Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-08-24

=
a degraded creature herself, had
enough of the woman remaining to
save an infant from injury.
And now the whole horde Of boys
beset the drunken man, Pelting him
with sticks and stones and decayed
vegetables from the kennel, and revel- |
ing in the brutal delight with which |
such scene always seems to inspire
boys of the lower classes.
Ruth saw that her babe was safe, and
that her husband was in danger; and,
forgetful of all else, flew toward him.
She cared nothing for the jeers of the
mob; before them all she flung her
arms about him aud interposed her
beautiful person between him and his
assailants. The head that had carried
itself little proudly in the presence OF
the highest Of the land, now dropped
| itself low ON the bosom of the drunken
wretch who was the jeer and scorn OF
low mob; and only in love and pity,
not in anger, did she speak to him.
Come home, Edward; they'll hurt
you, my poor love; come home with
me- ...[
Mad as he was-filled with the de-
mons of drink, to the exclusion OF the
soul God had given him-the soft,
sweet voice, the fond touch OF the
white fingers awakened some memory
OF the past in the mans breast.
Go you home, GIRL he whispered;
I'I'll kill them. Don't fret. I'll XIII
'em, and
Come home, darling she whisper
ed again; and he stopped and gave her
kiss. At that the boys yelled deri-
sively, and flung more mud and stones
at them. One threw a stone-a heavy
stone, shaIp-pointed and jagged
Whether he even intended to strike
the man is doubtful, but the missile
flew fiercely through the air, and
crushed against the golden head OF the
devoted wife. Astream of blood gush-
led from the white temple and poured
down upon her bosom. Only with a
tduivering shudder of pain she felt for
the face of the man who had sworn to
Hove and cherish her, and had broken
that VOW SO utterly while hers had
been so truly kept.
'Good-by, Edward she whispered;
Il can't see you now-kiss me! Oh, be
good to baby! Be good to baby! and
no word more.
The crowd was hushed in silence.
The culprits skunk away in terror. A
Isobered man bent over the dead Wo-
man, whose hands had dropped away
from his breast; and the love, and
truth. and tenderness of the heart were
!, all manifest to him in that terrible mo-
ment-manifest in vain, for repentance
could not restore her to life, nor blot
out the love which had crushed hel
, heart through all those weary days ol
married life.
What is the matter here?' cried
voice, as a portly man forced his way
through the crowd. "A woman hurt!
"A woman killedp said the police
, man, and that brute is the cause OF il
ALL
The gentleman bent forward, and
, started back with cry of anguish.
1T is Ruth he said. My Ruth!
and fell back in the policeman's arms
, in death-like swoOn.
+ Forgiveness and repentance had come
alike too late for poor Ruth Holly
Her father could give her nothing Du1
grave.
n The child, born amidst want and
penury, nCurished by half-starving
i. mother, pined away and died in the
home to which its grandfather bore IT
r and now, as the old man sits alone io
, his splendid mansion, he sometime:
! hears strange, wild cry in the street
outside, through which druken crea
ture reels and staggers, bowling evel
and anon, Ruth, Ruth Ruth!
It is Edward Holly, who, ever in hii
drunken madness, searches for his muir
dered wife. 1t is painful, horrible
heart-breaking wreck of the once splen
didly beautiful man of talent, who had
only one Jauty