The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1874-03-13
the dining-room, where there was a fire.

my hand. and We SAT down 10 watch TO-
gether as before. but with the awful GER
tainty Of evil instead of its expectation.
In the depths of my soul 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 10 her husband ; side from
time 10 time. and then came and sat
down. Her -ye- had a fixed. solemn
look thar co.. ,SJed strangely with her
fair young / -. Al last she asked sud
denly:
Where is this Harry HilIst
| told her.
Morning came. after a seeming age
We had clcansed and righted the parlor
as well as We could. The cook got break
fast "a usual, and was told that her mas
ter was sick. tried to anticipate Mrs.
Elliott in obtaining the morning paper
from the newsboy, but she was too quick
for NE. With dilating eyes she scanned
the columns; then, with a cry of anguish.
dropped the paper.
Its all here. she grOaned. and She
wTithed and wrung her hands as if in in-
tense bodily anguish. -
1t was, true enough, and with an edi-
tOrial paragraph Of comment upon it. A
reporter of the paper was in the habit of
feeling some of the night guardians of
OF the city for any item of interest that
come to their knowledge The police
man knew that this scandal of Vinton
Elliott would be well paid for, and lie
was not the man 10 lose several dollars
on any sentimental grounds. Even the
night editors sensibilities seemed shock
ed over the affair, for he had written:
Things have come TO sad pass when
such UIen as Elliott get down into the
streets. If the praying and singing wo-
men can do us any good, they had better
came at once. Harry Hills establish
ment is the most mischievous place in
town. etc
After few moments she again seized
the paper.
''Oh, leave it alone,' cried. You've
had more than you can endure now"
Il ami not child" she answered. al
most fiercely Il intend TO know and
face the worst of this matter" and with
a white, stern face she read every word.
and then sat for few moments with the
old thoughtful contraction OF brow.
Suddenly she started up with look of
fixed purpose and asked:
How long do you think he will Sleep!"
Several hours"
Then come with me"
.'WhereI'
''ro Mrs. Judge AShman's. "
The judges family was Just sitting
down To breakfast when we arrived
why, Mrs. Elliott. and Mrs NJ.
too. exclaimed that good lady, in un-
feigned surprise. What is the matter.
Surely, this is NORA social call"
NO, said Mrs Elliott inpetuouslv.
lit isnOt. Mrs. Ashman. take back all
| said about ladies going 10 liquor sa-
looms. in order to break them up if they
can. L am going to Harry IIilrs to-day.
if | go alone. He about the same as
murdered my husband last night" and
she briefly told her story. Il am going
there this very morning. she continued
''lle must resist a wife's prayers and
wife's curses if he sells my husband one
drop more. VIII you go with me-
Mrs. Ashman's features were working
with deep emotion. but the stately Judge
now joined Us from the dining-room, and
demonstrated:
Really, Mrs Elliott, | greatly syInpa-
tlIize with you, for have read the pain
full account in the morning paper, but /
hope you viii do nothing rash You
will only expose yourself to insult, and
accomplish nothing. Perhaps you may
obtain some legal redress"
With a dignity and impressiveness
which even he had never possessed upon
the bench, the aroused wife silenced him
with gesture.
''YOu are not equal to this matter,
Judge Ashman." she said. nor are your
legal forms. During the past night |
have seen my own grave open, and in
; it buried life, youth, happiness. What
is far worse, | have seen the yawning
grave of my husband. and know it TO
be the mouth of hell. And do Won ask
me to go to law about such matters
Harry Hill and his kind are digging these
graves. never realized it before. Sure
ly, he does not. Unless he is a fiend. he
will cease his vile traffic when tell him
the truth. | tell You | 1rW 90. if ! go
alone! You may as well ask the light
ming not to strike when the storm is at
its height"
George cried Mrs Ashman. in a
voice of anguish, chow often has our
own son been drunk at that same Harry
Hillsl" .r-.-
The judge turned pale and abruptly
left the room
''YOu shall not go alone" continued
Mrs. Ashman, sObbing on Mrs. EIliott's
shoulder; "a score of women that |
know OF, smitten by this terrible curse,
L.
way. Some are rich and some are poor,
but we all have common ground iii this
matter. | will send them word.
After a little consultation it was ar
ranged that We should start from Mrs.
Judge AslIman's at eleven. Much; as i
shrank from the undertaking. | deter
mined to remain at the side of my below
ed Mrs. Elliott. We called on a few
personal friends and stated our purpose,
but so far from joining us they seemed
dismayed at the very idea
Mrs. Elliott then returned TO her un-
conscious husband. One look at him
seemed to turn her delicate frame into
steel, and at little before eleven she
walked to Mrs. Ashmans with as firm a
trerd rs ever a soldier marched into bat
tie.
shall never forget the group that we
found assembled in the judges parlor.
There were young faces present besides
that of Mrs. Elliott But all were pale
and lined with care-all were solemn with
an earnest purpose, and touched with
the pathos of suffering.
Ladies'. this is Mrs. Elliott said Mrs
Ashman, simply.
All rose TO receive their leader and
she assumed control with the simplicity
and dignity which only noble natures
can attain
In the main you are strangers TO me,
she said, but our common danger and
our common wrong knit our souls to-
gether as one. The evil which threatens
our lives and homes has grown so des-
perate that ii seems TO require a desperate
remedy. Ii is a terrible cross for us
weak, timid women 10 go on this mis-
sion. 1t brings back to us the days of
martyrdom. Yesterday / thought |
would die rather than do this. Now |
feel that / would die if did not go. for
dearer life than mime is in peril. | be-
heve that | but imperfectly express the
| feelings of each one here God seems
to be enabling our sisters in other places
TO save their dear ones. In his name let
us go forth TO like rescue. and before we
! 60. let us kneel TO Him in silent prayer
for help and guidance.
We knelt, but the prayer was not 81
lent. There were sobs and groans and
involuntary cries.
At last we sailed forth, pale, but as
determined little phalanx AZ ever as
saulted death-swept breach 1t was
sleeting, but We carried no umbrellas.
This was not n pleasure excursion We
| marched as soldiers do.
Our appearance upon the street soon
! attracted attention. People spoke hur-
/ ,-iaIlv- .,-I