American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-04-17
VOL. XIV.

| while away the lonesome time by read
ing and thinking; but my book proved
tedious and my thoughts became sad
My fears were for Jack. l cried with
sheer, nervous fright. "What can delay
him so?" cried. "Oh! what trouble is
in store for me?" Then my better sense
came to my aid What use in idle re
but with little relish.
As l watched my sleeping infant the
stiffness of the night was suddenly
broken bya wild, unearthly yell! The
| wolves in the swamp some distance OFT
l covered and shrank. What if Jack,
determined on coming home, had faced
the night and those terrible foes!
Nerving myself with great effort, !
stole to the window and fastened the
shutter tremblingly. Terry barked vio-
| lently at this moment, and awOke my
baby, which diverted my thoughts for
a while, until had petted and nursed it
into another soft slumber. heaped on
fresh wood. The night was far ad-
| vanced, but could not go to bed. In
deed, felt thoroughly sleepless; and,
| drawing my low rocking chair to the fire,
sat down. l must have slept some time
when long, low whine from the dog
aroused me. He was standing facing the
window, his ears erect, his hair bristling,
listening attentively.
"Terry, poor boy, good dog" I whis-
pered, trembling, "what is it?"
How long the silence lasted cannot
say; all at once it seemed to me as if
some one or thing was creeping round
the shanty-round, slowly feeling it's
way. There was a crunching sound in
the snow, at first faint, now quite dis
tinct. And now, too, the dogs behavior
changed. With a fierce bark he dashed
forward to the door. at this moment.
On the glass on the window, came a vio-
lent rapping-a rapping, it seemed, of
human fingers! l smothered a shrek,
and sank on my knees. Then, again,
Jack came before me, and l approached
the easement. But the loud barking of
child stupefied all other sound. opened
the shutter, and, raising the screen,
looked into the darkness. 1 recoiled
with shrek! Awhile face was pressed
against the glass on the outside-a face
SO wild and CHASTITY that it looked moth
ing in this world. Involuntarily l
glanced at the window again. 1t was
there still. Then tapping on the pane
the hands strove to open the sash. With
yell Terry sprang forward; but l
caught him ere he could break through
the window, and the face disappeared.
But now at the door the knocking was
repeated. Holding back the dog, bent
my ear to the chink and listened.
Let me in, for Gods sake" moaned a
hoarse voice. Il am a dying man; let
me die in the light. Woman, woman, l
beg Of you, let me in~
"WhO are you." asked. "Do know
youg"
LET me in. am dying! He is hunt
ing met" he screamed; and then, as it
seemed, fell, for felt the door shake as
if he had clutched it
THE wolves are after him" thought,
and hesitating not an instant undid the
fastenings and opened the door. He
had fallen, and lay across the threshold
as if dead. Kneeling down lifted his
head; he was not insensible. At first 1
thought that it was drink that allied him,
but his face disproved that. 1t was
pinched and white, and like the face of
a dying man, as he called himself. l
helped him to a sitting posture, then to
his feet. He staggered in, and sank
down again when he reached the hearth.
His hands were benumbed. His teeth
chartered with cold, and his clothes were
wet and torn. Altogether, he looked the
picture of wretchedness and misery. His
wild eyes were riveted ON the door.
"Shut it," he whispered. keep him
out for -"
Iquickly closed the door and fastened
it. Then giving him little cordial it
revived him greatly.
My poor fellow, are you better?"
He nodded.
The fires heat seemed to make him
drowsy; SO, getting a blanket and some
skins, made him kind of bed. He
laid down obediently, and gradually l
saw his eyes close. l looked at him
The man before me could not have in
jured child, were he SO inclined. Worn
to a mere skeleton, the wreck of a once
powerful man lay there. AS the light
fell ON his face saw that he must once
have possessed no ordinary portion of
good looks. His beard was grizzled,
though he was not past the prime of life;
but toll and hardship, and, to judge from
the sunken eyes and furrowed brow, care
and sorrow too, had done their work. l
pitied HIM, and was glad that no coward
" fear had caused refusal to his en-
treaty for admission. Poor fellow! those
sinewy hands, feeble as my baby's Eow,
spoke of hard work, a life spent in out
door toll. anxiously looked for morn
ing, as well as for the return of my hus-
band. While enduring this sad vigil
the stranger whom had sheltered sud-
denly burst into EXPLANATIONS, like the
rawlings of 3 mailman:
Keep him out-keep him out! Don't
you hear him?" The man was sitting up,
pointing with extended finger. keep
off" he cried; p" keep off! Your time has
not come yet. Stand there between me
and him. Save me!'
/ sprang toward him. "There is no
one here" said hastily; "no one, in
deed. l am quite alone, except the little
child and the dog. You are mistaken"
/ was terrified, but strove t. speak
calmly.
81 am not mistaken. Have been mis-
taken these ten years? For ten years on
this very night, this Goth of Febru
airy, have heard his voice and seen his
face. Stand there between me and the
door. Hank. hear to himr' He covered
down, shuddering "Lct me die" he
murmured. "He said he'd be with me
at my dying hour, and he is; :" he stopped
speaking. His last words were uttered
in a hoarse whisper. In the silence l
could hear the beating of my own heart.
He stretched out his hand feebly.
''Touch me" he said, "'twill give me
courage"
did SO, taking his hand in mine.
"You are an angel" he said, his fingers
convulsively Tightening on mine. Look
at the dog!' he cried. His voice was low
and hoarse through excessive weakness
Maybe you think it's the horrors of
drink that's on me- | haven't tasted
liquor, till you gave it to me, these SIX
months 1t only drove me worse when
| took it-and l am not mad" reading
some such thought in my face. Though,
| if was, you'd be in no danger; even
madness couldn't put the strength to
harm into this bag of bones," glancing at
his hands lying before him. mo,
| ma'am, / am not mad"
4