowless cradle, with the little soiled
frock he has worn for week still on himl
| could not 90 TO the neighbOrs for a
shroud. / could not beg when | knew
there was cloth of my own, so white, so
fine, so suitable. But no, l will not
take it from you! If | am mother, l
am Il woman. Better that | should
forbear-better that any innocent one
should go to his grave uncovered. He
has never sinned; let him lie i'll his pure
nakedness. Gods angels shall spread
over him their spotless wings. Keep thy
ill-gutten clothing. 1t may shield thy
form from the gaze of man. but it cannot
shield thy soul from the curse of the
chiIdless muther-:ie Drunkard's S Wife,"
o my husband, the sound of that
voice is ringing in my ears this moment.
Perhaps | an weak and foolish; but
truly as | am alive and sitting here, l
will never use one of those articles of
dress again. | will put on mourning,
and eat bread and water: | will see no
cOmpany-no, never will show my face
to the world; never will | set my foot
into the street again, so long as | am the
wife of Il rIImselIer