The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-05-14
How "tAunt Nlareha'' Prayed Him
- 0Qts
From the Detroit Free Press

11O AWWS NA1EemA'' Kf0yo0 HIM
Gut.
(From the Detroit Free Press.1
You've met her if you've lived long in
Detroit. A withered.up old woman, bow.
backed. gray-haired, having a cane in one
hand and carrying basket of notions in
the other. All who knew her knew her
as "Aunt Martha" and she's travelled up
and down, and been at the depot 30 often
that her death would be the occasion of
general remark. The old woman found
q new saloon on Franklin street the other
day-a place just opened by wicked Bob
Smith, whose red face and bloodshot eyes
have more than once been set in a frame
OF prison bars. "Aunt Martha, went in,
hoping to make small sale. Bob was
wiping his glasses, and half dozen men
sat around the stove holding glasses or
smoking cigars.
"Git out?' growled Bob, as the old
woman entered She did not hear him,
and, leaning over the counter she asked !:
"Would ye have paper of pins, a cake
of soap, comb, or something :"
"Git out, you old beggar!" shouted
Bob, raising his arm as if he would
strike.
I'm no beggar, and don't you dare to
strike mel" replied "Aunt MARTHA -
never moving an inch.
"Why, what's to keep me from wiring
ing your old neck if want TOT" inquir-
ed Bob.
"The Lord, sir !" she answered.
"Ho! ho! ho!''laughed Bob. "There,
take that!
And he deluged her with rinsings. The
filthy liquid struck her in the face and
ran down over her faded black shawl and
of2-washed calico dress, but she did not
move. Looking at him across the coun-
ter, she whispered:
"You need praying for, and 'migoing
to do it now and here.''
"Noiyou don't!' he shout as she
moved toward chair; "get out of here
or III smash your head with this bot.
tle!''
She never minded him, and he raised
the bottle for throw, when 4 sailor
rough. dissipated but having some man
hood left-leaped up and cried out:
"Bob Smith, ifyou throw that bottle
at her I'll staye your bulwarks in a pre-.
cious minute -
"You will, eh!'' whooped Bob. as he
danced out.
eyes, he will! ~ cried the rest, risin
up.
They were too many for Bob, and he
had to stand there while Aunt Martha
knelt on chair and prayed for him.
She was still praying when he dashed
out to kick her, but ''Foxy Hill," who
came out of State prison only month
ago, grabbed him by the throat, forced
him into chair, and Kissed:
"Bob Smith, if you harm hair of that
old woman's head, Ill make funeral
here!'
''Aunt Martha knelt again, folded her
hands, and said:
"Ihese young men were children not
long ago, and they had praying mothers
and God-fearing fathers. They are
walking in wicked paths, and their hearts
know no good. I pray that their eyes
may be opened to their wickedness, and
that their feet may be turned into other
and better paths!''
'She's right!' called out steamboat
man, as the old woman paused.
Shoot me if she ain - cried another.
go ahead, mother!'' shouted third.
"t'll be - if she does!' yelled the
infatuated Bob, and he reached her and
gave her heavy kick before any one
could interfere.
She screamed with pain as she rose up,
and then there came terrible silence.
Bob stood with his arm raised to strike.
Aunt Martha leaned on the chair,
tears rolling down her wrinkled cheeks,
and the half-a-dozen men were spell
bound with indignation. "Foxy Bill''
broke the silence by saying:
"Step out doors, mother, and look out
for splinters.
She obeyed, and Bob Smith was chok-
ed and pounded until his senses left him,
and everything that could be handled
Was thrown out Of doors. They worked
swiftly, fearing the police, and in five
minutes the saloon was wreck, and its
proprietor. still unconscious, was lying
behind the counter. The work finished.
the men disappeared like shadows, and
'Aunt Martha" hobbled away, whisper
ing:
Il prayed too hard; but it was in me
to pray!'