Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-06-17
breakfast time, and then went back to
break IL To her. md hreak il did.

| breakfast time. and then went OaOk IL
break II 10 her. and break IL did.
Lord bless Won. there's rothipg like
n GOOD wife to give n man strength. I"
says-" doubles him directly. Ind
then wa lnid our heads together Ia fipbl
the world and after n bit of talk W.
settled that II would be a pity to breol
mn our little home. and though we were
half heart.broken at having 10 separate
there seemed to be nothing else for H.
You see. we had bit OF credit where
wo were. and Miss Chadds. our land.
lady. was easv. and IL seemed like TAX.
inc Lizzie awav from home and friends
go we settled Il that she should stay'
and I was to 90 on tramp down TO Tie
big towns northward. and try and get
work.
II never rains but IL pours. men raw.
and now it was as il the big, black cloud
had come with vengeance, and /
shiyered as l stepped out into our
court on as black and dreary morning
as ever made a man miserable. We'd
got it over-that parting; for wouldn't Z
let her come out upon the stairs where
the other dodgers could see her. and INV
head seemed filled with the picture of
her sitting of a henp-like upon the
floor. and + was Obliged, when I tore
myself away, to take her poor arms from
around my neck and run away,
If there's any one thing that will take
the respect out of man who is willing,
il is trampinp from town to town in
search of work. And, after all, perhaps
no wonder, for one gets into queer,
low way, especially if mans situated as
1 was, trembling for every penny I spent,
as l. thought of her sitting and waiting
at home for the good news that. AZ
weeks passed on, could not send.
Home /! There, that word, and the
thoughts OF what was there, kept mo up
at many o despairing time. when. after
thirty, forty, or fifty miles tramp, I
came, almost penniless. to town to Get
the same old answer.
It was the old tale-no work. and at
last. half mad with disappointment.
turned nv steps bomewardl
had not had the heart TO write for
weeks, and at times 1 hadn't had even
the penny to pay for the stamp. because
I wanted it for bread. I had not heard
from Lizzie, either, forI had been going
about at random; here, today, there. to,
morrow-anywhere where 1 Thought
there might be work.
It was q weary tramp that. but at last
! got to London one evening. and then
| waited until it grew later. because-in
nv dirty. ragged state-I was ashamed
to be seen,
It was nine o'clock when I slipped
down our court. and glanced mn ot the
window-to sec it dark.
dark to save candle"
There was nothing to hinder me. 40
slipped up stairs-ours was the first
floor front-and tried the door-fast.
"Gone out marketing, f" I saws.
And, worn out, 1 sat down and leaned
my cheek up against the panel, and
waited for a good hour, when 1 heard
steps behind me, and nm up stairs lodger
came down, candle in hand.
"The missus gone out, Mrs. Winkus9" |
I says.
When she gave start, half scream,
and ran back up stairs.
"Don't know me-" says to myself,
bitterly; and then in a weary. duli ri
of way, got thinking that Lizzie would
know mo fast enough, changed as I
was; and then I began to be troubled at
her not coming back: and first one
thought, and then another, came into nv
mind-terrible thoughts at last, about
what women had been driven to who
had been left penniless in London. I
had left her money, and she had things
to sell: but 1 had been long awav: and
of late had not written, and her letters.
perhaps, that she had sent to me had re-
mained unanswered. Had she, too,
turned despairing?
I was weak and low. and n cloud
seemed to swim before nv ewes. I grew
forehead AZ T staggered down tn the
back parlor. knocked. and some one
said "come in /" and I stood before
Mrs. Chadds. our landladv. who set mn
quite shrek as she saw me.
"It's onlv me-Harrv Jones-Mrs
Chadds." saws. huskilv. "T've come
back. Where's Lizzv3s
"Ah! Harry-ahi NV Moor deor
lad I" she saws: and the tears were rnn.
ming down her cheeks.
"Wh-what what is it 2" I savs
catching at my throat, for I felt as Il 1
was choking.
"Oh OBJ nv DOOR soul-mv moor
lad I" she sobbed again.
"Lizziel where's Lizzie 2" I oasped. ,,
and T held her arm 40 tiobtlv tbat she
,v;nced 0'' '''' @A'N
"Ah INV moor lad-sbe's had-b
false creatHre and y ~ = y ''''>> '''''
~ ssTt's ~ q H. liz fo,so 1;o % s
-ooraS and in nv madness T sbooi bo,
I'M III sba dronned @ sohh;nr on hor M twas ~. o. |
a,., 60 faot 'o va -o- '''oo'' "'
t rs +rue-;t,s +ruen sbe oroonod. t
). sbe vent off n weak moo ~ IL "onoo {
,ra n;ntt IN hrrrv o,pS +o,, n,;n"to, otoo q
,fter y;tb ber shawl and honnot ~, .ha I
bnrriad With hin, ont of tba bor,a omJ I
i hoven,t seen her since - '''1>' t
Who-wbo was ;tS" oasned ont |
ror two hands seemed nress;no nv l
tbroat and nv heart wos oa ~ nn f;ro
MD;cL Cream !" - va
That name seemed ,;lo 1;obtr;no ~,
nv brain for there was @ as r s we,e '